Tonight was our much anticipated Christmas Eve Service. We ended up having 21 kids and 13 parents come out: all of them new faces to us! We sang some Christmas Carols, I read them “The First Christmas”, I sang “O Holy Night”, then Jeremy told the Christmas story with the kids’ help. The parents loved seeing their kids up in front! It was an “impromtu” Christmas program for them, with Caesar Augustus, the census taker, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds! Everyone tonight heard that Jesus is our Savior and that we can only have eternal life through Him.

At the end, of course, was the much awaited gift giving. We handed each child a gift and had them all wait until everyone had a gift before tearing (literally) into theirs. They loved that! We are so thankful for Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Tennessee for providing many gifts and for 3rd graders at Capitol Christian Academy in Upper Malboro, Maryland for sending us so many also. In all, we gave out 40 gifts (some we gave to people to take home to their other children). We were also able to give out a hardcover book of “When Trouble Comes” - by Jim Berg - to all the parents (Colonial Baptist Church in Virginia gave us a box of them).

After the cookies and milk and after everyone went home, we reflected on how God had so marvelously provided the gifts and books to give out. We didn’t realize we’d need that many gifts, but God knew and provided through His people. Thank you to all who prayed for tonight. The Gospel was shared and “a cup of cold water” was given in His name.

Please pray for Rebecca - she’s Miracle’s mother. Her youngest, Dorothy (4 month old), has 2 holes in her heart. One is getting smaller, but the other one is getting bigger, so of course Rebecca is concerned. I don’t think that family has much . . . so she was very grateful for the gift for her kids. She ended up giving us a Christmas picture of her three kids as a thank you. Pray that the Lord would work in her heart as she’s heard and received (in tract form) the Gospel.

Side note how Miracle got her name. She was due at the end of July, but because of medical complications, she had to be taken out C-section (started in the ambulance) in March! Her mom says it’s a miracle she’s alive today!

We are so grateful for all of you who have supported us with your prayers and gifts. We wish you a very merry Christmas.

The old saying, “Many hands make light work” is very true! The team that is here this week from Oak Ridge, Tennessee proved that as they helped us make boxes and then distribute them. In all, 81 boxes of food were given to people. We praise the Lord for the help He sends our way. This team displayed a servant’s spirit and a willingness to work – they were an encouragement to Anouk and me.

After passing the boxes out we headed over to the Best Value Inn to invite past contacts to our Christmas Eve service which will be held at the Day’s Inn. So far, we have about 40 kids plus their parents, that have agreed to come this Saturday night! Please pray that as the gospel is given, lives would be changed by the message of our Savior’s purpose for coming to earth.

The day ended with us meeting back at the Acadian Baptist Center. After playing basketball with the teen guys, we met with the rest of the group and Pastor Craig had them list 25 things that they thought Christ would have them to learn from this trip. It was a Christ-centered, God-honoring time.

Today my parents celebrate 31 years of marriage. I want to publicly thank them for the example of a marriage that is stronger than when it first started. They love each other more and more as the years go by and it is a great example to their 3 sons.

I love you, Mom and Dad.

Love,
Jeremy

A team from Oak Ridge, Tennessee is here for a few days this week. Today, we went down to help rebuild the Faith Baptist Church of Abbeville. We were able to see quite a bit of work accomplished throughout the day. Drywall was hung in the hallway and in the auditorium, painting was finished in the pastor’s trailer, and a great big trash pile was relocated – cleaning up the grounds quite a bit.

Anouk took the children and ladies that are on the team to the store for some serious Christmas shopping! They weren’t shopping for themselves, but for the kids that will be at our Christmas Eve service. Before bed tonight, the presents were all wrapped and ready to be handed out to the kids.

Please pray about our Christmas Eve service. We are planning on singing Christmas carols, telling the story of Christmas, reading a Christmas story to the kids, and having presents for the kids to open. Of course, I will be giving the gospel to all who come. Pray for salvation of souls.

The highlight of the week for me comes every Sunday at 3:30 pm. It is then that I drive up the highway a couple of exits and meet with Robert and Michael, 2 guys from New Orleans. Each Sunday we spend a couple of hours studying God’s Word.

Robert and Michael didn’t really know each other before Katrina slammed into the New Orleans area. They both were trapped in the floodwaters that followed the hurricane. They were eventually rescued and brought to the Cajun Dome here in Lafayette. After being moved to a couple of more shelters, they wound up as roommates in their FEMA trailer. I had the priviledge of meeting them while we were giving out food boxes to the evacuees in their trailer park. They came to the Thanksgiving Dinner that we hosted at the Day’s Inn and accepted the invitation to come to our Bible Study each Sunday afternoon.

It is a tremendous privilege to be able to teach God’s eternal truths to men who are hearing them for the first time. Robert said to me yesterday, “Jeremy, you are answering questions I have had for years. I have never had this explained to me before.” I praise God that He has graciously allowed me to be able to teach His word.

Please pray for these two men as they continue to learn what God’s word has to say, and pray for me as I teach it.

Today is my Mom’s Birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom. Thanks for all of the love, suppport and encouragement. You have been a tremendous example to my brothers and me.

I love you!

Jeremy

After we visited Ed Phillips, we drove to Pascagoula, MS to follow up on some of the contacts that teams from Morning Star Baptist Church made during their trips to the area to help rebuild. Anouk and I tried to contact four individuals that were helped by our teams however, only two were home so we left notes for the other two.

It was a privilege to meet Della. She took us into her home to show us the progress that has been made so far. She was very excited that the new drywall had been hung and other improvements have been made. I was pleased to hear that she had been thinking about our team that came down to help her. She is still very thankful for the work that the team did on her behalf. She was glad to hear that another team from our church will be coming down to help in January.

She is living in the FEMA trailer that is parked on her front lawn but is anxious to get back into her house. Please keep Della in prayer as she is working a lot trying to make ends meet. Click here for an “essay” written by our assistant pastor who was on the team that went to help Della.

Today we drove to Mobile, AL to pick up some supplies for the ministry here. Why Mobile? It is because that is where Ed Phillips of Seedline International lives. Mr. Phillips was gracious to provide us with copies of John/Romans and Romans to give to the evacuees here in Lafayette.

As I talked with Mr. Phillips, I was intrigued by the ministry and impressed with his desire to see copies of God’s Word distributed thoughout the world. I was also impressed that he is part of a small church that is doing big things for the kingdom of Christ. As a member of Meadowlake Baptist Church, he and the Sr. Citizens sort, staple and cut portions of God’s Word to be spread all over the world.

As I talked with Mr. Phillips, he showed me the cutter that he rebuilt and operates (a 1948 model). He then showed me a map where they track all the places that they are able to send copies of God’s Word. Seedline International is responsible for printing the gospel into 420 languages and last year alone printing 5.5 million copies of the Scriptures.

Mr. Phillips has been serving in this ministry for the last 10 years - he tells me it is a good way to spend his retirement. I was thankful to have met him because it reminded me of a couple of truths that please God.

1. Size doesn’t always matter. Meadowlake Baptist is only a church of about 120 - 130 people. I know first hand that smaller churches can do a lot for the glory of God. Being small is not an excuse to not be busy doing tangible things for the Lord.

2. Retirement is not a spiritual gift. In his “retirement”, Mr. Phillips is busy organizing the cutting, binding and distributing of God’s Word. Oh, by the way he also has, with his “small” church, helped rebuild 4 homes and 3 churches after the hurricanes caused so much damage. (In one day, he hung 64 sheets of drywall by himself).

I am thankful to have meet this man and hope that when my “retirement” time comes, I can too continue to serve God with the same zeal he does.

Do you remember the family from Louisiana that our church (Morning Star Baptist Church) was able to relocate to Rockford? Well Emmett and Haley welcomed their newest little girl, Mayah Marie on December 8th. Click here to see pictures of the cutie!

Also, Emmett and Haley were interviewed by Jason Janz of SharperIron - click here to hear the interview. The Lord is doing a great work through the effects of the hurricanes! Praise Him!