Meet My New Pastor!
1,000 GIFTS, #386 to #408
I’m so thankful because:
1,000 GIFTS, #370 to #385
371. Four Generations around the table last Monday as my Dad, me, Jonathan, and his son Jackson enjoyed supper together. What a blessing to have and especially as it was my Dad, (“Papaw” to my sons and grandchildren) who spoke that gift aloud.
372. The privilege to speak to a group of women last week at a local church, Oakland Baptist. They are beginning their women’s ministry and this was their very first event. It was a JOY to encourage them. I love women’s ministry. I shared with them from God’s Word and used the word WOMEN as an acrostic. W=Word of God, O=Outreach, M=Mentoring, E=Encouragement, N=Needed. (The N for needed was what Jesus spoke to Martha when he told her that Mary had “chosen that which is needed.”) Luke 10:42
373. Courtney, my new young friend. A new choir member – young, beautiful, smart (she’s an engineer). She loves to cook and it was JOY to share with her last week as we talked recipes and country living.
374. This past out-of-town weekend shared with my dearest friend of 24 years, Lanie. We celebrated her birthday – her LIFE. She is an ovarian cancer survivor of 2 years. We shopped, we went to a quilt expo, we laughed, visited a Country Living Fair, we ate, we laughed, we sewed for 10 hours straight on Saturday, we laughed, and we truly celebrated with much prayer and thanksgiving. God is so good!
375. This sweet gift from Shannon, a monogrammed pumpkin. Shannon is another young woman who radiates Jesus. Her smile is so beautiful as she smiles from the inside out. She and Natalie (another young woman I love) are in my Wednesday night Proverbs class, and we are “Getting Wisdom” in our Wising Up study by Beth Moore.
376. Yesterday my church and Deacons (represented by Mr. Lee Evans) honored our pastoral staff. It was a beautiful time – I was so blessed. October is clergy appreciation month. As a pastor’s wife of 34 years I would like to ask you to please encourage your pastor and his wife and family (not just in October, but any time). A card, a note, a gift certificate – and most of all – with prayer! In order below are our staff pastors, Jimmy Moneypenny, Gary Morton (my husband), Matthew Gibbs, Dawson Hull, Mike Slade, Ben Hunley, and Mike Dorough. They are wonderful Godly men with great integrity and hearts for ministry. All praise to Jesus Christ!
377. I am the proud owner of a new iPhone 4S. If you know me at all I promise I am not being worldly or materialistic – I am truly thankful because I love this phone and all it will “do.”
378. The sheer JOY to hug the necks of a young couple in our church who have been praying for a baby for over 8 years and are now expecting! May God bless this little one yet to be. I love you Bubba and Heather. I can’t wait to see your JOY grow in the months ahead…and that precious life inside your womb too!
379. My new favorite picture of my son and his two children. Look at the JOY that radiates in their eyes and smiles! They are sporting their “Got Biscuits” shirts I bought for them at the Paula Deen store in Savannah.
380. A wonderfully kind and encouraging email from Nancy Mattingly last week. Nancy is the correspondence manager for Living Proof Ministries and I tell you this – the woman loves Jesus and lives for His Glory. She blesses me. I love you Nancy.
381. Christmas gifts for my two Compassion children, Iduar in Colombia, and Gloria in Uganda. May God bless these two precious children.
382. The pure and simple JOY of hearing/seeing true worship yesterday as Jordan sang “I Will Rise” with our choir. He sang the solo. Jordan has some limitations in the world’s eyes, but to God, He is everything. I love that young man.
383. Another John Deere quilt – I finished this one at the QTT this past weekend – the “Quilting Time Together” with my friend Lanie.
384. The true JOY of seeing what some “meant for harm” being turned into what God is using for good. He loves His church, His bride, and He has surely poured out His love and grace on my church the past year. We stand amazed. He is a mighty big God and cannot be undone. I could shout – in fact, I have!
385. As I sign off to head back to my office, I want to leave you with this sign I saw at the Country Living Fair….Yes, I was promoted to Grandmother and that is the very reason I began this blog…GRAN JAN’S JOY!
1,000 GIFTS, #288 to #304
1,000 GIFTS, #231 to #245
August 1, 2011 at 7:52 am
James 3:18 (NLT)
And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
238. Yesterday after church we went to the home of my youngest son and his wife to visit and take a nap as we had to be back at church early Sunday afternoon. We live out in the country and it just saves a trip home! Besides that…we get to fellowship with our youngest grandboy Jackson. D-E-L-I-G-H-T.
239. This is the fabric for another new quilt!!! I had ordered some accompanying fabric and found out it was discontinued. But just today a kind woman in Customer Service at Hancocks of Paducah, KY told me she personally went and found the exact yardage I needed for my quilt. What a blessing. I thanked her…
240. The book I ordered came in the mail last week. It is a new book that I love for two reasons. The topic – the Word of God…and the artist…one of my favorites. Karla Dornacher. Her gifts bless me.
241. I’ve shared from my heart about the death of my sister Jean 26 years ago. I wrote this post last year on the 25th anniversary of her death. It is the “most read” post on my blog. Just this past Saturday I got to spend time with my niece Amy, Jean’s beautiful daughter. She lives in California, and is visiting home this week. Time with her is rare. There are no words to describe how much she is like her Momma. Although Amy was only 23 months old when Jean died…she is JUST LIKE HER. What a gift.
1,000 GIFTS, #189
#189. Yesterday morning a young girl about 20 years old arrived early before anyone else. I was talking to some friends and as they were leaving, she asked us, “is this where the class meets for people interested in this church?” We welcomed her and told her she was in exactly the right place and then I had her sign in and gave her the book we use for the four-week class.
1,000 GIFTS, #153 to #170
154. Lunch at Longhorns with a like-minded same-season-sister, Patsy. We have so much in common. She raised 3 sons, I raised two. One of her boys is married, both of mine are. We love the Word, we love our church, we love each other. It was such a sweet time and it was her treat…making it all the sweeter!
155. A wonderful meeting in my home with my church’s Women’s Ministry Leadership Team. We accomplished so much, and enjoyed some delicious chicken salad too. I made a homemade peach cobbler. Here is my recipe! Complete with pictures. 🙂
156. Zeke spent the night with me Friday and we had so much fun. He is getting older and it is getting funner (great word). We picked blueberries and worked in the garden.