In a Moments Time

The last few days I have worked getting ready for the Texas District Board Meetings that started today. I love it when they are having meetings, because I get to "entertain" at the office and I always enjoy being with my friends who come with their husbands.

Last night I went to bed very tired and in a considerable amount of pain. I had been on my feet all day and late into the evening cooking. I told my husband it was worth it, because it's an honor to serve those who are serving us in our district. A little while later I made my way to bed and Wendell was already fast asleep. As I turned off the light the pain in my body seemed to accelerate. I knew sleep was not going to come for awhile if I kept hurting THAT much! So, I spoke to the Lord about it...

"God, you have raised people from the dead. Opened blinded eyes. Did many miracles! I'm just asking you to take away the pain in my body. I need my rest so I can feel like serving tomorrow. I also need you to help me through the day and keep the pain away. Thank you, Jesus! I know you're going to help me."

I turned over and " in a moments time" the pain had subsided! I had great sleep last night! When I woke up early this morning to finish the preparations, I put my feet on the floor and took a few steps. I hadn't got across the room when I realized the pain was still gone!! I praised Him for touching me!

I am now getting ready to go to sleep, but I wanted to share with you that today has been a good day! I am going to sleep well, because I know God will make it happen. I love how He let's us experience His power when we let him know we need Him and there's nothing we can do about our circumstance.

I will say goodnight with the verse of a song I use to sing.

If you are burdened with troubled.
If you are filled with despair.
Jesus will heal every heartache.
Reach out and you'll find Him there.

Another Great Sunday!

I am SO EXCITED! I've been reading about all the different churches and what an incredible weekend everyone had, and I'm so happy! Several churches are reporting souls receiving the Holy Ghost and being baptized in Jesus Name this weekend, some talking about how "ON FIRE" their young people are upon returning home from National Youth Congress, and how they blessed their churches tonight! WOW! It's just exciting to be part of a movement where God is doing great and mighty things!

We also had a great time this weekend! We were at Hudson, TX with Pastor and Sis. Ron Smith and their sweet congregation. God knew what we needed to hear this weekend and this morning we heard a great message from Bro. Jeff Jones entitled, "More Than Meets the Eye". He really blessed our hearts with this message. Thank you Bro. Jones for an anointed delivery of the message God gave you. I love knowing God places us in the right place to hear exactly what we need to hear! Bro. and Sis. Smith, ya'll once again treated us with such love and care. You always make us feel "right at home" and we enjoy being with you and your church family. We enjoyed the fellowship and meals today and tonight! We love you! And...we sure enjoyed singing a "trio" with Bro. Smith tonight! :)

This morning on our way to church we were very thankful that God showed us His protecting power when a lady pulled out from a side road right in front of us. We were going a good speed, and we barely missed her. Wendell slammed on the brakes, swerving into the other lane, and I called on the Name of Jesus! When it was all over we started thanking the Lord for protecting us! If we had hit her someone could have been killed, or critically injured. It very possibly would have been all three of us. Thank you Jesus for watching over your children! It was so nice to walk through the doors of Westside Apostolic Church this morning!!!! It was wonderful getting to worship the King of Kings! Our lives could have been changed this morning, but God let us live another day. I'm sure glad He wasn't finished with us here on earth!!!

Ya'll have a great week! There is no telling what God is doing that we don't even see...yet!

Conroe Weekend

This weekend we were blessed to be in Conroe with Kent and Tracie Smith and their great church! We had a wonderful time from the moment we arrived. The Smith's wanted us to be in Conroe in time for dinner, so we made it and we are so glad we did. They picked us up at the hotel then took us to The Woodlands to eat. We had a wonderfully delicious meal while we sat outside by the river. It was a beautiful evening and we thoroughly enjoyed it. After we finished eating we walked over to Starbuck's, but they didn't have "cold drinks" so we left and went to another one. They are people after my own heart! LOL! My family has a "thing" about going from restaurant to restaurant just to get something we didn't get at the last one we were at, and of course to spend time together! So, Saturday evening we did the same thing with the Smith's and went to another Starbuck's. This time they had exactly what we were looking for. Of course, I didn't have any idea of what I wanted, because I had never found anything that I was crazy about at Starbuck's! Now...don't go pick up that stone and throw it at me just because I may be a little "behind the times"...give me a chance to say...I FOUND WHAT I LIKE! "STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM"! It was delicious and I drank every last drop of it.

Sunday services were great! The presence of God was in our midst and people were hungry for Him and the Word. The anointing was there and my husband PREACHED!!!! On Sunday morning while he was preaching the electricity went off and we were left in the "dark"! We teased him about "blowing the lights out" with his preaching! :) He just kept preaching and the lights and P.A. system came back on and all was well. I don't know for sure how many we baptized. I do know at least one received the Holy Ghost! Since February this wonderful church has had over 100 people baptized and a lot of them have received the Holy Ghost! You could safely say, "Conroe United Pentecostal Church" is in a time of "harvest". God has been blessing these wonderful people and rewarding them for their labor.

Sis. Smith loves Outreach and her bus children! I was so happy to drive up just as she was getting off of her "bus route" Sunday morning. I had to get a picture of her. She was beaming! Her excitement about her ministry was definitely felt. I loved seeing her eyes light up with excitement!

After church we went to P.F. Chang's to eat and it was so GOOD! We get hungry for good Chinese food here in Lufkin, so it was a real treat to eat some of our favorite food. Trent, Calah and Redonia went with us and we had a fun time. LOL! My husband loves to tease and have fun and he was doing his part in teasing Redonia. She was a good sport and he got quite a few smiles out of her. "Thanks Redonia for having fun with us! :) By the way, I didn't get ONE picture of you! I could not believe it when I got home and did not have ONE!"

As I have mentioned, this church has been in a season of harvest and they have worked very hard during this time. Sunday nights service was for the "tired saints of God". We had a great time of worship and praise led by Trent. He does a good job! There is no way to tell you everything that happened in this service, but just let me say that it was filled with the "refreshing rain" from God. There was such peace and strength in the service! Wendell and I sang some old songs and the people seemed to really enjoy it. I'm glad they did! Wendell then preached another anointed message, but this time the lights stayed on. LOL! I got to enjoy playing the organ for awhile. I enjoyed it so much. It gave the musicians a break and gave them some time to "get a touch from God" without having the responsibility of "keeping things going". I was glad to relieve them for awhile. I could go on and on about the services, but I will stop here and just say...thank the Lord for being with us in church!

After the service we were invited to the Smith's home. It reminded me of our home, and I got a little "homesick" to have a house again. I haven't had that feeling since moving to Lufkin, but I did this time. I have enjoyed living in our motorhome and will keep on enjoying it, I just "missed my home" for a moment. Tracie prepared some delicious food and we had a great time sitting around and relaxing in their home.

I hope I've covered most everything. I tried at least 4 times to get a slide show ready today, but things kept happening to it! I'm later getting this post done than I wanted to be, but I finally got a slide show done tonight! Thank you, Kent and Tracie Smith for a wonderful weekend! We will not forget your love and hospitality to us!

HYC '09 and Texas District Conference '09

Holiday Youth Convention '09 was "rockin" from the beginning! It was AWESOME! The young people came ready to worship God!! The electrifying power of God was in each service and you could feel the hunger coming from those who came. We had quite a crowd! I've only heard estimated figures but I was told that we had somewhere around 3,000 in attendance. To God be the GLORY for the GREAT THINGS He is doing in TEXAS!

Bro. Michael Ensey is our District Youth President and he and his "team" did a fine job of leading HYC. I was very impressed with what I saw and what I heard this year. I loved the theme, "The Greatest Awakening" and decor too!

I love how they related to this generation of kids. The pulpit looked like a "Starbuck's coffee cup", but instead of Starbuck's logo they used "The Greatest Awakening...HYC 2009". One time they had to move it for the Cornerstone Sign Team and we saw the top of it and it looked like coffee was in it!! LOL! Wendell said, "I hope they don't spill it!" It was really neat looking, and I'm not even a "fan" of Starbuck's!

The message preached by Bro. Michael Ensey was phenomenal!!! He preached about holding on to what has been handed down to us, and at one point he had his young son come up and quote scriptures! He gave him a "special Bible" to "treasure". It was very touching! He also had his two grandfathers, and father come and stand with him and his son. It was neat seeing the generations of Pentecost standing together for righteousness and Truth! Generation to Generation...TRUTH MARCHES ON!

Bro. Scott Graham was the night speaker. Must I say anything else? He was anointed to preach to us and it was phenomenal!!!

I can honestly say that after HYC '09 I feel even more safe with the "younger generation of true Apostolics"! We are seeing a great revival and a love for Truth and I'm proud to be associated with the "younger generation"! I LOVE young people and their enthusiasm!!!!

Texas District Conference '09 was wonderful! There is unity in Texas and you can feel it when we all come together. I've said it over and over that "I love having everyone here", and I just had to say it again! Bro. Russo, our Superintendent preached a wonderful message about "sowing the seed", and it was so good. He is a "man after God's heart" and wants the very best for the Texas District. We love Bro. and Sis. Russo and enjoy working with them.

Bro. Carlton Coon was here to "conduct business" and he ministered to all who were there on Friday night. He spoke about "Wounded Eagles". He didn't "preach" but the anointing flowed through Him as He gave us the "message" God had given him for the ministers and wives. I will never forget it! If anyone went home early, or couldn't make it for "whatever reason", let me just say that Friday nights service was absolutely fantastic!!! I wish everyone could have experienced the presence of God and been there for the "laying on of hands" by our leaders. Spirits were healed and hearts were strengthened!

There were a lot of "old songs" sung, and it was very enjoyable. Please don't jump to conclusions and say that "Sis. Elms doesn't like NEW songs", because I do like a lot of them, but there is something about bringing out the "treasures of yesterday" and the leaders definitely pulled them out on Friday night! Speaking of "treasures"...it seems to me that a "treasure" is something you cherish for a lifetime. Once you know the value of a "treasure" you don't want to let it go! (just a thought)

One of the songs sung by Stephanie Clenney was:

"Oh Calvary, Oh Calvary won't you please, please speak to me.
Tell me how much I owe I want to repay.
Then an echo rings clear from the hills of old Judea...
Tell the lost, tell the lost, tell the lost."

I don't know when I have heard that song!! It's been forever and I loved it! Then a quartet made up of: Ken Colegrove, Randy Ensey, Gene Holley, and Mike McGuire sang and did awesome! One of the songs they did was:

'Twas a life filled with aimless desperation
Without hope walked the shell of a man;
Then a hand with a nailprint stretched downward,
Just one touch then a new life began.

And the old rugged cross made the difference
In a life bound for heartache and defeat;
I will praise Him forever and ever
For the cross made the difference for me.

Barren walls echoed harshness and anger
Little faces ran in terror to hide;
Now those walls ring with love, warmth and laughter,
Since the giver of life moved inside.

There's a room filled with sad, ashen faces
Without hope death has wrapped them in gloom;
But at the side of a saint there's rejoicing,
For life can't be sealed in a tomb.

I cannot tell you the feeling that swept the crowd as they ministered in song! All I can say is we were lifted into the heavenlies.

Here is a slideshow for you to enjoy, but it sure doesn't show all the wonderful things that took place in our hearts!

I will make a separate slideshow from the Minister's Wives Breakfast...coming soon!

Let It Rain!

How time flies when "you're having fun"!  The work of God is so much "fun"!  We had the privilege of being at New Life Tabernacle - Dallas with Bobby and Glenda Stanley this weekend and we had a fantastic time! We started out the weekend on Saturday morning speaking at a Leadership Seminar.  About this time each year is when enthusiasm starts to subside in some leaders, so we were there to "give them a shot in the arm".  I think they gave me a "shot"!  :) WOW!  We had such a great time on Saturday.  Everything was top-notch!  Lori Maxwell is the Leadership Team Coordinator and she had every aspect of the seminar organized and decorated.We were totally impressed with everything!  We were also thankful to see her and Danny doing so wonderful in the church in Dallas.  The Maxwell's came to Wichita Falls a long time ago when their daughter Shelly was only five.  They were with us for 13 years then moved away because of work.  It was wonderful to see how God is using them in New Life Tabernacle.  We enjoyed hearing and watching Shelly play and lead in worship on Sunday morning.She did a great job!  

Sunday morning service was electrified with the presence of God!  My husband preached wonderfully and many people came forward to regain strength and power.  Then, Sunday night was another outstanding, powerful, incredible, awesome outpouring of His presence!!!!  I wish all of Dallas could have been in that service.  I can truly say, "I have sat in heavenly places" here on earth!  It made me excited to think that someday we will all be together worshipping the King of kings, and Lord of lords.  HEAVEN!  What a place that's going to be!!!  We left Monday and headed back to Lufkin refreshed and blessed.  

The Stanley's flew out Monday morning to North Carolina for a Holy Ghost Crusade.  This is not a "normal crusade", though.  Let me explain.  Several months ago a preacher from another denomination was on the internet and "happened" upon New Life Tabernacle website. (Bro. Stanley's church)  He started studying the Bible study they offer and saw his need of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost!  He has received it and several of his congregation has also.  (I'm not telling all the details)  Now, he has asked for the Stanley's to come and preach a crusade, because there are people wanting this great experience!  Last night (Monday) was the first night of this meeting and Bro. Stanley called and wanted to tell us about what happened.  He was so excited!  FIVE people received the Holy Ghost last night!  Including two preachers, one preachers wife, and two others!  There are a lot of details, but I do not feel I should go into them, at this time.  Please keep this special meeting in your prayers this week!  God is doing a mighty work and pouring out His spirit on those that are hungry. LET IT RAIN!  

I am happy to say that "great things are happening through the preachers and saints of the United Pentecostal Church International"!  We have people all over the world being used by God, and there's a great  "harvest of souls being reaped".  What a great day we are living in! Let's all be a part of what God is doing in these last days!

I trust you are all having a blessed week.  I am still amazed at the people who have been reading my blog!  :)  THANK YOU!  Hopefully, I will be making another post, soon.  Have a great week!

The Letter from 1968

I just received this letter from Cindi Harrod (Hopper). She is the daughter of my Youth Leader when I was growing up in Truth Tabernacle. This letter was written when I was 15 years old! Now, ya'll can figure for yourself how "young" I am! :) We were so hungry for God to "show us His glory" once again. We were wanting to see in "our day" what the old-timers had seen in "their day" . This letter was written from the heart of very sincere, hungry "kids" who loved God, but wasn't willing to have a "normal" youth group, or church. When my Dad, who was the Pastor at the time, received this letter, it gripped him to think the young people were calling for a move of God like this and he took this letter to the church and read it to them. He then challenged the adults to bind together in prayer and fasting, and to unify themselves with the youth of Truth Tabernacle to see a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost. It was sometime later that we had our first convert, a leader of a rock band, came to church with his girlfriend and God started doing an incredible work in the lives, and their friends. I watched as God delivered MANY young people from addictions that had them bound. I remember the all night prayer meetings, the Bible studies EVERY Tuesday night, the doorbell ringing at our home in the middle of the night and it would be one or several of the "hippie kids" needing to talk to Daddy and needing prayer. I remember being in church and one of the ones who had been delivered from the chains of drugs would have a "flash-back" and we would pray until they were relieved from this terrible thing that would happen. Oh, my mind is racing with the awesomeness of God in our midst when we got desirous for the miraculous manifestations of God to be among us! It can happen again TODAY! If you are a young person reading this, take to heart what God is talking to you about. If you are an adult, don't sit back and let someone else take the lead. There are hungry young people in our churches who are searching for a deeper walk with God, and we can show them the way! REVIVAL is not for those who sit back and let someone else do it, but for those who are willing to "go an extra mile" to see what God can do for US.....NOW.....not "then", but....NOW! Is there anything too hard for God? He'll do it again if we only make the sacrifice to see it happen! Following is the letter that helped start the revival we had a long time ago.

The older generation and ‘old time Pentecost’ as written by the youth in 1968

We, the young people of Truth Tabernacle are desperately seeking and searching for an answer to a question that has been in our minds since we have been filled with the Holy Ghost…“What has happened to ‘old time Pentecost’ and the miracles we have all heard about?” You see, we have heard of brush arbor days when God moved by His Spirit in such a wonderful way to heal grave disease and even raise the dead, but where are these miracles today? Are they no longer able to be manifest in our lives?We’ve been told how Satan did all he could to crush the church in it’s infancy, how men came to kill ministers but instead were touched by the power of God and went to the altar and found salvation! How the church separated itself completely from the denominal church world and sought truth with all it’s heart. We’ve been told how true believers dared to be different and live a holy and modest life unashamedly for God. It seems that these things have ceased to be in most of our churches. Can we as young people once again see these things happen?We don’t just want to hear about ‘old time Pentecost’, or the old time religion, but we demand to be shown a demonstration of the Spirit that you felt and witnessed. We refuse to be content with just half of the promises of miracles, deliverances and of the old time visitation of God’s Spirit, we feel it is our right, privilege and even our very inheritance. We’ve felt God’s presence, but we also must witness the miraculous if we are to grow and increase in God.  In all humility, we ask you -the ‘old time Pentecostals’ to pray with us and for us that we too may fully know and experience the power God! (Signed by: the Young People of Truth Tabernacle)

Note: Thank you, Cindi for providing this letter. I have wanted it for years!

"Dear God, are you bringing this letter to the attention of your people, once again, so we will feel hungry to see You work like never before? What is the reason for this coming our way? Stir us up, Lord! Don't let us rest! The cry of our heart is to see Your promises come to pass! Show us Your glory! Show us Your power! Break the chains that bind! Not only the chains of those bound by sin, but the chains of mediocrity in our own lives. Put a FIRE down in our souls that cannot be quenched! We want to see a MIGHTY OUT-POURING of your Spirit! In Jesus Name! AMEN!"

Camp Meeting '07 and Great Weekend!

This passed week was wonderful! We had our Texas District Camp Meeting and it was the best we have had in awhile. The preaching by Bro. Ron Mullings, (California) Bro. David T. Elms, (Florida) and Bro. Paul Mooney, (Inidana) was wonderful! Every message I heard touched my mind and heart. On Friday night was crusade and Bro. Greg Godwin preached the message and it was interpreted for the spanish speaking people by Bro. Drost. At the end of the service there had been 246 people receive the gift of the Holy Ghost! The Holy Ghost was falling all around and while people received their personal Pentecost it sounded like a "count down"! It was almost continuous! Then, to make it even more special, our little Alayna Joy (4 years old) received the Holy Ghost!!!! It was wonderful! She came up to me and I asked her if she had received the Holy Ghost and she said, "Yes". I asked her how she knew she had received it, and her answer was so cute. She said, "Because I felt God's words come up in my throat!" She is so precious! Mandy asked her a lot of questions the next day and she answered everyone of them "right". She told Mandy that she "said God's words"! There is no doubt that she received the greatest gift anyone could ever receive! Also, Haiden, (8 years old) a boy from our church, received the Holy Ghost a few minutes before Alayna did. The wonderful thing about children receiving God at an early age is that they have a lifetime to serve Him! It was wonderful being in the presence of God in the services. Sis. Dedie Cooley was the Music Coordinator for the week and if you know her you KNOW the music was incredible! She did a great job! She worked so hard. It seemed like she was always at the keyboard going through songs with the musicians and singers. It definitely made the difference! We came home to a wonderful move of God this weekend. Bro. and Sis. Mullings were our special guests, and he definitely blessed out church with his ministry! The messages were powerful and ordained by God. I cannot tell you what the message he preached on Sunday night did for me. You need to listen to it on LifeTab.org. The title is: "My Faith Fights for Me". WOW! I know you will be blessed when you listen. We had a wonderful time. There is nothing like having "old friends" to visit with. We enjoyed a time of fellowship today, also. It was hard to say "goodbye", but we have great memories of this weekend. I trust you are all having a wonderful summer. I've missed blogging, but I haven't been where I could be "online". It's good being home! (I will add a slideshow sometime this week.)