He Preached With Passion

A message my dad preached when I was a teenager came to me this evening..."Seven Barriers to Hell" I do not remember all of the seven, although I'm sure I could come up with them, but I know one of the barriers was; the prayers of your mom and dad, or someone who loved you. He went on to preach..."To go to hell you will have to trample over the prayers of the ones who loved you more than life, and if you continue in your ungodliness, as you go over the precipice of hell you'll hear the voice of your mother (father) ringing in your ears...OH GOD PLEASE SAVE MY CHILD!" I cannot figure out how a person who knows truth can be so unfeeling after hearing their mom or dad crying out to God for their soul. Neither can I imagine a parent who knows truth continuing in their "happy-go-lucky-sinful way" when they know that their child's heart breaks in prayer. I thought about apologizing for such a serious, heavy post, however I feel like someone might be standing in the valley of decision. What will your answer be?

Daddy's 81st Birthday

May 17th has always been a special date for our family.   It's Daddy's Birthday!  Today, he is 81 years old! Since he is in Heaven, I'm sure his body is not feeble and old! What a wonderful thought that is! I can see him in his prime as he walks down the streets of transparent gold. He might even have a fishing pole over his shoulder headed to the Chrystal River flowing by the tree of life. Heaven is REAL! I plan on going there! In fact, there are some days that I am really ready to go!

HAPPY 81st BIRTHDAY, DADDY! 

You're having a party like you never had here on earth! I love you and will see you as soon as Gabriel sounds the trumpet!

P. S.  Be sure you have the fish cleaned and ready to fry!  Tell Mother to get the oil hot, potatoes peeled and sliced, red beans soaking, AND...the hush-puppies ready!  I can't wait to eat some of her cooking again!  :-)  I know she's already thought about the Homemade Vanilla and Strawberry Ice Cream!  See ya'll soon!

Ponder

Tonight as I was going about the house taking care of things when a word I have not heard in a long time popped into my head. PONDER! Upon entering my mind, my mind started recalling things from the past. After awhile I decided to sit down and look the word up.

PONDER - 1. to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate. 2. to weigh careful in the mind; consider thoughtfully.

I can see him sitting in the living room. There is "noise" in the kitchen as supper is being cooked. There is "noise" coming from one of the bedrooms where music is being played. There's a young girl sitting at the piano practicing her piano lessons and there's "noise" because the "piano music" was not being played correctly. There he sits, in the middle of "noise", but he doesn't seem to notice. He's sitting quietly, looking at nothing, or no one. Upon seeing this scene, the young girl goes to the kitchen to inquire of her Mother. "What is Daddy doing? Why is he just sitting there and staring off?" The Mother had seen this many times throughout their marriage and knew exactly how to answer. "Your Daddy is meditating." That was quite a big word for the little girl to understand, so she asked, "What does THAT mean?" The Mother explained..."That means your Daddy is thinking about something important. He may be thinking about what he is going to preach tonight. He probably has a lot on his mind. Don't disturb him! He needs to be alone right now." The little girl nods her head, goes and looks at her Daddy again, but she wasn't about to disturb him, because he was "meditating".

This picture is painted vividly in my mind and it will never be thrown away. I remember it as if it were yesterday! I really believe that some of the greatest messages I've heard have come from men and women of God who took time to "ponder", and in those times God spoke to them and developed a message filled with "power, passion, and anointing".

Now, as I look back, I wish I could have crawled into my Daddy's mind and read the many thoughts that were there. He was a powerful preacher of the Word! He never had a diploma stating he had a doctors degree in theology, but he didn't need it. He was a studier of the Word of God. He loved talking about God and His Word more than anything else! He loved preaching and ministering to people. No, he may not have been "smart" in the world's eyes, but he really didn't care what they thought. He wasn't planning on staying here for very long anyway, but while he was here he wanted to preach the gospel to all who would listen. He preached without fear or favor, and it didn't matter if you agreed with him or not. When he had a word from the Lord, he wasn't fearful of man or the false doctrines that are destroying "relationship with Almighty God". Many years down the road I'm so glad I didn't interrupt when Daddy was "meditating, pondering, communing" with God! The messages I heard him preach through life, are what gave me the desire to have my own relationship with God. They are what made me WANT to be saved above all else! They are what gave me a glimpse of Heaven. Daddy made Heaven so real, and beautiful that nothing is worth me not going!

Daddy is not the only preacher I have seen "ponder...meditate". I have watched my husband as he was "in another world", and knew that this was not the time to disturb his thoughts. I have watched our sons, Jonathan and Andrew sit and stare! Oh yes, I recognized it! I knew they were being drawn into another place. I knew when they step to the pulpit that they would have the same "power, passion, and anointing" as their father, and grandfather.

In a few hours we will all gather in a sanctuary to spend time with God in Morning Worship. Preachers everywhere will bring the scriptures to life as they preach with "power, passion and anointing". I'm sure there were little girls and boys that watched their Daddy today, as he sat in the living room, staring off into another world. Mother's were asked the same question I asked..."Mommy...what is Daddy doing? He's just staring! "Oh honey...Daddy is meditating. Don't bother him."

Yes...the "cycle of life" continues....

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today is my Daddy's birthday. If he was still with us here on earth he would be 80 years old! I really miss Daddy and his wisdom. He was a man of true love, true character and true wisdom.

I would like to sit down and talk to him about all the events that have taken place over the last few years in just "my families" life. He would be so proud of Wendell and all he is doing. His heart would swell with pride over his grandsons and the churches they pastor. I can hear him giving Jonathan and Andrew advice and then telling them they're "doing a great job". Then, he would say, "You're just a chip off the ole block". Of course, meaning himself! :) I can hear him telling me he loves me and then turning around and saying something about my husband, whom he loved very much. Yes, I miss his deep booming voice, and the "whisker hugs" he would give me just when his face needed to be shaved!!!

But, I can say without hesitation, one of the things I miss the most is hearing him talk about Heaven! Daddy LOVED to sit and talk, but when it came to his favorite subject Heaven, he could talk for hours about what he thought it would be like. The walls of jasper, gates of pearl, Jesus on the throne, worship and praise, and heavenly music all around. He loved quoting Revelations 21, and I loved hearing him quote it, and it seemed as if all of heaven came down! I wish he was here today so that he could experience all the benefits of his dedication and love for truth. But, since he is not here...I have NO DOUBT that he is HAPPY where he is in HEAVEN...(happy home above).

So, on this day, his 80th birthday let me say once again...

"Daddy, it won't be long till we will see you again. We know where you will be when we enter the gates of that city you preached about all my life. We know where you'll be waiting for us, and as soon as we can make our way through the streets of that city, we will meet you "in front of the throne". I can't give you a gift that is bought with money, but I can and will give you the gift of "meeting you again in front of the throne". When we get there we will have one BIG PARTY and it won't even matter what age you're suppose to be, for we will live on forever with a brand new body that will never grow old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY! We will all see you again soon!

Sunday May 17th Is a Special Day

I can't go to bed tonight without remembering Daddy on this day! It is already "early Monday morning", but if Daddy was still alive he would have turned 79 years old on Sunday May 17th!!! It just doesn't seem real that he is on the other side, and it sure doesn't seem real that he would have been 79 years old!!! I wish he could have been with me today as I sat by Lake Conroe and watched Logan Stovall catch fish. So, "IN MEMORY OF MURRAY L. LAYNE", a great fisherman and a man of God who loved to "fish for souls", I am posting this picture of a "neat young man" that we have fallen in love with today. Daddy would have LOVED Logan!!! I also want to say that I received a text from Tracie after church to tell me about a man who visited their church today and said he had "received the Holy Ghost in Houston when Bro. Layne was Pastor". She said, "he very affectionately spoke of your parents. I thought you would enjoy hearing about it!"

"Tracie, I enjoyed hearing about this happening today! It made my heart warm to hear about someone whose life had been changed because of Daddy preaching the Word of God to them. Thank you for sharing this very special moment with me."

I will write about our great weekend later on "this morning", but for now...I'm heading to bed. Have a great MONDAY! Goodnight!

Note: The picture of Daddy with all the fish was taken in Alaska when he was about 21 years old.

Slouching In the Pew

The year? I don't recall. All I know is that I was a very young girl sitting in church and I heard my Daddy say,

"Men, when you come to church you need to sit up in your pew and not slouch! Look like you are interested in what is going on!"

Those words made an impression on me and years later they still come to mind.


Many years later...

"Boys, you are both old enough to sit up in church! Don't slouch down and put your head on the back of the pew. You need to pay attention to what's going on in church!"

"But, Mom! I'm tired!"

That's fine, but you're not too tired to run and play after church! You will stay awake if you "sit up and listen! You can sleep when you get home!"

Someplace, at a gathering...from several rows behind a "woman of God"...

"(laughter) What do YOU think about that? (more laughter)"

"Oh yeah! Me too!" (laughter)

Yes,while people are praying and getting close to God!

A little later when I walked by and gave the little lady a hug, she said,

"It's so sad when people make light of the things of God!"

There was hurt in her voice as she shook her head.

I know I'm "plowing deep" as the old preacher would say, but I just have this nagging feeling down deep in my heart that "we need to sit up and take notice" and "quit slouching in our pew" when it comes to the things of God!

I have seen it, and you have seen it! We've all watched as the "slouchers" would say things about a sermon that was preached, and question if it came from God, or if the one delivering it "had a bone to pick".

We should get real uncomfortable when someone wants to "pick the message apart" and "question the motives" of the one delivering it. I am sure I have been guilty of listening to the "sloucher", and said my thoughts when I should have said nothing. I should have walked away from that "attitude". We all get caught when we're not praying and taking the work of God, and the Word of God serious.

As a young lady I would go to youth conference, youth camp, and camp meeting and hear men of God preach their "convictions". Maybe some things were "gray areas" as some would say, but who was I to question whether or not they were "gray areas". I don't think I knew "gray areas" existed when I was growing up. When a man of God preached, I needed to examine my heart! So, at the end of the message I would find a place to pray and ask God to cleanse me and change me if I needed to. ABOVE ALL ELSE I wanted to be saved! The tenderness of heart, sincerity in living for God, and the love for godliness, holiness and separation from the world was preached without fear or favor, and I benefited from the "old plow" digging deep into the soil of my heart!

If this isn't what you expected to read when you clicked on my blog, I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry for saying what I feel. I don't want to "slouch in my pew" and "laugh away" the preached Word. I don't want to find myself one day standing at the judgement and hearing Him say, "Sorry, I never knew you!"

Let's all ask ourselves this question: "Am I "slouching" or "sitting up straight"?

Old Pictures

Just a "few" years ago when Daddy and Mother were young evangelists they went to Alaska to preach.  Keith was just a "baby" and Mother was about 18 years old!  Daddy would have been about 20 (I think).  I ran across these "slides" a few months ago, so I wanted to post the pictures. I know you'll like them.  

Mother with Keith in the "baby buggy".  Mother was always so pretty.

Daddy loved to fish! I imagine these were delicious when they got them prepared.Keith, my brother is on the left! He was so cute! I don't know "who" the other baby is. If anyone "out there" knows this baby, please let me know. :) Someone just MIGHT recognized "themselves". LOLAnd this is my FAVORITE! Keith always had this "winning smile"!Have a GREAT Sunday!