The Dykes

Sunday we were with Joel and Angel Dyke, dynamic pastors of the Life Church in West Monroe, Louisiana.

This growing church is named correctly because when you walk through the door you can feel excited anticipation and LIFE!

The praise and worship of the Lord was truly offered from the hearts of the congregation. The leader was in tune with the Holy Spirit. The musicians were not just playing to sound good (which they really did)--they were giving their talents as an offering to Jesus.

We could feel the deep love the pastors have for people--both for the church and for the surrounding community. The active ministry outreaches of Life Church are showing the community the love of Jesus. You can feel that God is about to do something great in that place...

It was such a pleasure to get to know the Dykes and their lovely daughters, Hannah and Rebecca. (We hope to snag one or both of them for missions one day soon.)

Of course we ate together. And talked and talked and talked. Since Joel and Angel are former missionaries, it was easy to share with them. Their hearts are so huge.

We just thank God for the kinship we feel with the Dykes, and we are looking forward to ministering with them in Africa one day soon.


Their stage is really cool...designed and built by my nephew, Todd Bougher.

The Potter's House

We had the priviledge of visiting with Ron Guynes, missions pastor at The Potter's House in Dallas yesterday. Some of the 'Cup Team and I had met with him and his wife a few months ago in Swaziland, discussing what can be done for the Kingdom of God.

(That's where I discovered that Pastor Guynes is kin to the gentleman--Delmar Guynes--who visited Dave and me in our home many years ago, giving us our first interview for becoming missionaries with the Assemblies of God.)

After our meeting with Pastor Guynes, he took us on The Grand Tour of the church. Since Pastor T. D. Jakes was not there, Dave and I stood in the pulpit...for a photo.

What an awesome church! They are doing great things for the Kingdom.

Hunt

Ed Smith, Dave & me, Heidi, Missy, a foster daughter, Heidi's son Ethan, Judy Ruiz, Ed Smith's son Elliott / (front) Missy’s nephew, Tracy, two other foster daughters, Missy’s niece


Tracy and Missy Hunt hosted a “Cottage Meeting” for us this week in San Antonio. They fed us all really great fajitas and sausages cooked on the grill along with a delicious salad (that Missy promised to send the recipe for) and a bunch of other stuff including this really moist cake...

A huge thanks to Tracy and Missy for such a wonderful opportunity to share Children’s Cup and to renew old friendships as well as meet some new folks.

Congratulations are in order for them too…they have three beautiful foster daughters but have announced that the first part of December they will be having a baby.

Conference

The ARC conference, held at the awesome Celebration Church in Round Rock, Texas, was one of our recent stops. Loads of super sermons by great pastors and leaders along with reunion with old friends was punctuated by the neatest hosting staff--feeding us delicious meals (especially I enjoyed the yummy BarBQue) and treating us like royality.


This photo is of Dave and Pat Conti (our own Children's Cup missionary who is itinerating to raise his support to go back to the field soon) and the very cool pastors of the St Louis Dream Center, Jeff and Jami Allensworth.

Dinner with David

We were priviledged to have dinner with number one son, David, in Austin last week.

Along with working for AG Edwards in Austin, he is an artist--and is soon to be volunteering at a local children's hospital, teaching the kids to paint. Is that cool or what!?!

Vaughn, This Post is For YOU!

Grandson Vaughn, a lover of fine sports cars, would love to ride in this one!Snapped these pix while on the road in Texas. Purty little thing, huh?

About God and Atheists

A friend sent me this photo of a church marque. I love it.

The Cowboy Church

Wow, what a grand time we had at the Cowboy Church in Henrietta, Texas, this morning. It sets up on a little hill in the midst of the Texas prairie, complete with its own rodeo grounds located out back of the church where they do outreach ministries!
The greeter at the door was wearing cowboy boots and jeans decorated with the biggest and coolest belt buckle--sporting a great big Texas smile...just like all the other folks there.

The service started off with a blast of three shofar horns sounding from various places in the sanctuary. Then everyone SHOUTED!

(If that doesn't get you started off awake, nothing will!)

The music is totally my kind. I love southern gospel. There was a banjo, a fiddle, a guitar or two and a group of singers who blended their voices in the sweetest harmonies. We all sang praises to the Lord that raised the roof.

Dave and I were privileged to speak to the congregation for a few minutes and thank them for their awesome support of Children's Cup. They were excited to hear what their dollars were accomplishing across the ocean.


A down-to-earth real life cowboy, Pastor Larry brought a solid challenging message from his heart. His congregation has been taught the spirit of servanthood and cheerfully serve God by serving the community and the world.

And before we knew it, the service was over. We shook hands and hugged necks. All of them expressed love and concern for the little kids in Africa who are so needy.


Finally, we had lunch with our dear friends, Bill and Willa McCalip. The food was great, but the conversation was the best.

We were blessed today. How we praise the Lord for every one of the folks at the Cowboy Church, Henrietta, Texas.

Appetites

A very good friend of ours, Paul Klahr, regularly sends us emails of encouragement. This one just needs to be read by more people. So I'm sharing. (Thanks, Paul.)


Over indulgence in any appetite is not liberty, it is slavery.

An overactive appetite in any area produces an insensitive person.

“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial.
“Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by
anything. [I Cor. 6:12]

The nature of a creature determines its appetite. It is the nature
of sheep to desire the pasture and not the garbage dump. Nature also
determines behavior. An eagle flies because it has an eagle’s nature
and a dolphin swims because that is the nature of the dolphin.

If nature determines appetite, and we have God’s nature within, then
we should have an appetite for that which is pure and holy and our
behavior should be Christ like. The paths of a righteous man are
ordered of the Lord.

I Peter 2:2 speaks of our need of an appetite for God’s Word. It
should be like newborn babies desiring milk. The Greek words suggest
the voracious, hungry impatience of a baby at its mealtime.

Appetites are not limited to physical edible substances. Have you
ever heard someone say, “Feast your eyes on this?” Our habits and
sights need to be regulated by the direction of the Holy Spirit. The
question we must ask ourselves is, “Would I be willing to entertain
Jesus while doing this?”

Over indulgence in any appetite is not liberty, it is slavery.

Covetousness may seem out of place next to fornication, but the two
sins are but different expressions of the same basic weakness of fallen
nature, uncontrolled appetite. The fornicator and the covetous person
each desire to satisfy their appetite by taking what is not theirs. The
lust (appetite) of the flesh and the lust (appetite) of the eyes would
describe these two sins. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

If I recognize my body as the temple of the Holy Ghost, my life
should be directed by the Holy Spirit and centered on Christ. My
appetite for God’s word develops spiritual nutrition, which will make
Christ’s likeness visible in me.

Faith Academy

We were priviledged to speak to the kids at Faith Academy, Gonzales, Louisiana on Wednesday. These kids have gathered coins in their special "cups" and have given tremendously to help the little ones in Africa. It was so cool to be able to tell them what their gifts have done to help change those lives.

The K4 class, led by very apt teacher, Ms. Gordon, put on a play for us: Wilma the Scaredy Spider. The kids spoke their lines clearly and loud enough for the entire audience to hear. The cast was all decked out in bug costumes. SO cute.

Principal, Kirby Veron, and his wife, Lita, took us on the Grand Tour of the school (very impressive) while enroute to our next event: A special day of prayer for Zimbabwe.

On the way there we saw the little K4 class lined up to get their lunch. One of the children called out to me, "Hey! You were at our chapel!" I said, "Yep. That was me!"

So I chatted for a minute with two or three of them. Then I thought I'd just stand in line with them. "I'm hungry too. I think I'll just get some lunch, " I said to just anyone who might be paying attention.

The little girl in line ahead of me turned around and said, "You can't. You aren't in our class."

I smiled as I left the lunch line to catch up with my own "class" who was moving on down the hallway. I wondered to myself if she meant grade K4 or that I was just unqualified to be in K4!

Thanks to Household of Faith and Faith Academy for their strength of prayerful support for Children's Cup.

New 'Cup T-shirts

(top: front of shirt; bottom: back of shirt) Coming soon! $15. Wear one proudly.

Such Cute Kids

L to R: Monet, Vaughn, Monroe, Rhett, Lincoln, Rhodes (I think)

We (Josh, Shannon, Danny, Vicki, JD, the kids in the photo above along with Dave and moi) ate at Mr Gatti’s pizza buffet last night. (Tori was with her Bible study group.)

We nearly ran ‘em out of pizza.

Kids were really good—impressed an elderly couple at a nearby table even.

I had brought along treats for the children…“fruity snacks” they were called. But, alas, loaded with sugar. Needless to say, it was a good thing we were in a side room with the door closed… The sugar kicked in and the kids had a ball!

I’m so blessed to have so many grand kids. They are each a special treasure.

I love being a grandmother!

Black & White with Hot Pink

Brag.

I think we have the prettiest 16-year-old granddaughter ever!

Here is Tori just about to leave on her date with Jordan for prom night.

They coordinated their outfits and I think they look really cute together!

They had a ball.

Yeah, he got her home before curfew.