Wednesday

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,

Jesus got up, left the house and

went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

~Mark 1:35 (NIV)~

I talked with Joan Hagan.  She requests prayer for a heart rhythm problem.  Otherwise, she is doing well.

Mrs. Catherine Yarborough will be seeing another doctor today.  Pray for her as she gets test results and makes plans for treatment.

Mr. Billy Dean is in a room and doing better.  Please continue to pray for him.

Mr. Billy Brabham is home.  Pray for him and his family.

Continue to pray for Gretchen Simpson as she recovers from her back surgery.

Buel B. Strickland
A lifelong resident of Kentwood, Buel B. Strickland was born September 30, 1919 and died on July 7, 2010 at Kentwood Manor Nursing Home.
He was a WWII Veteran and a member of Kentwood United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Helen Strickland and many friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Florence.
At his request, his body was donated to LSU Medical Center in New Orleans.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.

SAD

bassett.jpgON TUESDAY OF last week an electrical storm passed over Vicksburg…

Lightning struck and peeled the bark off an oak tree in the side yard. The charge went down and killed our basset hound, Samson. Our children took it as you might expect.

Hannah had asked to see Samson before I buried him. I decided that seeing him would help her deal with the loss, and it did. As I was covering him, she placed a clod of dirt over his body and asked if doing so would hurt him. I told her that he no longer felt any pain. Then, she turned her attention from the dog to me and asked, “Daddy, if I died, would you be sad for me?”

Oh, how easy it is to pull on Daddy’s heartstrings. I didn’t have to think hard for the reason for that question. She wanted and needed the assurance that Daddy still truly loves his little girl.

The Bible teaches in Ephesians 6:4, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” As a father, I cannot imagine giving my children everything there is to give in this life — food, clothing, shelter, love, affection, discipline, laughter, and fun — but then, in turn, neglect to teach them how much God loves them and how much they should love God. How could I not teach them that everthing we do as a family is centered on God and His Son Jesus Christ? How could I not teach them about God the Father and Son, who are revealed to us in the Bible, and how that we ought to attend to worship instead of going to a ballgame? How could I not teach them about burying the family pet? And how could I not teach them about how to react when life throws them a curve ball?

Dad, will your reassure your children that you love them? Will you rededicate your life to being the example for them as you follow YOUR Heavenly Father?

“Daddy, would you be sad for me?” The answer is beyond expression.

“A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal…” Proverbs 12:10a

Posted by Mike Benson

Have a great day!

Anna Lee

Tuesday

“I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”

~Job 23:12, NIV~


Continue to pray for the children from FBC at kid’s camp at Camp Living Waters.  Pray for Tangipahoa Baptist Church as they continue VBS each night this week and the youth from Spring Creek as they attend camp in West Virginia.

Mr. Billy Dean has been experiencing problems with A-fib.  Please continue to pray for Bro. Charles’ dad.

Devotional by Rev. Rick Warren

http://profile.purposedriven.com/dailyhope/post.html?contentid=

Baptist Press Stories for Jul. 12, 2010
—————————————
Decisions for Christ are the greatest World Cup result
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33328
FIRST-PERSON: Does God care about the World Cup?
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33329
Pastors: Oil spill opens doors for ministry
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33330
Oil-spill ministries launched on Gulf Coast
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33331
Pretoria group tackles human trafficking
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33332
AIDS education ongoing in South Africa
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33333
FIRST-PERSON: Use video testimonials in your church
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33334

Make the most of another day God has given you!

Anna Lee

Monday

“For if, while we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son,

[then how] much more, having been reconciled,

will we be saved by His life!”

~Romans 5:8, HCSB~

Pray for Jason Dean.  He has a problem with a disk in  his back.  He will not be able to lift anything for months, but the problem should clear up without surgery.

Pray for the children and adults from church who will be going to Camp Living Waters today.  Camp continues through Thursday night.

Please feel free to join us at the cabin Thursday night at 6:30 for food, fellowship, and a devotional.  Call or email if you have any questions.

TODAY’S PRAYER
IMB
JULY 12, 2010

“This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” (Psalm 34:6a)

WORLD LEADERS. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please pray today for King Juan Carlos I of Spain (southwestern Europe).

BANGKOK, THAILAND (BANG-kok). R, a Burmese woman, is a member of an international church in Bangkok. Her son studies at a university in southern Thailand. This past Christmas, R and her son handed out Christmas stockings in his city as part of a ministry sponsored by their church. The stockings contained homemade cookies, a Gospel tract, and a pen. R reports that 10 people who received the stockings have now become followers of Jesus. She is asking for help in getting Bibles and tracts to her son and the other believers there. There is a lot of interest in the Gospel among the 50,000 Burmese who live in southern Thailand. Pray for the Burmese church that meets at the international church as they try to organize a trip to deliver the requested discipleship materials and offer training to the local believers. Pray for Baptist representatives Martin and Carrie Chappell, who serve among the international community in Bangkok.

CENTRAL TIBETANS IN ASIA (ti-BEH-tuns). M, a young Central Tibetan Christian, has been overwhelmed with worry recently concerning her relationship with her husband and his family, none of whom are believers. The stress of the confusing situation even caused her to become suicidal. But the Lord saved her from inflicting too much harm, and also blessed her with a picture of reconciliation while she was praying about her circumstances. Petition God for protection from the evil one’s schemes to destroy her and her faith, and ask for reconciliation to be the reality. Pray that M will press into Jesus, daily surrendering her marriage to Him and living to glorify the Lord among her family!

Turning the Tide of our Nation

Rev. Charles Stanley

Join many others in praying for our nation for the next 140 days.  The first week is focused on Personal Preparation.  Read Psalms 51 and then pray each day this week.

“Count Your Blessings” today and thank God for each one.

Anna Lee

Saturday Night

The Albany church youth involved in the accident have been released from the hospital with cuts and broken bones, but Ms. Laura Glascock, the driver, has amnesia and a concussion.  Please keep all families involved in your prayers.

Brenda Kleinpeter called to request prayer for Alycia Bates who will be three in September.  Alycia will be undergoing tests at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans next week.  Alycia is the granddaughter of Lamar and Carolyn Bates and Joann Travis, all of the New Zion community.

Saturday Urgent Request

A friend has shared a prayer request.  I know you will want to be in prayer for the young people and adults.

Just heard that the youth from Bethlehem Bapt. Church in Albany were in a serious wreck on their way home from Mobile, AL church camp. All were seriously hurt but I don’t have any names or other information. Most of the youth in the wreck were cheerleaders and friends with my granddaughter, Nikki Newell. Please pray for them!!

I’ll share more when I hear more.

Continue to pray for Mr. Billy Dean as he continues to have trouble with his blood sugar following surgery.

Saturday

“Let the little children come to Me,

and don’t stop them,

because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,”

Luke 18:16b

CaringBridge

Read about Callie Cole’s new location and pray the therapy helps.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/calliecole/journal?jid=5774070

Mr. Billy Dean is doing better.  He has been transferred to a regular room.  Please keep him in your prayers a little longer.

Pray for Jennie and the children as they return to Kentwood today.

Baptist Press

http://www.bpnews.net/

Baptist Message

http://www.baptistmessage.com/

Have a great day of preparation for the Lord’s Day!

Anna Lee

Friday Addition

Thank God for Gretchen’s successful surgery.  Keep her in your prayers as she recovers.

I made it home around 10:30 am today. I am sore but will get better. I am wearing a neck brace to support my neck. Will wear my neck brace for 6 weeks. I will not be able to drive, but I will be able to ride short distances and there is alot of things I won’t be able to do for while.

Thanks for the prayers.

Gretchen V. Simpson

I received a call from Susan Blades.  She said Mr. Buel Strickland passed away a couple days ago.  He gave his body for research, so there will be no funeral.  We all have sweet memories of him – his bicycle, pulling his lawn mower, great vegetables, collecting cans, etc.  His wife, “Miss” Helen still resides at Kentwood Manor.  As you recall memories of Mr. Buel, please take time to pray for “Miss” Helen and other family members.

Friday

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

make known His deeds among the peoples!”

~Psalm 105:1~

Jimmy Dykes is better.  He is no longer on the ventilator.  Please continue to pray for him and his family.

Melissa S. Johnson asks for prayer for her cousins who are serving in the military and making numerous tours overseas.  Their names are Jorge and Manuel.

I got this from my Aunt today in an E Mail…….Please pray for my cousin Manuel (Chacho) Martinez he is 26 years old and this is his 4th time over there. His brother Jorge is back.

Going to Dallas tomorrow to spend the weekend with my baby boy Chacho who is deploying to Afganastan. He will be gone a year. I am having a real hard time with this one. This will be the fifth deployment between Chacho and Jorge.  Please pray for us.

Joyce Murray Besse
(November 4, 1963 – July 7, 2010)

PEOPLE ARE SIGNIFICANT

The author of the following article is unknown to me:

“During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:   ‘What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”  Surely this was some kind of joke.  I had seen the cleaning woman several times.  She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

“I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.  Before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

“‘Absolutely,’ said the professor.  ‘In your careers you will meet many people.  All are significant.  They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.’

“I’ve never forgotten that lesson.  I also learned her name was Dorothy.”

When you look at the life of Jesus, one of the things that stands out is the value Jesus placed on people.  He didn’t just see everybody as a mass of humanity; he made an effort to know people on an individual basis.  And as he came to know them, he acknowledged and met their needs.  The gospel of Luke is filled with stories of many of these people and their encounters with Jesus.  He was compassionate to the poor, the sick, the hurting, the sinful.

The story of Zacchaeus is typical of so many of Jesus’ encounters:  “Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.’ ” (Luke 19:2-4)

People deserve our attention and care, even those people who may seem to be “insignificant” — because of appearance, because of a lack of wealth, because of a handicap, because of their occupation.  By the way, do you know the name of the person who cleans your school or workplace?  If not, I encourage you to find out.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Have a great day!

Anna Lee