Crazy

Life has been crazy lately. We have had do many with health problems or who have lost loved ones. It's tough going. Keep praying we will all get better.

Easter–Celebrating the Gift.

Our Easter Cross at FBC.

Easter at First Baptist Church was an awesome time of celebrating the risen Lord. I do believe this Easter has been more meaningful and real to me than any other year. Is it because I'm growing up? I'm not sure. Whatever the case is, this Easter was just great! God is so good. We really don't deserve the gift which God has given us.

Maundy Thursday–a time of reflection.

It's here. This is the time of the year where we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead. This past Maundy Thursday service was very moving and helped us to truly concentrate for 35 minutes of our busy lives on what Jesus did for us. There is some sort of connection with God which occurs when we spend time with Him. I guess that is no revelation, but to have it occur sure reminds us of how much we do need to spend time with Him. 

The service is available on DVD if you missed it. I would advise you to get a copy from the church office. Our lives are too full of situations and issues which pull us away from God, this service sure helped me to draw closer to Him. That is what true worship is. It's not about preferences in music or in oratorial style. It's about focusing on God and His presence. 

I hope your Easter Sunday is a great time of worship and celebration. God is great and He loves us! Amazing love!

It's amazing what happens when Christians choose to love.

I read this story and was so pleased. THIS is what we, as Christians are to be like. THIS is what it means to look past what we see with our eyes and see a person's heart in need of the love of Christ. THIS is it. Read this story. I think it will amaze you. God is a big God and we can share His love if we'll simply look past what we see with our eyes and look at the need of a person's heart. There are many broken hearts in need of His love. Some even live in Franklin Parish.

Revival

Rev. Charles Finney

So, I ran across this quote by Charles Finney, "A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God." How true that is. Revival is when we refocus and begin obeying God as we used to. It's an awakening of the sleeping spirit to one which is alive, aware and ready to serve. Be praying for revival services at FBC, Winnsboro. Pray we'll be awakened to God's power and God's voice.

The Miracle of Jen

Wow. What a book! This book, a complimentary copy which I obtained from Tyndale publishing for review, was great. It tells the moving story of Jennifer Barrick and her recover after a horrible automobile accident. The book focuses on Jen and her recovery, but you do get a grasp at how the entire family dealt with her recovery. I was concerned we would not get a true picture of how everything went after the accident. In some Christian books, there is a lot of fluff and no real evidence of struggle with the reality of the pain and suffering. I was relieved to find that Linda shares all in this book. She is up front with her readers and does not hide any of the difficulties of recovery. Recovering from a horrible accident is not a walk in the park and Linda does not paint it as such. For that I am glad. I have read too many books and seen too many Christian movies where the reality of pain and suffering are not dealt with in a realistic way. Overall, this book will bring you into the hospital room and put you right alongside Jen as she recovers. Great writing and a wonderful true story of triumph and personal growth for the mother, Linda, and for the reader. For more information you can go here http://www.miracleforjen.com/ 


By the way, exciting news! I have a certificate to get a copy of this book for free if you can name my favorite Star Wars character. The first one to answer correctly gets the certificate. You take the certificate and redeem it at your nearest Christian bookstore.

Ecclesiastes, nothing new under the sun

Well, we finished the January Bible Study. Ecclesiastes was a great study that reminded us that without God, life is meaningless. What a study!

I've never been applauded for doing a Bible Study before. There is a first for everything. The people I pastor at FBC, Winnsboro are awesome!

On a sad note, our Uncle Willie passed away today. He had had a stroke and had pneumonia. Sad.

Reflection time/Lights went out...

Happy Birthday to me. Well, it's my birthday today. Did I do anything special? Not really. I went to the office. The day continues  by like any other with the exception of over 100 Happy Facebook Birthday greetings, a container of strawberries, a card and a gift certificate to San Marcos Mexican Restaurant. I also received some cologne, sleeping pants and sweat pants from my family. Oh, also cake and ice cream! Lol. Yes, I guess it was special. As I begin to age, I have found an urgency to make a difference in this world. I have taken some time to reflect and ask myself the question, "If I died today, would the world be a better place because I was here?" It's a question I find myself asking more and more.

Lights went out
 Sunday evening the lights went out. Close to 1,100 people in our area were without electricity. Remember what Sunday was? Yes, it was Super Bowl Sunday. The power went out around 5 p.m. I was supposed to be sharing the January Bible Study at 6 p.m. People came and left. After they left, at 6:05 p.m., the power came back on. Why did God allow this? Is He REALLY a football fan? I have my doubts. I question why it would happen to come on just after everyone left. Amazing.