Awesome News on Michael...

As of this past Sunday Michael has pretty much been awake.
They have reduced his pain medicines to enable him to be more coherent.

They will be adding a voice box to his tracheotomy tube to help him talk.

Nikki was able to talk to Michael for a good long time this past weekend.
She says he remembers the accident, he can recall most of the people that have come to visit him.
He is aware of where he is and the severity of his injuries.

He watched the Carolina Panthers football game Sunday and told Nikki to move at one point because She was in his way of the TV screen...chuckles.

He is doing well with all the instructions the doctors are giving him and he appears to be co-operating in his recovery now.

So, it seems Michael is all there and still has a sense of humor.

Michael will need a lot more support from friends and family now that he is awake, so that depression doesn't set in.

Some of the greatest news since he first went into ICU, Michael has now been moved to the sixth floor so now they can bring Wyatt to see his Dad! Thanks God for showing us your power!

Seven Random things about me...

Ok here goes. I've been tagged by "Somehere in the Middle" to tell you seven random things about myself that you don't or might not know.


1. I don't like to drink milk after other people. It's O.K. if they want to drink my tea or diet coke but don't think about drinking my milk because if you do it becomes yours then.

2. I don't like snakes, spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, FROGS, beetles, rats, mice. Okay Okay I'll stop now.

3. I like to have my quiet time in the bathtub. It's the only place in my house where no one will bother me.

4. I like to have yard sales, but don't like to get ready to have one.

5. I don't like to buy clothes.

6. I pretty much wear the same jewelry all the time. Only occasionally change it.

7. I've had three eye surgeries on each one of my eyes.


Ok so here are the people I'm tagging to hear from:
Kelly McCormick
Matt Brown
Eleni Jones
Sam McCellan
Tia Hicks

What kind of skeletons are in your closet?

Okay everyone here's a bold question for you.
What skeleton do you have hiding in your closet?
Why are you hiding it?
God knows its there? Why not just go ahead and give it up to Him now?
There is someone out there who needs to hear about our skeletons and know that we aren't perfect little Christians. We do things wrong too.


There are people who need to hear our story so they can know that God can forgive them too and clean them up from the things they are hiding, yep it's hard to tell those things to people who think oh they would never do that, but oh if they only knew what we were hiding.

My daughter shared part of her testimony in Sunday School this morning and I thought some people would drop their drawers, because no one there really knew about this part of her life, and I myself only found out about it several months ago when she finally decided to tell me about it. Now that she has dealt with God on it and God has cleansed her, God is now using her story to reach out to others who have this same problem.

We should not judge her, talk about her or in any way think differently of her. She is still God's child and deserves His love just like you and I. She deserves forgiveness just like you and I. No matter what she did or will do in her life.

Think about those skeletons you have in your closet that no one knows about. Are you ready to come clean with yourself and God and allow God to use your story to reach others.

Let's open our closet and let them out and see how God can use us.

Any one who would like to open their closet and share your skeleton please feel free.

God can use your story to reach someone out there who needs Him! Don't hold back

Waiting for God to show us something special tomorrow...

Waiting to see how God moves in Sunday School tomorrow. I've been anxious all week for what God has been planning. i pray that everyone who God has planned to be there are prayed up and ready to hear from Him.

I pray for the speaker that God would use her to reach inside each of us where God has been trying and I pray that He gets through to each one of us with exactly what we need!

God unite us...speak to us...give us the something special that we need

Judgment House....

In October our church Calvary Baptist in Rock Hill SC, will again be having Judgement House.

This years story line is "Web of Lies". Judgement House is a dramatic walk-through presentation about the truth of people's choices and their consequences both in this life and the next

Won't you make plans today to attend.

To Reserve your spot Call 803-412-6299

New Update on Michael

This morning we were told that Michael was awake all night. He was able to sit in the chair next to his ICU bed.

They have reduced his pain medication, which should bring him around a bit more mentally.
Or, at least allow him to be a bit more coherent.
His belly seems to be healing and working some for him.

The hope today is that he will remain stable.
If he is able to remain stable and in the current condition of being awake and alert, the greatest news of all was heard.
That they may be able to move him to a step down, out of the ICU.

This will be just fantastic, because then we will be able to take Wyatt to see his Daddy.

Keep your fingers crossed that all will be ok and the move to the step down will happen here shortly.

Newest update on Michael

Today is day 44 for Michael being in the ICU unit of MUSC.

We have been told that they have placed a large lounge chair in Michael's ICU room and throughout today they will attempt to get Michael up out of bed and allow him to sit in the chair.
This will go a long way in helping his lungs be in a different position in order to help clear them.
He has been off the ventilator now for 2 1/2 days.

Michael first woke last Thursday 9/18/08.
He pretty much is aware of himself. He has been told where he is and that Nikki and Wyatt are ok.

Beyond that, we were instructed to not bring up any conversations that may agitate him. Such as about the accident, or mention current events at home that he may feel he is missing.
We were allowed to ask simple questions of him and to inform him that everything is fine and he is ok and so fourth.
He basically without speaking would shake his head yes or no to simple questions.
He has tried to speak, but we feel that the tubes that remain in his throat are preventing this.

His Grandma, Mom, Becky and Nikki all have been to see him this past weekend and he recognized them all.

So, I believe this is very good news for today if it all goes well.
I am sure there will be a great deal of pain in trying to get out of bed and sit in a chair.
But, these are the first steps in getting him out of the ICU and into a normal room.

Thus, the truly anticipated day when we can bring Wyatt into see his Daddy.

I will try to keep you all updated as this progresses.

Thanks so much for all your well wishes and prayers.

In God's Arms you will find...

Here's a great devotion God gave me tonite after coming home from my Bible Study in a book I have called Living in God's Grace. I hope God will use it to speak to you as well:

Problems are a fact of life. Luckily, God is with us through them. He will help us persevere.

Lord, when we have nothing left to hold on to, you provide us with hope as an anchor for our souls. We need that hope now, and we pray that you will fill every broken place in our hearts with its reassuring light.

Thank you Lord, for in you we have an unending supply of hope in the midst of uncertainty and failure. We know that if we could see this situation through your eyes we would see how you will bring us through it.

Thank you Lord for being my anchor of hope for everything I have faced this week.

What about you do you have an anchor you are carrying around, why not pull it up and let Him carry that load for you.

To My Children....

Only God knew what was best for me when He gave me YOU and where you would fit into this world.

And I trusted God to bring my dreams into line with His dreams.
And every dream I've dreamed has come true and is coming true. And God still has many dreams yet to bring forth.

I praise God for every moment I've had with both of you and for every moment I have yet to come. The school graduations, the upcoming wedding, maybe future grandchildren, whatever plans He has for us I'm ready and looking forward to each day that He gives me to enjoy you both.

I pray that each of you will "daily" seek His face and His guidance for every decision you make in your life.

God has so many things in store for His children and I want to see all of your seeds grow the way God is planting them to.

I love you both SO much there is no way to express it in this little blog.

Love,
Mamma

Pray, Pray, Pray for Michael...

From information I just received this morning Michael has taken a turn for the worst.

He has another tear in his intestines and doctors are not going to do surgery to fix it, because they say that he has been through so many surgeries that his body will not take it.

So either his body will fix it on it's own or he won't make it through.

Please everyone pray for God to intervene and heal him. We know that what doctors can't do , "God can" and so let's pray for that faithfully today and see God bring Michael through another hardship. Pray for his family as I'm sure this is shocking news for them to have to hear and accept.

God they are in your hands! Show them once again your power of healing Lord!

I give Michael to you today and ask you to fix him, heal him Lord in the power of your name I pray!

My Life is in your hands Lord

When we don't know which way life is taking us, it is important to remember that God is in control. My Life is in God's hands and He is showing me that more and more as each day passes.

Listen to this video and if your life is not with Him, why not make a descision today to ask Him to take you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlmYxZAgrGI


I praise you God for keeping me safe in your hands and that as you go everywhere with me that I will take you everywhere too!



I love you Lord!

Thankfulness...

Really exhausted tonite, short blog about being thankful......

This has been a difficult week for me, but no matter what I've had to face I still have many things to be thankful for.

I could make a list a mile long here, but I will just start out with saying. Thank you Lord for being in my every moment and helping me to keep my mouth shut when I've needed to. Lord you know the struggles I've been having and the decisions I'm trying to make and I'm thankful that you are keeping me in line and in touch with you to lead me and guide me through it all.

When I think of others and what they face every day, I have NO right to even be struggling, worried, complaining. I'm thankful that God is growing me and showing me how NOT to even think of me at all. God, thanks for your preserverance in my life.

I'll hold off on my list of thanks and let you guys share......what are you thankful for?

Waiting.....

Waiting...
Waiting...
Why is it so hard to wait?

We wait on the light bill..
We wait on a letter from our spouse overseas...
We wait on family to arrive from out of town...
We wait on someone sick or hurting to get better....

Is there something special we can do to fill our waiting time? to ease our burdens that are heavy on our minds.?

What does waiting achieve?

It teaches us to wait on God, to put our full trust in Him. That's all we need.
Waiting might be hard, but it's in the waiting where we learn.......

Update on Michael...

Michael's stomach has some fluid coming out of it, so he may have another hole in his intestines.

But he was fully awake today and moved and was able to give his grandmother a kiss.

Hopefully more good news to come. Everyone pray.......

Do you have a need?

How many times a day do you hear the statement, "I have a need".

People or things all over "need" us for something:
--our kids "need" help with homework
--something in our house constantly "needs" to be fixed
--someone "needs" us to vote for them
--someone "needs" us to make a donation to their group

I need to be alone.....I need time.....I need.....I need....but why go on?

Need is common today in our lives. Many of our needs can be filled by the love of our family, the understanding of our friends, services rendered by a (hairdresser, doctor, lawyer)

But there is a GREATER need that we have and that is the need of Jesus Christ.

Think about this: there is One who controls all our needs and controls all things, He heals the sick, He brings joy to the lonely, He gives rest to the weary, He gives new life to the dead, and yet He has need of us! You are probably saying HUH? How does He need me?

Too often we forget that Jesus still "needs" us to carry on spreading His message.

think about it......we are the ones always "needing" Him and yet Jesus "needs" us too.

How will you meet His "need" this week?

Prayer Request for Mia....

Prayer request from a friend of my sister-----

Mia had her MRI yesterday. We got a call from her Neurologist and he wanted to see us first thing this morn.Mia has two brain tumors, one on each optic nerve, the tumor is large enough that it is going into the chiasm, which is the area that the optic nerves go through that lead to the back of the brain. These tumors occur in less than 5% of NF kids, but usually are only present on one optic nerve. Since Mia has two and they have become so large that they are in the Chiasm, Mia will be going through Chemotherapy. Mia does NOT have cancer, Thanks to GOD for that! Mia will have surgery on Monday to implant a port in her chest or her side, depends on the particular surgeon as to where they want to place it. Mia will then, starting on Monday, undergo weekly chemo for 66 weeks. The type of chemo should NOT make her sick and she shouldnt loose her hair, but we just have to wait and see how and if it takes a toll on her. We are all doing ok. We are still in shock that our baby has two brain tumors, but are very thankful that they are not cancer and that the chemo has an 85% success rate! Please keep Mia, us and the Dr's in your prayers.
With God All things are possible!
-Shawna

Lord I feel like I'm going to cry.....again...

Lord, I have no shoulder to cry on but yours...The rest of this world is too busy to help me with my menial issues....and besides I don't want them to see me crying.....I'm suppose to be strong and be lifting them up Lord....not bringing them down.

There are days when my tears are my prayers and the past few days I've been so choked up for words Lord....but you understand me through my tears.

Life without tears can be very difficult, because things build up inside.
Sometimes one ache or burden will pile right on top of another, they don't ever seem to let up.

A lot of little things have brought me to my knees in tears (prayers).

It's so good that I can't handle my problems alone.

Thank you Lord for giving me tears that lead to prayers to you, thanks for letting me cry and for understanding my needs and bringing me comfort and answers.

WOW......ever been at a loss for words.....

As I was sitting here tonite trying to decide what to share with you on the blog tonite, God was just overwhelming me with so much stuff that I could not decide what to share. He has just been overpowering in my life today, in our church....Whew!

So I'm just going to leave you with this to begin your work week, your daily prayer time/quiet times.

I love you all very much and I will be praying for each one of you that reads this blog. Stay in touch with my blog as God prepares my heart with what to share with you....I can't wait myself!

One Drop of Blood.....

I was at the Blood Center today donating platelets. For any of you that don't know what platelets are used for here is an explanation:

Some cancer treatments cause a loss of platelets. These specialized blood cells help control blood clotting. When platelet levels fall too low, patients are given a transfusion of platelets to replenish their supply and prevent life-threatening hemorrhages. Some cancer treatments cause a loss of platelets. These specialized blood cells help control blood clotting. When platelet levels fall too low, patients are given a transfusion of platelets to replenish their supply and prevent life-threatening hemorrhages.

My dad died of lung cancer many years ago and I wish I had known about donating platelets back then so I could have helped him. I donate platelets every 14 days. Platelets are only good up to 5 days, so I pray every time I give that they are able to use them to help someone who is suffering with cancer. Your blood passes through your arm and into a cell separating machine that collects the platelets then returns your blood back to you.

My heart feels so good every time I leave the Blood Center to know that my donation is going to help someone that week.

There is another time when a drop of blood was donated. It was on the cross, and it too was freely given, donated just for each one of us. How often do you think about "blood"?


When you see blood do you ever think of the "blood" that came out of our Lord Jesus? and think about it, he did it willingly just for us so that we could have salvation and live with him forever.

Now that is what I call a "DONATION" better than any donation I give every 14 days.

Check out this picture of what the Lord has done for you

Have you let Him wash your sins away? You can do it today....here's how

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation" (Romans 10:9-10). We are to BELIEVE in Jesus.
The Bible says in Romans 10:13, "Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved." In coming to Him (truly giving ourselves to Him), we are saved.

Also in that context is Romans 10:17, where it says "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." We study the Bible, the Word of God, to learn about Jesus.
The most famous verse on salvation is John 3:16 -"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Salvation is having faith in Jesus Christ. In a great chapter on faith (Hebrews 11:1 and forward) we learn "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." "Faith" itself is evidence that we now belong to Him. Jesus is the "Author" of our faith (Hebrews 12:3).

Pray this prayer:
Father, I come to you right now, in the Name of Jesus Christ. I need You, Lord. I am so tired. I have sinned, Lord, and my sins are before me. I cannot bear them, and I give myself to You, Who died for my sins and for me. I am Yours, Lord, and You are mine. I surrender my life to You, my Savior. I receive You now into my heart and life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Peeling a Layer off......

Have you ever really looked at an onion carefully?

Look at all the layers it has in this picture right down to the very center "core" of it. Each layer in itself is as good as the other. You can eat them plain, cut up and placed in foods, fried, just whatever way you want them.




But aside from that there is a lesson that can be learned from an onion.

Just like an onion "we" have layers too.

***There is our outside layer that shows the world what we look like, how we act, just basic stuff.
***Then there is our inside layer, things that we don't necessarily show to the world but people can still see if they really know us, things like how we feel, how we love, how we care, ways we share. Its a layer that shows others who we are.
***Then there is the deep center "core" layer and this layer is typically only seen by God. This is the layer we don't let people in on. This is the layer where we only share with God our deepest feelings, our secrets that we want taken to the grave with us, our hurts, our burdens.

This is the layer that God really works on in each of us to keep us changed, to keep us focused only on Him, to keep us peeled so He can truly work in and through us. This is the layer of our soul where you can find God if you have allowed Him to peel down that far into you!

Here is a poem I read on-line as I was doing my quiet time tonite and how it really helps us to see how an onion teaches us about our person.

The Onion
I was an onion before Christ set me free. Layers upon layers of iniquity. An ugly old onion whose fragrance was strong; That my Jesus bought and loved all along.
Unknown to me what He was going to do. Of what He was planning, I had not a clue. Pulling each layer off one by one. In order to make me more like Jesus the Son.
The first layer wasn't so bad. I saw all the sins that I knew I had. They were easy to fix, just change the way I talk. And learn more of how He wanted me to walk.
Reading His Word, and learning again; How to put aside my life of sin. But the next layer was pulled which hurt more. He was getting closer to the core.
Unknown what He would find there. I simply gave it to Him in prayer. As another layer was removed, He started to cry; Pulling this layer brought pain to my Father on High.
And I was crying over the sadness I felt; The brokenness and all of the guilt. Past memories that I thought were gone; But they were buried under layers disguised in a fragrance so strong.
As onions peel more and more; And they put tears in our eyes as we get close to the core; So my father wept over my pain; Giving me a balm of comfort and strength to sustain.
"NO MORE LAYERS." I would scream. As he continued to peel them off of me. "I'll have nothing left my Lord, what will I do? I'll be nothing but a worthless core to you. "
But He just said "Trust me," and continued to peel I was sure He was blinded to my pain that was so real. Year after year I shrunk more and more; Until all that was left of this onion was a core.
It was then that I began to understand; As the Lord embraced me in His loving hand. He said, now and only now can you be; The creation that will minister before me.
Clothed with the righteousness only from above; Gone are your layers of self so you can be filled with my love. He took my layers of sin, hurt and pain; And clothed me with love, truth and mercy in His name.
Yes, we are all onions, learning with each day; How to overcome as each layer is taken away. Some layers tear and pull at our heart; While others grieve us to our innermost part.
But we are nothing but an ugly onion without Christ. Layers upon layers of pride, sin and strife. Only God can take those layers away. And clothe us with His righteousness in that final day.
Author Unknown

How about you, have you been peeled lately? and if so what has God shown you as He was peeling through your layers?
come on and share with us, click on that comment button and tell us...

The Cross was made to lean on....

"And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Galatians 6:9

"A Cross is Made to Lean On"'

How often we hear people say, "It is my cross to bear". Is a cross to bear, or is it to lean on?

Sometimes we are so turned inward we fail to see some of life's "burdens" as "blessings". If we will lean upon the cross of Jesus, He will help us to "see".

His work knows no season. He told His disciples that the harvest was now; not later. And as we help, we need not grow weary, we need not grow faint; for He has promised to lighten our burdens.

"Jesus bore our cross" (let's lean on it and Him)

Think and pray about this: Can you think of times in your life when you have been able to lighten your load, your daily burdens by "leaning" on the cross and God's promises?

Let's hear from you.......

More updates on Michael...

The following update received from (Jim Brown) Michael's father-in-law:

We have been told that it is time.
It is time to wake Michael or at least bring him up slowly in order to get him off the respirator.
The doctors are concerned that he is not breathing by himself and his lungs may become to weak.
So, it is time to wake him, get him off the respirator and make those lungs work for themselves.

They will cut the sedation meds in half along with the pain meds in half starting this week.
I am sure Michael will be in a great deal of pain and this could cause some issues if not shock to his body.

The hope still remains to get him off the respirator, he needs to be off it.
It is almost a critical point that he does so.

If this fails we have not been told where this will leave him.

So, more than ever I think we need to call upon our Lord and Savior to stand beside Michael and help this boy to wake, not be too shocked and to give those lungs the strength they need to work on their own.

As always, I know You and everyone else are praying and I am so grateful for this.

Encouraging update on Michael....

The doctors were able to sew him up three inches today and they are easing him off the medicines. If everything goes well they are hopeful that he will be able to leave ICU in a week to two weeks.

I Praise you God for everything you have done in Michael and still have yet to do!

Keep showing us your power Lord as you continue Michael's healing process as it helps our faith in you to grow.

Everyone keep on praying.......

Do you need Power?

There are many kinds of power. Check out the power in this picture!

But you know what there is more POWER in the "Word of God"

than in an Atomic Bomb!

Have you been in it today searching and finding the "power" emitting from it. God has millions of things ready to bestow on you, to teach you, to share with you in those delicate pages.

How about open it up now and let the "POWER" come out and into you and watch yourself light up like never before!

Shhh....

Shhh.....Shhh.....Shhh....

Shhh...Shhh....

Did I say Shhh..........

Have you spent some "Quiet" with God any last week?

If not, do you plan on spending any with Him this week?

How can you hear Him if you aren't quiet? Psalm 62:5

shhh...shhh...shhh.

He's waiting for you in the quiet! Are you there?

Bread......

What is Bread? How many of you love to eat bread?

I think as long as I had bread and milk I could live forever.

Here's a picture of that wonderful stuff.

Webster's dictionary of bread is this: baked food of flour dough; signifies livelihood.

Bread is also basic staple food in the diet of ancient Israel.
Bread is made from wheat or barley.
Bread in the Bible often "just" means food.

When Jesus responded to Satan when He was being tempted he said "man does not live by bread alone" was he really saying "by food alone"?

Jesus often uses the image of bread in His teachings. The most striking remembrance of this word is in John 6:35 when He refers to Himself as "the bread of life".

This kind of bread gives us nourishment in the present but it will also guarantee us eternal life. In John 6:53 Jesus tells us "that unless we eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood we have no life.

The bread is a divine gift.

At the Last Supper Jesus took the Bread offered it to His Father, breaks the bread and instructs His disciples to take and eat.

You see Jesus is revealing to us that He is giving Himself up for us under the sign of "bread".

Jesus taught us to pray "Give us this day our daily bread"

To ask for our daily bread is recognizing God's kindness to us.

Thanks Lord for Being my Bread. You are always so filling.....I never can get enough.

If we are starving, we are starving because we want to, because
"In my Father's House, There is "Bread Enough to Spare"

Have you had your "Bread" today....it's waiting for you....won't you partake?

Sit Still, My Daughter......

I could not wait to get back on my computer and share what God hit me between the eyes with as I began some quiet time with Him!


Today has been a very difficult, trying, tiring day and first thing this morning my daughter sent me a text message that really began to lift my spirts (John 16:33), then I got an e-mail card from my friend Regina, then a few hours later I received two more e-mails from Jim and Becky Brown who showered me with encouragement. My day just kept getting better at that point.


Then around 3:00 pm I had a meeting at work with some news I wasn't thrilled about at the time but I tried to look at it with an open mind but began to get down again. I didn't get home from work until around 8:30 tonite.


As I began to sit down in the "Word" and I opened my devotional book for today's nighttime devotion low and behold was it exactly what I needed.

The title of the devotion "Sit Still, My daughter" When I read that title I immediately said "WOW" God and then I started to cry. He always shows us just what we need at the right moment in our lives.


He told me that I need to take heed-to pay attention-to be quiet-not fear-nor be fainthearted
He told me that I need to BE STILL....to meditate within my heart....on my bed.....and that my quietness and confidence will be my strength.


In this verse Psalm 37:7a He tells me "Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act.".

What He is saying to me is when I dwell on my problems is when I become anxious and angry or upset, but if I would just concentrate on God and His goodness that is where I will find rest and peace.


The quote at the bottom of my devotion stated this:

"Sitting still, Lord God, is so countercultural and so against my nature. Help me to sit still and wait on you to speak and to guide."


I need to learn how to "Sit still" more and learn where to focus my attention, how about you?

don't forget to pray for Michael...read my first blog today(below) for an update on him

Update on Michael....

Here is the latest update on Michael from his father-in-law:

Michael has been stable yet critical for a good 3 or 4 days now.
His vitals have remained constant, which is good.
The doctors take him to the operating room every other day and re-clean out his belly.
Michael remains in the sedation state along with the respirator.
We are very encouraged by the stable nature.
It seems if it is appropriate to say, that he is doing a bit better this week.
The ICU nurses and his Grandma have told us that when they move his legs around he tends to crinkle his face and brow, which signals that he can feel pain.
He has opened his eyes a time or two in the last few days, yet his eyes do not track the person or pain that caused his reaction.
His eyes basically just open to say, 'hey I felt that' or, 'I hear you'.

Our Lord and Savior has kept a constant vigil on Michael now for 24 days.
We are blessed to have such mercy.

It is very encouraging to me that Michael is hanging on, and seeming to make some improvements. We sit and whine and moan and worry about the daily things going on in our lives (our jobs, being tired, our debts, our children, etc etc.) what if we also had to endure what Michael has been for the past few weeks. Could we make it?

Help me God to endure whatever you send my way daily. I know that whatever path you send me down you do it to help me learn how to keep my focus on YOU! So as I try to endure each day I pray that I will keep you in my thoughts, in my conversations and that you will give me strength to keep hanging on....(just like Michael is doing Lord!)

Everyone please keep praying for Michael to improve and when you find yourself feeling tired, discouraged, think about Michael, then pray for him, and watch how God will LIFT you up!

My future son-in-law.....Awwhhh...

Ok all here is a picture of my future son-in-law. (Matthew James Brown)

















Yep that's right go ahead and let out a giggle.

You may be thinking why in the world is he dressed like this? Well this was taken at church on Sunday morning. He is the Youth Pastor at his church in Conway SC "The Rock" and he was promoting the upcoming Dodgeball tournament they are having this coming weekend. He is an AWESOME man of God and is willing to do the things God tells him too, even if it is to dress up like this to gain interest in an event.



Here is another picture of him with his fiance':----
(my daughter-Kelly Leanne McCormick)




We are so looking forward to having him as part of our family! We have truly grown to love him and we are excited to see how God is moving in his life and their life together and where God will lead them in their marriage.

They are planning on getting married next year 2009. Everyone please pray for their upcoming wedding day and their continued lives together thereafter that each day would be exactly what God wants it to be.


Matt we are happy to call you our son...and we can't wait to see the many things God has in store for our family when you join us.

Are you having a bad day....well it can change

Today I started out having a great day then as the day progressed things started going south.

And you know what when I got home and checked my mailbox one of the precious ladies in my Sunday School class sent me a card with all kinds of quotes written on it and believe me

******* "I really needed them"
It really brightened and encouraged what had turned out to be a dull day.

Let me share these with you and maybe these will give you the lift you need right now.

--Want to make God laugh? then tell Him your plans.
--Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
--God's gifts put mans best dreams to shame.
--Never regret. If it's good its wonderful, if its bad its experience.
--To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.
--The first step to wisdom is silence, the second is listening.
--Lord keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
--Faith is when you close your eyes and open your heart.
--Have a heart that never hardens a temper that never tires and a touch that never hurts.
--Don't tell God how big your storm is, instead tell the storm how big your God is.

How many times in our lives does God show us favor? I can answer that .... ALL the time.
He is there all the time for us in good and bad. He can change a bad day or moment into a good one just by us calling on His name!

Are we calling on that name, the name of Jesus! why not do it now and watch God change your bad day, or bad moment into a good one. He is just waiting on us to knock, it is His pleasure to save us, to help us. Will you let him?

Are you a minister?

One note from yesterday's sermon that has been on my heart all day:

One of the pastor's job of the church is to equip us (the believer) to do God's work
(click here) Eph. 4:12

If we belong to Jesus we have a ministry. God saves us to make us a minister.
What are we doing to minister to others?

There are millions of ways we can minister. Are we searching inside and asking God what we can do to help someone. We don't have to wait on a church group to make big plans and programs before we offer to help someone in need. God gave us a head and heart and all we need to do is seek inside and ask him where and what He would have us to do.

You know there is a lady who lives in Aynor (Nikki Brown McDaniel) but travels to Charleston; she is tired and waiting on her husband to heal from the head-on collision they had. Maybe there is something you feel led to do to help her and her family (maybe it could be provide a tank of gas, go and sit with her when she is there, take care of her son Wyatt for a day while the family travels) these are just a few ideas for this family. I know many of you have provided for them in MANY ways.

But what about all the other people that we know who also have needs, are we doing what we can to help them? and it's not just people in tragic situations like this family, it can be the simplest of things (like providing water/gatorade to people working out in the heat, stopping by a laundromat and paying for a load for everyone there)

Let's seek our hearts and ask God to show us where we can minister and how we can reach others for Christ. Our job is to minister, take Jesus everywhere we go and somewhere along the way we will bring one in to Jesus!

Okay so let's get busy everyone and minister!