In Revival

Well if anybody is still checking this blog I want to let you know what's going on. I am in Salem, AR. I am leading worship at the First Baptist Church. Sunday was an Awesome service as a husband and wife both gave thier lives to Christ and was baptized that evening. I am really excited to be hear and have God speak to me personally. I am spending a lot of time seeking and listening. I just want to be used by God don't you. The great thing is God wants to use us. Keep me in your prayers as I seek to lead the worship this week. I love to worship so it's going to be a lot of fun. I am praying for Emmanuel all the time because I know He has a wonderful future for us in Piggott. I love you.

Kevin

Road Trip.

Hey everyone, I am in Orlando, Florida with my good friend Troy. We have had a very interesting day. I arrived Sunday night in Ft. Lauderdale and our journey began. We spent the night down on the beach at a motel. It was really a nice plTTace, almost 20 years ago 2 of my friends and myself went to the same beach. I'm sure the people didn't recognize me because I have gained a little weight. The trip has been a lot of fun from the airplane ride to the 9 hour car ride today. One fun thing was that the lady I sat beside on the plane was married to a man who played football for the real coach of the Titans (Remember the Titans) She said the movie was pretty close to the real thing.

The reason we had to drive so long today was the fact that they shut down the main road because of a gunman on the loose. The detour took us another 5 hours due to the fact that we went about 4 miles in 4 hours. I don't guess we are in any hurry so no big deal. It is nice to be with an old friend but I wouldn't trade lives with him at all. They celebrated having over 8000 people at church over the weekend today. Big weekend.

Troy is an awesome leader and I am trying to just watch how he leads the church and try and learn what I can do to be a better leader and Pastor. You can follow me on the journey by going to www.mynakedpastor.com it is a lot of fun. I miss all of you especially everyone in the Murray house and yard. I just want everyone of you to know how much I love you and enjoy being the pastor of Emmanuel. See ya tomorrow.

Teenager gives his life to Christ!

I don't know all the details but I just got an email this morning saying that one of our youth invited a friend to church yesterday and after the servie he gave his life to Christ. That is so Great News for me. I have to tell you that I left church a little disappointed in my presentation of God's word. So to hear that some one still got saved lets me know that it was definitely God who done the harvesting. God can do so much more than we can. I love what one of my prayer partners said, "God doesn't need us but He chooses to use us". I hope you want to be used by God this week. Way to go to Adam for inviting his friend to church, you never know what might happen. Hey it's Monday and we have got all week to serve Jesus, do it!
I am on my way to Mr. Rudy's to trim his hedges, pray that I don't mess them up. I'll let you know how it goes.

Live the Abundant Life!

Great Night for AWANA!

Thank you to all the adults who helped make our AWANA kickoff a huge success. We had almost 100 kids sign up for AWANA. Isn't that GREAT that so many kids want to come to church and learn scriptures. I am excited and overwhelmed I am trying to lead this program and I must say I don't know a lot about AWANA. What I do know is that if we don't teach these kids the word of God now it may be to late by the time we get around to it. Would you please consider joining our team of workers that will be leading in our AWANA program.

Our Neighbor went to be with Jesus.

Well for those who may not know, our neighbor and friend Ms. Penny Bradshaw ended her long battle with cancer on Monday night and went to Heaven. Penny touched so many lives over the past few years with her never give up attitude and sweet spirit and desire to live. In the last days of her life all she did was praise the Lord for being so good to her. I am going to miss her attitude and zeal for life. She leaves behind big shoes to fill in the neighborhood. One of the sweetest notes I ever got was from Penny, she thanked us for never giving up on her and her husband. Praise the Lord that some day I'll see her again, but until then I'm gonna try to step into those shoes and make sure our neighborhood still has a zeal for life.

Visitation for Penny will be Thursday night at Hoggard and Sons Funeral home starting at 6p.m. and the funeral will be Friday at 11a.m..

Prayer Request.

Please pray for some friends of mine, (Darrell and Nancy) who live in Harrison, AR.
This wonderful family let me stay with them while I preached Revival at their church. They have a 7 year old grandaughter who was injured when an ATV fell over on her and fractured her skull. Please pray for God to heal this little girl who is in the hospital in Springfield, MO.

Focus!

I am understanding more and more how important it is to focus on what we are doing. Have you ever been distracted? I am sure all of us have, it could be a cell phone to our ear that distracts us while driving or maybe a daydream about some tropical vacation while working. Whatever it is when we are distracted from what we are suppose to be doing accidents often happen. Car wrecks, poor workmanship, fail a test, etc. you get the point.

Starting this Sunday morning I will begin preaching for a few weeks on the theme "FOCUS". How long has it been since you really focused on your relationship with God. Isn't it easy to be distracted by the things of this world. No person ever sets out to get away from God after having been saved. Then why does happen so often? I honestly believe it's because we loose focus. Come this Sunday and focus on the cross wih me. Everything looks different when you view from the cross.

Way to go Jr. Mohawks!

I just got home from the football game it's about 10:30pm. It was a real good game for Tanner and the Jr. Mohawks. We beat Walnut Ridge 34-0 in our season opener. It's really hard for me to believe that we have a young man in the 9th grade. Sometimes when I see him on the field I can't believe he's that big. I'm trying to enjoy every minute of all our boys. Kids are sure a blessings from the Lord most of the time.

I know it's Labor Day weekend, I hope all of you have a great weekend wherever you are. Don't forget to be faithful and worship the Lord somewhere this weekend. Isn't it amazing how easy it easy to start new habits, keep that in mind the next time you think about missing a church service. For those of you who have to stay home this weekend we have a Great service planned for this Sunday. Come expecting God to be there.

Been to a beauty Pageant.

That's right spent today going to a beauty pageant. Ms Dora Magee who will turn 102 next month was in a beauty pageant today in Jonesboro, AR. Ms. Dora was chosen to represent the Piggott Nursing Home in the District Pageant. She looked beautiful in her black dress with a gold floral pattern. I surprised her by being there and told her that anyone who looked as pretty as she did should have a male escort. (she grinned REAL big) I am so thankful to live in Piggott and get to enjoy life the way I do. God is so good to me and I try to thank Him every day.

Football season starts tomorrow night in Walnut Ridge as the Jr. Mohawks open the season. Kick off is at 7pm I think if you need me after 5pm come to Walnut Ridge or just give me a call 'cause I'll be at the game.

Teenagers takeover Emmanuel

This weekend was exciting at Emmanuel. On Saturday night at 7pm about 85 teenagers moved in to the church. They spent the night worshiping, eating and just plain having fun. It was a great time for just about everyone. I didn't make it all night but I did stay until about 2:30a.m. Not bad for someone who had to work the next morning. I do want to say thank you very much to all the adults who put in many hours to make this all nighter such a huge success.

Today has been a good day as I got to visit with Ms. Dora Magee who will soon be 102 years old. On Wednesday she will be going to Jonesboro to represent Piggott in the district Nursing Center pageant. I hope to go and surprise her, unless she logs in and reads this blog. When I walked in to see her she was busy reading a good western. She is an amazing woman, please pray for her and her trip.

I do want to say that Tanner and his golf team won their first golf match of the season on Monday by defeating Corning. Tanner shot a one over par which is his best score ever. That was good enough to give him the top medalist honor. (lowest score of the day) Way to go Tanner.

Cardinals win again!

Good morning everyone, I know it's not the spiritual news that maybe you were looking for but the Cardinals did win again last night and are still keeping our hopes alive for making the post season. I hope all of you are having a good day, if not just think about the promises that God makes in his word like I will never leave you nor forsake you, or maybe the one that says we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord. Life is to short to not enjoy it. I'm 40 and those years are gone but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna enjoy the next 40 (if I get that many) I am really looking for some people to help me enjoy the rest of my life, why not join me in starting right now TODAY! Come on let's enjoy life together whether the Cardinals make the playoffs or not, but if they do let's party at The Murray house

Back to school!

That's right we are all back in school. Johnna and the boys are back in the swing of things and I'm getting there. I am still driving a school bus! Yesterday was a Great day. I drive the special needs school bus and one of my boys is in a wheel chair. Yesterday after I picked him up at his trailer house, two men from our church that desire to be unknown went out and built this young man a new wheel chair ramp. It is a deluxe model! AWESOME!!!!! When I pulled up to let him off the bus he was thrilled and said many times how thankful he was. I love the people at Emmanuel! You folks make life so much fun. Every time I think it can't get any better, it does. I want to be used by God just like Tom and Richard. Let's look for ways today to be used by God. Someone please tell me how God uses you today and I will try to do the same in tomorrows blog. It's not bragging on you, but God. Let me know what's going on in your world of ministry. By the way the boys parents were as excited as he was.

Tonight is Cowboy Church so please pray for us as we continue to stay faithful to the mission church. It starts at 7pm if you want to join us.