FFM Online Newsletter - April, 2008

April was a wonderful month of opportunities to serve the Lord. We began at the meeting at Clearfork Baptist Church in Albany, KY which was a great blessing. We then drove home for a day to celebrate David, Joseph, and Jonathan's birthdays (PLUS their cousin, William's birthday!). What a crazy day that was, trying to fit in unpacking, birthday shopping, wrapping, cake making, laundry, repacking, and the party itself!! It was one for the record! The next morning we left bright and early for Fletcher, NC where we began a Family Revival the next day. Fletcher First Baptist and their pastor, Roy Waldroup, have been such a blessing to our family these past few years. The Lord worked in hearts there as Rick preached a series of messages on personal revival. Bro. Roy always keeps us busy sightseeing during the daytime, and this year was no exception! We enjoyed a cold trip (the weather did NOT cooperate!) to Linville Caverns and Linville Falls, a special day at the Biltmore House in Asheville, and a chance to sing at a local radio station where we performed live and then recorded a program for the next day as well. We are always so grateful for the sweet fellowship of the folks at Fletcher! After that meeting, we drove down to Hilliard, FL for a much needed day's rest at the prophet's chambers at Buford Grove Baptist. We spent a short time at the Okefenokee Swamp, one of the boys' favorite places to explore! The nest day we headed to Webster, FL to begin a Family Revival at First Baptist Church with Pastor Hoss Moore. This sweet church has also been a blessing to our family the past several years. We enjoyed our week there and God moved during the services with much response at the invitations. Bro Hoss and Miss Lisa are like family to us, as we have known them since our children (and theirs!) were small! Our family enjoyed a wonderful place to stay, as one of the ladies in the church allowed us to stay in her home. The boys once again got to feed her goats and cows all week long! We also shopped 'til we dropped at the Webster Market!  One day, we took time out from school to drive over to Clearwater, FL to Sand Key Beach. The children had never seen the gorgeous Gulf Coast beaches before! It was a perfect day of R & R for us!

We left Florida for Jonesboro, GA where we enjoyed Family Day at Harvest Baptist Tabernacle with Pastor Joe Arthur. He and his family really rolled out the red carpet for us and made us feel so at home.  The Lord blessed as Rick preached a message on "God's Portrait of a Model Family". We left Jonesboro and headed for Carrollton, GA where we began a meeting the next night at Central Baptist Church with Pastor Doug Bearden. What a sweet spirit they have at Central Baptist! The Lord blessed during the week and really worked in our hearts there. After a busy week of meetings, we drove all the way to Terra Haute, IN for a Sunday. On the way, the Associate Pastor called to tell us that their pastor, Tom Manbeck, had been taken to the emergency room for an emergency appendectomy! Rick agreed to teach Sunday School and preach both services the next day. What a miraculous way that God directs our paths! We always love to be able to assist a pastor in any way we can! To our great surprise, Bro Manbeck was dismissed from the hospital Sunday afternoon, and showed up at church ready to preach Sunday night! He's a tough guy!! On Monday, we headed for Louisville, KY where we began a Camp Meeting at Maryville Baptist Church. Our week there was interrupted when we received a call that Rick's 93 year old mom was having a medical procedure done and we decided to hurry home to be there with her. She is a trooper, and came through with flying colors! To top it off, we were able to enjoy two nights at home!!

We are so thankful for this month of ministry. Family Revivals are the heart of our ministry, and we thank God for arranging several of them this month. It is then that we have time to really get to know the members of a congregation and to invest in their lives. Often, Rick has opportunity to speak to the men of the church, Nancy gets to teach ladies Bible studies, and occasionally, Leah and Jonathan speak to the youth group. We rejoice as we see the hand of God working in families and individuals during these meetings! Please pray that God would open more doors of opportunity for this type of meeting. It is our desire to minister to and encourage families to walk in His ways!