2 Johnson girls are home!

Cate and Johnson made a turnaround trip to Haiti last week to pick up 2 of their three girls. This is so exciting! There's much more info and photography on their blog:

http://cateandsean.blogspot.com/

New Bible Study for Artists--Spread the Word!

We have recently developed an Artists in Community group for all artists at SBC. We have a database of about 28 people so far! Janice Cook is starting a Bible study for anyone interested. Here's the information from Janice:

“The Creative Call” Bible Study
Facilitator: Janice Cook
Beginning Monday, January 28, 2008
7:00pm to 8:30pm

Perhaps you're a "closet writer" who's been scribbling in journals for years. Maybe you once had a passion for playing an instrument--a passion that is still flickering somewhere deep inside you. You may have a knack for photography, drawing, gardening, cooking, or some other creative gift. Or you may long to express yourself creatively, but have yet to discover your unique talents. Your creativity was meant be used. Whether you are an artist who has already identified your gifts or you believe that you have artistic talent that has never been developed, working through this book will help you grow closer to becoming the person God has designed you to be. If you want to build a stronger relationship with God and start new relationships with other artists, this study is for you. We hope you will join us.

We plan on meeting the last Monday of each month – the room number will be announced soon. You will need to purchase your own book; you can find some good deals on Amazon.com.

For our first meeting please RSVP so that we can have enough welcome packets available. We hope to see you there.

Update on Bonnie's Son-in-law

You may or may not know that Bonnie VanProoyen's son-in-law, Robert, has been battling amputation due to diabetes. Here's what Bonnie writes as an update:

Robert and Sandra were at the Little Rock, Ar. V A hospital early this morning for the surgery scheduled for 10 A.M. They didn't do the surgery until 2:45 P.M. It was such a long day of waiting. They cut the front part of his right foot with the toes, and the Doctor told them it was a success! Praise the Lord!!! They finally got him in a room about 7 P.M. and then he could have some food. They think they cut out all of the infection that was in the bone, and hopefully, will get the results back tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then it won't be available until Monday, as usually, nothing much happens over the weekend in hospitals.



God provided Sandra with a special blessing in the waiting room. A Baptist Bible study group came to stay with someone from their church, whose husband was having surgery. It was so good for Sandra, feeling so alone and so far from home, to be with fellow believers. One couple even invited Sandra to spend the night at their home, but she elected to go back to the motel. God is so good!!!



We can't thank you all enough for all your concern, compassion, and prayers. Sandra wants you to know how much she felt your prayers, and how God gave her and Robert such peace through it all. We say so often, what would we do if we didn't have the Lord!!! We are so thankful and so blessed!!!

Suffering Worship

Greetings boys and girls. So sorry for the long delay in posting. Just when you think you've recovered from the holidays, life grabs you by the shoulders and tries to shake you senseless. I think it almost worked too. This is the first day of the year I've been able to break away from the workload and come up for air. But that is a good thing. In any case, given the prayer requests which have been offered up recently, it doesn't take much to realize that suffering is taking a prominent place in many of our lives. That said, one of the hardest and greatest aspects of suffering can be maintaining deep worship throughout the experience. If suffering worship is offered up, the results will be amazing. Just ask Job.....

Read Job 6:8-10

His life seemed shattered beyond repair. Everything had been stripped away except the gaping hole in the heart which seemed to fester more with each passing minute. Such agony and loss; it was almost impossible to comprehend. Well-meaning friends tried to help, offering tidbits of advice that brought no comfort and actually patronized and condemned. Pain upon pain. This fragmented soul wanted nothing more than to dig a grave of despair in the ash heap that was now life.

Gazing heavenward, a choice had to be made. A choice to succumb to the anguish which no one seemed to understand or a choice to trust in a God who seemed to have turned His back. Every fiber of his being wanted to give into the taunting pain and yet . . . the adoration, the worship. It had always been there, had always been the life spring. And now despite the pain, the adoration could not be given up. Even in the tragedy, God could not be denied and rejoicing was necessary. Summoning up an unknown courage, anguished sobs broke forth praising the God of the universe, the Lord of these circumstances, the Holy One of his life.

Somehow, piercing through the worship, this battered life realized that the Holy One had lived this very pain with him as well. His words of rejoicing formed a healing balm for the heart, soothing the jagged edges, closing the wounds and healing the life with an adoration never before experienced. So where there was tragedy, now there was triumph. Where there was grief, now there was consolation and comfort. Where there was loss, now there was a life redeemed by the very presence of God. And what could have been wasted affliction, wasted life, became Glory revealed.

Food for Thought:

1. What do the following verses teach us about the purpose of suffering? Psalm 25:17-18; Acts 5:41; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:26; 2 Corinthians 1:5-7; Philippians 3:10-11; James 1:2-3

2. What do you learn about heart attitude during suffering from these verses?

3. What does Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 mean to you?

4. Recall the most recent time you have had to endure great suffering in your life and make notes about how it affected your worship life. What would you like to do differently the next time you must experience great suffering?

Copyright © 2001 Kimberly K. Hannay
All Rights Reserved