Fort Walton Bound

Oakland Baptist Revival Services

Please be in prayer for these services.

Is There Ever A Good Time?

"Hurricane Rita, this is like the 9th hurricane out this season. Maybe this isn't the time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance." --Jay Leno

"Would there ever be a good time to take God out of anything?" --Evangelist James Croft

Quieting the Church Gossip

Janet, the church gossip and self-appointed monitor of the church's morals, kept sticking her nose into other people's business. Several members did not approve of her extra-curricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence.

She made a mistake however, when she accused George, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon.

She emphatically told George and several others that anyone seeing it parked there would automatically know what he was doing. George, being a man of few words, stared at her for a moment, then just turned and walked away. He didn't explain, defend or deny. He said absolutely nothing.

Later that evening, George quietly parked his pickup in front of Janet's house... walked home... and left it there all night.

710

How about a joke?

A few days ago I was having some work done at the local Ford Dealership. A blonde came in and asked for a seven-hundred-ten. We all looked at each other and another customer asked, "What is a seven-hundred-ten?"

She replied, "You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine, I have lost it and need a new one." She said that she did not know what it was but this piece had always been there.

He gave her a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710. He then took her over to another car, which had its hood up and asked, "Is there a 710 on this car?"

She pointed and said, "Of course, it's right "there."

Picture Puzzle

A pastor sent this picture puzzle to me today. Try to find the difference between the two pictures. They are almost exactly alike except for one difference. If you have good eyes you should be able to see it right away.

http://members.home.nl/saen/Special/zoeken.html

Living in 2005

You know you are living in 2005 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or more) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. 8 -)

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to send this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

World's Smallest Churches?

Check out these "small" churches http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/church.html.

Some of these might be just the right size for a 3'10" tall evangelist! 8-)

Shiloh Baptist on Sunday

I'll be preaching for Pastor Mark Driskell this Sunday, October 16th at Shiloh Baptist Church. The services begin at 11am & 7pm. Please be in prayer for these services and for Brother Mark and his family to have a wonderful vacation.

Shiloh Baptist Church is located at 173 SW Shiloh Way near Fort White, Florida.

What Goes Around Comes Around

This is a nice story that has been around the web for some time, I think it may have even been the theme of a song some time ago. I hope you enjoy it.

He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So, he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so, was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, "I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire, but he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me."

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road, the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps.
The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson."

Another Game

Here's another game for you to try.

The directions are below because they are in French on the site.

http://bassel.free.fr/jeux/canadair.swf

Directions:

Reduce speed with your 'left' arrow so that you're in the blue section of the speed arc. (right arrow key increases speed).
Up and down arrow keys work the stick - "up" pushes the stick forward.
Kiss the water GENTLY so that you don't crash and the water tanks will fill automatically.
Avoid the birdies.
Press the space-bar to release the water over fire.

Fun With Words

1. A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.
2. What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead giveaway).
3. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
4. A backward poet writes inverse.
5. In democracy it's your vote that counts; In feudalism, it's your count that votes.
6. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
7. She had a boyfriend with a wooden leg, but she broke it off.
8. If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.
9. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.
10. Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you A-flat minor.
11. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
12. The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
13. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.
14. You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
15. Local Area Network in Australia: the LAN down under.
16. He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
17. Every calendar's days are numbered.
18. A lot of money is tainted. 'Taint yours and 'taint mine.
19. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
20. He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
21. A plateau is a high form of flattery.
22. The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.
23. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
24. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.
25. Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
26. When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.
27. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.
28. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.
29. Acupuncture is a jab well done.

Best In Show

The Baker County Fair is underway in Macclenny, Florida and will continue through next Saturday, October 15th. My employer New River Solid Waste Association received a First Place and Best In Show award in the Commercial Division for our fair booth exhibit. The booth "sports" a football theme. The blue "Iggy the Igloo" is wearing a Baker County Wildcat football helmet and is taking on the Trash Can on a football field that is carpet made from recycled soda bottles. The sideline bench is made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled tires. The cheerleaders have hair, dresses & pom-poms made of recycled newpaper. The "50" at mid-field and the "G" on the goal line are also made from recycled newspaper. The goal posts are made from recycled aluminum cans and the Press Box above the stadium and the football on the bench is made from recycled cardboard. The players sitting on the bench are made from steel cans, plastic bottles & cardboard. The stadium will be filled with photos of children taken during the week.

The goal of the exhibit is to educate & encourage citizens to join the "recycling team" to help save landfill space, save natural resources & energy and maintain a good environment for future generations. We have been made stewards of this planet and we should do all we can to protect God's creation.

The design & construction of the exhibit was also a team effort by Recycling Technicians David McKinney, Donnie King, Paul Johnson, Daryl Caine, Bartow Lee and yours truly.

Answers to "A Simple Test"

Here are the answers to Wednesday's post called "A Simple Test".

1. You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in? Answer: If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!
2. If you overtake the last person, then you are...? Answer: How can you overtake the LAST person?
3. Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only. Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total? Answer: Did you get 5000? The correct answer is actually 4100.
4. Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter? Answer: Did you Answer Nunu? NO! Of course it isn't. Her name is Mary. Read the question again!
5. A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants? Answer: He just has to open his mouth and ask!

How did you do?

It's Slinky! It's Slinky!

I recently received this joke from a friend:

"Some people are like Slinkies ....Not really good for anything...... But they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs. "

I was always fascinated by the simple but yet complicated toy. After reading the joke I did a web search for Slinky. I actually found a website about the toy with some really cool things. You can check it out at http://slinky.org/. It features some scientific info about the toy and even a wav file of the old Slinky song!

A Simple Test

How about a simple little test? I'll post the answers on Friday.

1. You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?
2. If you overtake the last person, then you are...?
3. Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only. Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator.
   Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total?
4. Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?
5. A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done.
   Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?

A "Numbers" Game

Check out this link: http://digicc.com/fido/. I think you'll find it interesting and mind boggling!

I know there must be a mathematical methodology in play, but I have no idea what it is. If you know, let me know. 8-)

Pumpkins & Christians

I received this in an e-mail today.

A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"

The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Manntown Congregational Holiness Added to Schedule

I have been asked to preach "Pastor Appreciation Day" at Manntown Congregational Holiness Church on Sunday, November 13, 2005. The service is in honor of the church's pastor David Hodges. The service will begin at 11am.

Manntown Congregational Holiness Church is located on Highway 125 south of Glen St. Mary, Florida. For more information call (904) 259-8258.

Barney Revival a Blessing

The revival services at Barney First Baptist Church (Georgia) ended last night. I must say the services were certainly a blessing to me. Everyone showered the ministry team with love, friendship and hospitality. We all made some great friends during the week.

I also want to thank Pastor Keith Wise for receiving us so well into his new pastorate. Brother Keith has only served at the church for about 7 weeks. The services were set up by the Interim Pastor, Charlie Scarborough, who is a dear friend of mine.

Here are a few photos of the ministry team from the services.





My friends Cheryl Kent & Kevin Owen from Olustee, Florida led the music on Wednesday night.





















Lori Bennett, a member of Barney First Baptist, blessed our hearts with special music on Thursday & Saturday nights.














John Croft, my brother from White Springs, Florida, & Kevin Owen led the music Thursday through Saturday night.

















Here I am, sporting a shirt made for me while in Ghana, West Africa, preaching on Saturday night.

An Engineer's Thought Process

To the optimist, the glass is half full.
To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.
To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

What is the difference between Mechanical Engineers and Civil Engineers?
Mechanical engineers build weapons and Civil Engineers build targets.

Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Engineers believe that "if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet"

Coffee Bean Man

This is a a neat little photo in that somewhere in the coffee beans is a man's head. Can you see it?













If you need a hint or the answer send me an e-mail.

2 Continents & 1 Friendship

During our 2003 & 2004 Ghana, West Africa Mission Trips one of our team members, Jon Fletcher, formed a great friendship with Isaac Adjei, a member of Zion Evangelistic Ministry. Jon is a professional photojournalist in Florida and Isaac works on video projects & photography in Teshie, Accra.

Jon and his wife, Kristie, have a daughter named Klara. Last year they had their second child, a boy, and they named him Isaac after their Ghanaian friend. This year, Isaac and his wife, Joyce, had their first child, a girl, and they named her Klara after their American friend's daughter.

So, now we have:

2 friends,
2 Klara's,
2 Isaac's, on
2 different continents.

One great friendship on two different continents: PRICELESS!









Klara & Isaac Fletcher - United States

















Klara Adjei - Ghana, West Africa

25 Questions: Answers

Here are the anwers to the 25 Questions posted a couple of days ago. After you add up how many correct answers you have, share the number with us by clicking on comments below.

Here's the answers:

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?
Answer: Bottom

2. How many states are there in the USA?
Answer: 50

3. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty's torch?
Answer: Right

4. What six colors are on the classic Campbell's soup label?
Answer: Blue, red, white, yellow, black, & gold

5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them?
Answer: 1 and 0

6. When you walk does your left arm ! swing with your right or left leg?
Answer: Right

7. How many matches are in a standard pack?
Answer: 20

8. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?
Answer: Red

9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial?
Answer: 88

10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise?
Answer: Clockwise (north of the equator)

11. Which way does a "no smoking" sign's slash run?
Answer: Towards bottom right

12. How many channels on a VHF TV dial?
Answer: 12 (no #1)

13. On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons?
Answer: Left

14. Which way do fans rotate?
Answer: Clockwise as you look at it

15. How many sides does a stop sign have?
Answer: 8

16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?
Answer: Left

17. How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel?
Answer: 5

18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?
Answer: 6

19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?
Answer: Bashful

20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?
Answer: 8

21. On which playing card is the card maker's trademark?
Answer: Ace of Spades

22. On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats?
Answer: Left

23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no digits?
Answer: "*" and "#"

24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?
Answer: 3

25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?
Answer: Counter

I got 17 right!!!

How'd you do???

Barney Services Begin Tonight

Two Lines

This is a funny joke? 8-)

When everybody on earth was dead and waiting to enter Paradise, God appeared and said, "I want the men to make two lines. One line for the men who were true heads of their household and the other line for the men who were dominated by their women. I want all the women to report to St Peter."

Soon, the women were gone and there were two lines of men. The line of the men who were dominated by their wives was 100 miles long, and in the line of men who truly were heads of their household, there was only one man.

God said, "You men should be ashamed of yourselves. I created you to be the head of your household. You have been disobedient and not fulfilled your purpose. I told you to be the spiritual leader in your family. Of all of you only one obeyed. Learn from him. Tell them, my son, how did you manage to be the only one in this line?"

The man replied, "I don't know, my wife told me to stand here."

25 Questions

Here are 25 questions about things we see every day or have known about all our lives. These simple questions are harder than you think-- it just shows you how little we pay attention to the commonplace things of life.

No looking around! No getting out of your chair! No using anything on or in your desk or computer! Write down your answers as you go. I'll post the correct answers in a couple of days.

REMEMBER - NO CHEATING!!! BE HONEST!!!

Answers are based on United States info.

LET'S JUST SEE HOW OBSERVANT YOU REALLY ARE.

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?
2. How many states are there in the USA? (Don't laugh, some people don't know)
3. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty's torch?
4. What six colors are on the classic Campbell's soup label?
5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them?
6. When you walk does your left arm ! swing with your right or left leg? (Don't you dare get up to see!)
7. How many matches are in a standard pack?
8. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?
9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial?
10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise?
11. Which way does a "no smoking" sign's slash run?
12. How many channels on a VHF TV dial?
13. On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons?
14. Which way do fans rotate?
15. How many sides does a stop sign have?
16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?
17. How many lug nuts are on a standard car wheel?
18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?
19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?
20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?
21. On which playing card is the card maker's trademark?
22. On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats?
23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no digits?
24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?
25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?

The answers will be posted on this Blog in a couple of days, but don't look up any answers in the meantime. We are going on the Honor System. 8-)

Columbia Baptist Tomorrow

I will be preaching Homecoming Service at Columbia Baptist Church tomorrow (Sunday, September 25th) at 11am. Special music will be provided by Kevin Owen & Cheryl Kent.

Columbia Baptist Church is located on State Road 47 near Columbia City, Florida.

Please be in prayer for this service.

How Smart Is Your Right Foot?

A friend e-mailed this to me and it's true for me. How about you?

1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.

Your foot will change direction.

Please don't ask me to explain this. 8-)

The Nail

As the story goes, they built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it. They admired its beauty! Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure-except the nail! No one even knew he was there, and he became angry and jealous.

"If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!" So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud.

That night it rained and rained. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by water. All this because a little nail decided to quit!

But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure but it was also useful. Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust!

The moral of the story-EVERY MEMBER IS IMPORTANT TO THE CHURCH! You may, like the nail, feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you are not present for worship, in some way the body of Christ hurts. We are ALL a part of the Lord's ministry.

Author Unknown

Where will you be on Sunday?

Shiloh Baptist Added To Schedule

I have been asked to preach in supply for Pastor Mark Driskell of Shiloh Baptist Church next month while he is out of town. I will be preaching the morning (11am) & evening (7pm) worship services on Sunday, October 16, 2005.

Shiloh Baptist Church is located at 173 SW Shilooh Way near Fort White, Florida.

Please be in prayer for these services and for the Driskell family to have great time of rest and relaxation.

See You at the Pole Day

"See You at the Pole" Day was held at Lake Butler (Florida) Elementary School this morning before students went to class. I was honored to be asked to participate in the event this morning. I talked to the students & teachers that voluntarily gathered around the school's flag pole about David & Goliath. I told students that God often uses children (like David) to do "big" things for Him. I encouraged students to take a stand for God whenever they are faced with some of the "giants" that come our way in our life. We then closed with a prayer asking God to use us as He did David.

In the photo above a student is selected to play the role of David as I play the role of Goliath (I was perfect for the role with me being a "giant").

For information about "See You at the Pole" visit http://www.syatp.com/.

Pecans in the Cemetery

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.

"One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said one boy.

Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate.

Sure enough, he heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me." He just knew what it was.

He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along. "Come here quick," said the boy, "you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls."

The man said, "Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk."

When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me..."

The old man whispered, "Boy, you've been tellin' the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord."

Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.

At last they heard, "One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done."

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the boy on the bike.

"Talk Like A Pirate Day"?

A friend of mine sent me an e-mail today informing me that it is "Talk Like A Pirate Day"! I have never heard of this before so I followed the link she sent to me to the official website: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html. It is a rather funny story how it began. Newspaper columnist Dave Berry brought it to the national scene with his column in 2002. You can read the column at this link: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/4018055.htm.

This certainly is not a Christian based holiday, but it is a funny story.

Arrr, I hope you have a great "Talk Like A Pirate Day" and if you don't you may be forced to walk the plank. Shiver me timbers that's no fun a'tall.

Hey, what if we had a "Talk & Walk Like Jesus Day" (which should be every day)?!?! I think the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be shared with the lost of the world very quickly if born-again believers would truly talk & WALK like Jesus EVERY DAY and not just on Sunday!!!

NOTE: You never know what you may read on the "Walking With The Giant" blog!!!

Serious Prayer?

This little story is funny, but it has a serious message.

A man was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up toward heaven, he said "Lord, take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life and give up drinking."

Miraculously, a parking place appeared.

The man looked up again and said "Never mind. I found one."

An Organized Life

Two senior ladies met for the first time since graduating from high school. One asked the other, "You were always so organized in school, did you manage to live a well planned life?"

"Oh yes," said her friend. "My first marriage was to a millionaire; my second marriage was to an actor; my third marriage was to a preacher; and now I'm married to an undertaker."

Her friend asked, "What do those marriages have to do with a well planned life?"

She answered, "One for the money, two for the show. three to get ready and four to go!"

Good Advice

An Old Farmer's Advice

* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

* Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.

* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

* Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

* It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

* You cannot unsay a cruel word.

* Every path has a few puddles.

* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

* The best sermons are lived, not preached.

* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

* Don't judge folks by their relatives.

* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

* Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

* Always drink upstream from the herd.

* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

(Author Unknown)

"See You At The Pole"

I have been asked to present a brief devotion next Wednesday, September 21st. for the annual "See You At The Pole" Day at Lake Butler Elementary School in Lake Butler, Florida. The event will begin at 7:30am at the school's flag pole.

Please be in prayer for this ministry opportunity.

"Friend Day" Scheduled in Tallahassee

I will be preaching a "Friend Day" service at New Life Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida on Sunday, October 30, 2005 at 11am. This will also be their Homecoming Service. For more information call Pastor Eric Tinsley at (850) 877-2215.

New Life Baptist Church is located at 3625 Woodville Highway in Tallahassee, Florida.

A Neat Story

A man's car broke down as he was driving past a beautiful old monastery. He walked up the drive and knocked on the front door. A monk answered, listened to the man's story and graciously invited him to spend the night.

The monks fed the man and led him to a tiny chamber in which to sleep. The man thanked the monks and slept serenely until he was awakened by a strange and beautiful sound.

The next morning, as the monks were repairing his car, he asked about the sound that had woken him. "We're sorry," the monks said. "We can't tell you about the sound. You're not a monk." The man was disappointed, but eager to be gone, so he thanked the monks for their kindness and went on his way. During quiet moments afterward, the man pondered the source of the alluring sound.

Several years later, the man happened to be driving in the same area. He stopped at the monastery on a whim and asked admittance. He explained to the monks that he had so enjoyed his previous stay, he wondered if he might be permitted to spend another night under their peaceful roof the monks agreed, and so the man stayed with them again. Late that night, he heard the strange beautiful sound.

The following morning he begged the monks to explain the sound. The monks gave him the same answer as before.

"We're sorry we can't tell you about the sound. You're not a monk."

By now, the man's curiosity had turned to obsession. He decided to give up everything and become a monk; for that was the only way he could learn about the sound. He informed the monks of his decision and began the long and arduous task of becoming a monk.

Seventeen years later, the man was finally established as a true member of the order.

When the celebration ended, he humbly went to the leader of the order and asked to be told the source of the sound. Silently, the old monk led the new monk to a huge wooden door. He opened the door with a golden key. That door swung open to reveal a second door of silver, then a third of gold and so on until they had passed through twelve doors, each more magnificent than the last. The new monk's face was awash with tears of joy as he finally beheld the wondrous source of the beautiful mysterious sound he had heard so many years before..........

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But, I can't tell you what it was. You're not a monk.

Where Does Jesus Live?

A Sunday School teacher of preschoolers was concerned that his students might be a little confused about Jesus because of the Christmas season emphasis on His birth. He wanted to make sure they understood that the birth of Jesus occurred for real. He asked his class, "Where is Jesus today?"

Steven raised his hand and said, "He's in heaven."

Mary was called on and answered, "He's in my heart."

Little Johnny, waving his hand furiously, blurted out, "I know, I know! He's in our bathroom!!!"

The whole class got very quiet, looked at the teacher, and waited for a response. The teacher was completely at a loss for a few very long seconds. Finally, he gathered his wits and asked Little Johnny how he knew this.

Little Johnny said, "Well...every morning, my father gets up, bangs on the bathroom door, and yells, 'Good Lord, are you still in there?!"

Ft. Walton Beach Added to Schedule

Revival services at Oakland Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida have been scheduled for October 2005. Services will begin on Sunday morning, October 23rd at 11am and will continue at 6:30pm nightly through Wednesday, October 26th. I will be preaching each service and the music will be under the direction of Graham Boutwell.

For more information call Associate Pastor Danny Adkison at (850) 243-8722. Oakland Baptist Church is located at 118 Wright Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Unique

Place your mouse on the X below and drag to the O.

X Even though you can't see Him, GOD is there! O

Barney, Georgia Services

Biloxi Photos

Photojournalist Jon M. Fletcher of the Florida Times-Union newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida has just returned from Biloxi, Mississippi. He spent a week there taking photos for the newspaper. You can view some of these photos at www.jonmfletcher.com/hurricane.

Jon traveled to Ghana, West Africa with our team in 2003 and 2004. Some of his photos from the Ghana trips can be viewed on my website at www.jamescroft.org.

Please remember to pray for everyone that was impacted by Hurricane Katrina as well as those that are helping with relief efforts.

FBC Glen St. Mary Today

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Tim Patterson at First Baptist Church of Glen St. Mary, Florida tomorrow (Sunday). Services will begin at 11am & 6pm. Please be in prayer for these services.

Balloonist

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted,” Excuse me, can you help? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The woman below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.

"I am," replied the woman. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of you, and the fact is I am still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help so far."

The woman below responded, "You must be in management."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault!"

Time For Church

One Sunday morning, a mother went in to wake her son and tell him it was time to get ready for church, to which he replied, "I'm not going."
"Why not?" she asked.
I'll give you two good reasons," he said. "One, they don't like me, and two, I don't like them."
His mother replied, "Now I'll give YOU two good reasons why YOU SHOULD go to church. (1) You're 49 years old, and (2) you're the pastor!"

Goat For Dinner?

The young couple invited their elderly pastor for Sunday dinner. While they were in the kitchen preparing the meal, the minister asked their son what they were having. "Goat," the little boy replied. "Goat?" replied the startled man of the cloth, "Are you sure about that?" "Yep," said the youngster. "I heard Dad say to Mom, 'Today is just as good as any to have the old goat for dinner.'"

Bible Brain Twister Answers

On Saturday, August 20th I posted a Bible Brain Twister word search on this site. Unfortunately, the original sender did not include the author of the puzzle and it contained the final book name needed to complete the word search. I e-mailed the original sender and he replied with the answers and apologized that the author's name was not included in the forward that I had received. I am reposting the word search here with the answers highlighted.

I must admit that I found 16 within about 30 minutes and have been searching for the 17th ever since. I have received e-mails and even telephone calls requesting the answers. It is exciting to see how many people got so involved in the Biblical word search. You know, we might find studying the Bible just as exciting if we would approach it the way we have approached this puzzle. 8-)

Bible Brain Twister
By (John) Kezer
I once made a re(mark) about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lu(lu, ke)pt people loo(king s)o hard for f(acts), and for others it was a (revelation). Some were in a (jam, es)pecially since the names of the books are not capitalized, but the t(ruth) finally struck home to (numbers) of readers. To others, it was a real (job). We want it to be (a mos)t fascinating few moments for you. Y(es, ther)e will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require (judges) to help them. I will quickly admi(t it us)ually takes a minister to find one of the 17, and there will be loud (lamentations) when it is found. A little lady says s(he brews) a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. See how well you can com(pete. R)elax now, for there really are the names of 17 books of the Bible in these sentences.

A Twenty and a One

A well-worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty-dollar bill arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation. The twenty-dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the country. "I've had a pretty good life," the twenty proclaimed. "Why I've been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean" "Wow!" said the one-dollar bill. "You've really had an exciting life!" "So tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?" The one dollar bill replies, "Oh, I've been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church..." The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?"

Forest Grove Youth Revival

The youth revival at Forest Grove Baptist Church near Alachua, Florida will continue at 7pm through Wednesday night.

On Monday night the music was led by a youth band from First Baptist Church of High Springs, Florida (pictured below). For more info about the services call the church office at (386) 462-3921 or click here.

The High Springs band will also lead the music service on Tuesday & Wednesday.

Youth Revival Underway

The youth revival services at Forest Grove Baptist Church near Alachua, Florida got underway last night. The services will continue at 7pm through Wednesday night. For more information about the services you can click here or call the church at (386) 462-3921.













Photo (top left) John Croft (my brother) of First Baptist Church of White Springs sings a special.
Photo (top right) Cheryl Kent & Kevin Owen of First Baptist Church of Olustee led the congregational music with praise & worship songs and did a couple of specials too.
Photo (bottom) That's me (James Croft) as I challenged youth & adults to become "Eagle Christians".

Special music for the remaining services will be provided by First Baptist Church of High Springs youth group.

Please be in prayer for these services.

Bible Word Search

I received this in an e-mail today and forwarded it to some of my friends. I have heard from several of them concerning their effort to find all 17 of the Bible books within the paragraph below. At this point no one has found all 17. I found 16 in about 30 minutes and I'm still searching for #17. Let me know how you do with this fun task. I hope to post the correct answers in a week.

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept people looking so hard for facts, and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books are not capitalized, but the truth finally struck home to numbers of readers. To others, it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of the 17, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. See how well you can compete. Relax now, for there really are the names of 17 books of the Bible in these sentences.

Gadara Baptist On Sunday

I will be preaching the morning worship (11am) service at Gadara Baptist Church this Sunday, August 21st. Gadara Baptist Church is located at 6779 CR315C in Keystone Heights, Florida.

Please be in prayer for this service.

Youth Revival Begins Sunday Night

October Youth Service

A youth service called "The Red Zone" has been added to the schedule for Friday, October 28th in Lake Butler, Florida. First Baptist Church of Lake Butler will be holding a special youth service following each of the Union County High School home football games. The services will begin at 10pm at the "The Fire Escape" at 102 SW 11th Street in Lake Butler. The services will feature food, music, devotion time and a lot of fun.

For more information call the church at (386) 496-3704.

God Is Amazing

This is a cute story that points out that God answers prayers in many "unique" ways.

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car.

She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened. The baby sitter told her that the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."

The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."

She bowed her head and asked God to send her help. Within five minutes an old rusty car pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.

The man got out of his car and asked if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure." He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man."

The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."

The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"

The Usher

Ready for a good joke?

An elderly woman walked into the local country church. The friendly usher greeted her at the door and helped her up the flight of steps.

"Where would you like to sit?" he asked politely.

"The front row please," she answered.

"You really don't want to do that," the usher said. "The pastor is really boring."

"Do you happen to know who I am?" the woman inquired.

"No." he said.

"I'm the pastor's mother," she replied indignantly.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked.

"No." she said.

"Good," he answered.

St. Johns Baptist Homecoming

I received an invitation today from Pastor Matt Swain of St. Johns Baptist Church in Greenville, Florida to preach the church's homecoming service. The homecoming service will be held on Sunday, November 6, 2005. Special music will begin at 10am with the preaching following. Dinner-on-the-grounds will follow the morning service.

Another Camp Photo

Here's another photo from the children's camp hosted by New Oak Grove Baptist Church. This was taken this morning while the children were singing.

More info about the camp can be found in previous posts on this site.

Children's Camp Going Well

New Oak Grove Baptist Church's children's camp is going very well at Camp Kulaqua near High Springs, Florida. I am teaching the Bible study in each of the worship rallies. Cheryl Kent & Kevin Owen pictured below are leading the music for the night services.

The camp will end Wednesday night at the church located near Alachua, Florida with a service that will begin at 7pm.

Please be in prayer for this weeks activities.

Too Funny

One Sunday morning, the minister noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names with small American flags mounted on either side of it. The seven year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the minister walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, "Good morning Alex."

"Good morning sir," he replied, still focused on the plaque. "Sir, what is this?" he asked the minister.

The minister said, "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service."

Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.

Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear, asked, "Which service? The 11am or the 6pm?"

Pray For These Services

Sunday morning I will be preaching the 11am service for Pastor Melvin Owen at Tiger Lake Baptist Church on CR49 near Live Oak, Florida.

Sunday night I will begin leading the worship rallies for a children's camp hosted by New Oak Grove Baptist Church of Alachua, Florida. The camp will be held at Camp Kalaqua near High Springs, Florida. The worship rallies will also be held each morning and evening Monday-Wednesday. The Wednesday evening service will be held at the church. Kevin Owen & Cheryl Kent will be leading the music for the evening rallies.

Please be in prayer for all of these services.

Youth Event In Lake Butler

I spoke at a youth event tonight for First Baptist Church of Lake Butler, Florida. The evening, which featured a luau theme, included food, games, bowling, and a devotion time. It is scheduled to end at 6am tomorrow (Saturday). If you notice the time that this is posted you will realize I did not stay through the night. I'm not as young as I used to be. 8-)

Another Fun Test

Check out this color test at http://www.njagyouth.org/colortest.swf.

Tiger Lake Added To Schedule

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Melvin Owen at Tiger Lake Baptist Church on Sunday, August 7th during the 11am worship service. Brother Melvin will be preaching the Homecoming Service at First Baptist Church of Olustee, Florida that morning.

Tiger Lake Baptist Church is located at 11661 County Road 49 near Live Oak, Florida.

Please be in prayer for both of these services.

Lake Butler Today

I'll be preaching today at my home church First Baptist of Lake Butler at 11am & 6pm. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.

Please be in prayer for these services and attend a church in your area.

Fun Stuff

Do you have some time to kill? Do you want something to do that is fun & challenging?

Check out some of these games that I've received over a period of time:

Paper Toss: toss the paper in the waste basket.
http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html

Sleeping Sheep: check your reaction time with this game.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/reaction_version5.swf

Copter Pilot: try your hand at flying this machine.
http://www.hurtwood.demon.co.uk/Fun/copter.swf

Place the State: place the state in its' proper geographic location.
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-drop_Intermed_State15s_500.html

Reflex Tester; another game to test your reflexes.
http://www.happyhub.com/network/reflex/

If you have any good, clean games to share, send me the link, I'd love to try them. I may even post the link here for others to try too. Send the link to evangelist@jamescroft.org.

Quotable Quote

I thought this was a very interesting quote from an unknown source:

"I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is."

FBC Lake Butler On Sunday

I will be preaching in supply this Sunday, July 24th for Pastor Rusty Womack at First Baptist Church of Lake Butler. Pastor Rusty is currently on a mission trip in Montana. The services will begin at 11am and 6pm this Sunday.

First Baptist Church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.

Please be in prayer for these services.

FBC Glen St. Mary Added To Schedule

First Baptist Church of Glen St. Mary has been added to my preaching schedule for Sunday, September 4, 2005. I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Tim Patterson in the morning (11am) and evening (6pm) services. The church is located on George L. Taber Blvd. in Glen St. Mary, Florida.

Please be in prayer for these services.

Preaching Schedule Change

I preached morning & evening services yesterday at Athens Baptist Church in Columbia City, Florida. It was good to see many of my friends there again. The church is currently searching for a pastor. I was scheduled to preach there again on Sunday, July 31st, but the church will be listening to a pastoral candidate that day. I'm excited that the church has a prospect to listen to.

Let's all pray that God leads the right man to them and that they choose the right man.

Athens Baptist This Sunday

I will be preaching the morning (11am) and evening (6pm) worship services at Athens Baptist Church this Sunday, July 17th. The church is located at 9090 SW CR240 south of Lake City near Columbia City.

Please be in prayer for these services and for the church as they search for a new pastor.

Florida Times-Union LPA Story Online

Jon Fletcher has a story and photo gallery online today with the Florida Times-Union about the Little People of America National Convention. Jon, a photojournalist with the Florida T-U, has traveled to Ghana with our team on two occasions.

If you would like to view the story and photos here are the links:

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/071105/met_19207830.shtml

http://firstcoastphotos.com/timesunionphotos/viewalbum.php

Here are some links to a couple of Jon’s stories & multimedia presentations in the Florida Times-Union concerning my preaching ministry and 2003 Ghana, West Africa mission trip.

This article appeared on Sunday, October 19, 2003 in the Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, Florida, about our second mission trip to Ghana, West Africa:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/101903/dss_13818633.shtml

This is a Flash presentation that accompanied the Africa article:
http://www.jacksonville.com/special/jamesCroft/africa/

If you would like to see more of his 2003 & 2004 Ghana photos you may go to my website http://www.jamescroft.org/ and click on the “Gathering of the Clouds” logo and scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the photo links.

This is a story by Jon that appeared in the November 13, 2003 edition of the Florida Baptist Witness about our Ghana, West Africa mission trip: http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/1794.article

This article, by Jon, about my ministry was published in the Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, Florida, on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2003: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/042003/dss_12323979.shtml

This is a Flash presentation that went along with the article: http://www.jacksonville.com/special/jamesCroft/jamesthegiant.html

If you would like to see a variety of Jon’s photos and illustrations please visit his personal website at www.jonmfletcher.com. He certainly is a gifted photographer!

If you would like to e-mail Jon his address is jon.fletcher@jacksonville.com.

You may have seen some or all of the above sites, but I thought I would provide links for those who haven’t had the opportunity.

NOTE: There are 9 additional photos of me at the LPA Convention posted on this site. Just scroll down to see then.

Georgia Revival Added To Schedule

Barney First Baptist has been added to the ministry schedule for revival services in September. Services will begin on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 and will end on Saturday, October 1st. Each service will begin at 7pm and will also feature special music.

Barney First Baptist is located on 2nd Street in Barney, Georgia. Please be in prayer for Pastor Charlie Scarborough and the congregation as they prepare for revival services.

Huntsville Baptist Today

I will be preaching morning (10:45am) and evening (6:30pm) worship services today at Huntsville Baptist Church. The church is located on Lake Jeffrey Road about 5 miles out of Lake City, Florida.

It will be good to worship again with Pastor Jim Steele and my friends there today.

2005 LPA Convention

I attended the first day of the Little People of America (LPA) 2005 Annual National Conference in Orlando, Florida on Sunday. I recorded interviews for an upcoming project while meeting some very nice people in the process.

Here are some photos from the day.


Digital photos are always a hit. In this picture I'm showing Kendra the photo that I just took of her and others.








There were several Christians in this group including Matthew (in the blue shirt to my left) who has been on mission trips to Nicaragua and Peurto Rico. I had a great time sharing with him about our mission trips to Ghana, West Africa and listening to his stories about being on mission for God.








You always have to take a group photo, but this is a photo of me taking a group photo. A new twist on an old idea.




The convention was held at the Hilton Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The hotel made special accomodations for little people with steps at the registration counter and step stools in the restrooms (at least in the men's room, I can't verify about the ladies room). The plastic two-step stools in the men's restroom is a great idea not only for little people but for children too. I hope the Hilton will leave those in place because they will easily slide in and out from under the counter. I use one of those at home and they are very inexpensive. Maybe other hotels will follow the Hilton's lead?


I'm conducting an interview amid the hustle and bustle of the lobby area of the hotel.

For those of you who knew me in my younger days in school, radio & bluegrass music, does the hat remind you of James the Giant?

More LPA Convention Photos

I met Bobby Brindle, The World's Smallest Evangelist, during the convention. Brother Brindle is 3'9 1/2" tall. I am 3'10" tall.












I had a good time interviewing Brother Brindle for an upcoming "podcast" project I'm working on for my ministry.









I also met up with a former radio colleague from my days with WBKF-FM Radio in Macclenny, Florida. Matt Ray is now Director of Creative Services for COX Radio, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida.











This young lady captured my heart at the convention. Her name is Trinity and she is 4 years old. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida and is a Primordial Dwarf (www.primordialdwarfism.com).

Don't let her size fool you. She is a precious bundle of energy! Isn't she adorable?


For more information about Little People of America (LPA) or dwarfism visit www.lpaonline.org.

Youth Event Added To Schedule

I have added a youth lock-in event to my schedule for later this month. I will be leading a devotion time for youth of First Baptist Church of Lake Butler on Friday, July 29th. Please be in prayer for this event.

Great Start To Sirmans Meeting

We had a great start tonight to the revival services at Sirmans Missionary Baptist Church near Greenville, Florida. God worked powerfully with one lady being saved and another lady rededicating her life to Christ.

The services will continue at 7pm nightly through Saturday. The church is located off of SR221 eight miles south of Greenville, Florida.

Please be in prayer for these services as well as praising God for tonight's decisions.

Athens Baptist Added to Schedule

I have been engaged to preach two Sundays in July at Athens Baptist Church in Columbia City, Florida. The church is currently searching for a pastor. I will be preaching morning worship services (11am) and evening worship services (6pm) on July 17th and 31st.

Athens Baptist Church is located at 9090 SW CR240, south of Lake City, Florida.

Please be in prayer for these services and for the church as they search for God's man to pastor the church.

Sirmans Revival Begins Wednesday

Please be in prayer for these services at Sirmans Missionary Baptist Church near Greenville, Florida.

Riverside Baptist This Sunday

I will be preaching for Pastor Alwin Pflueger at Riverside Baptist Church this Sunday, June 26th at 11am & 7pm. The church is located at 10760 NW 5th Ave. near Branford, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services and for Brother Pfueger and his family as they take a vacation.

10 Little Christians

10 Little Christians standing in line
1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9

9 little Christians stayed up very late
1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8

8 little Christians on their way to Heaven
1 took the low road and then there were 7

7 little Christians chirping like chicks
1 disliked music, then there were 6

6 little Christians seemed very much alive
but one lost his interest then there were 5

5 little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore
but one stopped to rest, then there were 4

4 little Christians each busy as a bee
but one got his feelings hurt, then there were 3

3 little Christians knew not what to do
1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2

2 little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done,
differed with each other, then there was 1

1 little Christian can't do much 'tis true;
but brought his friend to Bible study -- then there were 2

2 earnest Christians, each won one more
that doubled the number, then there were 4

4 sincere Christians worked early and late
Each won another then there were 8

8 splendid Christians if they doubled as before
In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1,024

In this little jingle, there is a lesson true,
You belong, either to the building or to the wrecking-crew!

-- Author Unknown

White Springs on Sunday

I'll be preaching in supply for Pastor Ron Thompson this coming Sunday, June 19th at First Baptist Church of White Springs (Florida). The Father's Day Service will begin at 11am.

Please be in prayer for this service.

Huntsville Baptist Added to Schedule

I have added a preaching engagement at Huntsville Baptist Church in Lake City, Florida to my schedule. I will be preaching the morning service (10:45am) and the evening service (6:30pm) on Sunday, July 10, 2005 for Pastor Jim Steele.

Huntsville Baptist Church is located on Lake Jeffrey Road east of Lake City.

Ghana Reunion Story Online

I thought I would let you know that the Ghana reunion story that I posted on Monday on this site can now be seen online at http://www.lakecityjournal.com/show_rec.php?stories_id=884. Feel free to share it with others that may be interested.

Lake Butler Added to Schedule

I have added First Baptist Church of Lake Butler, Florida (my home church) to my schedule in July. I will be preaching in supply for my pastor Rusty Womack on Sunday, July 24, 2005 during the 11am & 6pm services.

The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.

Reunion at Folk Festival

Pictured front row left to right are Alexx St. John, Rita Tawiah, James Croft, & Tettey Tetteh. Back row left to right are Sonja St. John & Sarah St. John. Sonja’s husband Ernie is not in the photo because he took the photo (thanks Ernie!).

I went with the St. John family (Sonja has been on our Ghana team for three years) to the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs Sunday night after church to watch a group from Ghana, West Africa perform. The group is called Kusun Ensemble. They were great!

After the performance, we met the leader of the group, Tettey Tetteh, and talked with him for a while. We shared about our trips to Ghana and swapped contact information. It appeared that we did not know any of the same people in Ghana even though Tettey is from Teshie-Nungua which is where we stayed. As we were leaving the park Tettey called me on my cell-phone and said that one of the ladies in the group recognized me from Ghana! Well come to find out, she is the niece of Evangelist Raphael Adjei Kingbi, our host while in Ghana! Evangelist Ralph picked her up at the airport last October while we were there and I met her once or twice. Her name is Rita Tawiah. In addition, a couple of the members had attended a night of our crusade! What a small world!!!

We even called Ralph (at 3am Ghana time) and he was very surprised to find out that we were with Rita in Florida. He and Rita were able to talk for a few minutes. It was an incredibly wonderful time!

Another of our Ghana team members , Jon Fletcher, attended the festival on Saturday. Sonja said she saw him taking photos and talked with him a while. I don’t know if Jon was able to talk to the group or not.

If you would like to know more about the Kusun Ensemble you can go to http://www.kusun.us/. Tettey also has a school in Ghana and you can find out more about it at http://www.ghanadrumschool.com/.

Friends & Brothers

This photo was taken last week during revival services at First Baptist Church of Winter Springs, Florida. In the photo I am standing with Pastor Terry Elixson. I hope you will pray for my friend & my brother in the Lord and his family as they minister in Winter Springs.

Olustee Baptist This Sunday

I have been asked to preach the morning worship service at First Baptist Church of Olustee this coming Sunday, May 29th. The service will begin at 11am at the chuch located in Olustee, Florida.

Greenville Revival Added To June Schedule

Revival services have been scheduled for Sirmans Missionary Baptist Church near Greenville, Florida in June. The services will begin on Wednesday, June 29th and will continue through Saturday, July 2nd at 7pm nightly.

For more information call Pastor Johnny Carroll at (850) 948-4228.

Addition to Schedule

I have added a new engagement to my preaching schedule. I will be preaching for Pastor Alwin Pflueger at Riverside Baptist Church on Sunday, June 26th while he is on vacation. Services begin at 11am & 7pm. Riverside Baptist Church is located at 10760 NW 5th Ave. near Branford, Florida.

Winter Springs Services

Please be in prayer for these upcoming services.

Wonderful Services in Worthington Springs

The revival services at Grace Christian Fellowship Baptist Church ended tonight. It has been a wonderful series of meetings. I really enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Pastor Terry Elixson, Sr., his wife, and members of the congregation. God certainly blessed me during these services.

Next month I will be travelling to First Baptist Church of Winter Springs, Florida to preach revival services. The pastor there is also named Terry Elixson. He is the son of the pastor from Worthington Springs.

It's interesting to be preaching for the dad one month and for his son the next.

Happy Anniversary

My dear friends, Evangelist Ralphael Adjei Kingbi and his wife Mavis celebrated their first wedding anniversary last Sunday, April 17th. Evangelist Ralph has been our host in Ghana for the past three years. Ralph & Mavis live in Teshie-Accra, Ghana, West Africa.

If you would like to send Ralph & Mavis a note of congratulations or a note of encouragement for their work for the Lord you may e-mail him at evangralph@yahoo.co.uk. You can also write them at:

P.O. Box 193
Teshie, Accra
Ghana-West Africa

Worthington Springs Revival Services

Please be in prayer for these services.

Posters Arrive Monday!!!

Are you ready for this?

In September of last year we mailed over 800 posters for the 2004 Ghana Crusade to Zion Evangelistic Ministry in Teshie, Ghana. The US Postal Service said it should arrive in 10 business days which would give plenty of time for them to be distributed prior to the crusade & construction activities. However, when we arrived in the middle of October there were no posters. When we left at the end of October there were no posters.

Well, as of Tuesday, April 5, 2005 they now have posters!!!

Of course, the crusade has long since ended!

Evangelist Ralph said that some of them would be placed on the walls in the building our team helped to construct and the others would be distributed as souvenirs.

It's interesting how the Lord does things when you consider that even without posters we drew the largest crowds ever to the crusade and had more than twice as many saved as the previous year! Our God certainly is an awesome God!!!

God Gives Illustration for Sermon

Last Sunday night (April 3rd) I filled in for Pastor Mark Driskell at Shiloh Baptist Church in Fort White, Florida. Brother Mark had a death in his extended family and visited with the family. I preached that night on "compassion" and I used Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 as my focal text. I covered examples of when compassion is needed and examples of how the good Samaritan met those needs. He met the needs of a stranger who, if the tables were turned, probably would not have done the same for him. I also tried to explain how we, as Christians, should be "moved" with compassion.

After the service a reception was held in the church's fellowship hall for a newly married couple in the church. During this reception a stranger entered the building seeking assistance in his travels. His dress and hair style was different from the rest in attendance and he was not known by anyone present. However, the people of Shiloh fed him and prepared extra food for him and helped him with his travel.

A lady commented to me how interesting it was that a sermon on "compassion" had just been given and now the church had an opportunity to put it into action.

I often wonder why the Lord leads me to preach certain messages at certain times. I did not know of any great need for compassion in the church nor did I know of any "lack" of compassion. God just seemed to lead me to that message. Could it have been for this one stranger who would soon be in our midst?

Have you been faced with a need for compassion lately? If so, what did you do?

But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 John 3:17 (NKJV)