Archive for the Uncategorized Category
Mission LA: Day 2 And 3
7. June 2009 by admin.
6.7.09 / 3:30 p.m.
Good Sunday afternoon. As you can tell we do not have internet access at the church. Now is the first time since yesterday morning that we have been able to post. Yesterday morning we left Meridian, MS after a good nigh of rest. We left Meridian about 8:00 a.m. and arrived shortly after lunch. We arrived at the Lighthouse church and greeted Tim, Madeline, Jordan and Noah. After unpacking, we took the students to the mall and Tim and Madeline to hang out while we went to Sam’s and Walmart. Later last night we ate at CiCi’s pizza. We got to bed about midnight. We were so lucky to have the students sing us to sleep. ha ha
This morning, after a good night of rest, we got up and got ready for church. We didn’t have a shower, but did brush our teeth. We enjoyed Sunday School and Worship with the Lighthouse congregation. Though small, we enjoyed a good Sunday School lesson and a good time of worship. The church provided a potluck lunch for us, YUM! Now, we are at Moore’s Health and Fitness taking a long deserved shower. Continue to pray for us as we start V.B.S. preparations. Things are going good and all the students are doing great too. I’ll post another entry as I can and try to add a pic when I can. Have a great day!
Mark, for the Group
Mission LA: Day 1
5. June 2009 by admin.
mission-la-day-1-012.JPG6.5.09 / 8:46 p.m.
Today is our first official day of our jouney to Monroe, LA. We left limestone after a wonderful breakfast prepared by Harvey and Madge, and James Brown. We traveled to Meridian, MS today and are spending the night here before we travel to Monroe tomorrow morning. We made great time with no problems. We did encountered an accident that involved a cattle truck that blocked the interstate for some time. We exited the interstate and bypassed the wreck. Thanks for your prayer for us. Dennis and Sherry and Belindia and I have survived day 1. The students are going great also. I will update as soon as I can. Continue to watch the blog for our travel updates. Have a great night.
And We’re Off! Well, Almost
4. June 2009 by admin.
6.4.09 / 8:46 p.m.
Time has rolled around again for our annual teen mission trip. This year our trip is being lead by our new, well not so new now, youth director’s Dennis and Sherry Ledford. Belindia and I are privileged to have opportunity to go along also. We will actually be leaving Limestone tomorrow, Friday, morning. We will be working at the Lighthouse Free Will Baptist Church in Monroe, LA with Tim and Madeline McDaniel family. We will be doing several things, but our major job will be to help conduct Vacation Bible School, Studio GO! style. We wish to thank our Director, Alisha Ricker for all the assistance she has given us with material, games, etc… I will do my best to keep this BLOG updated as much as internet access will allow. We will leave tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. and drive to Meridian, MS for a wonderful night in a motel before sleeping on the floor on air mattresses for the next 8 nights. Well, I’d better make sure I’m packed, write a check or two, and get to bed. Four a.m. comes early for an old man. Good night!
The Course of Life
27. May 2009 by admin.
5.27.09
As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across a familiar verse. I had heard and read it before, but it spoke to me an a new and different way. Proverbs 4.23 says, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (ESV) This verse made me think about life in general. We live in a society that is difficult to guard our hearts. We are bombarded at every corner with “junk.” This verse gives us a command. It doesn’t say “guard your heart if you can,” or “try to guard your heart,” but tells us TO “guard your heart.” Therefore, by the statement of Proverbs 4.23, it is possible to guard our heart. It may be a difficult task, but none the less, it is possible. The second part of this verse tells us why we should guard our hearts. By guarding our hearts our path of life is determined. I think that we often wonder why we struggle with issues of life, or society, but what jumped out at me this morning is that we just don’t take these words of guarding our heart serious enough. By guarding our heart we will bypass many things that can cause us to stumble. Staying on course in life can be a difficult task, but it is a task that can be completed. I place a challenge to all of us today to guard our hearts. By doing so the journey of life can be much better. I pray that you have a great day in staying the course.
My Help
14. May 2009 by admin.
5.14.09 / 11:21 a.m.
I was reminded of a Psalm today and thought I would share it with you. There is not much that I can say other than to let it speak for itself. Psalm 121 states:
1I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
As you go through you day today, ask yourself, “Where does my help come from?” If it is not Jesus Christ, let him lead you. Have a great and blessed day in Christ.
What’s Wrong With Those Israelites?
24. March 2009 by admin.
As I was reading this morning from Joshua 7, the thought came to me, “What is wrong with those Israelites?” The Israelite people went to battle against Ai and had been given specific instructions to NOT take anything from the city. But Achan, decided to take some things for himself and bury them under his tent. As I read this it just amazed me how Achan simply disobeyed the instructions given by God and do his own thing. I thought that Achan should have known better. Then, the thought came to me, “How many times have I disobeyed God when I knew better?” Reading this account of Achan is a reminder to me that God gives us life instructions that he intends for us to follow. My prayer today is that I listen to God and follow the path that he has set before me. As you read my thoughts today, take time to reach and get your Bible and read for yourself the account of Achan. May we not find our self be too critical of other mistakes until we take a close look at our own lives. We need to remember that whatever we think we have buried under our tent, like Achan did, God already knows. Have a great day in Christ!
Hunting Season Begins TODAY!
9. March 2009 by admin.
3.9.09 / 5:54 a.m.
Compassion is our Family Theme for this week. I think that at times we have a hard time having the compassion toward people that we should have. In today’s reading from FUSION Magazine and the text from Luke 7.11-17, we read about a lady whose son had died and she was taking him to bury him. Then Jesus showed up. Well, we all can guess what happened next. Your’re right! Jesus told the young man to awake. What a Savior! What compassion!
In today’s FUSION reading, it suggested that you go on a Need Hunt today. I sugguest that you look around today and find someone in need. Whether it be financial, personal, physical, or spiritual you should find someone that could use some compassion. Jesus gave us an example to follow, so let us as Christians start following it. Have a great day and Happy Hunting!
Wise choices bring God’s blessings
5. January 2009 by admin.
1.5.09 / 6:57 a.m.
Our Clear Living Magazine family theme for this week is wisdom. My thoughts for today come from the text of 2 Chronicles 17. Jehoshaphat has been made king and he seeks wisdom from the Lord. As a result of seeking God, God blessed him. In my search to apply this to my own personal life, verse 6a jumped out at me.
6 He was deeply committed to the ways of the Lord.
I long for a stronger committed relationship with God and was reminded that if I desire to be more Christ like, I must be willing to be more and more committed to him. As a result, God will help me be the Christian I desire to be. We as Christians often desire wisdom. I too long for the wisdom only God can give. James 1.5 clearly tells us that God gives us wisdom if we just simply ask.
As you go through your day today, allow your life to be totally committed to Christ. Ask God for the wisdom that you need to make the choices that are aligned to his will and live them out in your life today.
Depravity is no exuce for disobedience
1. January 2009 by admin.
1.1.09 / 7:30 a.m.
First, let me start off by saying “Happy New Year.” I hope that 2009 will be a happy and prosperous year for you! Most of all, I pray that it will be a spiritually prosperous year. Today is the day to start, renew, and look ahead toward the goodness of God for this new year.
Today’s Clear truth states, “Depravity is no excuse for disobedience.” We read today in 1 Kings 20.31-43 how king Ahab made a compromise that was a bad decision. Like king Ahab, we often find ourselves making these same kind of decisions. My mind goes back to something I’ve heard my dad say many times, “Satan is a liar.” He tries to convince us that because we are deprived it is okay to sin every now and then. This is a scheme of Satan to destroy us as Christians. We all know that we will not be perfect, but we should strive to live a holy and pure life.
Let us strive, beginning today, to live a life free of disobedience. As explained in 2 Corinthians 7.9-11, God will find a way to get our attention to cause our attention and focus back on him. I am reminded of the little song we sang as children:
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
Doing exactly what the Lord commands
Doing it happily.
Action is the key do it immediately, joy you will receive.
Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E, Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.
Have a great day in Christ and again, “Happy New Year!”
Number 366
31. December 2008 by admin.
12.31.08 / 6:58 a.m.
Where has the time gone? It is hard to believe that this is the last day of 2008. 2008 has been a good year for the Pruett family. God has been good to us in all aspects of our lives. I hope that you can say the same. As I sit here on this Wednesday morning reflecting and looking ahead to 2009 I have thoughts of joy and disappointment. Joyful thoughts are on my mind for the good things that have taken place in 2008. Joy in my heart for the goodness of God in my life. But, disappointment for the areas in my life that I didn’t meet my or most of all, God’s expectations.
As I was reading my Clear Living Magazine this morning, Wednesday is used as a day of prayer. The thoughts that are conveyed in today’s reading is just what I needed not only to reflect, but look ahead with great optimism. The areas that were listed are:
- Prayer (Matthew 26.41)
- Bible Study and meditation (Psalm 119.9,11)
- Worship (Hebrews 10.23-25)
- Being alone with God (Matthew 14.23)
- Witnessing (Acts 1.8)
- daily confession and repentance of sin (John 1.8)
As I read through these “disciplines” of life, I quickly saw the ones that are weak areas in my life. I hope that you will spend time today looking over these and reading the reference and allow God to speak to your heart and mind.
As you read my posts, I hope that you’ve picked up on my thoughts of “what can I learn from this?” Now, what can I, or did I learn from this today. Well, it seems funny how God speaks to us at times. You can read something from God’s word and it takes you to an area in your life that seems 1000 miles away from what you thought. Now you may be thinking, “Mark, just spit it out!” Well, what I am trying to say is this, Thinking about the stock market, financial situation, and overall confusion of our world today, my thoughts were placed on the values of the eternal. God in all his richness is still in total control. God reminded me today that all that I should be investing back in Him. The Heavenly Stock Market is ALIVE and WELL! I am reminded this morning that I should invest more in the Heavenly. This includes myself, wife, and children, etc… God has spoken to my heart this 366th day of 2008 and has placed a challenge in my heart. I hope that I can fulfil the mission that is ahead in 2009. What about you?
