Sunday

“…Let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us.”

~Hebrews 12:13b, KJV~

 

Joan Hagan reports she has lost a little over thirty pounds since her surgery two weeks ago. Please continue to pray for her.

 

 

On Mission in Kentwood

  • Saturday, May 24
  • Donuts and organization at 8 A.M.
  • Sign up today!
  • Contact Lauree or me with any requests.

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor

BEFORE ENTERING THE broadcasting field, Jim Valvano led the North Carolina State University basketball team to a national championship…

Then cancer developed in his lower back. Invited to address the Duke University squad, Jim had this to say: “Life changes when you least expect it to. The future is uncertain. So, seize this day, seize this moment, and make the most of it.”

God gives us an urgent directive in Hebrews 3:13, “Exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Why is there such a strong insistence on today?

It may be that today, this very day, could be the last one in our time here on earth. Today may be your last opportunity to obey God’s plan of salvation, or to share His love with a friend or loved one.

James has this warning about presuming upon our tomorrows: “You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (4:14).

Seize the opportunities that God gives you today. That’s sound advice-not just for basketball players, but for all of us. (Vernon C. Grounds)

“You do not know what will happen tomorrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapor that appears for a little time

and then vanishes away.”

~Jas. 4:14~

 

 

Make God first in your life this Lord’s Day.

Anna Lee

Saturday

“My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is

that they may be saved.”

~Romans 10:1~

A special thanks to those who stepped in to assist with a project for On Mission in Kentwood this week. May God bless you as you serve Him in this way.

A week from today, Saturday, May 24th, we will have another churchwide On Mission in Kentwood. Plan now to be a part of this ministry. If you have a special request for this group, please contact me or the church office (229-2881). Thanks!

MISSIONARY PERSONAL NEEDS. From the Pacific Rim region comes this request: “Several families on our Pacific Rim Media Team are dealing with serious family issues such as aging parents or extended family members with health issues. Pray for God’s grace as we deal with these situations, oftentimes from a long distance.”

Floydale Teague
(November 14, 1928 – May 16, 2008)

Died at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, May 16, 2008 at his residence in Kentwood. He was a native of McGargel, TX. Age 79 years. He is survived by his wife, M. L. Teague, Kentwood; son, Tommy Teague, Baton Rouge; 3 daughters, Kathy Teague, Metairie, Karen Teague, Metairie and Donna Teague, South Carolina. He was preceded in death by his father, Samuel Teague; mother, Florence McClendon Teague; 2 brothers, David Teague and Raymond Teague; sister, Jewel Teague.


A FRIEND TO HELP

I heard recently about a student named Steve Winger from Lubbock, TX who was taking a challenging class in Logic. Both the course and the teacher were known for exacting and demanding exams. The final exam was looming, and the professor mercifully told the class that each student would be permitted to bring in a single 8 x 11 1/2 inch sheet with as much information as they could put on that one sheet for help during the test.

On exam day, each student came to class clutching their precious pieces of paper with as much information as possible. Some students had crammed lines and lines of font so tiny and so numerous onto that single sheet that you had to wonder how they could read it. But Steve walked in with a single blank sheet and a friend who was a senior student and who had an ‘A’ in logic. Steve bent down and placed that single, blank sheet of paper on the floor next to his desk. His expert friend stood on the paper.

The professor noticed the extra body in the room and asked what he was doing. Steve piped up, “You said we could bring in what ever we could fit on a single piece of paper for help on this test, well, this is my help and he can fit on the paper!” He had followed the instructions to the letter and was the only student in that class to score an ‘A’ since he had his expert friend standing along side him.

That story reminds me of what God has done for us. We are “tested” on a daily basis, but we have two very special blessings to assist us. First of all, God didn’t just send us a piece of paper to tell us what we need to know. Jews were given the “cheat sheet” composed of Ten Commandments chiseled in stone, along with hundreds of other commandments penned on scrolls. But God did more than that for us — He sent his Son to this earth, to stand with us, to live with us — not just a set of answers written on paper, but a living, breathing perfect example of what we need to know. Want to know how God would react in any given situation? Look to Jesus.

Then when Jesus returned to His Father, he left a helper with us, a “paraclete” to stand alongside us (no more than that — within us!), supporting us and guiding us.

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (2 Cor. 1:21-22)

What a trendemous blessing, and a comfort to those who are in Christ.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Have a wonderful weekend.

Anna Lee

Friday

“Ye shall seek me, and find me,

when ye shall search for me with all your heart”

~Jeremiah 29:13, KJV~.

I am home & the procedure went well. Thank you for your prayers. Tonight I will go to an Alzheimer’ Support Group at the Methodist Church. This is very helpful.

Continue to pray for both of us.
Frann S. Clark

Thank you for continuing to pray for Kenny. You can now check out http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kennypope for the latest news. The info below is what I read this morning from Kenny’s webpage. Melinda

Wednesday, the 14th (1:11pm) –

Today we learned that Kenny’s next surgery will be tomorrow (Thursday)around lunch (he is the doctor’s second surgery of the day) and we think he will be transferred to Shepherd’s Spinal on Wednesday the 21st.

PRAISE OF THE DAY – our stay at Shepherd’s will be 4 to 6 weeks instead of the first estimate of 6 months.

Wednesday at 3:57 pm-

This is Toni. I am listening to Kenny talk on the phone to an old friend and I will repeat for you as much of the conversation as I can:

His friend asked for worse case scenario and, as we learned today, Kenny told him a wheelchair. His spinal cord was crushed at the T 10 juncture… Then Kenny says but my plan, until the Lord tells me different is to walk again! Then his friend said something like, what are you gonna do and Kenny’s reply was, ‘Well, I’m gonna tell people about God whether it is from a wheelchair or from my feet!

Kenny is saying we are content to go through this and we are going there together (Teri, Kenny and Our Lord)!

Teri wanted me to ask that you keep your prayers flowing and the outpouring of love has been tremendous! Thank you doesn’t begin to explain, but that is all I can say now. If you visit KP in the hospital, please ask for a ‘FOOP prayer bracelet’ to take with you. ‘FOOP’ stands for Foo (the name Lanier and Harris – his nephews – call him) and we added the ‘p’ for prayer. There are 8 beads on it and each one is to use as a different prayer. We hope you will use this prayer tool often!

Thursday, the 15th (5:35pm)

Toni typing, Teri dictating –

Praise of the Day – The major surgeries are over! ‘The environment is now ready for healing to begin’ so Teri says time to kick up the prayers for healing. Another praise is that no spinal cord fluid is leaking, the patch from the first surgery has held!

Kenny is now fused from T7 – above the wound – to L1 – below the wound – no bad posture for KP! They did use titanium rods and screws to stabalize the spine.

The surgery lasted 6 hours and Kenny is still in recovery so they haven’t seen him yet. They expect to see him by 6:30ish.

Kenny loves to read the guest book – please continue to leave him messages and if you have already signed it once, he would love to hear from you again! They play a game in the room to see who can identify the person first by name: missionary, work, who’s friend etc. It is very encouraging to Kenny!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Franklin Graham Urgent Prayer Request

Deadly Earthquake Strikes China

May 15, 2008

Dear Friend,

For the second time in the span of two weeks, I have witnessed heartbreaking devastation as I travel in Asia. A deadly earthquake shook the nation of China on Monday; within hours, Chinese officials reported 8,500 people killed and thousands more injured or trapped. As of Wednesday, the death toll is reported at more than 15,000.

Monday’s earthquake was felt in the coastal cities of Beijing and Shanghai, more than a thousand miles from the epicenter. In terms of intensity, it was comparable to the deadly earthquake in 1976 that killed approximately 240,000 people in China.

The devastation is horrific. It could take years for the area to recover, but you cannot recover the loss of life. Pray that the people of China will turn to the Lord and know that “He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help” (Psalm 72:12, NIV).

Pray also:

  • For earthquake survivors who are trapped, injured, homeless, or grieving
  • For the Chinese churches and Christians as they reach out as neighbors to those who are in need
  • For Samaritan’s Purse and relief organizations providing disaster relief in China

Please visit billygraham.org in the coming days for updates on how you can continue to pray for the devastated people of China. And please forward this to as many people as you can.

Thank you for your prayers. May God bless you.

Sincerely,

Franklin Graham
President

KOMpray May 16, 2008

“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

A GIFT OF COCONUTS

Do you worship God? Christians worship Jesus when we tell Him how much we love Him. We can sing songs to God, or pray, or study the Bible. We worship God at church and at home. We can even worship Him on the playground when we show other people that Jesus is important to us by being nice or telling stories from the Bible. Worship is really important, and we want to worship God every day. Why not tell Jesus right now that you love Him with all your heart?

Hindus don’t worship the same way as Christians. They believe in more than one god-about 330,000 gods-and have idols at the temple and in their homes. A Hindu will ring bells in front of the idol and pray to their god. They also give gifts (or offerings). Guess what their most popular offering is for their gods-coconuts.

Hindus don’t know that Jesus is the Savior, and they believe in false gods. How would you tell a Hindu about Jesus? Maybe you could use the Wordless Book or an EvangeCube. Christians who live in South Asia sometimes tell Hindus about Jesus by talking about coconuts!

Kind of like using the Wordless Book, Christians explain Jesus’ love with a coconut. They say, “Before we came to know Jesus, our hearts were as hard and dirty as the outside of this coconut. But Jesus was nailed to the cross. He took the punishment for our sins.” Then, they crack open the coconut with a hammer. BANG!

Open up the coconut and you see the pure white inside. “Trust Jesus to be your Savior and your heart can be as white and pure as the inside of this coconut.” Pray that many Hindus in South Asia will hear about Jesus. Pray that they will ask Him to forgive them of their sins. And pray that they will let Jesus be their Savior.

MORE PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MISSIONARY KIDS

I have a friend named Sonny, and I have a longing for him to come to Christ. Pray that he will, and pray that God will give me the courage to tell Sonny about Jesus. DAVID, age 13 (South Asia)

I pray that my friend will believe in Jesus. MS, age 9 (East Asia)

Please pray that the end of this school year will go well: final tests, packing to move to the States and starting college. RUTH, age 18 (West Africa)

I live in Central Asia. Because I live there, I have made friends with the national children. They need prayer! Please pray that my family and I can make a difference in their lives by telling them about Jesus. If you could, also pray for my mom. She has insomnia-that means it’s hard for her to fall asleep. Recently, she got to sleep for six full hours which is a record for the last couple of years. God is good! AMANDA, age 13 (Central Asia)

All the people here are Muslim and worship Allah. They don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Please pray for my friend that I can teach her who God’s Son is. ABIGAIL, age 7 (West Africa)

Make it a great day!

Anna Lee

Thursday

“O You who hear prayer,

to You all flesh will come.”

~Psalm 65:2~

CHINA. As massive relief efforts continue following the 7.9 earthquake in Sichuan province, conditions look dire for the 100,000 people who are still missing and the 19,000 who are known to be trapped under buildings. Although China has mobilized a massive relief effort, many roads are impassible, making the efforts extremely difficult. At present, 13,000 are reported to have died, but the figure is expected to rise considerably. Pray for all who are buried alive, asking our merciful God to lead rescuers to their aid. Pray for those who are involved in relief efforts, asking the God of wisdom and strength to supply their needs. Pray for all who have lost loved ones, asking that God will send messengers to share His saving love with them. Pray that as this tragedy continues to unfold in Chengdu and surrounding cities and mountain communities, many millions of Chinese people will reflect on the meaning of life and search for Truth.

AIDS. As the thin, gaunt man lay on the mat on the floor, he could barely speak. The room he lay in was small and stifling hot. His right arm was drawn up toward his chest. A caregiver had cleaned him up and was now doing exercises to prevent his arm from staying in that position. No family members were around, and he apparently had no one left. This is the scene in many rural villages in South Africa. People are dying in the village of Sweetwaters at an alarming rate from AIDS. Pray for the Spirit of God to move evangelical churches to care for and witness to those infected and dying from AIDS. Pray that the people will turn to Jesus and no longer follow their traditional ways. Only Jesus can change a culture. http://www.imb.org/AIDS/

MISSIONARY PERSONAL NEEDS. Missionaries Jim and Lori Spikes will be taking their youngest daughter to the United States in a few months for college. Please pray for her during this transition time.


Braden Alford, our almost six year old grandson in Georgia, fell from the monkey bars a year ago and broke his upper right arm. He seems to have good use of the arm, but it is noticably crooked. He had a follow up visit with his doctor Tuesday. The doctor is sending Braden to a specialist in Chattanooga, Please pray for his family as they await this appointment.

Several people you know or may know of are in various stages of battling cancer. Please take time to pray for each one.

  • Mr. Henry Harris
  • Chuck Pittma
  • Randy Fairburn
  • Sammy Broyles
  • Linda Longoria (Wife for Rev. Lyndon Longoria)
  • Lisa Davis (Sister of Susan Rimes)
  • Grant Matherne (Great grandson of Mrs. Hazel Smith)
  • Aubrey Perry (Brother of Karen Miller)

Andrew Marius Smith III
Born in Perth Amboy, N.J., on Sept. 29, 1941, to parents Andrew Marius Smith Jr. and Audrey Bird Smith, he died in McComb, Miss., on Thursday, May 8, 2008. He graduated from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970 in Korea. He was a publisher, author and illustrator of “Louisiana Proud,” a historical pictorial of the real Louisiana as it began and lives today through 375 original pen-and-ink illustrations. He also published, authored and illustrated three cookbooks and several children’s books. Survived by his wife, Cinda Parmelee; three sons, Jay Allen, of Los Angeles, Robby Allen, of Prairieville, and Marky Vetter, of Walker; and three grandchildren. Memorial service at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, at his home, 77112 N. River Road, Kentwood, LA 70444.

Deacon Hospital Ministry this Week

  • Smiley Conerly
  • Roy Turner

Nursery Volunteers for May 18

  • Justin and Wendy Fowler
  • Eleanor Morris
  • Gretchen Simpson
  • Lily Edwards

On Mission in Kentwood

  • One project at 3 P.M. today (Contact the church office if you can help)
  • May 24th at 8 A.M. (Several projects)

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

  • Goal: $13,000.00
  • Received: $12,235.30

VBS Music CDs

  • Available in the church office
  • $2.50

Nursing Home Visitation

  • Tuesday, May 20th
  • 10:00 A.M.

Share Group Meeting

  • Tonight at 6:30
  • Alford’s Cabin

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor
YESTERDAY, SEVERAL GOOD friends and I were sitting in the office of a neurosurgeon…

We listened to him as he explained why he left a thriving practice in a large metropolis to come a much smaller hospital in our area of the country. He said it was all because of a letter he received.

You see, he had been so busy with his job, he told us that he literally had not seen his little girl in three weeks. Then one night when he came home from work, there was a letter by his bed from his 11 year-old daughter. It was a letter in which this little girl told her daddy that she missed him and wanted more of his time. She acknowledged to her daddy that he had an important job, but she said, “Daddy, doing the ‘right’ thing is sometimes the ‘hard’ thing to do.” It was at this point that this successful neurosurgeon decided he wanted to be a father first. So he left his practice and moved his family to South-Central Kentucky.

I couldn’t help but be touched by this doctor’s story. Before me was a man who knew that there are things in life that are more important than fame, ego, work, and money. It doesn’t take a “brain surgeon” be able to identify proper values and priorities in life. Sometimes, little 11 year-old girls who miss their daddy can discern those things. The question I have for you is have you discerned these same truths? Give it some thought. (Steve Higginbotham)

“Redeeming the time,

because the days are evil.”

~Eph. 5:16~

I pray each of you will have a good day. Please let me know if you have something I can pray about or something I can share on The Prayer Link so others can pray too.

Anna Lee

Wednesday Evening

From Kenny’s wife, Teri-

SLAVO BOGO! Praise the Lord! (for you non-russians)
We are so humbled and amazed by your love! Jesus is more than sufficient, HE IS GRACIOUS and He is blessing us beyond all measure! The physical therapist scratched Kenny’s right shin and he felt it, TWICE!!! He also felt pressure in his lower back when we moved his legs, both right and left! He is sitting up and is feeding himself!!!

Thank you for praying for Kenny and Teri!

Melinda

Thank you for praying! I just received word from the program director that I can be admitted on a provisional basis and take the GRE after I get back in July!Please continue to pray for the interview on Wednesday!

be blessed,
aura



TENNESSEE–Myanmar: Water purification leads Baptist effort. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=28049



Pastor Forrest Pollock and Preston Pollock

SAVED FROM EMBARRASSMENT

The source (and veracity) of the following story is unknown:

It was July 4, 1954, I Corps Artillery, Korea. The armistice had been signed the summer before. The I Corps Commander, a three star general, had scheduled his baseball team to play the Corps Arty’s team.

It may seem strange, but Corps Arty is much larger than I Corps. I Corps is strictly a tactical headquarters unit, it has very few men assigned or attached to it. Corps Arty, on the other hand, is much larger. At the time, we had perhaps 18 battalions attached, each battalion consisting of from 600 to 800 men. The Corps Arty Commander, a two star general, took his baseball very seriously. He had a full-time team consisting mostly of professional players who were drafted by Uncle Sam.

I Corps was the visiting team. Three men up, three men out. Bottom of the first. Lots of hits and home runs. No outs. I Corps ran out of pitchers. Their catcher, a sergeant, tried his arm at pitching. Score 0-18, still bottom of the first, still no outs.

The sergeant left the mound and approached the Corps Arty Commanding General. He wiped the sweat from his face, stood at attention, saluted, and in a loud voice boomed, “Sir, request permission to call the game on account of snow.”

The general stood up, returned the salute, and in an equally loud voice, “Permission granted.”

I’ve been in similar situations, on the losing side of a terribly lop-sided game. It’s embarrassing and humiliating! What strikes me about this story is the willingness of the general to take an action that would alleviate as much embarrassment as possible to the pitiful losing team.

It seems to me that’s what love does. In the story of Jesus and the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1-11), there is a distinct effort on the part of Jesus to draw attention away from the woman to relieve some of her embarrassment (though he still held her accountable for her actions).

That’s a difficult thing to do, but something that must strive for — to hold our friends accountable for their actions, while seeking to minimize their embarrassment. I’m thankful for friends in my life who have done that for me in the past.

“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ ” (I Peter 4:8)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina


The bad weather and lack of electricity kept me from posting earlier. Thank you for being patient.

Anna Lee

Tuesday Evening

Many prayers are needed this evening. Please take time to read and then pause to pray for each need.

Anna Lee

Debbie Miller told met Darren Fairburn is in ICU at North Oaks. He had to have stents because of blockage in his heart. Please be in prayer for Darren and his family.

hi, my name is Toni W. I have a neice that had to have a liver transplant when she was 7 month old. Thanks to lots of prayers and the good Lord above she is doing great. She is now 6 yrs and is having to go back to the hospitat and have iv drip due to a (not sure how to spell it) lymph nord problem. I am writing to ask for you to add her to your prayer list and to let others pray for her as well.

thanks for all your concern and will try to keep in touch…

Pray for Aura as she adjusts to being Stateside and makes plans for her immediate future.

I am in the middle of trying to figure out grad school applications and am a tad frustrated. The program I am interested in sounds like an amazing program and I actually know someone who went through this program and loved it…if only I can get passed the application! It is more complex than I ever imagined because it involves two different schools. Please pray that I am able to figure this out and that all the recommendations and transcripts and everything else that needs to come in will come in quickly! Also pray that they will be understanding because as you know, getting things to them from here is not going to be easy. There is also a test that I need to take for one of the universities, please pray that they will be understanding and allow me to take it after I get back.

I also have an interview on Wednesday night(our time), 9 am in the States for a possible job. This job is an amazing opportunity, but it is for a grad assistant! So in order to be eligible, I need to be a grad student…they said they are willing to work with me, but I am not sure what this means.
Please pray and ask the Lord to work it all out if this is where He wants me during the next season of life!

Both of these are amazing opportunities…things I will not be able to do on my own! I keep asking myself “what in the world am i getting myself into?” and then He reminds me that I am not going to be doing this alone. Even though I am scared, I am more excited than you can imagine! Please pray and just ask that His will be done above all!

Thanks!
Aura

This just came in on Kenny. Please continue to pray for him as he recovers.

Melinda

Surgery was successful in accomplishing goal of relieving pressure on the spinal cord. Spine is stabilized but will require 2nd surgery for full stabilization. Either Thursday or Monday. Pray against infection and unforeseen issues.

Jennie sent this link to a church web site. The pastor and his son were killed in an airplane accident. Please pray for the Bell Shoals church in Brandon, Florida and for the Pollock family.


http://bellshoals.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=35862

Tuesday

“And when you pray,

don’t be like those people who don’t know God.

They continue saying things that mean nothing,

thinking that God will hear them

because of their many words.”

~Matthew 6:7 (NCV)~

Update on Frann Clark

I will probably be going in the hospital in DeRidder for two days & one night to receive treatments for the myasthenia gravias. Please pray for me & for Riley while I am away.

Melinda’s update on M

Below is M’s letter regarding her beginning treatment. Thank you for
praying for her!
Melinda

I just got home from seeing Dr. Gillette who is a Radiation Oncologist at
Methodist Hospital. Tomorrow I go to have a special CT scan to have an
implant placed for radiation which will begin on Thursday. I will have
then have 25 daily radiation treatments. He is also going to do one to
two internal radiation treatments that I will have to go into the
hospital for but I do not know at this time when he is going to do those.
He went on to say that this tumor is so extremely rare that he has only
seen one on the cervix in his career. These types (neuroendocrine)
usually show up elsewhere in the body. So he is going to read up on the
most effective internal radiation treatment before he makes a decision on
which to use. Chemo starts next Monday(May 19). I will check into the
hospital every Monday afternoon for an overnight treatment and come home
sometime on Tuesday. I will be doing this for the next 5-6 weeks.

This is going to be a very aggressive treatment plan but that was what I
wanted. I am a little anxious, a little nervous, but I am ready to get
this done so that I can claim victory! Dr. Gillette did say that even
though this tumor was aggressive that it is CURABLE!!! So that is the
word of the day…the word of hope to cling to!!!

Please pray for me as I begin this journey…with so much love and prayer
I do not feel alone…you are all in this with me!

My God is able!
M

Melinda’s Update on Kenny P.

We received this morning this info on Kenny. Thank you for praying for him and his wife, Teri as he prepares to have surgery and as the Lord heals him.

Melinda

Late development Monday night-

1. They did not move him to Shepherd last night; stayed at NE GA in ICU; surgery scheduled Tuesday afternoon. Doctor said it was a serious spinal cord injury.

Talked to Teri (Monday morning):

1. He felt his right foot cold during the night. (Praise #1)

2. His pain level got up to 4, and this is only because he was sleeping and couldn’t push his button (Praise #2 he could sleep)

3. He was getting MRI this morning to provide more info for the surgery this afternoon.

4. No time yet for the surgery.

Braden, our grandson in Rome, GA, will be seeing a doctor today to check on his arm that was broken a year ago. Braden seems to have good use of the arm, but it is not straight.

Share Group

There’s been a change in the devotional leader for Thursday night. Bro. Bucky will not be leading because he is preparing to preach for the Sunday services.

Dottie Rambo Killed in Bus Accident
By Staff of Baptist Press


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Gospel music legend Dottie Rambo died early Sunday, May 11, when her tour bus veered from a Missouri highway and struck an embankment.

Seven others aboard the bus suffered severe or moderate injuries in the accident on Interstate 44 near Mount Vernon in southwest Missouri and were hospitalized in Springfield, the Associated Press reported.

Rambo’s entourage was en route to a Mother’s Day performance at a Dallas-Fort Worth-area church. The AP noted that officials were uncertain whether the crash was related to storms in the area.

Rambo, 74, published an estimated 2,500 songs, with entries in nearly every hymnbook. Included in the 1991 Baptist Hymnal, for example, are “We Shall Behold Him” and “Behold the Lamb.” The two songs and a third, “Holy Spirit, Thou Art Welcome,” are included in the 2008 hymnal to be released this summer by LifeWay Christian Resources.

Rambo, of Nashville, Tenn., won a Grammy for a 1968 solo album, “It’s the Soul of Me,” and Dove awards in 1999 for her song, “I Go to The Rock,” sung by Whitney Houston in the motion picture “The Preacher’s Wife,” and in 1982 for “We Shall Behold Him.”

She was a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Among the artists who have recorded her songs: Elvis Presley, George Beverly Shea, dcTalk, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Bill Gaither and Steve Greene.

Rambo was a native of Morganfield, Ky., who began writing songs at age 8 and as a teen was signed to a songwriting contact by Gov. Jimmie Davis of Louisiana.

Funeral arrangements had not been published at press time.

Compiled by Baptist Press editor Art Toalston.

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor

FOR 3 MONTHS I had a ringside seat – or should I say a bird’s-eye view – of God’s amazing handiwork…

Ninety feet above the floor of Norfolk Botanical Garden, workers installed a webcam focused on the nest of a family of bald eagles, and online viewers were allowed to watch.

When the eggs hatched, Mama and Papa Eagle were attentive to their offspring, taking turns hunting for food and guarding the nest. But one day when the eaglets still looked like fuzzballs with beaks, both parents disappeared. I worried that harm had come to them.

My concern was unfounded. The webcam operator enlarged the camera angle, and there was Mama Eagle perched on a nearby branch.

As I pondered this “reframed” picture, I thought of times when I have feared that God had abandoned me. The view in the forest heights of Virginia reminded me that my vision is limited. I see only a small part of the entire scene.

Moses used eagle imagery to describe God. As eagles carry their young, God carries His people (Deut. 32:11-12). Despite how it may seem, the Lord “is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). This is true even when we feel abandoned. (Julie Ackerman Link)

“As an eagle stirs up its nest,

hovers over its young,

spreading out its wings, . . .

so the Lord alone led [Jacob].

~Deut. 32:11-12~

Yesterday was a difficult day for me. Today is a long, very full day. I’m going to work hard to make the best of it. I hope you do too!

Anna Lee

Monday

Jesus replied,

“The most important commandment is this:

‘Hear, O Israel!

The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.

And you must love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

all your soul,

all your mind,

and all your strength.’”

~Mark 12:29-30 (NLT)~

Urgent Prayer Request

Dear Prayer partners,

Please be in prayer for Kenny P. Kenny had a very serious accident at his home in the US on Sunday afternoon and fell from a ladder from two stories. He was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital. He has serious injuries to his back. He has injured several vertebras, one is injured extensively. There is the possibility of spinal damage. He is resting at a local hospital in ICU and will have an MRI on Monday morning and surgery on Monday afternoon. He is also expected to undergo a second surgery in two or three days following the initial surgery. He will be moved at a later date to a hospital that specializes in spinal rehab.

Kenny and his wife, Teri have been a great asset to our region. Each year they oversee the volunteers that come and minister to our children and us at our annual meetings. They have been doing this for many years. They have blessed our lives with their dedication in this special ministry to us all in CEE.

Please pray for God’s healing hands to touch Kenny’s back. Pray for Teri as she talks with doctors and as she is with Kenny. We have CEE colleagues that are with them right now so we will keep you posted as we hear.

Thank you for praying!

Melinda

http://www.rogerlrussellfamily.blogspot.com/

http://www.imbromania.rom

Joan Hagan had a better day yesterday. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.

The monthly share group meeting is at the Alford cabin Thursday at 6:30. You are invited to join the fellowship. Bucky Erwin will lead the devotional.

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor

MARCH 24, 2008


THIS PAST WEEK, I learned that a young man, a freshman at Freed-Hardeman University drowned in the ocean while on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic…

Shane Ruiz was wading in the ocean with several friends on the last day of their mission trip, when a rough wave knocked him over and an undertow pulled him out to sea. Attempts were made to rescue him, but all attempts proved futile. This young man was in the Dominican Republic, along with several other fellow students, to teach a Vacation Bible School for children living there, and to work with a Children’s Home. After a long week of work, their schedule called for a trip to the ocean before returning home to the United States.

My first thoughts when I heard of this tragedy were the thoughts of a parent. I too, have a child at Freed-Hardeman, and I can only imagine what this young man’s parents must be going through. I would ask that you remember them in your prayers.

But my second thought was the last verse of a song we sometimes sing in our assemblies. The song is entitled, “Follow Me” and was written by Ira Stanpill in 1953. Here is the third verse of that song:

Oh, Jesus if I die upon a foreign field some day,
T’ would be no more than love demands, no less could I repay,
No greater love hath mortal man than for a friend to die,
These are the words he gently spoke to me.
If just a cup of water I place within your hand,
Then just a cup of water is all that I demand,
But if by death to living they can they glory see,
I’ll take my cross and follow close to Thee.

Now here’s the point of my article. This young man died while engaging in the work of the Lord. While many young people across our nation use their Spring Break to immerse themselves in immorality and drunken revelries, this young man spent the last week of his life trying to teach children about Jesus. While I am saddened by the events that ultimately occurred, I am thankful for the choice he made.

Friends, all of us, if we could choose, would want to leave this world while doing the work of the Lord. Even Balaam, the wicked, greedy prophet in the Old Testament prayed, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his” (Num. 23:10).

But now, allow me to leave you with a question. If you were to die doing the work of the Lord, would you have to die on a Sunday morning only, between the hours of 10:30 and 11:30? Give it some thought. (Steve Higginbotham)

KneEmail: “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his” (Num. 23:10).

Bible reading for 05.12.08:

Articles about Shane:
1. http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158288~Freed-Hardeman_student_presumed_drowned_on_mission_trip
2. http://brotherhoodnews.com/2008/03/20/campaigner-presumed-drowned-in-dominican-republic/
3. http://web.fhu.edu/NR/exeres/31DC34C5-7BC6-4E15-9DDD-BA50F27BB232,frameless.htm

Thank you for being there to pray each day. Your prayers mean so much to so many.

Please feel free to send praises, requests, and updates you wish to share.

Anna Lee