Friday Addition

Camp Living Waters

Did you get new pots, pans and kitchen items for Christmas? We would like to have your hand me downs:
We have 3 trailer kitchens that we would like to stock before February.
Items needed are toasters, utensils, flatware, plates, glasses, coffeemakers, microwaves, bowls, cookware, cooking pans, mixing bowls etc.
Please message us, if you have questions. You can drop items off at the camp office. Thank you.

If you bring them to the stairwell at FBC, Kentwood (member of FBC, K or not), I will see that they are delivered to Camp Living Waters.  If you would like to give a check, I will also get that to the proper people.  Thanks for helping to meet a need.

Friday

“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.

The former things will not be remembered,

nor will they come to mind.

~Isaiah 65:17 NIV~

 

God is still working in Jadon’s life.  He has now been SEIZURE FREE for THREE YEARS!  I thank God for this miracle and the testimony his family is so free to share.  I got to give his mother another hug Sunday and watch Jadon at play for a couple minutes.  God has been so faithful to this family as they have been faithful to Him!

Continue to pray for Koltyn and his family.  They have received a tremendous amount of prayer and financial support from their friends and community.  I thank God for all those you are praying and working for this special cause.

Please remember Mrs. Hazel Smith in your prayers.  She’s scheduled for surgery Monday in Hammond.

Please also remember Mr. Bobby Lawson in your prayers.  He is at home.

Check out the Operation Christmas Child Facebook page to see photos of children around the world as they receive their “shoeboxes”.  Read the stories and have your heart blessed.  FBC, Kentwood will begin Operation Christmas Child 2015 Sunday.  You, as individuals or groups, will have the opportunity for the next ten months to bring suggested items for the shoeboxes that will be packed at the for 2015.  Check out the OCC center in the fellowship hall at church.  Take the first step by selecting a bag.  Fill it as indicated and return it within the month of January.

Sunday is also frozen food day.  Bring quart size bags of frozen food to my classroom before Sunday School.  The food will be distributed to families that day!

Hope Center will be open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 – 5:00 and Saturday from 9:00 – 1:00.  Let me know if you would like to volunteer on a regular basis or periodically.  I’ll get you on the schedule.

Devotional, Scriptures, and Songs

  • “Where are You? – http://odb.org/2015/01/02/where-are-you/
  • The Lord God . . . said to him,                                                                             “Where are you?”                                                                                                                                      ~Genesis 3:9~                                                                                                                                                                                                                             God, be merciful to me a sinner!                                                                                                                    ~Luke 18:13~                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Though your sins are like scarlet,                                                                         they shall be white as snow.                                                                                                                             ~Isaiah 1:18~             
    They have washed their robes                                                                                  and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.                                                                                                       ~ Revelation 7:14~
  • “There is Power in the Blood” –   http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/h/therepow.htm                                                                                                                                                                                               “Jesus Paid it All” – http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/p/jpaidall.htm

I trust you are counting your blessings/answered prayers/etc. each day and hope you are keeping a jar of them to add to daily.  How wonderful it will be to look back on them at the end of 2015.  My jar simply says “2015”.  I hope you get started if you have not already done so.

Daily Bible Reading

  •  Friday, January 23, 2015
  • Prophecy & Revelation
  • Isaiah 18-22

Anna Lee

Update on Koltyn

Update 1/1/15 10:00am (written by Koltyn’s dad)

Great news from the doctor this morning. Koltyn did well last night. The doctor says we are now out of the window for any additional brain swelling from the initial injury. We are continuing to reduce the vent settings and medication. Koltyn is more active. We are well on our way to recovery! We praise God for his love, grace and healing! Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support. We love you all

Bible Reading Plan for 2015

I have chosen the following Bible reading plan for 2015.  You can print out the list of readings for the year or have them emailed to you daily.  You can also choose the version of the Bible you prefer.  I hope you will join me with this plan or another one of your choice.  Let’s dig in again this year.

http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.html

http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-faq.html

Today’s reading – Job 7-8

 

1-1-15

He who was seated on the throne said,

“I am making everything new!”

Then he said, “Write this down,

for these words are trustworthy and true.”

~Revelation 21:5~

 

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

I’ll post more after our family members head out this morning.  Pray for them as they travel the next two days.

Anna Lee

Wednesday

And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
~Romans 8: 28~

Koltyn continues to improve.

Koltyn is completely off 1 of his BP meds and we are starting to ween him off his second one tonight. We’ve had a pretty good day today. He has opened his eyes abt 3/4ths of the way but, only for a few seconds. Started back on his feedings and still remains sedated while on the vent. Hopefully by this time tomorrow we will have a much better outlook on what the future my hold. I have remained strong in my faith that God is with him and will continue to place his healing hands upon Koltyn throughout the days/weeks and months to come.                                                                           Thank you all once again!                                                                                                                                     Love Brad Gafford & Kristin Russell Gafford

 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Devotional, Scriptures, and a Song

Sunday, we will be bringing food items to Sunday School for our two families.  Please pass this reminder on to those who do not get to read this.  Thanks!

Do something special to remind yourself of God’s presence, love, watch-care, opportunities, etc. in your life during 2015.
Anna Lee

Tuesday Update and Death Notice

Koltyn Gafford (written by his dad)

Update – Koltyn did well last night. No brain swelling. The doctor said things went our way last night. Praise God! They will keep him on ventilator support at this time because We are still in the window where brain swelling can occur. Your prayers kept him out of the woods so far so please do not stop praying. God is definitely by his side. Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support.

Yvonne “Betty” McMillian Alford Wall

(February 22, 1919 – December 29, 2014)

http://www.catchingsfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=2886600&fh_id=12254

Tuesday

“Praise be to the Lord,

the God of Israel,

because he has come

and has redeemed his people.

~Luke 1: 68 (NIV)~

 

Please pray for my friend Martha Pevey Drago.  She has another chemo, her second,  today. She has lost all her hair and so hid her husband, Joe.  Her quote included “for better or worse”.  Pray for her today as she goes through chemo.  Also, pray for her granddaughter, Macy Gueldner, who is also having chemo this week.

“Tomorrow I get my second round of chemo! Please pray that all goes well and that side effects are minimal!!! I no longer have any hair! Had to shave it off as it was falling out and also causing discomfort. Very strange feeling but emotionally I think I have handled pretty well! Unbeknown to me, Joe shaved his to support me. He has been a real trooper and really stepped up. I guess this is the for better or worse…..sickness or health part! Lol. Please continue to pray for Macy, she has chemo Wednesday. Also, please pray for three other ladies in this community with breast cancer, Rickie Mullendore, Sharon Hutchinson and Lana Woodard. Lana is a very dear friend of mine and I can not believe we are going through this at the same time!!! Please continue to pray for Koltyn Gafford and his family! There is power in prayer!!! Praise God!!!”

Kai Relan is doing better.  After four or five more days, he may get to leave the hospital for the first time.  I know his family will be so happy and so thankful.

Koltyn Gafford

  • “Our night, nurse said he had a good night didn’t have to be suctioned anymore after I feel asleep which was around 1. She is going gradually ween him off his blood pressure meds. And he is now at 30% O2 with a PEEP of 3. His pupils have remained small all day and throughout the night. His dr. will make rounds starting at 9:00 this morning, so I should an updated report sometime after that. Thank you for all of prayers and continued support.”
  • “Sorry that I haven’t posted much today but, it has been a very busy day here with many many wonderful visitors in and out throughout the day. I can’t thank you all enough for thinking of us during this difficult time. I am extremely overwhelmed by one particular visitor we had to day, thanks to one of my FB friends heartfelt desire to share our post to her page. It hit close to home with a very close friend/church member of hers. He came by to visit and shared with us his testimony of his drowning he had experienced around the same age as Koltyn. He is 33 now and is living proof that God is powerful and works miracles in those who believe in him. I can’t thank him enough for his visit and words of encouragement this afternoon. Thank you Brennan Fitzgerald Lee & Ethan Lee for pointing him in our direction! Continue to keep us all in your prayers because he is still in a very crucial state. He has his ups and his downs all throughout the day. We love you all and can not express how much you all mean to us and all of your prayers, texts, visits, phone calls and sweet comments”
  • “WOW !!!! WE MADE IT KOLTYN WARRIORS !!!! $ 10310.00 IN 24 HOURS !!!! WE EXCEEDED OUR GOAL !!!! I THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART !!!! YIPPE !!!
  • “You may be interested in joining the Facebook page, “Prayers for Koltyn“.

Update on Jadon – We have followed “Jadon’s Journey” and been greatly blessed.  I was blessed to see him, his mother, and his brother Sunday.  God is continuing to richly bless them.  They have taken several opportunities to “pass it on” to others.  That’s what they were doing Sunday.  Jadon is one walking, talking miracle.  His family is now is blessing other families like they have been blessed.  My heart is so thrilled to witness all of this!

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Let’s be sure to “live the talk” in 2015 and for the remainder of our lives.  Are we singing and do “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go”?  I think there is always room for improvement.

Anna Lee

Monday Addition

“Ok, Koltyn Prayer Warriors, its 3:30 am on Monday morning , and we have raised another 2500.00 in 6 hours !! We have now raised 7700.00 of the 10,000.00 goal !! Remember, we want to SURPASS THE GOAL BY 12:00 ( Lunch ) on Monday 12/29/14 !!! LET’S ROLL FOR KOLTYN PRAYER WARRIORS !!!”

If you would like to contribute, I can steer you to the proper people.  Call me or message me.  Thanks, Anna Lee.

P.S. According to Koltyn’s dad, the medicine seems to be helping with the swelling in the eye.  Keep praying.

Monday

“For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;

He is to be feared above all gods.   

For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the LORD made the heavens. 

Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. 

Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

Give to the LORD glory and strength. 

Give to the LORD the glory due His name;

Bring an offering, and come into His courts.   

Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

Tremble before Him, all the earth.”

~Psalm 96:4-9~

I have requests concerning three of my special church friends.

  • Mrs. Hazel Smith will be having surgery in Hammond a week from today.  Please begin praying for her and her family this week.
  • Mrs. Kathryn Kuss seems to be “under the weather” again.  Please say prayers she will feel better soon.
  • Mr. Frankie Gehringer will be having another procedure.  Please pray this is effective.

Koltyn Gafford

  • We need everyone to pray right now please. They just noticed Koltyn’s right pupil is larger than the other which could me there is swelling and pressure on his brain. They gave him a dose of medicine to help with the swelling and taking him for a CT scan.  Kristin (Koltyn’s mom)

  • My wife and I can’t Thank y’all enough for what y’all have done, I am so overwhelmed that a sweet little boy can bring this much people together, I would never thought this would happen to one of ours I have always seen on Facebook or the news of other kids getting hurt or sick and it would break my heart, so you never know what life brings you, your life can change in a blink of an eye, so don’t take life for granted, love one another, keep god in your life! Thank y’all for the prayers I believe prayers do heal, god is on our team!! We all love y’all! God bless!  Brad (Koltyn’s dad)

    Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

    “Giving the Gospel Traction” – http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/lmcoatworkview.asp?PageNavID=111&StoryID=13388&LanguageID=1709#.VKEXoMAAs

David worked with Judge Clayton James for many years.  Pray for all those touched by his life as funeral services are held for him this morning at Crain Funeral Home in Franklinton.

Disaster Relief – Pray for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief workers and others as they continue to work in Columbia, MS where a tornado hit last week.  May our disaster relief workers be able to share the love of Jesus for others as well as their own as the help the people to “pick up the pieces” of their lives.  Also, pray for the safety and health of all those working there.

 

Thom S. Rainer – “Eight Things I’m Praying Will Happen in Our Churches in 2015” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIHZAr0VJbM&src_vid=GtcBURtm5Aw&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_648045

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

 

Pray for the youth of the church who have traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a conference.  Pray their young lives will be molded into a God pleasing form through their experiences there.  Thank God for parents who are willing to accompany them.

I don’t know how you feel, but I was blessed by our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering speakers yesterday.  I hope you were encouraged to support our missionaries through the presentations yesterday.

Anna Lee