Watch

Watch your thoughts:

they become your words.

Watch your words;

They become actions.

Watch your adctions;

They become habits;

Watch your habits;

They become character;

Watch your character;

It becomes your destiny.

7-2007

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8

A few nights before The Celebration, Barry and I sat exhausted in our recliners, relaxing and talking. As we discussed ministry I mumbled that I wanted a vegetable garden, not fruit trees. As I thought about it I thought yes, this tends to be the thinking of a lot of Christians. Yea, sure you plant a vegetable seed and within a year have veggies, lots of veggies! But fruit trees take years after planting that seed to actually see fruit. I have seen ministers impatient with people when they didn’t see the results they wanted to see when they wanted to see them. So- people were pressured to be saved, to be baptized when they were not ready. If you want quick Christians you just may get vegetables. Some say, “I have prayed and when God is ready I’ll stop (drinking) or start (living for Christ).” God is always willing, in fact, waiting for us to obey Him (grow). Fruit just takes time.

Amazing The Celebration ’07 @ The Cross

This years Celebration was amazing: tears flowed, lives changed, (click here) souls saved. Also a time of restoration as God brought some special people back into our lives: Also a time of restoration as God brought some special people back into our lives: Lacey, Kay, Kara, Stephanie, Demerits, Sarah and Devon.  Every night we began with food, and after the service we went to the 1^st Building, eager to eat but not for it to be over, we ate again, lingering and not wanting to leave.

The Celebration is not a fundraiser but a 3-day event to celebrate God’s goodness and grace to us personally and to Matthew 25 Ministries and The Cross. For God saving us, delivering us, and sending His Son Jesus for us. To celebrate Jesus for not only giving us life but life more abundantly!

There was wonderful food, created by our friend (click here) Corey Calvin that asks nothing in return but a chance to do God’s work. Thanks for the help of all those that gave financially and all that donated their time…Bob, Carlie, Connie, Marlene, Maxine, Patrick, Shelia, Tom, Sarah and even Devon and everyone else that helped.

The Celebration is entirely free; one of the reasons is because of those that donate their time and talents, including all the music and ministry during The Celebration.

(click here) The Center is more than a skating rink; it is an awesome ministry to teens. Craig and Bernadette Allen not only work at their full time business (CCS Software) during the week, on the weekend they watch, listen and minister to hurting teens. Sunday they have a youth service and a band that involve the teens. They began The Celebration Thursday night with an awesome praise and worship, beautiful voices- thanks Craig, Jody, D’nea, Scotty, Jamie, Sean and Christie.

(click here) Rick McClure is Senior Pastor of Abundant Life Church in Brownwood and their outreach here in Coleman. Rick spoke Thursday night about how he had been angry at God and rebelled against God, and God had nothing to do with the choices he made. It came down to looking in the mirror and realizing the man in the mirror was responsible for all his misery. It was only through Jesus he would have “Abundant Life”.

(click here) Yachad from Winters, TX (Dwain, Roy, Kerrie, Bernie, & John) began Friday night with anointed praise- joined by 3 teens (Cameron, Tony, & Jody), plus Unchained Life Ministries (in Coleman). Their praise and worship brought in the Spirit, which resulted in salvations and restorations.

Saturday night began with a bang as(click here) Mountain brought in water guns and balloons, which soon became an all out fun time with buckets of water and a horse trough dunk for a few! No one including Devon was too young or too old (we won’t name names).

 (click here) Unchained Life Ministries has a ministry here in Coleman that includes Don & Linda Liles, and Tom & Ann Carter. We will all appreciate their love of the Lord and not being ashamed of showing it!

Unchained Life Ministries included Mountain (Tim) speaking, then “General C” rapping, Catfish singin’ some Swingin’ Christian, Don Liles, Sis M and the “Church Lady” (not what you think)! Mike Holly was not able.  Anyway- what great testimonies of God’s goodness & Yachad came back and we were going strong until midnight!

Praise God for healing Devon! (click here) Just last year Devon lay in a hospital in a chemically induced come, this year Devon was very much alive and driving his pretend motorcycle all over The Cross. Thank you for your prayers!

Mike Holly was unable to be at The Celebration this year, he was at Pampa preaching – (Mountain stepped up to lead for Unchained Life Ministries on Saturday evening). We had met Mike Holly (founder of Unchained Life Ministries, they ride motorcycles and minister in many prisons and outreaches) in April of 2006. Devon turned 2 in June, and Unchained Life Ministries spoke at The Celebration in July. In August 2006 as we were vacationing in New Braunfels I received a call from Devon’s mom, I could hear Devon crying in the background. He was in the Lubbock hospital and we were 7 hours away, but our new friend and Christian brother Mike Holly was just blocks away and came and prayed for Devon and helped his mom. The doctors were baffled as to why Devon was so sick and had to put him in a chemically induced coma for 2 ½ weeks so he could deal with the pain. They discovered that he had been bitten by a deadly spider.  The prayer that began in that hospital room, moved on to The Cross where children 12 and under prayed, then spread through e-mail throughout cities and, later we found, across the world.

Sunday was again a day of rejoicing with 4 baptisms (click here): Roy, Jody, Scotty & his dad Scott- during DEVO Children’s Ministry.

 The next Sunday there was a couple sitting on our steps, Michael and Kristen, wanting to get their life right with God and get married. After Barry ministered to them, we picked up the children for DEVO and brought them back as witnesses. Ivan and Carlie were chosen as(click here) ring bearers. They were thankful for making their day so special.

So we have enough to begin another Celebration! Our next event is Sept. 22^nd Faith & Victory March!

Contact Matthew 25 Ministries, The Cross

PO Box 1003

Coleman TX 76834

325-625-1002

www.mt25.net

March 2006