Funeral

My step-mom, Marie Henderson, lost her battle with cancer last Thursday, April 22, 2010. She knew Jesus as her Savior and is now experiencing something so amazing, we can't even imagine it. The funeral was last Sunday and it was really nice. The small country church she attended was packed full of people who loved her and there were even people standing in the back. The pastor did a wonderful job of honoring her and presenting a message of salvation to many who may have never heard it otherwise. I was able to pick a scripture to read during the graveside service. I didn't know which one I would read until we were in the truck on the way to the cemetery, but the Lord gave me this scripture and I think it was perfect. Here it is:

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.




Minnie Marie Henderson
September 25, 1952 - April 22, 2010

Minnie Marie Henderson, age 57 of Calico Rock, Arkansas passed away Thursday, April 22, 2010 at Hospice of the Ozarks Hospice House. She was born September 25, 1952 in Old Joe, Arkansas to Henry and Velma (Teegarden) Pruitt.
Mrs. Henderson married Bobby Henderson January 20, 1990 in Old Joe, Arkansas. She was a production line worker for Baxter Lab and retired after 32 years of service.
Mrs. Henderson is survived by her husband: Bobby Henderson of Calico Rock, three daughters: Paige Bishop and husband Jeff of Lucedale, Mississippi, Amy Stinespring and husband Jeremy of Westville, Illinois and Elizabeth Stauffer and husband John of Sherwood, Arkansas, two sisters: Estalee McGowen of Culp, Arkansas and Marlene Staggs of Calico Rock, Arkansas, eight grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Pleasant Valley Community Church with Pastor Monte Neal officiating. A visitation will be Sunday from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at the church. Interment will be in Galatia Cemetery.

Beth

Several Things

I have several things to write about today, so here goes:

Serbia Updates:
We heard from Serbia today and there have been several changes, but only minor ones that don't really affect the big scheme of things. The girl who was going to go with us can't go now. She is doing an internship in Germany this summer and can't get away from that. So, now it will just be the two of us and our interpreter. The family we have been in contact with in Serbia has just been reassigned to England and will leave soon, so they will hand everything off to someone else. No big deal, that just means we get to meet more Christian missionaries in Serbia! Also, the economy has changed a bit and the cost of our hotels has gone up. But it only adds about $100 more to our trip than we had originally planned for. We can definitely work with that. So, everything is still on, we just had a few minor changes, but God knows what He is doing and we will continue to watch Him work through this mission trip!

Quotes from C.S. Lewis:
I'm reading a book by C.S. Lewis right now called "The Great Divorce", which isn't about divorce at all, but about Heaven and Hell. Two things the book says really struck me last night and I wanted to share them.

These are both quotes from a character in the book who is in Heaven:

"There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself...as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist! There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ. Man! Ye see it in small matters. Did ye ever know a lover of books that with all his first editions and signed copies had lost the power to read them? Or an organiser of charities that had lost all love for the poor? It is the subtlest of all the snares."

Wow! This quote cut right through me. It is so true for us Martha's in the world (Luke 10:38-42). I'm trying so hard to be a Mary instead of a Martha. I thought that quote summed it up well.

He also says in the book:

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'"

I think that one speaks for itself.

Fundraiser Update:
Saturday went really well at Kroger. I stayed out there for 5 hours and made $250! Some people were just giving donations. I met a lot of great people and got to share with several of them about our new church and about our mission trip. It was a great experience. We have now paid for all the cookbooks and everything from here on goes to our mission trip. We have $155 from them toward the mission trip now and there are a lot more books to sell. I'm having a yard sale this weekend and hope to sell some there. Also, some members of our church are working hard to sell them and we greatly appreciate their help. I may need to set up in front of Kroger again, but we will see how things go.

Prayer Team Needed:
We are about to organize a prayer team for our mission trip. We will announce it this week at church. If anyone reading this is interested in being one of our prayer warriors, please let us know. The team will meet several times between now and when we leave to pray, and they will also pray while we are in Serbia. We also want to ask everyone, whether on the prayer team or not, to stop each day at 6:19 (am or pm) to say a prayer for our mission trip(6:19 because that is the date we are leaving).

Have a Blessed Day!
Beth

Watching God Work

When God called us to this mission to Serbia, we didn't have the funds to pay for it. But we committed to going and decided to watch God work to get the funds for us. We knew that if He wanted us to go, He would pave the way. So far, He has done just that.
Right now, we have 25% of the money we need. However, John's mom has committed to raising $1,000 from her church, friends, family, and business associates. That money has already started coming in and will put us at 50% when it all comes. The cookbook sales have been slow, but steady. We have almost raised enough money to pay for the cookbooks and the rest will be money for the mission. Beth and our 8-year-old are going to go door to door with them this evening (weather permitting) and tomorrow, we are setting up in front of our local Kroger to sell them. By the way, Kroger was so easy to work with and so nice about letting us do this. Once all the cookbooks are sold, we will be at 83% of the funds needed!!! Soooo close! Also, I have two Southern Living at HOME parties booked for May and a couple of other people say they might book one. Also, we are having a yard sale next weekend that should bring in at least a couple hundred dollars. Those parties and the yard sale should put us close enough to the amount needed that we will only need to use a little money from our savings to pay for the rest of the trip.
Let me just say how awesome it has been to watch God work through this. We knew in our hearts that He was calling us to the mission field, and we knew He would provide everything needed for it...and He has been and still is working! Praise Jesus!

Please continue to pray for the Serbs and for us.

An update on my family:
My step-mom is home on hospice. They were able to teach my dad to move her from her bed to the wheelchair and shower without hurting himself. So, it is a blessing that she is home. She now knows the cancer is terminal. Please pray for God to give her peace and to take away the pain.

My grandma is doing much better. They have her on some medicine that seems to be working well. Praise God!

Prayer Requests

I know I said I'd update this more often, but we've had some family emergencies recently. We are just now settling back into life and hopefully things will be calm for a little while.
Please pray for my grandma (my mom's mom) who is suffering from Alzheimer's. She is doing better now that she is home from the hospital, but she sees things that aren't there and gets confused a lot. We can't leave her alone at all. We hired someone to stay with her at night, which helps a lot, but we will probably have to eventually look into a nursing home or something like that.

Also, pray for my step-mom, Marie. We recently found out she has terminal cancer. It is on her spinal cord and she can't walk. They are trying to shrink it so she can walk again and go home, but there hasn't been any improvement so far. We had to transfer her from the hospital to a nursing home and that was really hard. She's only 57. But my dad can't take care of her at home if she can't walk. So, please pray she will get to come home at some point. Also, pray for my dad. He is having a hard time dealing with this and refuses to tell her the cancer is terminal. I believe she has a right to know, so please pray we can find the words to tell her and that she will be at peace with it.


As for Serbia, we had a great talk a couple of weeks ago on the phone with our contact in Serbia. Also, a girl from Louisiana is going to join us on our mission trip. We are excited about meeting her and working with her.
Please continue to pray for the Serbs and for us as we prepare to go.