DeSoto Hills Baptist Church

Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines the word REVIVAL as renewed attention to or interest in something. Of course, for us that “something” would consist of our relationship to and resolve for the Lord. Although I try to make every Sunday here a time of renewal, I am fully aware that hearing it through the same vessel week after week may at times lose its effectiveness. Periodically, we need a fresh face, a fresh voice, and even a fresh perspective to help move us along in our walk with the Lord. I am happy to announce that on Sunday, October 5, we have all three of these coming to DeSoto Hills in one package. His name is David Michael and he serves with the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board as an Associate Executive Director with an emphasis in Mission Strategy. He is a gifted speaker and I hope you will make plans to be here for this exciting one day event. Let’s take every opportunity we have for the Lord to renew us day by day. Looking ahead, Bro. James

While some churches suffer from what I jokingly call “staff infection”, we are blessed at DeSoto Hills with what could only be described as “staff affection”. I make this statement based on the fact that we have individuals who serve here that truly care for one another and for this church family. Ministry can be difficult, but these folks pull together to provide a working environment that helps lighten the load for all involved. Probably some of the most unsung heroes of any church staff are the secretaries. I am sad to say we have two that are are leaving us. Joan Lyons is taking early retirement and Cheryl Blanton is leaving to help with her family’s growing business. Joan has been the friendly voice and welcoming smile that so many have experienced as they called or came by the church office throughout the week. She has become an expert at multi-tasking. On any given day, on top of her regular duties, you might find Joan ordering pizza for the youth choir, negotiating with the bus company for transportation, or c onsoling a church member who has had a bad day. She is never too busy to stop and help a fellow staffer out and she is going to be sorely missed. Cheryl has been keeping the books for DeSoto Hills as a part time financial secretary since we began. Her willingness to help serve in this position on such a limited basis has been such a blessing. She has worked in the office only a few hours a week, but she has been on call for us 24/7. Thanks, Cheryl, for helping us keep track of all those receipts, camp fees, and weekly offerings. The good news is that although they will not be working here, both Joan and Cheryl are members of DeSoto Hills, so they will still be around. I am also happy to announce that Jo Tubbs is still with us and Deb Curtis has been hired as the new church/financial secretary. She will be training alongside Joan and Cheryl for the next few weeks. She is well equipped to do both jobs and I hope you will get a chance to come by or call to welcome her. Her husband is the pastor of New Prospect Baptist Church in Lewisburg, so she understands the unique challenges of church=2 0life. I am so grateful that the Lord continues to provide us with committed and caring individuals to serve on the staff of DeSoto Hills. Blessed beyond measure, Bro. James

Feb 28, 2010

Recently Kathy and I made a short road trip to the Strawberry Plains Plantation just outside Holly Springs, now owned and operated by the Audubon Society. Actually, we were multi-tasking. I was scheduled to speak at the Blue Mountain College chapel service that Friday morning, so Kathy went with me. After the service, we changed clothes and headed back to Holly Springs. Our first stop was Philips Grocery -which is no longer a grocery store, but actually a restaurant. Well… it’s kind of a restaurant. They serve these famous hamburgers in a building across from the old train depot. It’s really hard to find and even harder to believe you would want to eat there, but that is a whole different story. It was standing room only. Anyway, after the “ambience” of Philips, we headed to the plantation to experience the annual hummingbird migration. The weather was great, the company was ideal, and the migration was pretty neat. We strolled the gardens and then took a guided wagon tour around a section of the grounds to hear how the Audubon Society was working to enhance the land making it a more suitable wildlife habitant. This is, of course, the sole purpose of this non-profit organization. Our very knowledgeable guide talked about different species of birds, insects, snakes, rodents, trees, and grasses that were a part of the plantation landscape. He explained how they all affected one another. At one point, I was ready to break into a chorus of “The Circle of Life” from Disney’s movie The Lion King. However, as I listened further, it struck me how often the things we consider pests to have a purpose in life. They may annoy us, or as in the case of snakes, scare us, but they have purpose. So it is in our walk with the Lord. There are annoyances or fears that at times seem like blight on an otherwise perfect landscape, and yet the Lord uses them. I was reminded that those beautiful blue birds that nest in my backyard every spring are dependent on those pesky mosquitoes that buzz my head every summer. Probably would not have the one without the other. Meandering Through Marshall County, Bro. James

Someone recently forwarded this prayer to me and I wanted to share it with all of you. Although the e-mail contributed it to Billy Graham, it was actually prayed by Joe Wright on January 23, 1996 to open the Kansas State Senate. As you can imagine, it caused quite a stir and some senators even walked out during the prayer. Controversial or not, it is a confession and an intersession that ought to be on the lips of all Americans. I trust this edited version of his prayer will motivate you to pray for this country and her leaders both present and future. Pray specifically that America will once again find “our spiritual equilibrium” by returning to the God of our fathers. A Prayer For Our Nation Heavenly=2 0Father, we come before you today to ask for your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good”, but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. < o:p> Amen and Amen, Bro. James P.S If you would like more information on the history of this prayer or want to read it in its entirety, you can go to www.barefootsworld.net/kansenprayer.html