"Barnabas" Campolo

Dr. Tony Campolo

"...there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means 'Son of Encouragement')... (Acts 4:36)

Caught in a financial storm and treading deep waters of uncertainty, twenty-seven years ago I wrote a letter to the well-known Dr. Tony Campolo at what was then Eastern College in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. He wrote back words of encouragement. 

A couple of weeks ago, I sent Dr. Campolo at Eastern University a copy of A Chancellor Ferry Tale and thanked him for the kindness he extended in our time in need. Once again, this modern-day Barnabas wrote back words of encouragement. 

Beloved, if you were nicknamed according to your words, what would your friends call you? Let's encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11)!

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My Teacher, My Friend

my Miss Evelyn

"In the same way, teach older women to live in a way that honors God...they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women..." (Titus  2:3-5)

Although I'm the older woman to most ladies, yesterday, I visited Miss Evelyn - my spiritual teacher and friend. No one on God's green earth prays more powerfully over me than Evelyn Baskin. Like E. F. Hutton, when she speaks, everybody listens. 

We're all older than somebody, beloved. Let's teach them what's good and pray over those young'uns with Holy Spirit power. (And listen to the older and wiser!)

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If My People

"And all the people...say with pride and arrogance of heart: 'The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." (Isaiah 9:9-10)



Phillip and I just finished Johathan Cahn's The Harbinger. Written as a narrative fiction, Cahn presents mind-boggling parallels between the decline and fall of ancient Israel and America's history and current events. God used Cahn's novel to motivate me to pray fervently for the USA.

Beloved, will you join me? Pray today that America will repent and return to God through Jesus Christ!

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will her from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

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Survival Kit

my superman, car salesman, and 1997 Honda Civic

"Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." (2 Timothy 2:22)

For a rhyme and reason I won't bore you with, on Sunday, Phillip and I brought a 1997 Honda Civic with 187,293 miles on it from Clarksville, TN to Birmingham, AL. Just in case the old boy (car not Phillip) didn't make it, I packed an overnight survival kit: phone charger, hot hair rollers, and makeup. (Smile)

Years and years ago, Ralph Neighbour, Jr. wrote Survival Kit for New Christians. One lesson from the children's edition advised new believers in Jesus to identify and guard their "weak spots" - the places you are most vulnerable to sin. Neighbour gave the example of inflating a balloon. Under pressure, it will most likely pop at its thin or weak spots.

Know your weak spots, beloved? Temptation Survival Rules: 

Run away from sin's temptation. 

Run toward righteousness, faith, love, and peace. 

Run with faithful Christ followers!

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Braggin' Rights

grandboy/granddaddy treehouse, day 2

"Gabriel explained, 'Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God'..." (Daniel 9:22-23)

Merriam-Webster definition of bragging rights: entitlement to boast about something.

I, Jill Glassco, on this 25th day of June, 2018 in the year of our Lord, as the said memaw of one fine, 12-year-old grandboy am hereby entitled to bragging rights, and do, therefore, testify that the said 12-year-old grandson is one very kind, hard-working, respectful, polite, and loving boy, and has the best 12-year-old attitude this memaw has ever witnessed in all my born days.

In the Old Testament, the angel Gabriel delivered a bragging-rights message straight from the throne of Almighty God to a humble servant in Babylonian captivity, namely Daniel, the prophet and faithful servant of the Lord.

Let's be humble and faithful servants of Jesus, beloved, and give Father God bragging rights!

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Work Zone

Granddaddy and grandboy

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord..." (Colossians 3:23)

A prayer to Jesus went up before the first treehouse board. I've never seen a granddaddy and grandboy work harder or have more fun together.

Work hard for the Lord, beloved, and have a great day with Jesus!

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A "Grand" Ol' Time

My Phillip and our grandboy
Coosa River Farm

"...older men...live wisely...In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching." (Titus 2:2,6-7)

Our 12-year-old grandboy is visiting this week. Last evening, he and Phillip worked in the garden, and today, they're building a treehouse in the woods. Grandboy and Granddaddy are having a grand ol' time!

Beloved, let's have a grand ol' time with youngsters and live as godly examples before them.

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Born in a Storm

Fort Morgan Beach

"O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold I will...." (Isaiah 54:11)

One year ago today, Tropical Storm Cindy roared onto Fort Morgan Beach, and a new children's book was born in a storm.

In a storm, beloved? "O dear soul, do not despair your school of sorrow. It is bestowing on you a unique part in the heavenly song. In the darkness night your Father is composing your song. In the valley He is tuning your voice. In the storm clouds He is deepening your range. In the rain showers He is sweetening your melody. In the cold He is giving your notes expression. And as you pass at times from hope to fear, He is perfecting the message of your lyrics." ~ George Matheson ~

O sing unto the Lord new songs born in the storms!

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Post-vacation Blues

Our Rebecca, 2 grandboys, and my superman
corn shucking at the beach




"For the LORD takes delight in His children..." (Psalm 149:4)

It always happens.

Never fails.

Every single time.

As soon as the last carload of kids and grands drives off from the family vacation, even though I know that I know that I'll see them again very soon, the post-vacation blues crash over me like a tidal wave on the storm-tossed sea. 

Why?

Because I LOVE being with my kids.

So does Father God!

Have you spent time with Him today, beloved?

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Babygrand #7: It's a...

grandboy

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

On the beach vacation, a cake cutting revealed: it's... 

another sweet little, BOY. Luke is on the way for a total of 6 grandboys and 1 grandgirl.

In Greek, the name Luke means "light giver." I pray that tiny Luke in Mandy's womb will grow to be a mighty man of God and that the light of Jesus will shine through him giving glory to God our Father!

Got Jesus, beloved? Shine!!!

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Beautiful

My beautiful girls

How beautiful...are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7

Beloved, tell the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ!

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Perfect

My Family

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)

"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." (Proverbs 17:6)

So good.

Perfect.

Thank You, Father.

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Shout and Sing

family fun
last evening




"O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
In whose hands are the depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are His also.
The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
For His is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture
And the sheep of His hand.
Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts."

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Glorious Things

grandgirl

"Sing to the LORD for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world." (Isaiah 12:5)

Yesterday, I found a mermaid swimming in our beach house pool. Grandgirls are glorious things!

Today, beloved, tweet less and sing more to the Lord who does glorious things.

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Thank God for Children

Our grands - youngest to oldest
Day #1 family beach vacation

"Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from Him." (Psalm 127:3)

Beloved, thank the Lord for your children today. I already have.

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Pumpkin Pie

"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust?...As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least descent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?" (Matthew 7:11 The Message)


So, why for heaven's sake did this Memaw bake a pumpkin pie in the good ol' summertime? Because her grandboy asked for pumpkin pie for his 9th June birthday. (A piping hot sour-cream-chocolate-chip pound cake and 3 dozen M&M cookies also garnish my kitchen counter for the kids and grands who prefer chocolate to pumpkin. My house smells scrump-deliumpcious!)

Have a need, beloved? Ask Father God - ask according to His will (1 John 5:14), ask in Jesus' name (John 14:13), and ask in faith (Matthew 21:22), for the Bible says you have not because you ask not (James 4:2). 

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A Good Ol' Fight

brother Mark and me (the 2 kids in the middle)
the "big" slide at DeSoto State Park
1960

"Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the  presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12)

As a little girl growing up in a household and neighborhood of all boys, brother Mark taught me to fight by age 5. (It was just something kids did for fun up on Lookout Mountain in the 1960s.)

In his letter to young Timothy, the Apostle Paul relates how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household: fight the good fight of faith. 

Henrietta Mears: "We will not be carried into heaven on flowery beds of ease. We must fight if we would be conquerors. But it is a 'good fight.'"

Who are we fighting? Not against flesh-and-blood people, but  we're fighting against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places - namely the devil and his demon cohorts (Ephesians 6:12)

What are our weapons? Not putting up our dukes, but speaking the mighty Word of God and praises to His name.

Are you fighting the good fight, beloved? 

(Hilarious and powerful sermon: Fighting the Good Fight by Pastor Joe McGee. Available at: churchofthehighlands.com, click media, click first Wednesday)

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Little Free Library Up and Stocked

Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31)

I am SO excited! My sweet Phillip and I worked with flashlights to get the Little Free Library (which wasn't free) up and stocked last night - a fun gift to our 1900+ neighbors.

Beloved, love your neighbor in a tangible way today. Jesus said so; yes He did!

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Bumper Crop

Neighborhood VBX (Vacation Bible Xperience)

"Just as the rains...descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the Words that come from My mouth not come back empty handed. They do the work I sent them to do; they'll complete the assignment I gave them." (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Reports from Indiana say that Day #1 was a great success for the 17 neighborhood VBXs. Today, I pray that God's Word is sown into little hearts and produces 100-fold crops of godliness. 

Know a Bible verse or two, beloved? Share that good seed with a hungry soul. Who know? God might produce a bumper crop!

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Tricks Aren't Just for Kids

my superman




"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

Well, I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. On Saturday,  at age 63, my superman learned to wake board. Way to go superman!

There's no age limit to what God can do through a body, soul, and spirit submitted to Him. Amen?

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Ode to Vacation Bible School

(our grands are somewhere in the multitude)

"Place My words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you....Teach them to your children." (Deuteronomy 11:18-19 The Message)



Our amazing son-in-law - the children's director at their church - is overseeing 17 neighborhood VBXs (Vacation Bible Xperience) next week! May the Lord equip you, dear Stephen, with every good thing to do this important work set before you!

Yesterday, I came across a poem I penned 30 years ago as the old school VBS (Vacation Bible School) director at First Baptist Church, Bogalusa, La.

Ode to Vacation Bible School

They came from here

They came from there

They seemed to come from everywhere!

All little creatures, great and small

Some did walk and some did crawl.

Vacation Bible School had begun

With lots of work and loads of fun.

We worked and snacked and learned and played

And broke the things that we had made.

But to all the folks who worked untiring

We'd like to thank - you are inspiring!

To all the helpers and the teachers

Who just one week were mini preachers.

They gave their time and worked like elves

But best of all, they gave themselves.

To our father and our mother

To our sister and our brother

We thank our family for taking turns

Bringing us that we might learn.

Of course without us kids, you see,

Vacation Bible School would be

Simply books with empty pages

Or like a job that pays no wages.

This week, we have learned in love

Our thanks should go to God above.

To Him who harbors us in care

We want to offer up this prayer:

Thank You, Father, for blessings sweet

And for Thy care all through the week.

This summer, may the Lord bless all the workers and all the little children in all the Vacation Bible Schools in all the world. In the name of Jesus! Amen.

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