Prayer Requests - Week of 1/11/2009

Gregg is out of town all week. Remember Angie and the boys as they are here without him. Praise - he has passed all of his tests!!!

Continue to remember the Newsom family following Chuck's death.

Pray for the Prince family as Stacia's dad is near death.

Amber's best friend's dad, John Spellman, has leukemia. He is not talking about it.

The Difference - multi-church youth retreat this coming weekend.

Pray for peace during difficulties this year.

Update - Henry Dunn (cancer) is not going to have to do chemo!

Tim Tebow and his Testimony to the World

Whether you are a Florida fan or a fan of another college team, you have to admire the faith of Tim Tebow. Knowing that the whole world was watching, he chose to use his "global stage" to testify to the world about Jesus Christ by writing John 3:16 on his eye black.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

So, what affect did this have on the world? Take a look at the link below.

http://www.google.com/trends/hottrends?q=*&sa=X&date=2009-1-8

Google constantly tracks popular search topics. In today's world Google is often the first source of information when something comes up. Google Trends basically ranks the latest top search topics and gives a pretty accurate reading of what people are interested in at any given time.

On 1/8/2009, the day of the National Championship where Tim Tebow proudly wore John 3:16 on his eye black, the top search on the Internet was John 3 16. It is pretty amazing that one 21 year old college football star was able to reach millions of people who were curious enough to go to a computer to search it out. I hope the interest that he sparked in so many people will result in some life changing decisions to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Side note: Look at the search topics below John 3 16. On January 8th, John 3 16 was a more popular search than an earthquake, Oprah, and Obama. I just thought that was interesting to know.

Family Blogs

See how one of our former Sunday School teachers and his family are doing. Chris and Hollie Sammons moved to Waco last summer beacause Chris accepted an Associate Pastor position at a church in Waco.

Check out the Sammons Family Blog

http://thesammonsfamily.wordpress.com/

Also, check out a few other blogs of class members:

Nichols Family Blog

http://web.me.com/gregg.nichols/nicholsadventures/blog/blog.html

Madrid Family Blog

http://madridsnactx.wordpress.com/

(I plan to update my family blog more often starting this week)

Prayer Requests - Week of 1/4/2008

Amber & Kent's kiddos are sick

Amber has a friend, Brooke, whose dad has cancer

Jana, Bobby's intern, will be spending this semester in Uganda as a semester missionary

Gregg's mom, Linda, has the flu

April is sick

Angie and Gregg have a friend who is pregnant - she has had several miscarriages previously

Remember our government officials as we are into a transitional time with lots of changes coming

Christmas Video: Joy to the World by Third Day

You need to have an Adobe Flash Player to view the video. Download it Free: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

The Real Christmas Story

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Luke 2:1-20 NKJV

Prayer Requests - Week of 12/21/2008

Continue to remember the Dunn family - Henry has cancer

Elaine Childs - missionary to gypsy children in Croatia

Dr. Polk's mother (93-years-old) had to have abdominal surgery last week

Chuck Newsom (cancer) and the Newsom family

Brian Wallace had a job interview last week at a company in Lufkin

Christmas Eve services