Monday

“The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me;

he pulled me out of the deep waters.”

~Psalm 18:16 TEV~

Kelly Adams Rainey

Please add my sister Kelly Edwards Rainey to the prayer link. She will be having surgery to have her gall bladder removed Monday at Southwest in McComb. Please pray that everything will go well with no complications.

Thank you,
Lynda Newman

Stacey Scarle

This week I have an apt. w/ my surgeon Wed. & my oncologist Friday. Still feeling pretty yucky from treatment last Tuesday but remain optimistic that I’ll feel better any day now. Anyway, that’s 5 treatments down and 3 to go so, I’m past the half-way mark for treatments. Then there’s the surgery. Wow, I can’t even think about that now. One day at a time.

CaringBridge – What a blessing this young lady is to many others.  Her family is very special and has prepared Callie to minister to others.  I know she touches my  heart!

Georgia Barnette Offering for Louisiana Missions

Multi-Housing Ministries, Louisiana

“II Corinthians 5:17-18 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.  Now everything is from God, who reconciled Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Multi-housing-03The command to share the Gospel with all the lost is leading several churches and groups to reach out to those living in multi-housing areas.  This group is one of the largest unreached peoples in America today with surveys concluding that 95% of multi-family dwellers do not go to church anywhere.

Through small-group Bible studies in apartment complexes, prayer walks, prayer groups, mentoring and moving assistance, this need is being met in Louisiana.  Prayer walks in the Shreveport/Bossier City area have opened doors for ministry, working relationships with property management and evangelistic presentations on the street.

Ministry in Lafayette, through “ServnLove,” has helped to discover needs of people “living in the gaps.”  ServnLove has established three Bible studies and a mentoring program for widows.

Remember to pray for:

  • apartment managers to be receptive to ministry on their properties;
  • volunteers to be part of the ministry through weekly Bible studies;
  • God’s continued strengthening of ministry leaders;
  • sponsoring associations; and
  • creative entries into the lives of families living in multi-family housing areas.

Our Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering makes it possible to work where it counts in multi-family housing areas.

Thought for the Day by Alan Smith

Lostness

A golfer, playing a round by himself, is about to tee off, and a greasy little salesman runs up to him, and yells, “Wait! Before you tee off, I have something really amazing to show you!”

The golfer, annoyed, says, “What is it?”

“It’s a special golf ball,” says the salesman. “You can never lose it!”

“Whattaya mean,” scoffs the golfer, “you can never lose it? What if you hit it into the water?”

“No problem,” says the salesman. “It floats, and it detects where the shore is, and spins towards it.”

“Well, what if you hit it into the woods?”

“Easy,” says the salesman. “It emits a beeping sound, and you can find it with your eyes closed.”

“Okay,” says the golfer, impressed. “But what if your round goes late and it gets dark?”

“No problem, sir, this golf ball glows in the dark! I’m telling you, you can never lose this golf ball!”

The golfer buys it at once. “Just one question,” he says to the salesman. “Where did you get it?”

“I found it!”

Maybe someday someone will invent a golf ball that can never be lost, but until then we will all have to deal with losing things — golf balls, car keys, glasses, etc. We also have to deal with a lost humanity. I find it interesting that the one term Jesus used most often to describe those who are outside of Christ is the word “lost”.

In Luke 15, Jesus elaborated on this idea by telling three parables — the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost (prodigal) son. The point has often been made that those three parables demonstrate three different ways of being lost — through unintentional wandering (the sheep), through the negligence of someone else (the coin), or through willful disobedience (the son).

However, the point of those three parables is not so much about our lostness as they are about the fact that our God is willing to search for us and bring us back into a relationship with Him. If we will truly see the world around us as “lost”, it will change our perspective as well. Think about the last time you knew of a child that was missing. When a child is lost, we don’t ask what race the child is. It doesn’t matter — the child is lost! We don’t ask the child’s economic status. It doesn’t matter — the child is lost! We don’t ask what the child may or may not have done wrong. It doesn’t matter — the child is lost! All that matters is that we find that child and bring him/her home safely.

Seeing a world around us as “lost” will change the way we see them. The scribes and Pharisees looked at the tax collectors and sinners and saw terrible, ugly people. Jesus saw people who were lost. All that mattered to him was that he bring them home safely.

“For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Father, thank you for diligently searching for me and for bringing me home to you. Fill me with your love so that I may care enough to seek out those around me who are lost. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

Alan Smith has a special way of “opening my eyes” through scriptures I’m already familiar with.  What a blessing his devotional have been to me!

Have a marvelous Monday!

Anna Lee

Sunday

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers,

neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

~Romans 8:38-39 NIV~

Please continue to pray for Mrs. Avis Sullivan.  The nights have been long and hard and the days busy.  Pray for her family as they sit with her.

Continue to pray for Mr. Phillip and “Miss” Annie Bell Harrell.  They both have had some difficult days lately.  I know they will be thankful for your prayers.

Erin Evanoff continues to ask for your prayers as she faces surgery tomorrow morning.

Georgia Barnette State Offering for Louisiana Missions – Day 8

GA and RA Camps at Tall Timbers

Kimberly Williams and Gibbie McMillan, Directors

Acts 1:8 “

…and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,

in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

II Corinthians 5:20

“Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ…”

GA-04
RA-04

Camp brings to mind rustic settings, cabins, sports, and swimming.  The words “GA Camp” and “RA Camp”, broaden the picture to include Bible study, worship, and interaction with “real-live” missionaries, resulting in life-changing experiences for girls and boys. The Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering is active in missions education for girls and boys, helping to make mission’s camping experiences possible at Tall Timbers, our state Baptist conference center.

And there are life-changing experiences!  Darian, a 2009 GA camper knows that GA camp is where she began to know God has called her to be a missionary.  God had been dealing with her for a year; at GA camp, she said “yes.”

As we read this, GA and RA camp planning for 2011 is already underway,  as well as plans for other GA and RA events such as M-JAM (Mission Jamboree for GA and Children in Action and RA Congress.)

Pray for:

  • campers and leaders who will attend in 2011;
  • staff and missionaries as they seek God’s guidance in planning and preparation;
  • the need for mission education through RA and GA and other WMU and Baptist Men organizations to be communicated in such a way that missions education will continue.

Mission education organizations such as GA, Children in Action and RA give children on-going opportunities to learn about, pray for, give to and DO missions right now, right where they are!

(Don’t forget to look for the two children from FBC, Amite in the picture of your prayer guide.)

May you see God’s rich blessings in your life this Lord’s Day!

Anna Lee

Saturday Afternoon No. 2

Jamie Michelle Wallace
(May 20, 1976 – September 18, 2010)

Jamie Michelle Wallace was born May 20, 1976 and passed away at 4:30 a.m., September 18, 2010 at North Oaks Medical Center, Hammond. She was 34, a native of Hammond and a resident of Amite.

Jamie is survived by her father, Michael Wallace, Amite; sister, Casey Wallace, Kentwood; grandfather, Emile Catalanotto and wife, Brenda, Amite; 4 aunts, Peggy C. Chenault and husband, Robert, Amite, Christy Catalanotto, Amite, Joan Keopp and husband, Billy, Amite and Jeanine Chutz and husband, Chris, Baton Rouge; 6 uncles, Michael “Mike” Catalanotto, Garfield, AR, Mark Catalanotto and wife, Frances, Amite, Charles “Chuck’ Catalanotto and wife, Jennifer, Pensacola, FL, Johnny Wallace and wife, Nancy, Houston, TX, Rhett Wallace and wife, Candy, Amite and David Wallace and wife, Stephanie, Vicksburg, MS; nieces and nephews, Michael Crouch, Julian Tyler Crouch, Austin Ballow, Darien Ballow and Reese Ballow; also other extended family.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Deborah C. Wallace; sister, Kirke Wallace Crouch; grandmother, Ann Gayle Rother Catalanotto; grandparents, Jeff and Joan Wallace; great grandparents, Bub & Gladys Rother, Charlie Catalanotto and Lucy Allessi; 2 aunts, Cindy C. Ballard and Karen Catalanotto.

Visitation at McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 from 4:00 p.m. until Celebration of Life Services at 7:00 p.m. in the Funeral Home Chapel with Deacon Mike Agnello officiating. Interment in the Amite Memorial Gardens.

An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N & Hwy 16W (Exit 46) next to Bill Hood Automotive and behind Mr. Tom’s Car Wash and Holiday Inn Express.

Saturday Afternoon

CaringBridge – Micah Tolleson

I think the picture and article from the paper will enable you to know more about how to pray for my cousin, Scott, and his family.

Continue to pray for Mrs. Avis Sullivan who is recovering from surgery at North Oaks.

Mrs. Judy Liberto‘s daughter said Judy is doing better now.  Please continue to pray for her.

Geneva Lindsey Wall
(September 10, 1929 – September 17, 2010)

A resident of Kentwood, LA, died at 11:45AM on Friday, September 17, 2010 at St. Helena Parish Nursing Home in Greensburg, LA. She was born September 10, 1929 in Tangipahoa Parish, LA and was 81 years of age. Visitation at New Zion Baptist Church, Kentwood, after 5 p.m. on Sunday until religious services at 11 a.m. Monday. Services conducted by Rev. David Cutrer, Rev. Don Meadows, & Rev. Richard Sandberg. Interment Daniel Wall Family Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. Survived by 3 daughters, Virginia Foster and her husband, Wayne, Bogue Chitto, MS, April Spivey and her husband, Kenneth, Walker, Debbie Tobara, Ocean Springs, MS, 3 sons, Jimmy Wall and his wife, Jo, Kentwood, Daniel Wall, Jr. and his wife, Krystle, Kentwood, Bobby Wall, Kentwood, 6 sisters, Ida Mae Carter, Kentwood, Viola Bennett, Mt. Hermon, Margaret Cutrer, Roseland, Thelma Guillory, Walker, Betty Howell, Kentwood, Virgie Slaven, Kentwood, 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild. Preceded in death by husband, Daniel Wall, Sr., daughter, Chrissie Wall, son-in-law, Bill Tobara, brother, William Lindsey, grandson, William Daniel Whittington. McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements.

Saturday

“And may you have the power to understand,

as all God’s people should,

how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

May you experience the love of Christ,

though it is too great to understand fully.”

~Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT~

The server for The Prayer Link has been down.  Sorry for the delay in posting this morning.

Georgia Barnette Offering for Louisiana Mission

Week of Prayer – Day 7

East Bayou Baptist at Youngsville

Andy Tribe, Church Planter

I Corinthians 9:19, 23  “For although I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, in order to win more people… Now I do this because of the gospel, that I may become a partner in its benefits.”

Tribe-01BThis church plant, a second campus of East Bayou Baptist Church in Lafayette, aims to be an involved church designed to bring people and God together.  Pastor Andy Tribe sees that his personal commission is to reach the lost and people who do not attend any church.

A shared vision brought this work together.  Pastor Mike Walker of the sponsoring church was impressed by God to reach as many unchurched people as possible.  Andy and his wife, Mona, caught that vision and began ministry through a Bible study in their home in 2008. On February 3, 2010, East Bayou Youngsville held official launch day with 218 in attendance.

Pastor Andy Tribe would be the first to tell you that there is still much to do and assistance from Louisiana Baptists through the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering will be gratefully used.  So will our prayers!

Andy Tribe requests that we pray for:

  • The lost that live in the neighborhoods surrounding this site;
  • Stamina and perseverance as a core team is built; and
  • More people to come to know the Lord, therefore bringing more potential leaders to the work.

Space and property is often a great need of new church plants, but so is the need for committed leaders.

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33699

You may want to read these brief articles from Baptist Press.  I know they will touch your heart.

Enjoy the blessing of this day God has provided for you.

Anna Lee

Friday – Midday

Mrs. Avis Sullivan‘s surgery is scheduled for 4 P.M. at North Oaks.  I’m sure you will be praying for her and her family before, during, and after surgery.  Your prayers will be appreciated.

Erin Evanoff will be having surgery September 20th.   She has a big battle to face.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers.  Erin, too, appreciates your prayers.  Keep them coming.

Friday Addition

I almost forgot!

Georgia Barnette Week of Prayer for Louisiana Missions

Day 6

Crescent City Rock Mission, Metairie

Jim Louviere, Church Planter

Matthew 7:24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock…”

Crescent-City-01Pastor Jim Louviere points out that New Orleans, like so much of Louisiana, “has religious culture where many claim to believe in God, but don’t’ know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.”  Their foundation is built on shaky ground rather than on Jesus, the Solid Rock; they are part of the many faces of Louisiana missions.  The mission statement at Crescent City Rock is “We exist to help people find a life that rocks with purpose built on The Rock of Christ.”

This fifteen-month old church plant reaches a neighborhood in Jefferson Parish that has no Southern Baptist church.  Block parties, back-to-school outreach, and Sharing the Peace of Jesus events provided avenues of ministry in preparation for church launch on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, resulting in more than 200 attending worship and 60 decisions for Christ.

As we pray for Crescent City and Pastor Jim, let’s pray for other similar church plants.  Pray for:

  • Leadership teams to clearly know God’s direction in initial works;
  • Effective follow-up from Launch Sunday;
  • New people to hunger for God and grow in their desire to live out their purpose for God; and
  • Balance between the many responsibilities of bivocational church planters like Pastor Jim.

Twenty-six new church starts were begun in Louisiana in 2009.  Our financial gifts to the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering make it possible to begin more each year.

Friday

“Call to Me,

and I will answer you,

and show you great and mighty things,

which you do not know.”

~Jeremiah 33:3~

Continue to pray for Mrs. Judy Liberto as she recovers from surgery.

Mrs. Annie Bell Harrell is home.  Please continue to pray for her and Mr. Phillip.

My cousins, Scott and Micah, are both home.  Please keep the family in your prayers as they continue to realize God’s faithfulness.

Levels of Toleration

Thought for the Day

Written by Alan Smith

Reposted from Websits

Thought For The Day At a computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, “If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.”

In response to Bill’s comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive – but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single “This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation” warning light.

7. The airbag system would ask “Are you sure?” before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

10. You’d have to press the “Start” button to turn the engine off.

It’s amazing, isn’t it, what we tolerate in some things we use (like Microsoft Windows) that we would never tolerate in other things we use (like our automobiles)? Then again, it shouldn’t be too surprising because I find that there are many things which I tolerate in some people that I would never tolerate in others.

For example, if someone I don’t particularly like passes me on the street and doesn’t wave or say “hi”, I get easily offended and assume that he is just being snobby. If a good friend does the same thing, though, I assume that he must have something on his mind and he was merely distracted. If someone I love dearly accidentally trips and kicks me in the shin, I think nothing of it. If someone else does it, though, I quickly assume they’re clumsy and inconsiderate. It’s true, isn’t it? We tolerate things from people we love that we would never tolerate from people we don’t love.

Could it be that one of the reasons we have so many conflicts in the church is that love is lacking? When love is missing, we are quick to assume the worst, we tolerate nothing and we are quick to find fault. Patience is non-existent. Forgiveness is difficult. Love, however, truly does “cover a multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8)

I like the way GOD’S WORD translates this passage from Paul’s writings: “As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Above all, be loving. This ties everything together perfectly.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

Are you having trouble “putting up” with folks around you? May your love for others increase so that your level of toleration may increase as well.

–Alan

Have a fantastic Friday!

Anna Lee