Easter Play Practice

Our Easter Play is in the works and each year Rosetta L. puts her heart and soul into making it a little more special each year. Rosetta has such a vision and passion for making things come to life. You will be so touched by the Performance of WATCH THE LAMB. Practice is on Monday's at 7PM. So if you want to participate please be there. Our next practice will be a full run of the play so be sure to attend. If you are needing a costume made please make sure to get your material together for our seamstress.
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Elva R.

I think I speak for most everyone when I say that each time Elva R. gets up to sing we get such a blessing just from watching her. Someone once said there are times it looks like she is walking on water.

Poems From Lisa Brown

A Woman In Christ

I am a child of God
A woman in Christ
By standards of society
I will not be defined

The beauty I possess
Is not determined by man
Nor can it be bought
By a surgeon's hand

For the Son has painted
A glow upon my face
His artistry has captured
My portrait of grace

With each stroke of His brush
My flaws dissapear
My features are transformed
Time I no longer fear

What the mirror beholds
Will surely diminish with age
As lines cover youth
And golden locks turn gray

For every reflection is merely
A season in life
But I will always be beautiful
A woman in Christ

Copyright by Lisa Brown
All rights reserved

Patterns of Life

The patterns of my life
So intricately woven
Sewn by the smallest detail
Defined by every moment

Errors that I have made
Trials I did not choose
Time I took for granted
Mountains I prayed to move
Tears I cried in despair

Memories I cannot forget
Days I still cling to
Some I have come to regret
Yet, I am thankful for my life

For every circumstance
For the lives of those
Carefully placed in my path
For the pieces of my life

So uniquely designed
Form an intricate pattern
Where God and I intertwine

Copyright by Lisa Brown
All rights reserved

View From The Top

Standing in the valley below
I could see the mountain just ahead
And being discontent with my life
I decided to leave behind

The ground which I had tread
So I began my journey
Holding on with both hands
Out of breath, battered and bruised

Struggling to keep my footing and
Losing my balance time and time again
With each step I came closer
I was determined not to stop

For all things worthy come with a price
And I knew I just had to see
The view from the mountaintop

Copyright by Lisa Brown
All Rights Reserved

Good Morning!!!

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH GEE'S, SHE'S UP"!

Kevin Hertz

Please Remember Kevin Hertz in your prayers. He is a remarkable 13 year old boy from Michigan who is battling a brain tumor. Our church has been praying for him for quite sometime now. He is about to undergo surgery to take a biopsy of the tumor to see what form of chemo they can use next. Please pray for GOD to Heal him.

Here are some Helpful links to some more info on Kevin's Story.

http://benefit4kids.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=print&thread=174

http://www.b4k.org/kids.htm

Megan H. Personal Testimony (6)

Photo Credit/RYCO Photography

Many people tend to lose their faith in God when their prayers aren’t answered as quickly as they would like for them to be. I am here to tell you not to lose your faith in God, for he will help you in your time of need.

Being only 14 years old, God has already performed an outstanding miracle in my life, and I cannot thank him enough for that. He saved me from a life threatening experience, and I hope my story will inspire you not to make the same mistakes that I did.

In August of 2008 I developed an eating disorder, harming not only myself, but my family as well. By October, the disorder had taken over me and I was no longer capable of controlling my actions. It was so dangerous for me because I was only a few weeks away from death.

The doctors had lost all hope in me, and planned to send me off to a hospital until I fully recovered. My parents decided in the end not to send me off because we still had faith that God would heal me soon.

Just days after they had planned to send me away, my mom had an emotional break down. I had put my family through so much pain, and she could simply no longer take it. Luckily, that night they were having a ladies meeting at our church, and mom and I drove down there to be prayed for. While they were praying for us, it felt like a 50 pound weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I immediately knew that I was healed, and that God would take care of everything.

The following Friday I went to the doctor’s office to be weighed, as I had for months, and I was still continuing to lose weight. We couldn’t understand why my condition was getting worse, when we absolutely knew that God had healed me. Despite the numbers on the scale, we still never lost our faith, and hoped for a better outcome the following week.

When Friday came along again, I went to be weighed. This time, I had not gained weight, but I hadn’t lost any either. I had actually maintained my weight, which was a big step up from losing up to 8 pounds a week. This brought forth a new shed of hope to my family and me. As the weeks progressed, my weight finally began increasing, in large amounts too.

God had blessed me so much that I was gaining over 5 pounds a week. It was only weeks later that I had finally reached my ideal weight. I am now currently as healthy as I ever was, and I thank God each day for what he has done for me. Without him, I wouldn’t even be living right now.

For each person that reads this, I pray that if you do not know God, that you get to know him. He is simply the best person to have in your life.

-Megan H.

Linda F. Personal Testimony (5)

THE LORD! MY WONDERFUL, MARVELOUS PHYSICIAN.

Sometimes God has a way of getting our attention and I thank him for that. When I found out I had Melanoma CANCER I'd had a mole on my chest that had doubled in size in about three months. I went to the doctor and had the mole removed. The doctor then sent it off for test to be run.

The test came back and it was Melanoma Cancer and it was already in the third stage of four.

I was at work when the Doctor called with news that the test had come back positive for cancer. I know only the Lord could help me get through this. I hadn't told my family until a couple of days after. They didn't even know that I had went to the doctor. After I had told my family I was on every Church's prayer list around. I know I felt so much stronger just in knowing that others were praying for me. It just kinda takes that fear away or at least it did for me.

With Prayer you are not alone. When you have people praying for you I just knew without a shadow of a doubt that the LORD was going to Heal me.

Through this process the Doctors continued to run tests around the area that he had removed the mole. The test were showing that the cancer had progressed into my lymph nodes under my left arm.

The first surgery was performed and the lymph nodes were taken out and they came back positive for Melanoma as well. In three weeks the doctor wanted to go back in and remove all the lymph nodes.In between this time.... I WAS HEALED!!!!! I told the Doctor.. He still wanted to do a Pet Scan that would show if I had Cancer anywhere else in my body. The test was done and everything came back NEGATIVE. I didn't have any Cancer anywhere. The Lord had Healed me. The doctor still wanted to take out the lymph nodes because the cancer had been there before so I let him remove them.

Even though no cancer was found the Doctor still wanted me to take treatments. BUT I CLAIM MY HEALING!!!! I am holding on to it for GOD is the Healer and My PHYSICIAN..

I Thank HIM and Praise HIM!!

Every now and then the LORD wants to get our attention and getting us back where we need to be which is with HIM.

He has always been there when I call on HIM. He has taken care of me and my family. We can never give him enough Praise for all that he does.

I Praise HIM!!

Valentine Banquet is in the Works

Just wanted to send out a big Thank You to everyone involved in the planning. This is sure to be an evening filled with fun and laughter.

Monthly Supply Items

Last night at our Ladies Meeting we ended up with a pretty good start of monthly supply items.
At this point I think we are ok on the dish towels, dish cloths and aprons. So please try to focus on the other items listed at this time.

Peggy R. Personal Testimony 4

I believe God allows us to go through events in our life to make the person stronger in faith and that somewhere in the future you will be able to help some one with your testimony.

My husband was laid off in 2007. Our insurance coverage was cancelled in September 2007. I worked for the state during this time, so in order for me to receive coverage I had to apply in October and coverage would not start till January 2008.I became sick around the first of October 2007.

The pain in my lower right abdomen at times was unbearable. My thoughts was cancer because this is where my mother hurt with colon cancer. I knew that going to the doctor was not possible due to no insurance coverage.

I turned to the great physician...God.

When you are at your lowest and no where else to go this is who you put your faith in. I would pray Lord you know my sickness and it is in your hands. What do you want me to do about? He laid it on my heart to anoint my side with anointing oil every time I hurt and pray. I was also led to fast. What ever he put on my heart to do, I did.

The month of January came. My insurance coverage had started, so I made a doctors appointment. The doctor sent me for a CT Scan. I went for this the following Friday. After the CT Scan was performed, I went to work. I was at a patient's house when the phone ringed. My supervisor called to say my doctor was trying to get up with me. The test had came back bad. I went home immediately to call the doctor. When I got up with her, she said,"Mrs. Runion it is your appendix. We do not know how you have lived in the shape you are in ." I said " I do. It is because of prayer and faith." She gave no response other than I had an appointment with Dr. Graham at 4pm that evening and should keep it.


I went to see Dr. Graham that evening. He said they could not get the results of my CT Scan . He said what I had was a smoldering appendix. He set me up for the following Monday for surgery. The surgery would remove my appendix through my navel, thirty minutes in and thirty in recovery. I would go home that night. This sounded good.Monday came and I went for the surgery. I was in surgery 2 hours for a 30 minute procedure. The doctor told my husband that my appendix had been ruptured for 5 weeks and he was sending it off to pathology for possible cancer. I told my husband this can not be. If my appendix was ruptured that long I would be dead. I stayed over night in observation. The nurses could not tell me nothing about my appendix being ruptured 5 weeks.


The next morning Dr. Graham's PA Holly came to discharge me. I asked her what they found during surgery. She said " Mrs. Runion we started through your navel and had to pull out. Your appendix had already ruptured. We made an incision and found that your appendix had been ruptured for about 5 weeks. When it ruptured, it crusted itself over and isolated it self. We just do not understand how you have lived." I told her it was because of my faith in God and praying.

( The pathology report came back no cancer!!)

I believe with all my heart that if I had not obeyed God when he laid it on my heart to do something, I would have not received my healing. Obedience is better than sacrifice. I might have come close to death but it is worth my suffering to know that my testimony would make a difference in someone's life. I can tell it has made a difference in my family especially my husband.

PRAISE GOD!!!

GOD can do ANYTHING!

Friends,

April Shepherd, has a 4 year old little boy, Hayden Nicholas McQueen, who has an aggressive form of brain cancer, an astrocytoma, which he has had since birth. It wasn't until he was a few months old when local doctors mistakenly diagnosed him as a "failure to thrive" child. As the weeks passed, Hayden was not eating, growing, or gaining any weight.


After extensive testing, doctors and oncologists at UK Children's Hospital discovered that Hayden had an inoperable brain tumor behind his eyes. The tumor, which has star-like tentacles, had grown so large that it was pressing against Hayden's eyes causing them to jerk uncontrollably to the left and to the right (like a bobble head doll).


The doctors and oncologists advised April from the beginning that Hayden would be a lucky little boy if he reached the age of 3 years old. In all likelihood, he would die before his 3rd birthday.


They began an aggressive regimen of chemotherapy and put in a feeding tube.

After 2 1/2 years of month after month of chemotherapy and countless prayers, the doctors finally found a type of chemotherapy which did not cure Hayden, however, it stopped the growth of the tumor and it had begun to shrink somewhat.

With the faithful prayers of our friends and family members, Hayden surpassed all odds and reached his 4th birthday. In celebration, the Make A Wish Foundation gave Hayden the choice of an all expense paid vacation for Hayden and his family to Disneyland in Florida or a shopping spree at Wal-Mart.

Before Hayden made his decision, he asked the Make A Wish Foundation rep, Bill, if he could buy his little brother, Trevor, a Spiderman big wheel. The rep told Hayden "anything you want little man." Hayden replied, "well, then, Bill, I want to go to Mal-Mart."


During their shopping trip, for every item that Hayden bought, he bought his little brother, Trevor, one just like it. Even through the countless chemotherapy treatments, Hayden was always smiling, cheerful, and inquisitive. He soaked up information around him. Hayden is very special to me because his mom, April, lived with me, Michael, and Ashley, for 2 years.

Ashley considers April her big sister and Hayden her "adopted" nephew. As we are prone to doing, when things seem like they are at their greatest, old Satan swoops back in and kicks us in our backsides to remind us that he is ever present.

Last week, April took Hayden back to UK Children's Hospital for his 6 month checkup and an MRI. Yesterday, she received the devastating news that the astrocytoma has begun growing again at an alarming rate. However, this round, Hayden, this little, precious, 4 year old boy, will have to endure adult strength chemotherapy.

WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS!!!!

Please pass this on to everyone you know who has faith and believes that through Christ all things are possible. I believe with the help and prayers of our spirit filled people that Hayden can and will be healed.

May God bless and keep you, and please "PUSH" PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS

Prayer

"May today be all you need it to be. May the peace of God and the freshness of the Holy Spirit rest in your thoughts, rule in your dreams tonight, and conquer all your fears. May God manifest himself today in ways you have never experienced. May your joys be fulfilled, your dreams be closer, and your prayers be answered. I pray that faith enters a new height for you; I pray that your territory is enlarged. I pray for peace, healing, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, true and undying love for God."

Valentine Banquet Update

The date for the Valentine's Banquet is set along with the theme.

For More information scroll down the page to the first post.

Watch & Communion

We brought in 2009 with a Wonderful watch service and those that were there participated in Communion. We heard amazing testimonies and spirit filled messages from some of our Ladies. Pictured Below is Beverly and Keta.

A Look Back at our July Ladies Rejuvenation Conference

In July, we had our first Women's Summer Rejuvenation Conference. Ten women from our Church gave their testimonies of how God brought them through different tragedies of life, to name a few, "Overcoming the Death of a Child," Overcoming Divorce, and Overcoming Drug and Alcohol Addictions.

The food along with the themed beach decorations were pretty good as well.

Woman

One woman can change anything.
Many women can change everything.

Shirley B. Personal Testimony 3

Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is!!

From 2000-2003 I was at my spiritual peak. I was praying for spiritual growth constantly, "GOD take me as high spiritually as I am capable of" was my daily prayer. I wanted to know the mind of GOD. I wanted to connect more than I had ever desired. By 2003 I felt as if I had so much love and peace that it sometimes scared me to think on it. In the fall of 2003 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.No family history. No smoking. No real risk factors. It was a challenge and a hurdle....

It was a NIGHTMARE. I remembered making this statement to a friend a few months earlier "I have nothing I can't get rid of" This was going to make that statement resonate in my mind for many months because I lost 2 things I had never considered losing and really never considered them of value until that moment.

There was much to endure and the bad just got worse. The hardest part was watching how the deterioration of my physical body was also hurting the ones I loved. The mental agony was unbearable at times, but I found strength in what I already knew. I knew what God's word said and I was certain I was his child but the medicine would prove to overcome reason at times and I could not pray.

I lost so much weight that at one point I weighted 98#'s. My husband looked at me through tears one night and said "You can't die". I didn't know what to say, I just said I won't. But would I? At that time it was about 4 months into my illness I realized that I was in a BAD STORM. I began to cry out to GOD. "You've got to get me through this, Help me!" Show me what to tell my husband.

I was home alone sitting in my comfortable chair in despair when GOD sent me a vision. This is what he said/did:
The day was sunny and beautiful, I was outside and the Lord walked up to me, reached out his hand to me and said come. I took his hand and we walked a bit the sun and wind felt do wonderful on my face. He led me to a huge FIRE, the flames were everywhere. When I looked at him, we laughed and he bend down so I could get on his back, AND HE carried me on his back through the fire with the flames all around us-WE LAUGHED. On the other side he sat me down and faded away.
That was my confirmation that he would carry me through, but the biggest thing was I wasn't afraid of a storm actually I love a storm that's why he showed me a fire. I am afraid of fire and it was worse than I thought. It was the most wonderful experience and I felt such peace. Later that day I went back to my bible as I did frequently during the day and as I allowed it to fall open it opened to Judges, my eyes fell on a verse I had never noticed. This is what it said "Thou shalt not die".
I just began thanking the LORD. I couldn't wait until my husband came home to tell him. And I held on to that until it came to pass.

Testimonies

We want to share each and every testimony of our ladies here on the blog. So ladies please get them prepared to be shared here online.

Teresa C. Personal Testimony 2

Proof ...I'm where I'm supposed to be.


You know like many I'm not one that stands and testify because I'm just not much of a talker. I'm more of a thinker/writer. I find it easier to put things on paper than standing and telling about them. I guess it's just that little quirk of my personality.

My testimony is one of realizing I'm where God wants me to be. Several years ago I lost my husband to a helicopter crash. My world as I knew it came crashing in all around me. A while back before Fred's death we had both befriended a man by the name Pastor Jim Reese. He later became a patient of my husbands and upon one occasion had written a letter to Fred.

In his letter he wrote "Your present burdens have been on my mind since our last visit. I'm sure the testing time will be severe, but I am more certain that he is able to deliver. Please take Hebrews 4:16 as an encouragement." He went on to say "From the moment you placed your faith in Christ, Satan has been trying to harm your faith. He hates the name of your Professional Business and the christian symbol you choose to display. He hates the wonderful art you so boldly display in the offices. He hates you and me and all who have left his evil dominion. I pray that this will only strengthen your faith. I hope that your dear new wife has her personal faith in Christ, for she will share the storm. You and she are on my prayer list. Please let me know of anything I can do. I'm always available and as you said, "I am on a Mission." Signed Pastor Jim Reese. When I pull that letter out and read it it's as if he was a messenger to us. Something was about to happen and he was trying to prepare us.

Upon Fred's death I was given a prayer cloth. I can't really recall who gave it to me. It was with me neatly folded and kept close to my heart for so many days. It became worn and frayed and there were many times I would end up with pink stains on my chest from keeping it with me all the time.

On the cloth were the words of The Third Epistle of John verse 2 (Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth) That anointed cloth stayed me through some pretty hard days. Days when I just wanted to die myself. I didn't want to live and to be honest then I had no fear of dying.

A couple of months back as I was going through some items I had put away in an old plastic baggie. The prayer cloth along with a Casio digital watch that Fred had with him at the time of the accident were both inside the baggie. I began to take each item out for a closer look and realized that strange though it was that watch was still ticking away with the correct time. It's been 8 years now since his death and I can't imagine how a battery could last that long. It has to be unusual.

As I took out the next item I immediately recognized that folded pink prayer cloth I had carried with me for so long. I opened it up and there on that worn and frayed cloth was the words a little hard to see of Oneida Church Of God/Pastor Joey Burns. I think I must have never truly looked at what it had written on it. I saw those words and just stood there in that moment and was amazed. I realized this was Proof I'm where I'm supposed to be and that there is no such thing as a coincidence. I had been struggling for some time if this is where God truly wanted me to be. This was my answer.

Sometimes I think back to that sad time in my life and wonder how on earth did I get from there to here. I know that God has walked with me through it all. Eight years have come and gone since my husbands death and I still grieve from time to time. I have learned to think of it (grief) now as something I put upon a shelf and take down from time to time. So share the storm I did but instead of being bitter I'm thankful for these scars on my heart. They remind me of the time when Jesus walked so close with me.

Dreams upon dreams he gave me as well as visions. One vison that I most recall one night was while I was lying in my bed looking toward the mirror in my master bathroom. I saw the most beautiful floating pink rose petals, they simply floated around and around never touching the ground. I had so many dreams that I began to keep a journal of them. I'm reminded as I read them from time to time how God has been with me through it all and how he's carried me every step of the way.

That prayer cloth is really significant to me. I believe there's great power in that anointing cloth. Maybe just maybe that's why that watch is still ticking. LOL
I am Blessed...............I'm alive today which is proof there is still work for me to do.

Those threads of prayers hold an awful mighty proof to me. GOD IS GOOD.....

Elva R. Personal Testimony 1