The Look.....

As soon as Peter denied Christ the third time, the rooster crowed.
In the NLT version Luke 22:61 says: At that "very moment" the Lord turned and looked at Peter and Peter remembered that the Lord told him this would happen , that before the rooster crows tomorrow morning you will have denied me three times.

Think about the power of "The Look" shared between the two of them. Peter had to have had so much emotion going through him at that time. To know that what Jesus said, came true. Peter no doubt tried to shield himself from the piercing look he was being given by Jesus.

In Beth Moore's Bible Study she said "Peter's heart hemorrhaged from Christ's penetrating look of unveiled reality and love".

I can't even fathom or imagine what Peter was going through:

• buckets of tears
• wailing
• devastation
• wanting to go off somewhere and just be alone, away from people who would condemn him for denying Christ
• embarrassment

Wow I could go on and on with how Peter may have felt. Then I start thinking about all of us. Do we deny Christ? When we do, you know He looks at us in the same way He did Peter. He gives us "The Look" too we just don't see him visibly with those piercing eyes as Peter did. Whew, would we even be able to stand it? Does "The Look" make us change our ways any?

When we fail him we must remember that Christ can use those who recognize their failure.

Last Day.....

Well folks tomorrow will be my last day for teaching Sunday School at my church.
God has been telling me for about two years now that I need to be a student of His word and get to know Him more myself in order to even teach about Him better.

So finally after two years of telling Him no and shutting the door in His face, I've finally answered Him and said Yes Lord. Here I am, teach me!

This is one subject I've shared over the years with the class and even tomorrow's last lesson also teaches this, is "are we following Him when He calls". Well finally I am.

I am seeking the right path He wants me to take to help me learn His word more deeply.
I covet your prayers in the months and years to come as God begins to teach and change me.
I look forward to where God will lead me in the future and who knows (God does) maybe it will be right back to teaching again.

I ask everyone to pray for whoever the church has approached to consider teaching our class. Pray that God would do all the leading for the person He wants and needs to be there. I will give my full support to them in every way I can.

To all my ladies: I love you dearly and I appreciate the love and support you have shown me. I will continue praying for each of you and our class as a whole that all of us together would become what God wants us to be in our lives, our families, our church, our community and that we will all go out and fish for souls!

Wanna go fishing?

I'm not talking about this kind of fishing........

I'm "talking" about this kind of fishing......

Fishing for souls for Jesus Christ.

Let's get out there and go where the fish (the souls) are, let's tell them about Jesus Christ now!
Don't allow fear to hinder you from fishing and getting a bite.
These fish (souls) need you and me.....Now let's get our bait (The Bible) and go catch a boat full!

• Check out all these giving their hearts and souls to Jesus. Don't that get your blood pumping, get you excited.....get you wanting to get up and go out witnessing for Him?
• The greatest hindrance to soul winning is keeping ourselves out of the way and fully allowing the Holy Spirit to catch the person's soul.

• When we are on a fishing trip and we catch "The Big One" we are so proud and excited for the achievement we just accomplished, but you know what? the greatest thrill of all is when we see somebody won to the Kingdom of God. It's way better than catching a fish and we can say Yeah another one snatched away (from Satan)!

Update on Michael Day 227.....

Here is an update from Jim Brown (Michael's father-in-law) on how Michael is doing.

For the most part they are doing fine and trying to adjust to their situation.
They have a comfortable home and Nikki is working hard to keep it all in one piece.
Michael has taken over the kitchen and is doing most of the cooking. Trust me, that is a good thing.

I chuckled a few weekends ago when I stopped by on a Saturday morning. Michael wheeled himself up next to the stove and was preparing to make pancakes for breakfast. Wyatt his two year old son, was so excited to have pancakes that he climbs right up Michael's wheels of his chair and perches himself right next to Daddy as he cooks.
It was a wonderful sight to see.

Michael will soon be having some work done to his right leg. The doctors need to map the nerves in the leg in order to see how much damage there is and try to give a prognosis of how long it will take for the nerves to heal or find a different path in order for Michael to start using the right leg.

They say that the nerves are one of two things in the human body that can regenerate themselves. They can grow an inch a month.
So maybe in 15 months or so his toes on that right leg may work.
Time will tell.
The verdict is still out on whether or not the large intestine can be put back together. The last I heard the doctors may look into this in a few months from now.

Michael and Nikki are taking photography courses in the evenings in the hopes of starting a business for themselves. Nikki remains employed with the school district as a 3rd grade teacher.

As far as our family we've had some difficulty too, recently my wife Becky was a victim of this economic downturn and is now unemployed.

Love to all of you
---The Brown/McDaniel Family

Hey Everyone, Please pray that God will show His plan to these two families and when He speaks they will be ready to listen.
---thanks to all of you who have been keeping up with Michael and keeping them lifted in prayers

Update on Michael Day 226.....

Well today is actually Michael's Day 226 since his accident and it has been a long time coming for me to be able to meet Michael myself.

I had the awesome privilege to get to meet him in Rock Hill at Winthrop College on March 21st (which was Day 222 for him) for the 2009 S.C. All-State Choral Performance.

My son Kevin McCormick and Michael's sister-in-law Ashley Brown (yep same family of Kelly's husband to be Matt) were both selected for S.C. All-State Choral groups, and when I found out Michael was coming I was so excited.

As you can see he allowed me to take a picture with him to share with all of you who have been readers of my blog and who have been fervently praying for him since last August.

Please continue to pray for him as he still has a very long road ahead of him. He will be having some tests on his leg sometime in April, and still unsure at this time when they will be able to take him off the colostemy bag.

Michael you inspired me this past weekend when I experienced how uplifted your spirit is even through all you face daily. I will continue to pray for you.

I would like to ask all who read this blog and the ones of you who know Michael personally to keep him lifted up in prayer and ask God to continue showing Michael and his family God's power in the times ahead.

Talk about a challenge....listen to this....

This guy that I work with came into work this morning and told all three of us ladies who are sitting in the same cubicle area as he does and said to us "if ya'll see me on the floor every hour today and the rest of this week doing push-ups don't think I've lost my mind".

He told us of a challenge that he and his buddies are doing this week.
5000 pushups and memorizing scripture.

Whew you go guys! Getting physically fit and spiritually fit all at the same time.

OK so I have a question?

How many of you are scared to ask someone if they know Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

Don't wait.....we are living in the last days.....those who don't know Him don't have much time left. Don't be afraid to ask the most important question someone will ever be asked.

Get bold....ASK!

Update on Michael Day 209....

Michael's family came home today and he was there practicing going up steps.
You go Michael.

We are still lifting you up in prayer.

Friends....

WOW, what great friends I have.

Thank you Lord......