Stormy Weekend
It has been quite a weekend. Weather has been bad, even experiencing tornados in the Festus area that took a few houses very close to the Odoms. Bro. Odom drives my bus so that took him out for today.
Bro. Primo does a fine job of filling in when Bro. Odom is out and on top of that I had Rebecca Sobie and Spencer, her soon to be husband(June 2) to help me in the afternoon.
We had 35 on the bus with 4 first time visitors. Three of the visitors were children that I have contacted before and I think will continue to come. The other little girl came with a friend but lives in Hillsboro.
The weekend was highlighted by the Youth Congress. Bro. Scott Pauley, youth pastor at Temple Baptist in Knoxville spoke and he was VERY good.
I was able to bring two of the teen girls from my route to both the Friday and Saturday services and I believe that those services will make a difference in their lives.
Bro. Pauley spoke on Friday night from I John 2:12-14. Those verses have always seemed like a break from the chain of thought and I just couldn't put them in perspective with the rest of the chapter. He explained that every person in the meeting was at some point in their spiritual life.
I was going to try to explain the sermon but it would be too long here. He challenged them to move from being a baby christian that is in the family but is not teachable yet, to the stage of yielding their life to be open to whatever God wants to do in their life, to staying in God's Word and being able to fight Satan, to being a father and reproducing spiritually.
I questioned my girls on the way to church Saturday morning. One definitely knew where she was and would like to move on to the next stage. She put herself in the exact place I would have put her. The other one is more reserved in her assesment, not being comfortable to say that she probably was still back at the beginning. I was excited as I got her home that she said, "Mrs. Cozart, I have a problem." I was very glad to have her express her problem to me as that represents that she has been listening. Her problem was that she could not understand God's Word. OH THANK YOU LORD!!!! I could take her to James 1:5, the verse that God led me too when in college and not very mature spiritually, I was asked to do a devotion. I was at a loss, I didn't understand God's word that well, and yet, there it was in black and white. Not only did it say that if I lacked wisdom I could ask God and He would give it to me BUT He would not upbraid me. I had no idea what that meant. I got out a dictionary and found that it meant He would not condemn me nor make fun of me for asking questions and not understanding. It was wonderful to explain to this one that she, too, could expect that when she read God's Word, she could ask Him and He would help her understand more and more of those precious words.
I could not help but laugh when she told me that sometimes she really doesn't like it when her friends come to church on the bus because they want to laugh and talk during church!!!!!!!!She has been riding the bus with us now for 5 years. I could not even think of another child that has cut up in church more than she has. What a blessing to see her growing up!!
I taught Sunday School for many years and loved it but the bus ministry has a wonderful plus in that you are able to continue to be an influence as these children grow. It is hard for me to believe that some of these children that have been riding with me for 5 years are about to get their license.
Church was wonderful today! Bro. Himes was able to baptize five adults. One young couple was saved on Thursday night, products of the bus ministry. The young man that was saved last week was baptized this morning and two of the veterans were baptized.
The church voted and made enough donations to replace several of our worn out busses this next week. Bus 5 is supposed to get a replacement and we are very excited.
It looks as if we have a wild weather forecast for the night so we need to pray that if we have problems with tornados, we can get Grandma into the basement quick enough.
Psalm 147:11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Bro. Primo does a fine job of filling in when Bro. Odom is out and on top of that I had Rebecca Sobie and Spencer, her soon to be husband(June 2) to help me in the afternoon.
We had 35 on the bus with 4 first time visitors. Three of the visitors were children that I have contacted before and I think will continue to come. The other little girl came with a friend but lives in Hillsboro.
The weekend was highlighted by the Youth Congress. Bro. Scott Pauley, youth pastor at Temple Baptist in Knoxville spoke and he was VERY good.
I was able to bring two of the teen girls from my route to both the Friday and Saturday services and I believe that those services will make a difference in their lives.
Bro. Pauley spoke on Friday night from I John 2:12-14. Those verses have always seemed like a break from the chain of thought and I just couldn't put them in perspective with the rest of the chapter. He explained that every person in the meeting was at some point in their spiritual life.
I was going to try to explain the sermon but it would be too long here. He challenged them to move from being a baby christian that is in the family but is not teachable yet, to the stage of yielding their life to be open to whatever God wants to do in their life, to staying in God's Word and being able to fight Satan, to being a father and reproducing spiritually.
I questioned my girls on the way to church Saturday morning. One definitely knew where she was and would like to move on to the next stage. She put herself in the exact place I would have put her. The other one is more reserved in her assesment, not being comfortable to say that she probably was still back at the beginning. I was excited as I got her home that she said, "Mrs. Cozart, I have a problem." I was very glad to have her express her problem to me as that represents that she has been listening. Her problem was that she could not understand God's Word. OH THANK YOU LORD!!!! I could take her to James 1:5, the verse that God led me too when in college and not very mature spiritually, I was asked to do a devotion. I was at a loss, I didn't understand God's word that well, and yet, there it was in black and white. Not only did it say that if I lacked wisdom I could ask God and He would give it to me BUT He would not upbraid me. I had no idea what that meant. I got out a dictionary and found that it meant He would not condemn me nor make fun of me for asking questions and not understanding. It was wonderful to explain to this one that she, too, could expect that when she read God's Word, she could ask Him and He would help her understand more and more of those precious words.
I could not help but laugh when she told me that sometimes she really doesn't like it when her friends come to church on the bus because they want to laugh and talk during church!!!!!!!!She has been riding the bus with us now for 5 years. I could not even think of another child that has cut up in church more than she has. What a blessing to see her growing up!!
I taught Sunday School for many years and loved it but the bus ministry has a wonderful plus in that you are able to continue to be an influence as these children grow. It is hard for me to believe that some of these children that have been riding with me for 5 years are about to get their license.
Church was wonderful today! Bro. Himes was able to baptize five adults. One young couple was saved on Thursday night, products of the bus ministry. The young man that was saved last week was baptized this morning and two of the veterans were baptized.
The church voted and made enough donations to replace several of our worn out busses this next week. Bus 5 is supposed to get a replacement and we are very excited.
It looks as if we have a wild weather forecast for the night so we need to pray that if we have problems with tornados, we can get Grandma into the basement quick enough.
Psalm 147:11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
posted by momlinda1945 | 9:05 PM
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