Alive and Well

We all have a desire to be healthy, strong, vibrant and full of life and here most recently I had an experience that brought a fresh perspective my way that I see parallels the way Holy Spirit works through us and brings us alive.

Just last week I took part for the third time in a run with a long name and an even longer course, the Massanutten Mountain Trails 100. The MMT100 is known as the hardest 100 mile trail race East of the Rockies and for reasons that include; the elevation gain which is somewhere around 17,000 ft and is enough uphill to get you from the base of Mount Mckinley to the summit, the second factor that makes this course so tough is the nature of the trails which is consist jagged rocks next to jagged rocks and best described as ankle breaking, foot pounding, knee bending, bone breaking and flesh eating.

My biggest fear before one of these races is not that I might have a poor showing, it's not that I might break something, nor is it a fear for all the suffering an exhaustion that I am about to subject myself to, it's that I might miss my alarm clock, oversleep and not be at the start. So I woke up at 3:50 AM at the sound of the door closing across the hall from my hotel room ten minutes prior to my alarm going off. I was able to get a descent night of sleep, about 5 hours, and it was nice that my internal alarm clock was working as back to the two alarms that I had set. Not sure it was a breakfast of champions but a banana and a Snickers provide a little bit of energy for the tank to get me going. I then added a hot cup of pre-race coffee provided at the start which rounded out my last ounce of preperation for the race at hand. At this point you would think the pressure would be mounting to get out and push the limit and finish well but really I felt a lot of relief and satisfaction that I made it to the start especially after months of preparing, 100's of miles of training, no injuries, after just having built and moved into a new house, after doing my best to help raise 5 young children, with my wife (who deserves much more credit for her endurance and perseverance than me) holding healthy and strong at 38 weeks pregnant.

I wont' bore you with all the minute details of the run, to be honest I usually forget most of them anyway, but know that there was sweeting, falling, one minor blister, black and blue toe nails, beautiful views, friendly runners (Todd, Mark, Aaron, Phil, Kieth, Neil) and aid station volunteers, people puking, running in the heat, running in the dark, whippoorwills singing, smooth running and some rough going. There was one moment that I do want go into detail about and was quite memorable for me and it happened around 39 miles into the race. Now 39 miles in a 100 mile race is only a little over a third of the way to finish miles wise and a quarter of the way time wise so it is certainly no time to be celebrating a good finish. Well celebrating I was, not a finish but some sort of high that can hardly be explained. I am not sure what spurred this moment of glory on, was it the fact that I was running smooth and my legs were still feeling fairly fresh, was it a little praise and worship time that I was having with me my ipod and God's creation, was it the 2x caffeine Espresso Love GU that I downed earlier or was it what runners refer to as "runners high". Whatever it was at that point I knew I had it in me to accomplish what I had set out to do which was to finish another 100 mile race, to redeem myself from last years DNF, to go out and have fun and to push the limits of my endurance abilities.

I was Alive and Well and this new found energy was so much like what the Holy Spirit does and can do in anybodies life no matter what they are doing or where they are at. I like John Piper's four effects of the Holy Spirit 1) The Holy Spirit Gives New Live 2)The Holy Spirit makes us not just life-getters but life-givers 3) The Holy Spirit witnesses to Jesus 4)The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus.

As I look back at what gave me a vibrant strength that brought me to the finish line on Sunday morning at 3:30 AM, 22 hour and 30 minutes after we started and 5th place OA, I realize that it is not just the training, the support, what you eat, what you drink but it is also includes somethings that are completely necessary that you just can't put your hands on or totally understand.

Zac Smith

Zac Smith's powerful life story teaches, challenges, hurts, encourages, confuses, motivates but most importantly shows Christ.

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Relief Work In Haiti

Lawrence Cotton arrived yesterday in Haiti and will be working to set up further relief efforts to some of the hardest hit areas. The work continues and will go on for a good while with opportunity to reach out with love, action and the gospel.

Check out a partners blog where Lawrence will be working.

The Peanut Butter Story

There’s a story going around about an orphanage in Central America where nine young boys got full one Saturday afternoon. People are saying it was a miracle because it hardly ever happens. Orphans being full? Doesn’t even sound natural. They are saying that God did it. When I heard that I knew I had to set the record straight. God nudged me and told me to. You see I have three friends named David, Lorrie and Brittany and they were eye witnesses to this miracle. They came from Canadato serve at orphanage Emmanuel and asked these young men if they wanted to go on a picnic. They had never been on one and boy were they excited. They knew one thing happened on a picnic. Food would be involved. David asked them if they could have any kind of sandwiches, what would they want? Immediately they said peanut butter and jelly. Sounds like a simple request. Only problem is, there’s hardly any peanut butter in Guaimaca, Hondurasand there was none now. But on this Saturday there was peanut butter at the orphanage. People were saying that God had sent it, but I knew better because I received it! Oh God certainly wanted these boys to go on a picnic and have peanut and butter jelly sandwiches, but He couldn’t send them himself. He tells us in James 1:27 that WE are to look after the orphans in their distress. Psalms 115:16 says “The highest heaven s belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to man." You see, God chose us to do his miracles through. Now it wouldn’t be like God to go back on His Word. God spoke to David about a picnic; David nudged me about some peanut butter. Story has it, some believers at the church at GracePointgot nudged to give and boy did they ever give! These nine young boys had their peanut butter, and not just any peanut butter, but peter pan crunchy. They gave their best! 33 sandwiches from one jar. The way I see it there are 66 more to be made. You see I was an eye witness to this miracle, but I had already experienced a miracle from these same people and some other friends of mine. That’s how I got here! I’ve learned that God doesn’t respond to our needs; He responds to our faith. "Mark 5: 21-34, Mark 10: 48-52 and Matthew 15:27, 28. These young men asked for a miracle and never doubted! They didn’t give a second choice. David said while at the river they started to talk about Jesus as they so often do. All had been saved by our Lord but two had not been baptised. I wasn’t at the river, but my friends tell me they were sure the two boys weighted more when their leader John (of course his name would be John) raised them from the water. You see, God dearly loves us and always will. He can’t love us anymore nor any less. But we don’t always please Him. “Hebrews 11:6.” Like when he nudges us and we don’t respond. Is he nudging you to do something? Maybe you just need to buy a jar of peanut butter. Like the gospel, you never know how far it will spread. I know, I was a witness to it. By the way the boys got full 29 sandwiches and 4 left over. The boys said no mas. To God be the glory!

Link to Orphanage Emmanuel

Michael D.

Sunday Services

As of 8:00 PM Saturday night we are still planning to have services Sunday morning. Please use your best judgement in the morning based on the road conditions were you live. Be safe and if we don't see you in the morning we hope to see you soon.

Matt

HAITI UPDATE, Medical Personnel Needed

BBA Haiti Earthquake Update & Needs (please share this with your church this Sunday)

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief assessments teams have returned from earthquake-damaged Haiti and are making plans for the long-term relief effort. Initial efforts will be focused on specialized medical teams, but volunteers will eventually be used in food distribution, clean-up and re-build efforts. Plans are also being made for the collection of food staples buckets that are being called Buckets of Hope for distribution for displaced families. We will be involved with our Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief (TBDR) in all of these efforts at various levels as needed. David Acres, state coordinator for Disaster Relief, has called for any medical personnel who are willing to go to Haiti to contact the Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief office at (615) 371-7926 to sign up for a possible assignment. Baptist Global Response will make assignments and North American Mission Board based on specific needs criteria. Priority will be given to Creole speakers and healthcare professionals in the areas of Trauma Care.
TBDR will also be gearing up to facilitate the collection of the food staples buckets. These will be similar to the AIDS care buckets collected the last two years for Africa. The buckets should be standard five-gallon buckets with lids that can be purchased at Wal-Mart. A specific contents list will be forthcoming, but will include such things as rice, flour, beans, lentils, noodles and peanut butter. It is very important that only the five-gallon buckets be used in order to facilitate the shipping process. Once the contents of the buckets have been depleted, families will be able to use the buckets for a variety of daily needs. We will email you with more information and as welling as listing this on our bradleybaptist.org website as we receive the details. Also, Buckets of Hope for Haiti Information will soon be available on TBC's website at tnbaptist.org. The Bradley Baptist Association will serve as the collection point for our churches related to the Buckets of Hope for Haiti.
Please pray for following specific requests:
The many victims still living in makeshift squatter camps
Families both here in the U.S. and in Haiti that still have not accounted for loved ones.
Leadership of Baptist Global Response and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief as they continue to plan and work out necessary logistics for our recovery effort.
Here are a few things that our BBA Churches can do right away:

1) Please pray for the people of Haiti and those who are responding.

2) You may also help financially by contributing through the International Mission Board and Baptist Global response by going to the following imb.org link and click on the give icon: http://www.imb.org/main//default.asp

3) Or if you would like to help send BBA Disaster Relief volunteers to Haiti in the near future, you can give to the Bradley Baptist Association and designate your donation for "Haiti Earthquake Relief". Your donation will be used exclusively to help send BBA relief teams to Haiti when we are given that assignment by the appropriate entities.

We will keep you updated on Haiti relief news as we receive more info.

Highlighting Bethesda Outreach

The need for prayer, supplies and future trips to rebuild Haiti go without saying. Please continue to be a part of rebuilding Haiti. We here at Grace Point will continue to let you know of ways you can assist.


I would like to take a moment to highlight another part of the world with a high percentage of orphans and those in need. Bethesda is an outreach for orphans in South Africa who's mission is to encourage and assist the local church in meeting the needs of orphan children that may become disciples of Christ. That mission is accomplished through Bethesda's Children's Village, Orphan Care Resource Centre and Hands of Mercy Ministry.

Jr and Kristi Burke members here at Grace Point have fallen in love with the children, the families and the people of South Africa, in particular those at the Bethesda Outreach . Their love for and desire to see these children grow in the name of Christ goes without saying.

A trip led by the Burke's will happen this November, please consider being a part of nurturing others in Christ. If you would like to join in for this opportunity please let Jr. Burke, Kristi Burke or Matt Davies (mdavies@grace-point.com) know.

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
James 1:27

Recent news on Bethesda, including an intern opportunity