"He will keep in perfect peace all
those who trust in him, whose thought turn often to the Lord!" Isaiah 26:3
From the Pastor...
For You are great, and do wondrous
things; You alone are God. (Psalm
86:10)
There seems to be an ever-growing
competition for the place God holds in the life of the believer. The enemy is
continually enticing the child of God with distractions and doubts in an attempt
to minimize God and maximize his own devices and plans. Plus, the weakness of
the flesh makes the believer susceptible to the many voices calling out night
and day.
In Psalm 86, King David lamented over the
troubles in his life that were inflicted by the enemies of God. He asked God to
preserve his life (verse 2), to be merciful to him (verse 3) and to give ear to
his prayer (verse 6). David determined in his heart to worship God in the midst
of his affliction. He was determined to enlarge the place God held in his life
by recognizing the nature and character of a sovereign God. He focused on God
who is compassionate, gracious, longsuffering, and merciful (verse 15). When the
psalm ends David’s enemies are still there. But, so is a great and mighty God
who would deliver him.
May our heart's desire be to glorify God in
how we respond to the trials, tribulations and testings that are sent into to
our life by a gracious and loving Lord.
Pastor Leroy Davis
Christmas Card Drive
As we have done in the past,
we are again collecting Christmas cards to benefit the children of St.
Jude’s Ranch. The ranch has a 40-year
history of healing and caring for abused, abandoned and neglected children. St. Jude’s children take old
Christmas cards, remove the backs and attach a new back made with recycled
paper. These cards are then sold to raise funds for the Ranch.
When you donate cards this
year, please remember to leave the back on the card.
cards from certain vendors
can't be accepted. Recycle your Christmas cards and help children in need at the
same time!
A box for collecting the cards
will be placed at the community mail rack across from the Sunday School office.
Deadline for
donating is January 8th!
??? ?New Year, Same GOD!
???
WMU
NEWS
We would
like to thank everyone that participated in the Angel Tree program. Even
though it was short notice, it was a great success.
Ladies,
if you want to be on Call One for WMU information, a
sign-up sheet will be in the entry hall of the church.
The next
WMU meeting will be March 11, 2012, at 7:30am. Please join us.
From the Man Cave...
The next Brotherhood
Breakfast will be Sunday, January 15th at 7:30am.
FOCUS ON PRAYER
These should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring
for their own family. 1 Timothy 5:4 NIV
In the life of every family, there are moments of frustration and
disappointment. Lots of them. But, for those who are lucky enough to live in the
presence of a close-knit, caring clan, the rewards far outweigh the
frustrations.
No family is perfect, and neither is yours. But, despite the inevitable
challenges and hurt feelings of family life, your clan is God’s gift to you.
That little band of men, women, kids and babies is a priceless treasure on
temporary loan from the Father above. Give thanks to the Giver for the gift of
family and act accordingly.
The secret of a happy home life is
that the members of the family learn to give and receive love. ~ Billy Graham
From Prayers and Promises
devotional
Dear Lord,
I am blessed to part of
the family of God where I find love and acceptance. You have also blessed me
with my earthly family. Today, I pray for my family and for families throughout
our world. Protect us and guide us, Lord. And, as I reach out to my own family,
may I show them the same love and care that You have shown me.
~Amen
Check it out!
Book Reviews By Dottie Purdy
The Sunroom:
Lewis, Beverly
Becky Owens, a talented and
passionatre young pianist on the verge of adolescence learns the devastating
news of her mother's critical illness. As the daughter if a country preacher in
Lancaster County, Becky knows well the significance of sacrifice, and in her
bargain with God, she vows to exchange her most cherished possession for her
mother's life.
Hospital rules only added to Beckey's
sorrow - twelve-year olds aren't allowed to visit, so Becky and her mother must
share tearful smiles through Lancaster General's sunroom window. But a
realization of the power of music and a lesson in unconditional love compel
Becky to rethink her deal with God, and the sunroom becomes a place where
miracles happen. Amazon rating: 4 Stars
Having a Mary Heart
in a Martha World: Weaver, Joanna
The life of a woman today isn't really
all that different from that of Mary and Martha in the New Testament. Like Mary,
you long to sit at the Lord's feet, but the daily demands of a busy world just
won't leave you alone. Like Martha, you love Jesus and really want to serve
him...yet you struggle with weariness, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy.
Then comes Jesus, into the midst of
your busy life, to extend the same invitation he issued long ago to the two
sisters from Bethany. Tenderly, he invites you to choose "the better part"---a
joyful life of intimancy with him that flows naturally into loving service.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 Stars
Where Is God When
Bad Things Happen?: Palau, Luis
Why do we suffer? Why must we lose the
ones we love? Why must each of us face sickness and death? If God exits, where
is God when these things happen? Intenational evangelist Luis Palau has seen
desperate suffering in the lives of millions of people all over the world and
has experienced it in his own life, especially with the early death of his
father and with his wife's painful fight aganist breast cancer. In this book,
Palau helps those in pain come to grips with the crushing adversities of life by
pointing them to the limitless resources found in God. This book is intended for
those who are searching to find out where God is when they need him. Amazon
Rating: 4 Stars
Being a Child of
God: Wiersbe, Warren
Just as physical life
requires birth, growth and maturity, so does the spiritual life, Wiersbe says.
By examining these three areas of sprirtual life, you will discover along with
Wiersbe that to remain a spiritual infant is both absurd and joyless. While
birth is an essential part of entering the family of God, real freedom and
happiness are found only through spiritual growth and maturity. Amazon Rating: 5 Stars
??? All that I am and have I owe to
Jesus????
This month...
|
|
Nursery I
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Nursery II
|
| 1/1
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Casey & Patrick Warren
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Katie & Emily Barker
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| 1/8
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Cheryl Bryant &
Brenda Willis
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Susan & Allen Louk
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| 1/15
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Wanda & Phil Robinson
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Susan Jones & Ginny Roach
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| 1/22
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Tricia Miller & Jackie Bowles
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Kathleen Coleman & Savannah Stamm
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| 1/29
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Shannon Dye & Deveny McNary
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Michelle & Kevin McLeod
|
Teller: Allen Louk
Deacons:
1/1 - Kevin Kerens
1/8 - Gerald Bowles
1/15 - Terry Cole
1/22 - Joe Duffer
1/29 - Mike Roach
New Arrivals...
Eliot Thomas Warren, son of Casey &
Patrick Warren, grandson of Cathy and Charles Waldrop
Charlotte Catherine Brabrand, daughter of
Jessica & Daniel Brabrand, sister of Isabelle & granddaughter of Betty & Andy
Charlotte Catherine Brabrand, daughter of
Jessica & Daniel Brabrand, sister of Isabelle & granddaughter of Betty & Andy
Brabrand
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