Sunday, June 21, 2009~

I write this with a heart full of joy, mostly for my Lord and Saviour, who continues to sustain me.  I am forever grateful to Him, to allow me to become a man of the cloth; it was He who put that calling on my life.

I haven't regretted it for one second!

Today is Father's Day.  Today, our church will be honoring the dads and grandpas by feeding them a pancake breakfast, then we'll be taking pictures of them, before sending them on their way to the sanctuary.  There will be special music and a message relevent to the role of "Father" guaranteed to get the men of our church thinking.  It is a most special day, and I am looking forward to it.

My own family (wife, June, and our kids Yancey, Clotilde, and Yvette) will be there, too.  We always are unless the kids are sick, or we have prior commitments.

I am happy to say that the young lady who had cancer (Holly Kent) is now back home, recovering.  She is still a little weak, but every day she continues to get stronger.  We suspect she will be back at church before too long if she continues to do as well as she is.  It is most encouraging to see.

Her mother is doing better, too.  She hasn't had many headaches since getting the shots, which seem to help.  Another answer to prayer.  :)

In a few weeks, our senior pastor and some of the staff will be going to Kenya, Africa, to share the love of Christ and minister to those people over there.  They will be gone at least a week or two.  We have been asking the Lord to cover them in His protection and to guide them as they do the Lord's work.  We shall miss them most terribly!

We had our revival last weekend; it went very well.  Over two dozen people gave their hearts to the Lord, and several were healed.  It was a powerfully anointed time in the Lord's presence, and everyone had a most wonderful time! 

I will have to keep young Johnathon Sandusky in prayer.  He has been depressed, and is now breathing with a ventilator.  His muscular dystrophy has worsened considerably; if he is still around by the end of the year, I will be surprised.  He has been through so much; I am sure his family is suffering too, right along with him.  I personally don't know how he (or they) can keep going like they do!  They are an amazing family, not just Johnathon, but all of them!

And Tippie Young, one of our young ladies in the nursery, is recovering from serious abdominal surgery.  She had an aneurysm form; she's now laid up in Intensive Care, fighting off a possible staph infection.  She is still in critical condition.  We saw her yesterday; she really looks bad.  I am asking the Lord to provide her, her family, that miracle!

Another one we are praying for is Bernice Webster.  She is one of our senior ladies.  She fell and fractured her hip; she may have to go into a nursing home once she is well enough to leave the hospital.  I know that would devastate her; she's always been a happy, active, vibrant woman, even with being in her middle eighties.  She is absolutely incredible!

Still another person we are lifting in prayer is young Wesley Baker.  He had a bad accident at his job, and he may end up losing his arm as a result.  We saw him on Friday at the hospital, and he's in a lot of pain, discomfort. 

Such tragedy befalling our church family!  Looks like the prayer warriors of our church have their work cut out for them!  Hopefully we will have good news in all of these cases; I remain hopeful that the Lord will touch all of these people's needs in a mighty, powerful way!  He always does!

Well, I am going to meditate some more, so I will run along.  I will write in here another time; until then, this is Pastor Rick C. Jones signing off!  Take care and may the Good Lord bless  y'all real good!  :)  And to the dads and granddads out there:  may you all have the best Father's Day you have ever known!  You deserve it, not just on Father's Day, but always!

~Pastor Rick Cledus Jones, Christ Community Assembly of God Church, Nashville, Tennessee.  :)