"Joy Comes In The Morning"

Psalm 30:4-5
"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."
Today I got an email devotional from Annette Herndon with this scripture. It took me back to high school when I first found it in God's Word and got so much comfort from it. My best friend was mad at me and I really don't even know why now...but it absolutely broke my heart. My heart hurt! I was devastated, it was the end of the world! You remember how it is when you are 15...Then God revealed this scripture to me and I was FILLED with JOY! My life was not over! Jesus still loved me even if my friend didn't! No matter what dark storms we may go through in this life....JOY comes again because Jesus loves us! My friend and I made up the next day.

"Everything"

One night at our revival our Bethel Baptist Youth performed a powerful drama "Everything". They have done it several times and it never fails to bring me to tears. It is a beautiful portrait of just how much Jesus loves us even when we turn our backs on Him and how He fights powers and principalities to get us back where we belong.

CiA (Children in Action)

Last week we had our spring revival at Bethel with Brother Scott Witcher and were very blessed to have the word of God preached straight and true! One night Brother Scott presented a slide show of his trip to Myanmar (Burma) with Brother Tony Horn who is a missionary in the Philippines and one of our dear brothers in Christ. Our children (CiA) were heartbroken to see all the people praying to thousands of different buddas at a temple there and they gave Brother Scott the money they had been saving to help him share the Word of God with them when he goes back to Myanmar. They are burdened for the people there to know and understand the the buddas do not hear their prayers! Only the Living God of the Bible can hear prayers! The Children in Action are such a blessing to me!

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER • MAY 7TH

"May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You"
Psalm 33:22
Please pray for revival in America and for our leaders!

SPRING CLEAN-UP AT BETHEL

Saturday we had our spring clean up at church. We had a great crew including some of the youth, some of the guys from the BGCD Center and some of us "senior" people! We had a great time and our church is so spiffed up and smelling good!! Now if everyone would just come to my house and help Daffy and me clean up there! God blessed us with a beautiful day to clean and we are so grateful for Bethel Baptist Church, Pastor Kenny and for all our church family!
"Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you." 1 Samuel 12:24

So young!

I was looking at some old pictures last night and came across this one of....you guessed it! Just my sister and me! This was taken at least 30 years ago because I know Tony was just little. He would be 34 years old now. This was taken after my sister married my first husband's (Tony's dad) brother Floyd. The four of us used to get together alot and had so much fun! Look how skinny we both were!! Oh well...

EASTER CELEBRATIONS!

We had a wonderful Easter weekend!
Beginning with our Good Friday Service at Bethel, our community Easter Egg hunt at the church, our Easter drama "Believe In Him" during the morning worship service yesterday, and Keven Spencer and Friends last night at evening service! God blessed us with beautiful weather Saturday and Sunday both with a little rain Friday night that didn't deter anyone from coming and worshiping with us! Also very special was my time with my family at our Easter dinner and egg hunt at Nancy and Gordon's after church! While the daddys were out hiding the eggs, the kids helped me tell the story of Christ's Resurrection using Resurrection eggs! It is a great way to share the true story of Easter with children that may be too young to understand all of what is preached at church. Our Associate Pastor, Larry David Freeman also used them to tell the story to all the kids that came to our community Easter Egg hunt at church on Saturday. My Easter was just incredibly blessed this year and I am full of the Joy and Peace that comes only from knowing Jesus Christ as my personal Savior! If you are reading this and you don't know Him and wonder what all the excitement is about, please leave a comment and I will share with you!

ARMOR OF GOD!

Every year at Halloween time, we have a Halleluiah Party and Trunk or Treat at church. I usually go as Zorro and carry my Sword of the Spirit, my Bible. A couple of years ago my sister, Lois let me make her up as a clown and Jenn took some pictures of us. Lois won't let me make her up as a clown any more because some of the kids were scared of her! But I love these pictures.

"Finally my brethren, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perservance and supplication for all the saints- Ephesians 6:10-18

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY!!

Heather had Hannah's Birthday Party Sunday afternoon and the cousins had lots of fun again!! Just look at this birthday cake! It's so nice when your mamaw is a wonderful cake creator isn't it Hannah!!

BELIEVE IN HIM!

The month of April is so busy in the life of Bethel Baptist Church! This Sunday, the 5th is our Homecoming dinner and Brother Randy McPheron will be preaching both services that day! Then our Good Friday service will be on April 10 at 6:30. It is the most amazing service! Brother Billy VanWinkle always comes to preach for us and this year Brother Billy Long our former Associate Pastor will be preaching also. On Saturday the 11th we will have our Community Easter Egg Hunt on the property where we will be building our new church at 1:00 pm. On Easter Sunday we will have our Sonrise service and breakfast (that the men have to cook!) at 6 am and then we will present our Easter Drama "Believe In Him" at the 11 am service. We have never done this before and are excited and a little nervous about it. It is a powerful play and we just want to hide ourselves behind the cross of Christ and let the Holy Spirit work through us to touch many people that only come to church once or twice a year. We want God to have all the glory and praise for all things good that happens during these services! Hopefully Brother Kenny will take some pictures at these events and I will be able to post them later. Praise God, Jesus lives!!

PRAISE HIM!

Carter is giggling and feelin' fine today! His dr and the pathologist both are pretty sure the tumor was benign!!! Will find out for sure in a couple of days. Meanwhile here is a picture of him resting peacefully in God's arms after his surgery.

PRAYER NEEDED!

A few weeks ago I posted some pictures of Carter James Kovich, Pam and Wayne's new grandbaby. This sweet baby who was born just 7 weeks ago is in desparate need of our prayers! His mother Jennifer noticed a mass on his back on March 15 that really alarmed her. She and Kevin took him to the pediatrician and after tests got the devastating news that it may be a malignament tumer. He will have to have sugery to know for sure and at such an early age, it is very risky. Carter and his parents are in URGENT need of our prayers and our support. Please petition the Father for a miracle in this young family's life!!

Life is Hard but GOD is Good!

Wednesday, March 25, will mark the 14 anniversary of my son Tony's death. I miss him so much but God has been so good to me and I have wonderful memories of him. I am blessed with those and with my family and church family at Bethel Baptist Church. I always put a memorial in the paper on Tony's birthday and on his death anniversary...this is what will be in the paper Wednesday.

October 19, 1974 - March 25, 1995

"Sometimes it seems like only yesterday that you were putting on that little league baseball uniform. You were the cutest thing! I remember when you were playing in High School, your nanny would give you money to hit a home run. When you came up to bat, your team mates would yell, "Make a living Tony!" I will never forget those wonderful years when you were my little boy. You are missed with tears, but remembered with laughter!"

Love, Mom

When We Struggle

Some days are a struggle for all of us. Unfortunately, not every day is sunshine and roses. But even on these off days, we need to be aware that the world is watching how we deal with the circumstances of life that sometimes make us want to lash out, give up, or just cry and go to bed. My pastor sends out email devotionals every day and this morning I am struggleing with some things that could bring me down if I let them. I choose to let this prayer that was in the devotional help me through this day. I want to share it with you:

"May I become through Thy help blameless, just, and holy. May I abstain from every evil, speak the truth, and do justly. May I walk in the straight paths, sing with temperance adorned with incorruption, beautiful through wisdom and prudence.

May I meditate upon the things that are above and despise what is earthly, for a man can hallow God's Name in no other way than by reflecting His character and bear witness to the fact that divine power is the cause of his goodness."

Gregory of Nyssa

The Awesome Word of God!

It's funny sometimes how God brings certain scripture to us. This morning as I was reading in the book of Mark one of the verses brought one of my favorite scriptures to mind. Mark 7:21-23 says, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adultries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." That made me want to turn to one of my favorite passages Psalm 19:14 where it says. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O LORD, my strength and my redeemer." When I turned there, a scripture that I had highlighted on the opposite page caught my eye! Psalm 18:28-29: "For Thou wilt light my candle: The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. For by Thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall." Wow. I want to be the light of Jesus in the dark world around me. And it is so true that He has enlightened me to the Truth of His Word!! It is true that by Him I have run through troops and leaped over walls!! PRAISE HIM!

Brothers, Sisters, Cousins

Aaron and Addison's birthday party was great fun for all the kids!

Pam and Wayne's New Grandbaby

I love showing off pictures of my grandkids and I love showing off pictures of my friends grandkids! Here is Carter James Kovich with his mom and dad, Jenny and Kevin, and with his mamaw, Pamoo. Congratulations ya'll!

One Month Later...

Well it seems I have been blogging for a month! How do I know? Because my grandson Tyler got his braces on a month ago and it was my first blog post. Here are some great before and after pictures of this great looking kid.
Okay I did that wrong...the picture at the top is after and the one at the bottom is before...DUH!

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

Week of Prayer for North American Missions
March 1-8, 2009

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering
2009 Goal: $65 million

2009 North American Missions Emphasis Theme:
Live with Urgency: Sowing Together for Harvest

Please pray for North American Missionaries and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering! Click on the title of this post to learn more. Pray about what God would have you to give to support these missionaries!

Kenzie's Coupon Day!

Saturday was Kenzie's coupon day and it all started out well. I took Daphne to get her toenails cut, went to Wal-Mart (got some new floor mats for my car), cleaned house and decided to clean out my car before I went to get Kenzie at 5:00. I won't go into detail because I tend to get too wordy but to make a long story short, I backed into my garage door (can anyone say "got in too big of a hurry?") and it was half way up and wouldn't move! Couldn't get my car out! Called the garage door people, he couldn't be there till around 5 and McKenzie was going to be disappointed and so I did what any red blooded American granny would do...I bawled! Called Scott and told him (sniff, sniff, boo hoo), he called Robbie, who came right over and fixed it for me ( with a little help from Stef) while I got to have a little time with Addison!! I have great sons and daughter-in-laws! Another reason to praise God. Anyway, me, McKenzie, Tyler and Na went to CiCi's to eat dinner, then me and Kenzie went to Wal-Mart where she picked out a movie to watch that night (High School Musical 3)and some snacks. During the movie she would get tired of watching so she would get up and straighten Mamaw's magazines, re-fold the throws on the back of the couch and love seat, she got our bed all turned back and ready to get into and straightened up the bathroom. She is a great little helper! The next morning after a great breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon we had our bath and shower and while I was putting on my make-up she made the bed! WOW! Went to SS and Church and then to McDonald's for lunch where Scott and Tyler met us. Oh and I can't leave out the great way she and Daphne played together. Daphne snuggled under the covers with us when we went to bed and we love that!! It was a wonderful time! Can't wait for the next coupon day!