Is Jesus celebrating with you?

Today, I read day 53 of "Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only" by Beth Moore. It's a devotional book that requires some interaction- but nothing as intense as Mrs. Moore's Bible study. It really is a great book!

The Scripture reading is Luke 10:17-24, and 70 disciples have returned to Jesus after being sent and accomplishing their mission. What a celebration! Jesus was "full of joy through the Holy Spirit!" Moore explains, in discussing the original language, "The word for Jesus' joy is -agalliao- meaning 'to exult, leap for joy, to show one's joy by leaping and skipping, denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight.'"

Jesus was very likely literally jumping up and down, celebrating the success of the disciples' mission and reminding them the truest cause to celebrate is that their names were written in heaven!! 

All the work you may be doing for Christ is reason to celebrate- but don't forget to celebrate the exciting truth that if you have placed your faith in Him, YOUR NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN! You are bound for a perfect eternity in His presence! WOW! This is reason to celebrate!

Daily living for Christ sounds a lot easier than it is, sometimes. I'm the world's worst at getting bogged down by all my "to do's" and the struggles of dealing with issues we face. But my heart desire truly is to live in such a way that Jesus LEAPS FOR JOY over me! Isn't that a beautiful thought?

Guilty. And terrified by it!

I am soooooo guilty of this one... are you?

When's the last time you prayed earnestly for your kids? Why is it so easy to get wrapped up in the busy-ness of life and forget about the eternal impact we are having, whether we're working on it or not? Being a mom or dad is never easy, and it seems like I'm always behind on something- running from one event or activity to the next, never having time to slow down and process...
let me rephrase that- never TAKING time to slow down and process.

I came across (and updated) a little card that my friend Becky Patterson gave me a million years ago. Becky and I, along with Tonya Lee, had a really special season of life together. We were all moms of toddlers and pregnant at the same time. We spent time together every week, sometimes more than once, and we prayed together on a regular basis for our kids and for our husbands! I can tell you, those were some of the sweetest days of my life, to date! What a blessing to have Christian friends who spent time praying for me and for my family...

This little card is entitled "How to Pray for your Children" and it goes something like this:

Pray that...
1. They will know Christ as Savior early in life!
2. They will have a hatred for sin.
3. They will be caught when guilty of sin.
4. They will be protected from the evil one in all areas of their lives.
5. They will respect those in authority over them.
6. They will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends.
7. They, as well as their future mate, will be kept pure until marriage.
8. They will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one.
9. They will totally submit to God and resist Satan in all circumstances.
10. They will be single-hearted and willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ!
11. They will be a witness for Christ to the world!

I have printed a bunch of these cards, and they are at the church for anyone who wants to pick one up to tuck into your Bible, the visor of your car, or tape to your bathroom mirror! Join me in praying for your children (and Lord help me... please pray for mine too!)

:) love in Christ, tracy

What are WE putting into our kids?

As a mom, sometimes I stop for just a second to think. Sometimes. Meaning really rarely... and this is an important step in parenting we need to incorporate into our days more often than we do! We're all busy, and it's so easy to get caught in the rut of getting up, getting busy, driving the mom-taxi, getting home, feeding people, and crashing, isn't it? Sleep (less than we ought to), get up, repeat!

Today, I have been pondering what I am putting into my kids, not just what I am putting my kids into. Sure they attend church, piano lessons and voice lessons, gymnastics, dance, various sports; those are things we put our kids into. But what am I putting INTO my kids. What am I speaking into their hearts and heads, and what am I putting into them through my actions?

Scripture tells us that as we are going, we should be constantly teaching our children about the word of God. I'm not sure why that's one of the easier things to put on the back burner in this world we live in, but it's definitely something that will fall out of the daily grind if we aren't focused on purposefully sharing truth with our children daily!

Our Sunday school class is studying a book on marriage, and Douglas Wilson points out that the marriage is the center of the family; when we care for our marriage, the family is healthier. Similarly, when we care for our bodies, our health flourishes. In this same pattern, when I as a Christian spend time in the Word of God alone, my parenting is much more effective!

Today, I'm praying that you as a parent are spending purposeful time in the Word, and that it is carrying over into your parenting. I am praying that you avoid the trap of seeing the world as the standard, and choose holiness as the standard for your family. I'm praying that you are sharing the truth of God's Word as you are going along throughout the day with your children. Mostly, I am praying all these things over my family and myself as well, because these are the struggles we have too.

Father, help me make my time with you a priority, even when there are a million things tugging at my mind and children tugging at my shirt. Remind me daily- even moment by moment- that sharing your truth with my children is more important than anything else I might have planned. Lord, help us to look to Jesus as our standard and not the world. Help us to open our eyes to the sin around us and the sin we are choosing to live in, and convict us so we may repent. We love you Lord, and we want to honor you in all we do and say and with all we are! Thank you for the mercy and grace You extended to us when You sent your only Son Jesus to die on the cross so that we might be restored to you in a relationship of love! I pray this for moms and dads and families across Selma, Alabama, the United States and this whole big world of yours, and I pray this for my own little family and for me. In Jesus' Name I pray, amen.

What does it mean when you say you're a "Baptist"?

Today I picked up a book for $10. The title is something like "Religions in 30 seconds" and the basic premise is the book is full of explanations that will take you 30 seconds to read. So all these religions are described in the book. Here are a few things that surprised me:

1. There wasn't just a page for Christianity. There are like...20. Because they divided it all up. I guess I thought that was kinda weird, but I suppose we have brought that on ourselves by dividing ourselves into a gazillion denominations...

2. The page about Baptist Christians said we only allow adults to be baptized. What?

3.They did kinda get the whole "believer's baptism" explanation right. Almost. There were definitely a few discrepancies.

Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't have bought the book. But it made me think... if they didn't get Baptist Christians right, I really don't trust the book to have any other religion descriptions right either. I just bought it to use it for a children's sermon sometime. :)

How many people around you have you spoken to about your faith? Would they say they have a good understanding of the Baptist faith, because they're your friends and you have clearly shared with them about your faith and why you chose to attend a Baptist church? For that matter, do you have a good understanding of the Baptist Faith and Message, our doctrinal statement of what we believe as a denomination? Perhaps it isn't really that important to you. I know it wasn't to me until I started taking classes like Baptist History! I am more and more thankful for our organizational committees and our foundational statement of faith as I grow older each year. There is definitely not a perfect church ANYWHERE. And there won't be until Jesus returns! We don't have to strive to be perfect either- the best things we can do as a church is to first love Go, then love each other and our community!

God bless you as you go about your business this week. I am praying for our church family this week, and for those around us. God open our eyes and help us to minister to those in our paths. Help us to open our mouths and share the gospel in love. We love you, Lord, and are so very thankful for Jesus!

tracy

May 2nd, 2013

While I should definitely be writing papers and wrapping up school assignments, I just have to share this first... tonight I watched as the Holy Spirit spoke to the heart of a precious young man, and held his hand as he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior! Tonight, I witnessed parents sharing the testimony of their own stories of accepting Christ with their son. Tonight, I watched one of our Bible drillers flip effortlessly to passages in the Bible because he has worked hard to learn where to find the books of the Bible. Tonight, the last passage I asked him to find, he opened right to the exact page where the verses he was asked to read were located. THAT was cool.

This family's story will be shared when they're ready, and this young man will be the one to tell you that he has committed his life to the Lord. So don't ask. I'm not telling. :) You won't have to wait long! But I am reflecting on a really special evening, and wanted to encourage every family with little ones to follow this family's lead on a few things:

1. Bring your kids to church.
This child knows a lot about the Bible, his Savior, and God's love. This is due of course to his parents' faith and the discussions in their homes, cars and around the table. But this is a family that is faithful to attend church and ensure that their kids are participating. The world is throwing enough garbage at our kids, and we need all the help we can get. Let's encourage each other to get our kids in church and keep them there. Let's also encourage each other by teaching, loving and directing each other's kids to the Truth. Will you join me in pointing our church family's children to the Word of God?

2. Pray with and for your kids.
As soon as we said AMEN, this young man's daddy was wrapping him in a bear hug, and reminding his son that he has been praying for this day, this decision, this most important moment! This family prays together around the dinner table, for the meal and for those around them who need a healing touch from the Lord. I bet if you attend our church and have been sick or hurting, they have lifted you up in prayer! Teaching your children to pray is so important! We are teaching children how to communicate with our awesome God, and we are teaching them that prayer works, that God answers prayer, and that He loves us and listens to us!

3. Share the gospel, and don't quit ever!
Accepting Christ is something we all want for our kids, but it isn't the end. It's the beginning! Now that this young man has dedicated his life to serving Jesus, it is our job to surround him with discipleship, prayer, love and support! Each child who accepts Christ (and adult too!) needs continued discipleship, and as a church family, we should provide it! The gospel isn't something we learn to be saved and move on. The gospel is IT. We never move on from the gospel and we should never tire of hearing about it! If you haven't shared the gospel with someone lately, look no further than home! Tell it to your kids, have them tell it back to you! We should know it so well, it slides seamlessly into conversations so we are able to lead others to Christ! This family has had repeated conversations with their son over the past year especially, since he started expressing an interest in the gospel and how it related directly to his life.
Chris shared the gospel from his heart on Sunday morning during the children's sermon. He wasn't supposed to do it that morning, and he had a completely different object lesson and message prepared, but he was obedient to the Lord and just shared the gospel. I have a cd now of my sweet husband sharing the gospel, and I can't think of anything in the world more valuable! Listening to it today brought me to tears and I am thankful that my children can cherish their daddy's voice speaking the most important message EVER long after we are gone! Can you think of anything better than that?!

4. Support each other.
Parenting is hard, scary, and wonderful all at the same time! We all need encouragement. We all need to hold somebody's hand sometimes and reassure them that it's going to be alright. We all need to be the recipient of that encouragement from time to time too! Find a way to encourage another mom or dad (maybe your spouse!) in love and in friendship. Do you have a friend you can call and pray with over the phone? I am so grateful for friends that will pray with and for me and with and for my kids! BE that friend. I'm thankful for this family, and for their role in my life in adjusting when we moved to Selma, welcoming us to First Baptist Church, and loving me like family. When I pulled up today at their house, their kids were having a great time outside and all waved to us like they hadn't seen us in forever! The love in this family is contagious and sweet. Teach your kids to love others like family, too!I am so proud to know this family that puts an emphasis on prayer, church and family! I know you will be too! Welcome to the Family, little brother!




*On that note, I would like to invite you ALL to our couples Sunday school class. This isn't a scary Bible drill kind of class. Nobody is going to quiz you on your Bible knowledge. This is a group of moms, dads, husbands, wives, and friends who genuinely love each other! You don't have to come as a pair, and several of us attend on our own. It's no big deal! Chris does a pretty good job teaching us, if I do say so myself. He is open to discussion but never puts anyone on the spot, and the mood in class is laid back. There is always coffee, which of course I love. :) Please join us Sunday mornings in room 217 in the building across from the sanctuary! We are supposed to start around 9:30 but we all understand running crazy on a Sunday morning trying to get kids to church, and don't usually get going until closer to 9:45 or even 10 some days!

parenting articles

Hi!
Here are a couple articles I read tonight. Thought I'd share. What do you think?

The first one is about "reality parenting" and I like the idea of letting kids realize the consequences of their actions and decisions.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/why_kids_misbehave/the_wonders_of_reality_discipline.aspx

The second article hits close to home, because it's about the issue of an "over connected" family. We all have cell phones, and have easy access to social networking, text messages and phone calls. It's a good reminder that we need to set limits and set aside protected family time!

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/why_kids_misbehave/the_wonders_of_reality_discipline.aspx

Two Terrific Tuesdays

Okay folks!

There will be only TWO Terrific Tuesdays this summer! Terrific Tuesdays are for kids who will complete Kindergarten this May through kids completing 4th grade this May. Cast your votes for where we should go! So far I'm planning a Tuscaloosa trip (Children's Hands On Museum, the park with sprinklers, and of course Summer Snow for a snow cone!). Where else do y'all wanna go???

DANCE YOUR SHOES OFF SELMA!

I am ridiculously excited about this upcoming event! If you want to know why, go to youtube, and type in "second baptist church houston dance your shoes off" and watch the video. Wow.

Now...imagine it all happening like that at Bloch Park, inside the walking trail. Then, get excited, because it's GONNA HAPPEN at Bloch Park on April 17th, at 6pm. Even more exciting- YOU are gonna be one of those dancers! :)

We are dancing our shoes off, and donating them to Soles 4 Souls and Pine Glen Ministries. This donation is two-fold because we want to have a local impact as well as a global impact, for Christ! But this is bigger than just donating shoes, because we're also spending an evening together as a community, enjoying each other and glorifying our awesome Savior, Jesus Christ! There are already about 8 churches involved, and several other organizations in the community. Any individual is invited to come too, and we want you to invite your churches, schools, businesses, clubs, etc!

Stuff we still need: lots of photographers and videographers, bottled water, shoes, dancers!

Please visit www.danceyourshoesoffselma.com and also our facebook page: Dance Your Shoes Off Selma for more information. You can also register online.

T-shirts are available for order as well! The proceeds from the sale of shirts go directly to Pine Glen Ministries! Download and print your order form right from the website!

Luke 2. It's not Christmasy now, I promise.

Whoa.

I just read Luke 2, in February. Anybody else? I'm really loving reading Luke. It's a nice organized account of the gospel, and according to Luke, it's the story directly from eyewitnesses who saw it all unfold while Jesus was on the earth. That's pretty cool. He also tells his buddy, that he's written it so he would have a chronological account that is the EXACT TRUTH of what he's been told. I like it.

But that's all Luke 1. On to Luke 2.

So Jesus is born, and then angels appear (BAM!) in the sky to some shepherds. Just regular guys at work. They aren't at church, or church camp, or VBS. They're at work. The angels tell the shepherds what's up- that they have to go to Bethlehem, and find this baby. and then (WAY BIGGER BAM!) there are TONS of angels singing praises to God in the sky!

Then it's all gone. (bam.)

Well the shepherds who are still conscious somehow, look at each other, and are like, dude- let's GO! So they take off in a hurry for Bethlehem! They find Jesus, and tell Mary and Joseph what all the angels told them about the baby.

Then they leave, go back to work, and are praising God for all they had heard and seen and what had been told to them.

Okay. I know it's not Christmas, guys, but do you see what I see here?

1. Angels tell Shepherds about Jesus.
***WE are supposed to tell others about Jesus!***

2. The shepherds weren't intentionally seeking God. They were just at work!
***We don't have to choose to minister to only those who are sitting in a pew, on a van to camp or dropped off at Vacation Bible School. We are called to tell people "as we go along" through life!***

3. Shepherds, after hearing about Jesus, book it to go see him!
***The appropriate response, after hearing about Jesus, is to RUN to him!***

4. When faced with Jesus, the shepherds immediately confessed who He is.
***When we realize who Jesus is, it's important that we tell him we know who he is! Just look at Romans 10:9-10. Kind of an important step in choosing to follow Him!***

5. After meeting Jesus, the shepherds were changed. They went away praising God and talking about what they had learned!
***Are you a Christian? Is it because somebody said you are, or because you have encountered the incredible, awesome love of Jesus??? It is far too easy to be a complacent Christian, and sit back and feel secure in our salvation. Folks, we need a fire under us that causes us to PRAISE GOD for our salvation, and talk about what He has done in our lives! We need to grab a hold of everyone around us, and bring them with us to see Jesus. I don't just mean invite people to church. I mean put our NOSES in the Bible, and then share the truth that we see in it's pages with those around us. God has put you RIGHT where you are, with people around you who NEED the Gospel! Won't you give it to them? Father help me open this hole in my face known as my MOUTH and use it to glorify you, and share the truth of the gospel with those around me!***

Random questions that require an answer...

Test...test...is anybody reading this blog?

Do you think Cait Welch should open a cupcakery in Selma?  Comment on this post and tell me why or why not!

What noise does a deer make?

How in the world do you get rid of ladybugs in your house? Yuck!

Kids Disciple Now 2013

It's time for Kids Disciple Now!

I'm so excited about our guest pastor Wes Patterson, who along with his family, has stepped out in faith to do something God called him to, whether or not it seemed like the safe, sensible option. So proud of my friends! I hope they'll get to share with you some of what they are doing now.

House57 is coming to lead worship, and they're already in preparation for the weekend, practicing and more importantly praying over our kids and our time together. Sweet brothers in Christ are so encouraging!

Our youth leadership, children's committee and others in our community are working hard to put a great weekend together. Now we just need the KIDS. So please go to www.fbcselma.org/d-now and download the release form. Fill it out and drop it by the church with $35 to register your child for D Now. This is the last form I'll make you fill out for children's ministry events all year (unless you go to camp, and those are camp forms, not mine!) so take a few minutes and register your child for D Now today!

DEADLINE to register is January 20th! I can't guarantee I can squeeze your kiddo in after the deadline, although I will always try. :) But shirts and materials and host homes require a little time for us to prepare, so please try to get signed up by January 20th.

We'll be studying the Fruit of the Spirit, and I really love the materials our leadership will be using to disciple your children. I hope your child will come away with a fuller understanding of what it is to walk in the Spirit, as well as a deeper love for the Gospel! Above all, I am praying that this is a weekend that glorifies God, and that everything we do points to Him, and points others to Him!

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law." As I have been studying the materials, and typing and re-typing these verses, I have meditated on the fruit of the Spirit, and praying it is exhibited in my own life. I can certainly tell you that I have an easier time with some aspects than others! Please be in prayer for this special weekend!

Here's a basic framework of the weekend:

Friday: This is new! From 5-7pm, we ask that parents and kids come together for a time of worship with Wes Patterson and House57. We'll handle all the check-in details so that Saturday morning runs smoothly. You can even drop off your child's luggage if you like! Kids go back home with you at 7pm. Don't forget them! (FBC Youth Center)

Saturday: Drop your child off at the youth center at 10am. We'll stay at the church all day, besides leaving campus for recreation. Lunch will be provided at the church, and the kids will be involved in several worship sessions and small group Bible studies. At 6pm, we'll ship them off to their host homes, for supper, free time, showers and hopefully at least a little sleep!

Sunday: Kids will come to the church for breakfast, worship, one last small group and church. Our Kids D Now group always sings and leads us in our call to worship, and my full heart always makes my eyes leak... please join us for the morning worship service. It begins at 10:45am. Wes Patterson will sing during the service, House57 will lead the kids in the call to worship, and Dr. Jerry Light will bring the message. When we are dismissed from worship, please collect your child and his or her belongings, which will be located in the youth center building.

Packing list:

A snack to share with his or her small group (This will go to the host home with luggage)

Sneakers

Shorts and t-shirt for recreation on Saturday afternoon

A Bible, pen, and a great attitude!
A small bag to carry these items in, as well as the materials they'll receive (small backpack or purse)

Pajamas, underwear, toiletry items, bath towel and wash cloth

Sleeping bag and a pillow

Jeans for church on Sunday

Socks

*We will provide your child with a long-sleeved shirt with the above design on it to wear Sunday. 

PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING WITH NAME!

Remember to check lost and found before you leave Sunday!

Student Life for Kids Camp 2013!

I don't know a theme yet.

I don't know what color squad we'll be on.

I DO know some stuff... every 3rd-6th grader alive should go to this camp. It's fun, and it's a great way to get in the habit of doing a personal quiet time. It's a good place to get away from the world and all it's yucky worldliness. It's at Shocco Springs! And it's an opportunity for your child to make his faith his own. (or her own, as the case may be!)

Basic info you need to know:

www.studentlife.com

You can read about the camp and see pictures if you'd like more information.

While we're at camp, you can find pictures of us on the website, as well as join in for a live webcast of worship one night while we're there!

FBC Selma is going to camp July 25-28!

If your child has completed 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th grade, he or she can come along!

The listed camp cost is over $250. With scholarship money we have available, we are working on lowering that cost for everyone! We also have scholarships available to FBC Selma families who want to send a child to camp but need help with some or all of the cost. Financial details are confidential, so please don't hesitate to ask me or Elaine about a scholarship. I promise we want your child to go to camp more than we want you to pay for it. :)

Included in camp cost: t-shirt, camp Bible study notebook, all meals except two lunches while we travel, all camp activities!

This year, we'll worship with the SL4K Band, and the camp pastor is Chris Poe.

'
SL4K BAND beside the lake at Shocco Springs

The SL4K Band is comprised of a team of worship leaders who specialize in kids' worship. Moreover, they have a genuine desire to help teach kids about worshiping God, how we worship, and why we worship Him. Unlike years past, the SL4K Band is a part of the Student Life For Kids staff and spends the entire summer traveling and leading worship at kids camp. The band members are all very accessible and available at camp, and they love spending time with kids in the cafeteria, at recreation, or anywhere in between. The band is produced by Chris Orr, a long time friend of Student Life For Kids.  He currently serves as Pastor of Worship and Arts at Riverbend Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA. Chris has produced two albums, "Just Becuz You Asked 4 it" and "Children of God". One of his albums, "Children of God" was produced last summer for Student Life for Kids. You can find this kids album here. Chris auditions, trains, and mentors the band members before and throughout the summer.




For years, Chad has been speaking biblical truth into kids' lives. Chad preaches God's Word through story telling, media, and visual experience, which we believe is a great way to teach the Gospel to children. As someone not simply called to speak, Chad believes in the importance of relationship and seeks to get to know people when he is away from the stage. Ultimately, Chad hopes to see students and kids moved into a deeper relationship with Christ. In turn, those kids will live lives of action that impact their community and world. Chad is married to Hope and they have two sons, Shepherd and Charlie. To find out more about Chad and his ministry, visit http://www.chadpoe.com.www.chadpoe.com.

Operation Christmas Child progress update!

Well FBC, we're working toward our goal of packing a record number of shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, and after sorting items today, I believe we have enough donated items to pack at least 50 complete boxes already! We have lots of school supplies, and need more toys, clothing items and chapstick to add. I think we have enough school supplies to pack 150 boxes! I would love to see a bunch of really exhausted GAs packing 150 shoeboxes. Think we can do it? I believe 150 is a completely reasonable goal that we can blow away, if we work together!

All monetary donations should be delivered to the church office or dropped in the offering plate, specifically marked for Operation Christmas Child. It costs $7/box, and we'll make our monetary donation online. By doing this through the Samaritan's Purse website, we can print our box labels with a unique bar code. Every box we send will have the same bar code, and THEN we can track all the shoeboxes we send across the globe, online! How fun is that?! I'm excited about this missions opportunity for the GAs and RAs and Mission Friends, and can't wait to give them reports on where these boxes will be headed. Thank you, church family, for participating in this children's ministry opportunity which is impacting our own children as well as children around the world.


Please keep an eye on this blog, the children's ministry facebook page, as well as all of our paper communications (Mid-Week Messenger, Worship Guide, Evangel) in order to help with items we need more of to fill in boxes as we approach our deadline!

Who's Ready for Fall?

Churchwide effort toward Operation Christmas Child:

We will begin September 2nd!

Collection buckets will be located by the elevators in both educational buildings for dropping off items!

The whole church is asked to bring specific items for the shoeboxes, rather than a completely packed shoebox, over the course of a few weeks as follows:

Sept 2-15: Please bring personal hygiene items!
Sept 16-29: Please bring school supplies!

Sept 30-Oct 13: Please bring small toys!

Oct 14-27: Please bring shoeboxes, and monetary donations to mail the boxes!

GA's will pack the boxes!

Church members can still bring their own complete boxes, but this is one way the church can work together to accomplish an important missions opportunity, and the kids can participate in a churchwide effort.

Fall Festival: October 31st:

5pm-7pm - this will be a special Wednesday night! Supper still served at FBC as usual.

STILL TO COME... Auburn vs. Alabama Food Drive, Christmas events, etc!

Mark your calendars now: 

Children's Christmas Program (Choirs, Missions and Bible Drills presentations): December 9th

Kids Disciple Now: February 2nd - 3rd

Preschool Easter Egg Hunt: March 24th

DANCE YOUR SHOES OFF! April 17th

Children's Spring Program (Choirs, Missions, and Bible Drills presentations): April 24th

God is oh so good!

There are no words to describe the faith that Bryant and Whitney are displaying right this moment, and for the duration of her pregnancy. Sweet Henley is 5 days old now! After reading Whitney's blog I feel like I know her, although I think I've only met her once... you'll understand what I mean if you take the time to read it as well, and I promise you will be challenged. This precious young couple is in my prayers nonstop, and they are my new favorite heroes. Please join me in praying for Bryant and Whitney, and their little blessing Henley. Her life is a result of God's grace and wonderful, godly parents and supportive family!

bryantandwhitney.blogspot.com

Surprise Terrific Tuesday. Ha.

What a day... I woke up at 5am to rumbling, rolling thunder and lightning. Blah. Great morning to stay in bed, but I needed to get going! Grace was heading out on a youth trip and we needed to drop her off at 6am. So according to my plan, I dragged myself, Ruth and George out of bed, and we joined Grace (the Stevens' family morning-person) in getting up and getting ready! Off we went to the church, and although we were a few minutes late, we sent the youth off with Janie and Beth! I was planning on going to Jacks for breakfast with the little ones, and then going back to the church, but Nancy invited us to her house, so I enjoyed drinking (YUM) coffee, and talking with her and fielding questions from all the mamas who had signed their kiddos up for Terrific Tuesday. "Yep. We're still going. I think the weather may blow on through." It rained harder, and there was more lightning and thunder...
When I arrived at the church, some of the kids were already there, and everyone arrived on time. Two of our kids prayed for us before we pulled out, and off we went. Half way to Montgomery, (still raining and lightning) Justin called me from Camp Chandler (our mystery destination) and suggested we reschedule...okay...so we decided we'd run by Lifeway to kill a little time and pick up some CDs, then just go bowling, then have lunch at Chick-fil-A, and go have dessert at Nancy's Italian Ice- all in Montgomery. Seemed like a back-up plan, right?

ha.

Back in March or April, when I planned all the summer events, God knew exactly what we were supposed to be doing today. He sent the rain. He had a plan for us all along. The kids ALL had great attitudes about the change of plans. There was just a sweet spirit among the group today. I randomly picked up a few packs of stickers for Children's Church at Lifeway while we spent 30 minutes or so looking around, listening to music, and watching Veggie Tales until the bowling alley opened.

randomly picked up stickers. ha again.

We arrived at the bowling alley a few minutes before it opened, so I talked to the kids about the rainy day being like a hard time in life. We talked about how we can still have joy even when we're sad or disappointed, because our joy isn't based on our circumstances, but in Christ. Then I gave them each a sunshine sticker that said "Let Love Shine" on it, and told them we were making our own sunshine today.

We went into the bowling alley, got shoes, and started bowling. The folks working there were happy to play our CDs that we'd picked up at Lifeway. There were lots of strikes and spares and smiles and cheers for each other.

 We had a great time! We had three lanes. When the boys and I were finished, because ya know, they're dudes. They get down to business. We bowled fast! The girls were enjoying celebrating every moment, socializing with each other, playing tag around a column, ya know, being girls. I love it. :) Anyway- the boys were waiting on the girls to finish, so I asked them if they wanted to go give a few people a sticker, and tell them Jesus loved them. They were a little hesitant at first, but I guess it was a better idea than sitting at a table waiting on girls to finish their games, so... off they went. George (almost 6), Andrew (8), Wiley (5) and Allen Michael (7). Four stair-step boys, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd graders. Walking around a great big bowling alley, telling people "Jesus loves you! want a sticker?" Yeah. They did it. It was so sweet, watching people's faces as they listened to these guys. It was even sweeter watching them go from hesitant to literally sprinting toward people, eager to tell them the good news, and share a sticker!

When we felt like we'd sufficiently spread stickers and Jesus throughout the bowling alley, we headed back toward the girls, where I found Sarah Gresham helping an older lady pick up her walker. I guess it had fallen or slipped/tipped over. Another sweet moment!

The girls thought it was awesome that they boys had talked to so many people, so a few of them passed out some more stickers. When we got to Chick-fil-A, McCann, Bailey and Margaret (all three going into 2nd grade) passed out 120 stickers- smiling and saying Jesus loves you! - just the three of them!

While I thought I had planned a surprise trip for the kids, God had a surprise trip planned for me, for all of us! I don't know how the people who were touched by our kids today were affected, but I know at least 250 people heard "Jesus loves you!" from children today, and we didn't do one thing to plan on that happening. God never ceases to amaze me! I just had to share with y'all how precious this group of children is, and what a wonderful day we were a part of today!!! I'll leave you with this, from Psalm 77:11-20...

I shall remember the deeds of the Lord;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
¹² I will meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds.
¹³ Your way, O God, is holy;
What god is great like our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders;
You have made known Your strength among the peoples.
¹⁵ You have by Your power redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

¹⁶ The waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
The deeps also trembled.
¹⁷ The clouds poured out water;
The skies gave forth a sound;
Your arrows ^[k]flashed here and there.
¹⁸ The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lit up the world;
The earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹ Your way was in the sea
And Your paths in the mighty waters,
And Your footprints may not be known.
²⁰ You led Your people like a flock
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

Psalm 46:1. Have you memorized it? I know this verse well, but I don't always remember it when I'm stressing over whatever issue is plaguing me at the moment... Tonight, the kids who come to W.o.W. are going to hear the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, and his impossible command to his wise men: Tell me what I dreamed, and then tell me what the dreams mean. Nobody could answer that, even if their lives depended on it! Turns out, their lives did depend on their answer, and a lot of "wise men" lost their lives because of the king's indignant response to their inability to answer him! Now that I think about it, "wise men" is an oxymoron Dr. Light can add to his list! If I asked you to tell me what I dreamed last night, you'd look at me like I was bonkers...
However, Daniel didn't balk at the command, or whine that it was impossible; he just asked for some time. Put yourself in his spot- you've asked for time before you have to answer an impossible question. What would you do? Run away? Cry? Hide under your bed? I can imagine doing all of those things. But Daniel gathered his friends together, and they prayed earnestly, requesting "compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." (Dan 2:18)
God revealed the mystery to Daniel, in a "night vision," and Daniel responded by praising God! Sometimes when we pray, we don't even realize God answered our prayers. How often do we accept credit for answered prayers, or just ignore the fact that we even prayed about the situation at all? Do we stop to thank God for answering our prayers? Check out Daniel's praise in Daniel 2:20-23:

Then Daniel praised the God of heaven ²⁰ and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; 
    wisdom and power are his.
²¹ He changes times and seasons; 
    he deposes kings and raises up others. 
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning. 
²² He reveals deep and hidden things; 
    he knows what lies in darkness, 
    and light dwells with him.
²³ I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: 
    You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
    you have made known to us the dream of the king. ”

Daniel goes to see the king, and tells him that there is no man on earth who could tell him his dream and then interpret it, but "there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries," and Daniel tells the king what he dreamed and then interprets it. Daniel knew he should seek God before he attempted to do the impossible. Daniel gave credit to God before he answered the king. Then Daniel was given gifts and promoted to "ruler over the whole province of Babylon." Daniel remembered his friends who had been through so much alongside him, including praying with him about this pressing matter, and requested that the king promote them as well, and the king did.

We have to remember that when we face something tough, our hiding place isn't under our beds, but in our relationship with God! He is always, always, always there ready to help us when we face troubles of any kind. When (NOT IF) he answers, we need to remember to thank Him, and give God the glory!

Pray for me tonight as I attempt to share a pretty long chapter of Scripture that is pretty complex, with our kids, preschool - 6th grade. I love the simple structure of summer Wednesday nights, and the community that develops between kids of different ages in the church. It's not always easy to span the wide age range, but I am confident in the truth of Isaiah 55:11, reminding us that God's Word "will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Whatever purpose God has for Daniel 2 tonight, I know the living word of God will accomplish it! It's a relief to know I don't have to worry about that. :) Grateful for my BIG GOD.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/fresh-green-beans-one-way/

Yum. Great, simple way to cook fresh green beans! (a nice deviation from the standard boiling or bundling)

We're having baked marinated chicken (lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, grated lemon rind, fresh rosemary) for supper, with corn on the cob and green beans! I love summertime and all the fresh veggies that Chris works so hard to provide for our family.

Happy 4th of July to you and yours; hope you're enjoying your family as much as we are tonight!

Amazing Wonders Aviation has been the sweetest VBS I can remember. I had the opportunity to teach recreation for two of the four days, and it was such a joy to get out there and interact with the kids! The weather was incredibly nice- especially Wednesday- this wonderful breeze blew almost continually and none of us could remember ever enjoying such a cool, comfortable VBS. A child who has been intensely angry and hateful warmed up and showed affection and love to some of us. This felt like a great victory!
We had an average of 75 children present- a small VBS relative to years past, when we generally averaged 100 and reached about 120 total kids. However, when Dr. Light shared the Gospel and gave the invitation, the entire front pew was filled with little ones who wanted to talk more about the most important message they had ever heard. Counselors spoke with about 12-15 kids, and of that number one child was assured of her last year's decision to accept God's gift of salvation and is preparing to join the church for baptism; another child prayed to accept Christ and is ready to join the church and be baptized; still another child prayed to receive Christ and will go home and talk to his parents and pastor (he's a grandson of one of our members); a little girl who lives locally and whose family occasionally attends another church was led to Christ by one of our own seventh graders. Her grandmother expressed an interest in visiting FBC, and was especially intrigued to hear about our children's programs! Three more children wanted to discuss the plan of salvation, and while they weren't quite ready to make that decision- they are tracking in the right direction! One of those kids- one of our own FBC little boys- spoke to one of our college students. Ironically, that college student was led to Christ at VBS years ago by the little boy's mother!
This year we had more of our own FBC kids come forward than I remember in previous years, which just added to the sweetness! It is always an exciting experience to share the Gospel and be a part of someone's salvation experience. Being used by God is our purpose as Christians! There's something really special about leading a child to Christ, however, that you know you'll have the opportunity to disciple!
Another sweet moment was receiving word that the students at Teen Challenge have been praying together for our VBS nightly. What a blessing to know they haven't just been attending worship services this month, but have been lifting up our kids and teachers in prayer. Some of the youth capitalized on the opportunity to encourage the Teen Challenge students by attending (and cheering maniacally) the Teen Challenge vs. UAB Selma Family Medicine doctors softball game on Wednesday night. Everyone had a great time, and the game was really close and exciting! Teen Challenge won, and all proceeds from admission and concessions went to Teen Challenge as well. Our youth enjoyed encouraging the team and showing them that FBC loves them! Just one more moment of sweetness this week.
Tonight, we'll gather together for FAMILY NIGHT~ a time of celebrating VBS week. Dr. Light will be teaching the Day 5 Bible study material. We'll enjoy a meal together, view a slideshow of pictures from the week, and see the kids' crafts on display! We hope you'll join us for a fun evening of fellowship. Be in prayer that the activities this evening glorify God and further the kingdom work we've begun this week in VBS. Pray also for the teachers and leaders to be committed to following up with all of the children who attended VBS this week. We have begun relationships with children in the name of Jesus, and we hope to see fruit in each of their lives to his glory!

1 Timothy 1:1-2

So I'm studying the Pastoral Letters this summer- 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. We focused for a long time this past week on 1 Timothy 1:1-2. That's right- just the greeting. You wouldn't believe how much is packed into just those two little verses that you and I both probably skim through quickly to get to the good stuff.
The part I want to focus on in this blog post is not even a whole verse. Nope. Paul addresses his letter "To Timothy my true son in the faith:" That sentence fragment has a lot going on. I knew Timothy had a Jewish mom and a Greek dad. What I didn't understand until this week was the weight of that situation in Timothy's life. See, here he was in Ephesus, left there by Paul to minister to the church on his own, and his heritage resulted in people seeing him as an illegitimate child. He was biracial. The Jewish people haven't been too crazy about that situation either!
So Paul was confirming to Timothy and whoever else would be reading or hearing this letter, that while Timothy's earthly parents weren't what the Jews would consider legitimate, Paul was his father spiritually speaking. And let's face it, that give Timothy a ton of credibility- don't you think?!
Anyway- I love learning little things like this, and then reading the book over again with a new understanding. Just peeling back another layer!
Of course this brings me to 2012. I think we all sometimes feel like we aren't worthy, or we don't have the right background to teach and preach and share the Gospel, much less correct people in love who are saying something that isn't true... but this is a great reminder that no matter what our background or our family situations may be, God is our FATHER. Whatever he wants us to do for Him, He equips us to do. We should have no insecurities or fears, and we should turn to Him when we're too exhausted to go on, or fight anymore. Just like Paul bolstered Timothy in this letter, especially in addressing his fleshly "illegitimacy," when we bury our faces in the Word, God encourages us to go on and "fight the good fight" for the kingdom! :)
May you go on to do great things today for our Father!