June 20, 2008 Friday

We got up around 6:30 am, packed our luggage and left Tiberius at 8:15 am for a full day of sightseeing and today we go to Jerusalem! We drove 10 minutes to the Jordan River where 5 of our people on the tour were baptized. I got the neatest picture of them getting baptized as the sunlight shone upon the 5 huddled in the water praying with Pastor Woody. I had shared with the group in a letter then reiterated my convictions with them the night before about me being uncomfortable about baptizing someone in the JR if they had already been baptized biblically. I prefer baptizing in a local church and tie baptism in with ecclesiology and also if one had already been baptized scripturally then it is unnecessary to do so again. But I certainly did not judge them if that is what they wanted to do and 5 did. This is my personal conviction. The family from Overland Park, the Underdowns, shared with me how much they appreciated this as they were in agreement with my convictions. Nonetheless it was a neat time at the JR and I was genuinely happy for those who were baptized. Some believe this is where Jesus was baptized but there seems to be more support for His baptism further south in the JR as we have no biblical record of John the Baptist going that far north. Fact is Jesus was baptized in the JR and by immersion. It was neat seeing about 40 Catholics having a worship service on the banks of the JR. God has His people everywhere.
We stopped at the city called Scythopolis in Greek and Beth Shean in Hebrew. It was very impressive to see all that the archaeologists had unearthed in this ancient city. There was an amphitheater, a place where people sat that was a 180 degrees, a theatre, a place that is 360 degrees (2 amphitheaters make one theatre), a hippodrome where they had horse racing events, and also we saw their ancient bathrooms that were most public and interesting how they all would sit in open area and go to the bathroom. The Romans also had these steam baths in the city as well. I shared a devotion from Proverbs 20:22 about not seeking revenge as David did not seek revenge on Saul but served him and even mourned for him and Jonathan when they were killed by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. After they died in battle the Philistines took them to Beth Shean and decapitated them and strung up their bodies. But the valiant men of David went at night and took the bodies down from the wall and buried them in Jabesh Gilead. And then David wrote a song in honor of Saul and Jonathan in 2 Samuel 1. This was an interesting, well-preserved city of antiquity. An earthquake destroyed the city in the 2nd century AD and anther one, the massive earthquake of AD 749, destroyed the city, the name at that time was Scythopolis. At the top of the Tel there was a temple to the god Zeus. We climbed to the top and took pictures and it was panoramic view for sure. And was it hot! I cannot imagine how difficult it was transporting those massive stones and columns to the top of the ill though I am sure oxen were used, but the heat. This place was hot! We also noticed how the city had a main road to enter and on one of the roads was preserved the original mosaic flooring—very impressive.
Then we went to Gideon Springs where Gideon and his men defeated the Midianites as recorded in Judges 6-8; see Judges 6:14-15. I shared a devotional on the difference in the way we see ourselves and the way God sees us, and how God is attracted to weakness. Gideon was small and weak but God chose him then reduced his army from 22,000 to 300 and with those 300 men God delivered the Midianites into the hand of Gideon. This is a great story in Scripture and what a blessing to be here where it all happened. There at the Spring of Harod we took pictures and then ate lunch at the park there.
Next we drove through the Jordan Valley as we made our way to Jerusalem. We stopped at a Jewish settlement just above the old city of Jericho, the oldest city in the world dating back 8,000 years. The Jews are not allowed into Jericho as the Palestinians have it as part of the West Bank. We saw an old casino there in the city. I wish we could have gone into the city as the Bible mentions how Joshua and the children of Israel took the city, their first military campaign, and how Jesus met Zacchaeus as He traveled from Jericho to Jerusalem in Luke 19, one of my favorite stories in the Bible. And also Jesus mentions Jericho in the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. From here we could also see a site I have always wanted to see, and that was the northern tip of the Dead Sea.
We drove up to Jerusalem one of the highest cities in Israel, and the Temple was built upon the highest point in the city. Jesus would travel to Jerusalem from Galilee and stay at Bethany on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, the home of Mary. Martha, and Lazarus. The Mount of Olives is where Jesus ascended to heaven and will one day return. Today there are about 750,000 people in Jerusalem, 500,000 Jews and 250,000 Arabs. The first time I saw Jerusalem was unforgettable. We drove through this tunnel and the song Jerusalem was playing on the CD and it was quite moving. It is a beautiful city indeed; I believe it is the most recognizable city in the world. I read Psalm 122, a Psalm of Ascent. We saw Mount Moriah where the Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac (Genesis 22) and where David purchased the land from Araunuh, also named Ornan the Jebusite according to 2 Samuel and also the place where Solomon built the Temple. But preeminently it is the place where the Lamb of God was slain for the salvation of the world—the Lord Jesus Christ! Wow, what a place! I hope all believers can make a journey to this place. We drove to Mount Scopus and looked out over the city. In the first century this is where the Roman General Titus came and scoped or looked over Jerusalem in preparation for battle against the city and the Jews. Thus the name of the city is Scopus. We then went shopping in this store where they specialize in olive wood products and our folks bought a lot of gifts. I was so blessed and surprised by our group when Mark Williams called me over and the group presented to me this beautiful depiction of the Last Supper. It is so well crafted as Jesus is sitting with the 12 disciples as they partake of the Last Supper in the Upper Room. It is beautiful and I cannot wait to put in my office at church.While at this store I bought Ashley a necklace and some gifts for folks back home like the staff at FBCL. We checked into the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jerusalem and ate the best meal I have had here in Israel; it was tasty. I am on the second day of antibiotics and starting to feel better as I have been coughing and not felling well. Fortunately the Williams brought some extra meds. I think Elaine has enough meds for a pharmacy, and I am grateful! Tomorrow will be wide open. I am so blessed to be here with my family, church family, and other believers in Christ. Thank You Jesus.

ISRAEL TRIP JUNE 16-25, 2008

June 16-17, 2008 Monday and Tuesday (Travel and lose 8 hours)

Our group from FBC Lavaca met at church at 6:45 am and we drove to Dallas Fort Worth Airport and it only took 5 hours and we stopped for 45 minutes. We have a wonderful group of folks going from our church and I am so excited about spending these 10 days with family and church family. There are 14 of us on the trip and this includes Ashley, Hannah, Bryant, and Leighton. We met a group from FBC Colleyville, TX and also Pastor Woody Cumbie from Indianapolis is coming with a group from his church for a total of 37. We flew from DFW to Frankfurt Germany and this flight was 9.5 hours and then we flew from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv and this was 3.5 hours. We were met from folks from Discovery Ministries and they helps us greatly and then we boarded our bus and drove through the old city of Joppa where Jonah boarded a ship and tried to flee to Tarshish after God told him to go to Nineveh—he literally went the opposite way! This is also the city where Peter was staying in the house of Simon the Tanner when he received the vision to not call unclean what God has called clean. The delegation from Cornelius’ house met him and he traveled to Caesarea to meet Cornelius and his family. We spent the night at Tel Aviv and it is so pretty. We walked along the beach at night as the kids went swimming. We went to bed around 10:00 p.m. and I fell asleep in my chair as I was preparing for the next day of teaching. Fortunately I caught myself before I hit the floor. You know you are exhausted when!

June 18, 2008 Wednesday

We got wake up call at 6:15 am, ate good breakfast, and then we left at 8:30 am. We drove up the coast from Tel Aviv to Caesarea by the Sea, where Peter went to the home of Cornelius and shared Christ with him and he and his whole family was saved and baptized. This is also the city where Paul spent 2 years imprisoned waiting to meet with the authorities (Acts 24:27). Felix was the governor of Caesarea; Festus succeeded him as governor. Herod Agrippa the II the grandson of Herod the Great was the king of Caesarea. Herod the Great had a palace built near the sea. He began building the city in 22 BC till 9 BC and named the city after Caesar Augustus. It was a very pagan city. We went to the theatre where Paul gave his defense before the authorities and I was able to preach a few minutes about Paul’s defense in Acts 26 as he shard his testimony with the people who listened. Afterward while touring the area a man named Micah Askanazy came up and our guide Douron introduced him to us as the man who found the inscription Pontius Pilate inscribed on one of the seats in the theater. They took it to the museum in Jerusalem and placed a replica outside the theatre. This was a great archaeological find. Micah told us that we do not need this historical evidence for us who believe but is so good to have it. I got my picture made with him.

Then we went to Mount Carmel, and that was really neat standing up top and looking down on the Valley of Jezreel, and also down to the Brook Kidron where Elijah told them that to kill the prophets of Baal. The word Carmel is from 2 Hebrew words Carmel meaning vineyard and El meaning God. The place where they had the confrontation in 1 Kings 18 between Elijah and prophets of Baal is in this place on Mount Carmel. Ahab married Jezebel and she was wicked and brought her gds to Israel to be worshipped and her god was Baal. But Elijah did not wait for them to come to him; rather, he went to their stronghold where they were and confronted them in this eoic showdown as recorded in 1 Kings 18. Pastor Woody Cumbie shared devotion from this text and did a great job. I have a picture of the statue at Carmel of Elijah standing with a sword in his hand stepping on the neck of another person, and I assume that is one of the prophets of Baal.

We traveled to a Druze village and ate lunch. This religion broke off of Islam in the 11th century AD. They trace their origins back to Jethro the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law. The Druze are Arabs and serve in the Jewish military. We ate at this restaurant owned by Druze family and the food was really good. I ate a falafel a vegetarian food on bread. Before I left I shared a tract with the owner’s son and he was reading it after a few minutes and I shared with him the picture of the cross my favorite part.

Then we drove to Megiddo, and this was very impressive. This was an important, strategic city located on the Via Maris, literally “by the Sea,” as this road connected the south to the north or from Egypt all the way to Mesopotamia and Ur, Abraham’s home city. One cannot travel through the dessert so they had to travel this way for commercial and military purposes, and so to obtain control of the city of Megiddo was always an important feat. The city has been destroyed and rebuilt 25 times! The city is very old and dates back to 6,000 BC. David took the city, and under Solomon it reached its greatest heights. He fortified it in 1 Kings 9 and kept many of his horses here in the stables. The city has an elaborate tunnel dug underneath the ground and it takes 183 steps to go down to the bottom. They used this tunnel to go out to the water supply in case they were under siege, and the men would send their strongest to go and get the water for the people. It would be camouflaged at the end so no one could find it in the event of a war—very interesting and a strategic move because in a siege the people would have to get water or surrender. I preached in Megiddo under a roof with some pews and this overlooked the Valley of Jezreel and this is the very place mentioned in the Bible as Armageddon, or literally Mount Megiddo. The battle of Armageddon will take place in this valley as told by John in Revelation 14:17-20, 16:16, and 19:11-21. I spoke from these texts today and it was amazing preaching on this subject of Armageddon while the people were able to see the valley below. It is a huge open area and you can see how the armies of this world will gather right their in their attempt to defeat Jesus Christ, but one little word shall fell him, as Martin Luther says in his song, A Mighty Fortress. This was a hard message to share and it will be the toughest one I preach on this journey.

Then we traveled to a place I have wanted to visit—Nazareth. It was a small town with a bad reputation in Jesus’ day as Nathanael asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) This the city where Jesus was raised; He spent 28 years here (with 2 in Egypt after His birth, and 3.5 years of public ministry traveling.) He knew this area well and worked as a carpenter. I shared from Luke 4 as He began Hi ministry and went into the synagogue and told them He was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-2. They rejected Him and tried to kill Him but they could not for His time had not come to die and Jesus also said, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.” (John 10:18)

We drove to Tiberius and checked into the Sheraton Hotel and wow what a beautiful site overlooking the Sea of Galilee. One of the things I have wanted to do was see this body of water, as so much of Jesus ministry happened in this area. Jesus called fishermen, Galilean fishermen to follow Him. These Galileans were looked down upon by the other Jews as seen in Acts 4:13. Tiberius had a population of 40,000 people during Jesus’ day, and Herod Antipas built it and it was built upon a cemetery.
We checked in to the hotel and kids went swimming, then we ate good dinner and had good share time with the group. We have such a great group on our trip. These are wonderful people and the ones the Lord wanted on this trip.

June 19, 2008 Thursday

Today is huge! We got on a boat at 8:15 and sailed northwest to Tabgha and Capernaum. I preached on the boat from Matthew 14 Jesus and Peter walking on the water. There is a mountain located in the northwestern part of the Lake and it is called Arbel, and our guide, Douron, told us this is probably the mountain that Jesus went to and prayed on after He sent the disciples into the boat to sail to the other side. This is also the mountain that Jesus probably referred to when He said a city set on a hill cannot be hidden as this mountain Arbel had a city on in Jesus’ day. Wow, that was so neat, as they turned off the engines and it was so quiet. The crew played the national anthem, sailed the American and Israeli flags, and even play some praise music for us. One of the crewmembers showed us how they would fish in Jesus’ day by throwing the net. We landed and went to the museum where they found a boat that dates back to Jesus’ time. It was a pretty major undertaking to preserve the wood when they took it out of water because the air would turn it to dust. We watched a good film at the museum on this boat, and they knew it was dated to Jesus’ time because of the nails. The nails pointed to the time and significance of the event! The nails of Jesus point to something far more significant—they point to Him and His death on the cross! We shopped at the museum and one of the ladies from TX told the guide that she had left her money on the bus, and then what I saw next was so neat—a group of folks from Lavaca gathered around her and offered to loan her money and one guy in our group just open up his roll of money and offered her whatever she needed. I was blessed by this just watching our church members reach out and try to help someone. The bus driver helped her back to the bus and she got her money. I just really appreciate our bus driver, Yossi. He is a really neat guy. He is always getting Ashley and me something to drink and taking care of us.

From the museum we went to the Mount of Beatitudes and this was one of the most spiritual times of the entire trip . . .

Thursday, May 29- Friday May 30, 2008

We left FBC Lavaca on Thursday morning bright and early at 6:30 am after we gathered for prayer; it was a sweet time and a moving experience as we were all excited about going overseas on this trp. Those who went Brother Terry, Emily and Katie Hurt, Christy Williams, Frances and her son Mark Headley, Micah Gregory, Stu and his wife Sarah Smithson and me. We stopped by Krispy Kreme to get some hot doughnuts now and they were some kind of tasty! We flew from XNA in Fayetteville, AR to Chicago, met up with our group from Green Pines Baptist Church and then on to Frankfurt for 7-hour flight, then on to Minsk, Belarus. We arrived about 1:30 their time which was 8 hours ahead of our time. We went to the memorial outside Minsk and that was very moving as the Germans killed entire villages during WWII. Two million of the eight million people died in Belarus. Dan and Lori Upchurch met us at airport and took us to tour the memorial. We went to hotel Planetia and ate dinner then made it to bed exhausted at 10:30 p.m. eastern European time which was 6:30 am our time! God blessed us with great trip and we got our entire luggage.

Saturday, June 1, 2008

I slept till what I thought was 5:30 am but it was 4:30 am as our hotel clock was off. I took good shower had quiet time then on downstairs for Belarusian breakfast. We departed for our destinations as the Hurts, me, Christy, Frances and Mark traveled to Orsha and Micah and Smithsons went to the camp in Mogilev. Some of the team from Green Pines Baptist Church in Knightdale NC went to the camp and others went to Bobruisk to help the church there and conduct VBS clinic. We traveled 3 hours to Orsha and met with Pastor Leonid his wife Natasha and their family and what a family they have. They have 5 children, Onya who sang at FBCL in February of this year, Andrew, who is 17, Lilia who is 15, Nicolai, 11, and Lucy, 9. What a blessing they were to get to know and spend some time with. I gave some gifts to them we brought from the USA like 2 pair of shoes for Leonid. He has to walk a good bit and watch his diet as he had heart attack in Feb 2008. We ate very good meal, had some Borsch soup, cabbage, cookies, and of course tea. You drink a lot of tea in Belarus! We went to the church and had a youth service tonight with singing and sharing and the youth pastor Sergei asked if I would preach a message and I said sure and preached from Luke 4:18-19. We sang and Terry sang Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone.” Later that evening we walked to the river and played volleyball and had a lot of fun. We went back to pastor’s home and ate again, planned the service for the next day then to bed. Oh my, my friend Dan can sure cut some ZZZs.

Sunday, June 2, 2008

Slept till eight and had quiet time, then very good breakfast.
What a great day! We had a 2.5-hour worship service in the am and p.m. We observed the Lord’s Supper and it was incredible; the LORD blessed. Dan spoke from Acts 9 and it was good message. We had very fine lunch, as Natasha is something else, a wonderful Christian woman who epitomizes Proverbs 31. We rested after lunch then I spoke with Dan for a while about church issues and the Emergent Church movement and he has concerns as I do about their lack of emphasis on teaching. WE went back to church and they had this spread of food and we ate, sang, and pastor spoke on the sword and used the sword I gave him from last year and it was a great message. Each one on our group shared a little bit and it was really good. I spoke for a few minutes on the Radiant Church our vision statement here at FBCL, shine upward in worship, inward in discipleship and outward in evangelism, missions. We went back to the home and had great fellowship until 12:30 am.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Got up at 8:00 am had quiet time then on to Orsha for some shopping at a linen store and I picked up some gifts for folks back home. We walked around the city of Orsha and it was founded in like 1067 AD, wow that is old! This nun asked if we wanted a tour of the Catholic Church and that was nice and this Catholic church has a priest who is evangelistic which is wonderful. We went back to pastor’s home and ate then off to Sino for humanitarian work in an orphanage, and this was a blast! The good news was shard in a drama and our team from AR sang and then we gave out gifts we brought like balloons, candy, pens, toothbrushes, etc and it was a blessing. My heart goes out to these boys and girls. WE then went to Pastor Pavil’s church in Sino; he is Pastor Leonid’s brother and we had a great meal and sang and it was so fun. (Their father was also a pastor. Leonid’s wife’s name is Natasha and her 2 brothers are pastors, and her sister is married to a pastor. Her father was not a pastor but a godly layman in his church.) For the blessing they asked for me to pray and I said something without thinking—“Do you want me to pray in English?’ Christy and Terry could hardly stop laughing it was pretty funny. I meant to say do you want me to pray in English and will you then translate into Russian. Oh well it was funny thought! We drove back to Leonid’s home and ate some cookies and had tea till past midnight. The fellowship here with the believers is so sweet. There is such a difference in their countenances and the faces of those outside the church. Tonight I could not go to sleep so I watched an episode of The Unit, which I have really enjoyed as it has helped pass the time. I still had hard time going to sleep but finally did and slept till 9:30 am.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Now this day was intense for our group. We went to the passport office to get our registration to be in the city. Next time we really need to get tourist visas and not humanitarian visas. The passport official asked to see us and we went into her office and she smiled and I thought all was well then her countenance changed and she and Natasha had a heated exchange in Russian. It was tough moment for our team. She sent us away with out giving the registration we needed. Dan could hardly sleep that night, so the next morning Natasha went with Dima from the group that sponsored us, Stephanos, and they spoke to the lady and showed her the law and she was much more cooperative and gave us our stamps. One thing very interesting to me was this lady told Natasha that she knew who she was and that she was a part of that sect because your eyes are clear. Wow, what a statement. Jesus spoke about our eyes having light in the Gospel of Matthew. I thought this was such a great compliment to Natasha. I want to have such “clear eyes” that people see Christ the Hope of Glory radiating from my eyes! We went shopping in the city then on to Sergei’s and his wife Olga’s home and had an incredible lunch; I mean tasty. We had this potato and mushroom soup, and then chicken with pineapple on it, and it was very good. I took a 15 minute nap and then later on we went back to the river for a time of picnic with the youth and fellowship and I preached from Acts 2:42-47 on why I love my church. The Lord blessed and I am so grateful for His hand of favor on me as I preached His Word. I love the Belarusian people. We came home and Natasha prepared some pancake-like dish and again yes very tasty. I went to bed, watched another episode of the Unit, read some of Chuck Colson’s book, The Faith (very good book and I finished it on the plane ride home), and went to sleep about 1:30 am, which is 5:30 p.m. back home!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Got up at 7:30 am and had quiet time, took it easy until time to go to pray over new church building in Baran about 12 miles from Orsha, one of 3 church plants that pastor Leonid is helping start. We prayer walked the church and around it and it was powerful time for sure. I am so blessed to be on mission with God with our people from FBCL, as I love our people; they are doing a super job, no complaining just giving their all. Stu and Sarah and Micah are doing great as well at the camp. One of the 2 men helping build the church building, a man named Ephraim, was so neat. He is helping build this church in Baran physically while serving as one of the spiritual leaders of another church in another city where they have a nucleus of believers and the money to buy property but cannot find a building to purchase. Pastor Leonid told us as we gathered for prayer for this fellowship that he was contacted by gov’t official and told that hey would investigate if they found out that a church was being planted. And he gave such a great response that they ought not waste their time investigate them but go to where people are drinking because they would be needed more there! We gathered around and I led in prayer for this church. We drove back to Sergei’s and ate lunch and while there I learned that Hannah and Brooke got caught in a riptide in Panama City Beach, and God spared them. Thank You Lord. This turned out to be quite an ordeal as she and Broke had to be rescued by a guy on Jet Ski. We also got the news today that we did indeed get our registration papers to be in Orsha, and Dan especially was glad about that. During that whole ordeal it was intense but we felt the presence of the Lord in our lives and being in the center of God’s will is indeed the safest place to be. We hung out at the church till about 6:30 and Andrew and I worked out again in his room. He is a good young man and he really works out and is knowledgeable about what to do. BAINO TIME! Oh my this was quite the experience! From bout seven to ten we went to this nice place where we took hot sauna, got in cool pool, ate fresh fruit and got back in sauna and pool. The best part is when they take these leafy devices and hit you with them; it really feels good, like a massage. Sergei, the youth pastor, the big Belarusian hit Mark, Terry and me with this device and it was of all things very relaxing. When I left the baino I was like so loose and relaxed. We went back to pastor’s home and Natasha had prepared this Belarusian pizza and let me tell you it was some kind of tasty. I slept on a mattress tonight and ah it was sweet sleep for me for 7 hours! We got up about 7:30 and ate good breakfast about ten and Natasha had cooked this cake with fresh fruit on it and it was one of the best cakes I had ever eaten (I sure am talking a lot about food, but you just have to be there to see what I mean! The food and tea are great but it is the fellowship you enjoy that is priceless. During one meal one of the church members at Pastor Leonid’s church came and spoke to us while we ate and just bragged on her pastor and his wife, and it was so moving. She said I hope our pastor stays for a long time. In America that would mean I hope he does not go to another church, but in Belarus she meant she hoped his health would hold up. Dan told me they do not change churches in Belarus; the people and pastor pretty much stay together; I thought that was neat.)) We said our good byes and that was hard as this family is so amazing. They gave us each a linen tablecloth and some chocolate candies and we left after pictures and prayer. We traveled back to Minsk and went shopping and ate good dinner and had debriefing time with Dan and team from Green Pines, and Dan asked each of us to answer or fill in the blank, I am glad I came to Belarus because . . . Everyone shared and it was very moving, many tears were shed. I got chocked up because my greatest dream came to fruition, I got to minister with my people from FBCL, I got to go in the trenches with them and do ministry and for a pastor that is a true honor and blessing. We stayed up until about 2:45 am and Dan and Lori picked us up at hotel and we went to airport and flew from Minsk to Vienna then on to Chicago then to Fayetteville then drove home to Lavaca, yeah! God richly blessed and we all made it back safely with so many cherished memories to share with our families and church family.

My heart is saddened by the passing away of a friend of mine, Pastor Forrest Pollock. He and his 13 year old son, Preston, were killed when the single-engine plane Forrest was flying crashed into the mountains of western North Carolina on Monday, May 12. I had gotten to know Forrest through various meetings that he and I attended. He told me one time how he felt he had hit the Baptist Lotto when it comes to churches! He was just bragging on the church he loved. I know Bell Shoals Baptist Church also loved Pastor Pollock. Please keep his wife, Dawn, and their 5 children in prayer.

I will post some photos of various events I have been engaged in over the last few weeks. The first is from the play Aladdin performed by the 8-9th graders at Wells Junior High where my sons, Bryant and Leighton, played the part of Aladdin. Ashley and I are so proud of them and thought they did great. It meant so much to us to see so many of our church members come out and support them-- thanks guys!

Next I will post some photos of the revival at Green Pines Baptist Church in Knightdale NC. The Lord blessed our time together May 4-8. God is using Pastor Jarrod Scott and it was neat being able to hang out with Jarrod, Julie and their sweet kids. It was also good to see my good friends Blair and Angie Eddins and their sweet family as well. It was great being back at the church I served as interim pastor 11 years ago while a professor a Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest. Some of the same families are still there and serving faithfully like the Tilleys, the Sharitzs (see you Phil and Mary in a couple of weeks as we go to Belarus!), the Norrises, and many others. I also got to play golf with my good buddies Marty Jacumin and Dave Owen-- Dave shot 2 under!

Here are some pictures of Shane and Charlie Ridenour's wedding at Mt Magazine, AR. Also my brother Jerry (I call him Fred) and his wife, Gina, came and visited us and we took them to Mt. Magazine as well. It is the highest elevation in the beautiful state of Ar. I love my brother Fred; he is such a blessing to my family and me.

Please pray for our team as we head to Belarus May 29-June 6. We are excited about going on mission with God. Take care and we love you guys at FBCL and all those who keep up with DFEA. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

God continues to bless our church and I am so grateful. We had a young lady come forward Sunday morning and committed her life to Christ. Her husband is serving in the military overseas in Afghanistan. After she got saved she said I am ready to get baptized! I baptized her Sunday night at the beginning of the service (the Lord also allowed us to baptize 3 other people Sunday!)

Also last weekend both Bryant and Leighton won the tennis tournaments they entered in Ft. Smith. Ashley and I are very proud of them. Also, the boys are playing the part of Aladdin in the Disney play for the Wells Junior High School this week and weekend. They have worked so hard and a good number of folks from the church are going to watch them and support them and we thank you guys!

Ok the photo is me with an eye patch on my right eye. I had a pterrigium removed and glad that is over with! Dr. Chris Greer did a great job and now the healing part begins. This little growth on my eye had been bothering me over the last few weeks and months so I decided to get it removed. I appreciate Bro Tony coming up to the hospital and praying with me and sitting with Ashley.

We continue to receive encouraging words from people who watch our TV broadcasts and Internet pod casts. I heard this week of a couple in their 90's yes their 90's who are unable to attend church so they watch us on TV!

Take care and please keep us in your prayers. God is moving and what a joy and privilege to preach His Word in these troublesome days.

I have a couple of photos to post. The first is from the Barling, AR retirement center as I went there last week to preach to the residents. It reminded me when I was a teenager and would go and preach at a place called the Home of Grace, a home for abused women. I was only about 18 and now I am 43 and still preaching the Gospel; thank You Jesus! And the next picture is Ken Hamilton and me at the FCA office in Ft. Smith, AR. Ken is a wonderful Christian man, a retired dentist in the River Valley who has a passion for life and for reaching people with the Gospel. Ken is also the head tennis coach at Greenwood High School here in AR where my kids play. I was able to speak to a group of coaches and one athletic director on Thursday of this week at ole dark thirty I mean 6:30 am! God blessed and I was honored to meet these men and share a word with them.

My family is doing great. Ashley and Hannah with Edie and Kristen Buchanan are going to Dallas to just hang out and shop. That means I have the boys and Bryant and Leighton I will try not to cook anymore cornbread!!! Ask B and L about bubbling hot cornbread that tasted pretty bad!

Bryant and Leighton are doing so well with their tennis; we have a tournament this weekend in Ft. Smith. Well better go. If you are reading this from FBC Lavaca or DFEA or somewhere else know that I love you and let me know if I can pray for you about anything.

Jesus is still changing lives, and He is still changing me. I love HIm so.

Danny

1 Corinthians 2:9

Last Thursday March 13, 2008 was an interesting day for me. I experienced all three of the responses one can give to the offer for salvation in one day. I was on a flight from Dallas to Charlotte NC and sat next to a man who said he was Jewish and I had the opportunity to speak with him for most of the flight and he really listened as I shared the message of salvation and also shared my testimony with him. He is in his early 50’s and was traveling to NC to interview with a major bank for a new job. Before we landed Bruce asked me an interesting question. He asked, when we land are you in a hurry? I said no what could I do for you? He asked if I would speak to his wife. I told him certainly. He called her on the cell phone and I was able to speak with her and prayed for her and Bruce right there at baggage claim. Later that night a local pastor and I went to eat dinner and our waitress named April came to our table and I asked could I pray for her for anything, and she said yes my marriage. I prayed then went to the restroom and when I came back Pastor Clint was sharing the Gospel with her, and right there at the table she prayed and asked Jesus Christ to be her Savior. I got a message the next week on Monday that she went to Pastor Clint’s church. Then later that night about 11:30 pm I went to my hotel and met a guy named Jay and tried to give him a Gospel tract, and he said no thanks I have enough stuff people have given me. All in one day I saw people interested in the Gospel, accept the Lord, and outright reject Him.

I continue to hear great stories of our people here at FB Lavaca reaching out and committing random acts of kindness and inviting people to our church. Keep up the great work.

For folks with DFEA-- God continues to bless and open doors to preach. Last Friday was a great day as I was able to preach 2 times at the Bailey Smith Real Evangelism Conference in Charlotte, NC. Last week I received 2 more invitations to preach in AL and VA. Please pray for me that God would use e for His glory to preach the Gospel and encourage His people, especially local pastors. These 2 opportunities to preach are in small churches of about one hundred people. I am so honored to go preach and also blessed to have a home church like FB Lavaca that wants me to go and preach the Gospel. We are also so blessed to have Bro Tony Buchanan here at FB Lavaca who does a great job of preaching. As God puts DFEA on your hearts to support this ministry financially please know we want to be a blessing to others. In fact we are about to bless 3 people as they embark upon missions. We are blessed I believe so we can be a blessing to others.

Have a great Good Friday and awesome Resurrection Sunday this Lord's Day. I believe God is going to move in a powerful way here at FBL and I pray He moves mightily at your church as well!!

Glad the Tomb is Empty!

Danny Forshee

1 Corinthians 2:9

I am here in the office at church about to go back to work on the sermon from Acts 2, "The Church that Amazes." I am really enjoying studying and preaching through the Book of Acts. The church at Jerusalem was the first radiant church and the model for churches to emulate today. They shined upward in worship and prayer, inward in discipleship and fellowship, and outward in evangelism, missions, and ministry. I am so thankful for the Lord's blessings upon our fellowship here at FB Lavaca. We continue to see people saved and baptized into our fellowship. There were 6 teenagers saved last Wednesday night!

I have some pictures to post. First here are two pictures taken at the Deacon/Widow's Valentine Banquet. We had a blast and I was so proud of our deacons and Sunday school classes that really blessed our widows. Way to go!

Next is a picture of Bro Terry, our praise team, and choir as they lead us in worship. Bro Terry does a wonderful job of leading us in praise and worship and I appreciate him and the choir and all our media guys for their hard work of ministry.

The next picture is Bro Tony Buchanan, our executive pastor, baptizing someone. We are blessed to see someone get baptized almost every Sunday. Thank You Jesus. Bro Tony does a great job and I appreicte him so much as he helps me in many ways. He is currently preaching a series of messages on Sunday nights on Jesus and the cross and he is doing a great job.

The last photo was taken just this morning. My wife got real loud and and it scared me and I thought oh no what has happened. Nothing had happended; she was excited about all these deer in our back yard. This photo was taken as I stood on my back porch and caught these deer at our neighbor's pond. Yes, snow in March and I like it, but not nearly as much as my three teenagers!

One last word-- my DFEA e-mail account is currently down and if you would like to contact me please send the e-mail to danny@firstlavaca.com. I should have it back up and running soon. Pray for me please as I travel next Wednesday to the FBC Indian Trails, NC to preach twice at the Real Evangelism Conference. I will fly back on Thursday.

I was so blessed today to meet a pastor in the hospital in Fort Smith. He serves as pastor of a church in OK and his name is Reed I believe. I was visiting some of our church members in the hospital and his wife recognized me from our broadcast and she asked if I would go to his room and meet him. What a blessing to meet and pray with a godly man who is struggling with the harsh disease of cancer. I also had an opportunity to pray in the parking lot with an elderly man who watches us faithfully every week. FB Lavaca it is so neat to see how God is using this TV ministry to touch so many lives, many of whom we will not know about until we go to heaven.

Speaking of the sweet spot in Christianity-- we have around 10 people going on a mission trip to Belarus in May/June!! I am so excited about going and serving with some from our church family. As the Lord wills we will have a wonderful time serving together.

ISRAEL!!! I am so thrilled about going to Israel June 16-25, 2008. We have 22 signed up to go and we have room for more if you are interested in going. We leave from Dallas on June 16th and the cost is $3,000.00 If you would like to go call Discovery Ministry at 817.989.1771 and turn in your deposit and go with us. My whole family is going. God is so good to us.