God blessed us with a tremendous move of the Spirit at Milstead Baptist Church in Conyers, GA this past week. How we praise and thank Him for his grace and power poured out. Jon Reed brought a powerful Word every night and the Holy Spirit moved to bring people to Jesus! It just doesn’t get any better than that! Here is a comment from Pastor Doug Craver: “What a great blessing Joe and Kim Stanley were to us during our revival at Milstead Baptist Church. we all felt God’s presence during our praise and worship time. Their testimonies of salvation and God’s love and faithfulness encouraged our hearts greatly. I thank God for their ministry. It has strengthened His people at our church. Thank you for coming and sharing God’s love with us. You are truly a blessing from God. I know that God will continue to use you to bless and enrich the lives of His people. We thank God that our paths crossed and look forward to a time when we will worship together again. Thank you for helping us experience God’s blessing in such a beautiful way. There were twenty five people who prayed to received Jesus as their savior. Thank you so much for coming.” Your brother in Christ Pastor Doug
Blog
Upcoming Marriage Conference this weekend!
Weekend Worship at Crossroads Church, Newnan, GA
Here in This Moment
It’s cloudy, and chilly, it’s November. And I’m craving all things pumpkin again. My (youngest) college boy is home for a whole week, and soon this house will be full with all our family – grown kids, grandkids, even a granddog. Gratitude is welling up now for those days ahead of crazy, blissful chaos, and I’m not even stressing about where everyone is going to sleep. Ah! My arms are ready to hold my grandkids. And I am ready to try some new pumpkin recipe. And to play games at the table, and to laugh.
Right now it is quiet though, except for my college boy who just came in with his friends looking for something to eat. And I am grateful – for grace; grateful to be loved and pursued by a glorious God who goes after this heart, over and over again with His truth.
See, last week I found myself seething with this general discontent, not with anything major, just my life, marriage, parenting, friendships, ministry, purpose, etc, etc. (please overlook the drama) I wanted to put myself in time out. Maybe I should have.
Seemingly out of nowhere, in the middle of my ordinary normal, life was frustrating, boring, unresolved, and irritating.
Do you ever feel like your husband doesn’t get you? Or making decisions about dinner is exhausting? Or, is this where I’m supposed to be, now, at this point in my life? Or, why can’t I be a better friend? Or, why isn’t our ministry more nationally visible? Or I wish we had more money so we could go see our grandkids more?
But God…whispered (loudly) in my ear what was making me miserable, where it all started…where it always starts with me.
Ingratitude
Just that. And that’s enough.
Praise and Thanksgiving. Sounds oh so familiar. But, it is life-giving. And necessary. And it is the fruit of a life changed and indwelt by Jesus.
Changing my mind, repentance, prompted by the Holy Spirit, my tongue became the pen of a ready scribe.
And I just started thanking Him for – everything I could think of.
Life, air, shelter, food, pumpkins, clothing, health, music, husband, each child, each grandchild (twice), heaven, troubles, unresolved things, ministry decisions to be made, friends, fall, grace, forgiveness, and blood,
Red, red, blood
that cleanses all my sin, including the sin of an ungrateful heart.
And joy came in;
like a faithful friend to the rescue. It tasted like the sweetest fruit I’d ever bitten into.
“I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:18
Go ahead. Try it.
And please share what you find, here with me. Share your joy feast, your grateful list.
I would be even more grateful.
Happy Pumpkin season!!
Joe & Kim in La Grange, GA on 12/09/14
Kim will be the featured guest singer and speaker for the Ladies Christmas Dinner at
Rosemont Baptist Church in LaGrange, GA.