Thursday

For I resolved to know nothing

while I was with you except

Jesus Christ and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV)

Barbara Bennett Gaines got a good report. There is no evidence of

cancer. Join Barbara in rejoicing over this news. Thank God for this

good report.

Barbara’s cousin, Kitty, learned the doctors have decided to try to hold off

on additional surgery. Kitty’s condition calls for much prayer,

Jared Prescott is home. The family is appreciative of your prayers. God

still has plans for Jared and David Gullotta! David’s liver issues are still

a serious concern. Please continue to pray for both of these young men as

they heal.

Update on Don Denton

Jo Ann James
(April 12, 1938 – December 30, 2008)

Died at 1:40PM on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at King’s Daughter’s

Hospital in Brookhaven, MS. She was a native of Kentwood, LA and a

resident of Brookhaven, MS. Age 70 years. Visitation at McKneely

Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday and

from 11 a.m. until religious services at 2 p.m. Friday. Services conducted

by Rev. Ben Wayne Blackwell. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood,

LA. Survived by 4 daughters, Lisa Francis, Baton Rouge, LA, Leigh Ann

Wrather, Smurna, TN, Joni Spears, McComb, MS, Shy Ann James,

Brookhaven, MS, 2 sons, Joseph Francis, Pickins, MS, John Mark Spears,

Osyka, MS, 10 grandchildren. Preceded in death by mother, Ruby Lee

McDaniel Blackwell, father, Benjamin Blackwell, 2 brothers, Arlan Ray

Blackwell, Carl Blackwell.

Luther Ray Reynolds
(August 31, 1961 – December 21, 2008)

Luther Ray Reynolds was born on August 31, 1961 and passed away on

December 21, 2008 at the Port Allen Care Center, Port Allen, LA. He was

47, a native of Chicago, IL, and a resident of Port Allen. Luther was the

son of the late Harold & Virginia Speed Reynolds.

He is survived by his brother Wilbern “Will” Reynolds and wife Telena,

Southhaven, MS; a half- brother, Jack Speed and wife, Dawn, Chatawa,

MS; nieces and nephews, Dan Speed and wife, Brooke, June Speed

Gatlin and husband, Patrick, Jesse Reynolds, Nicole Reynolds Jones,

and husband, Jason, & Hunter Reynolds.

Luther was a member of the First Baptist Church of Greensburg.

A Memorial Service will be at later date.

An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, in charge of arrangements.

Rev. F. Ory Miller
Retired minister Ory Miller died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008, at Golden Age Nursing Home in Denham Springs. He was 89, born June 15, 1919, in Walker, where he graduated from high school in 1936. He was a member of the U.S. Army Air Forces and served in the European Theater. After working 14 years in the banking business, he entered the ministry in 1950 and graduated from Louisiana College in 1953 and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1956. He pastored Baptist churches for 23 years before joining the Southern Methodist denomination for 35 years. Rev. Miller served churches in Louisiana and South Carolina. Some of the churches he pastored in the area are First Baptist Church in Livingston, Line Creek Baptist Church in Kentwood, First Baptist Church in Greensburg, Eden Baptist Church in Denham Springs, Spring Creek Baptist Church, and First Southern Methodist Church in Hammond. For the past nine years, he was the resident minister at La Plantation Retirement Center in Denham Springs. An active member of the Denham Springs Masonic Lodge F&AM, he was also a member of the Eastern Star. Rev. Miller is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Ethel Laird Miller; a daughter, Judy Miller Lytle; two sons, Wendell Ory “Yogi” Miller and wife Karen McBride and Jim Miller and wife Adele; seven grandchildren, Troy Miller and wife Julie, Chris Miller, Robyn Atkinson and husband Bradley, Bill Miller, Jay Miller and wife Daphne, Leslie Schmidt and husband Adam, and Hilory Lytle; nine great- grandchildren and several nieces and nephews, with special mention of Sandra Ecoles, his very caring, loving and dependable niece. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Christopher Miller and Martha Geneva McNabb Miller; and three sisters and brothers-in-law, Lorraine and Bentley Rheams, Thelma and Cecil Eccles, and Vergie and Carl Eccles; and a son-in-law, Terry Lytle. Visitation at Seale Funeral Home, Denham Springs, on Friday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, on Saturday, Jan. 3, from 10 a.m. until funeral service at 1 p.m., followed by a Masonic service at the cemetery. The services wil l be led by the Rev. Olan McLaren of Davis Springs Southern Methodist Church, with assistance by the Rev. Jim Efferson of Indian Mound Baptist Church, and the Rev. Joe Alain of Hebron Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your local church or your favorite charity. Ory Miller reveled in his grandchildren and enjoyed playing puzzle games and memory skills games with them to sharpen their logic skills as well as making it fun to remember Bible facts. He was a faithful servant and evangelist of the Lord, always striving to lighten the load of his family and fellow man. He lived his life as a Christian.

Prayer Requests

Prayer requests

“Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the

kingdom of God belongs to such as these,” Luke 18:16b

THE FAITH OF A CHILD

A 4-year-old Chinese boy in Canada was punished by his

parents. He was really upset and wanted to talk to his Sunday

School teacher. Miss E is his teacher, so the parents called her

on the phone. She talked with the little boy and let him tell

his side of the story. Then she asked, “Would you like to pray?”

He said, “Yes.” Miss E waited for the little boy to start praying

but she didn’t hear anything. Maybe he wanted her to pray.

After a little while, the boy’s daddy picked up the phone. He

told Miss E that the 4-year-old was doing just what she

suggested. He had put down the phone to kneel and fold his

hands. He was praying!

This 4-year-old was upset with his parents, but he knew what

to do. He talked to someone he trusted, his teacher. His

teacher helped calm him down then asked him to talk to God.

This little boy learned a lot that day, but he also showed his

mommy and daddy how much he loves and trusts Jesus.

MORE PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MISSIONARY KIDS

Pray that I’ll have courage to be an empowered witness…that

the people will see Christ in me and They may come to know

Him. KARRINGTON, age 15, (Central, Eastern and Southern

Africa)

Please pray for me that I will love others. I want to be loved

by them too, so please pray for me to be a good friend. TIM,

age 11 (Pacific Rim)

Pray for people affected by the earthquake in China, that God

will help them to rebuild their homes. Michael, age 6 (East

Asia)

Pray for our family (especially my parents) to pick up the

language. AMANDA, age 14, (Central, Eastern and Southern

Africa)

Please pray for my family. We need visas to get into our

country and they are very hard to get. Pray for my national

friends too. One of my friends has a heart problem. She has

to go to the doctor almost every day after school. My friend

in my ballet class does not know Jesus. She is a good friend.

Please pray that I will be able to share to her about Him.

ABIGAIL, age 12 (Central Asia)

Thank God for God’s people, God’s wonder, and God’s

kindness. Please pray for missionaries. RUTH, age 7 (South

Asia)

Please pray for the Senegalese people, as many of them

are Muslims. Also, I have a friend who comes over to play

with me a lot. She is a Muslim and her father says that won’t

change. I’ve told her about Jesus and his many miracles

before, but she tries to not listen to me. Please pray for her

and her family. Thank you! HANNAH, age 11 (West Africa)

Please pray for my family’s budget. We get paid in dollars,

but we spend it in a country that uses a different kind of

money. So, we have to change the dollars into the local

money. When the dollar went down, our dollars weren’t worth

as much. It’s kind of like what happened in the US when the

price of gas went up. One day you pay $20 for a tank of gas;

a few weeks later it’s $40 for the same amount of gas.

Please pray we spend our money wisely. Also please pray for

the people where we live, they are all Islamic and need Christ.

DAVID, age 11 (Northern Africa and the Middle East)

Please pray for my family by praying that we won’t get sick

and for God to take care of us. TANIALL, age 8 (Pacific Rim)

Please pray that God will keep my family safe since we

moved and that I won’t miss my cat that much. And please

pray that my mom and dad will let me watch a movie and

let Joy come over for a sleep over. CHLOE, age 8, (Central,

Eastern and Southern Africa)

4 Resolutions Worth Making
By Kelly Boggs

ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)–While researching the subject of New

Year’s resolutions I came across the following quote: “He who

breaks a resolution is a weakling; He who makes one is a fool.”

The person from whom this quote flowed is obviously as much

a pessimist as a cynic when it comes to making a fresh start

on Jan. 1st.

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new

year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose;

new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes,” wrote

English author G.K. Chesterton. “Unless a particular man

made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions.

Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do

nothing effective.”

In recent years, the making of New Year’s resolutions — or

rather the breaking of them -– has become fodder for late-

night comics. That said, I agree with Chesterton that there

is something noble about seeking to better oneself with the

making of resolutions.

Once a person reaches the point that he or she sees no value

in seeking to become better by resolving to change, that

person has given up on living life and has settled on simply

existing. This, if you think about it, is in and of itself a

resolution –- a resolution to settle for mediocrity.

The problem with too many resolutions is they lack

imagination. It seems everyone makes the same resolutions

and some make them year after year. According to a federal

government website the following are some of the most

popular New Year’s resolutions:

— Lose weight.

— Eat right.

— Manage debt.

— Save money.

— Get a better job.

— Quit smoking.

When it comes to making New Year’s resolutions, I have found

that less is more. By making only a few resolutions, I am able

to concentrate on two or three aspects of my life that I really

want to change. As a result, I give myself a much better

opportunity to follow through.

Trying to make wholesale changes to your life in a year’s time

is difficult at best. However, making only one or two changes

annually, over time, you can change almost every aspect of

your life. If you altered two things a year for 10 years, you will

have changed 20 aspects of your life. And that, my friend, is

significant change.

I recently came across something titled “Wisdom for Life”

written by business and ministry consultant Bobb Biehl. It is

short and to the point. In it, he quotes author Stephen R.

Covey.

“I have … found that by making four simple assumptions in

our lives we can immediately begin leading a more balanced,

integrated, powerful life,” Covey wrote.

What are these four assumptions? They are as follows:

1. “For the body, assume you have had a heart attack;

now live accordingly.”

I found the first assumption sobering, because if I don’t

change certain aspects of my life, I could well be a candidate

for a coronary. So by assuming, or pretending, I have had

one, I simply need to ask, “Will this help or hurt my health?

2. “For the mind, assume the half-life of your profession

is two years; now prepare accordingly.”

Being an editor of what currently is primarily a print publication,

this is not a difficult assumption for me. As a result, I must

constantly be looking to the future to not only seek to retool

my publication, but also my own knowledge base and skill set.

3. “For the heart, assume everything you say about

another, they can overhear; now speak accordingly.”

The third assumption also is a sobering one and reminiscent

of Jesus’ words, “Do unto others as you would have them do

unto you.” Enough said.

4. “For the spirit, assume you have a one-on-one visit

withyour Creator every quarter; now live accordingly.”

As a believer, I don’t have to wait three months to visit with

God. I can, and should meet with Him constantly. However,

the thought of scheduling a regular “performance review”

with the Lord could and should have an impact on my daily

decisions and thus my life.

As a result of Covey’s wisdom, I have resolved this year to

make four “New Year’s assumptions.” And while I likely will

fail from time to time, I believe the effort will pay off and I

will be better for it this time next year — which makes me

no weakling and certainly no fool.

(Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press and editor

of the Baptist Message (www.baptistmessage.com),

newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.)

I pray 2009 will be an especially good year for you and

yours.

Anna Lee