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Moments with Your Mission Strategist Dr. Dennis Love “Are you Prepared for the Planting?
Spring is coming! Are you prepared for the planting? Jesus said in Matthew 13:23, “But he that receives seed into the good ground is he that hears the Word and understands it, and it produces a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.” How many sermons would you say you have heard over your lifetime? It’s hard to try to put a number on them isn’t it, but I grant you it has been a whole bunch. We’re blessed people to have heard so many sermons in our lifetime. Why? Because billions of people in the world have never heard a sermon. They have never had the opportunity to receive the seed of God’s Word. But for those of us who have, the question isn’t whether the seed has been sown—–it’s whether our hearts were prepared to receive it. Our Lord’s parable of the sower in Matthew 13 teaches us that the Word of God is like seed, and our hearts are like soil. The seed is good, but the condition of the soil determines whether that seed will take root and grow. So how do we prepare ourselves for the planting of the seed?
The question is very simple. Are you prepared for the planting? The seed will be ready when Sunday rolls around. The sowers are sowing. But is your heart good soil? I pray that God will help us prepare our hearts so that His Word takes deep root in us and bears fruit for His glory! God is Good Dennis
Eph. 3:20-21
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Her office is located at 130 Logan Street, Marion.
Forgiveness is not easy! However, forgiveness is necessary to our wellbeing and our spiritual health. Unforgiveness brings about many negative long-lasting effects to the individual, their families and those around them. Forgiveness is a key topic in therapy but does not happen immediately or overnight. It’s a process.
As a clinician, I definitely come from theoretical framework that our past has to be dealt with in order to move forward. Otherwise, it continues to impact us, often in negative ways, throughout our life. However, once we have dealt with the hurt from the past, we then have to make the conscious decision to move forward and not stay stuck in our past. Lewis B. Smedes, author of a number of books on forgiveness wrote, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” In my practice, I often see people who are bound by the chains of unforgiveness. I have found that those who are unwilling to forgive, are not able to find full healing.
Colossians 3:13 says, “Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, also do ye” (KJV). In the New Living Translation, it words it this way, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” So, we find that forgiveness is commanded in the scripture. This does not mean that it is easy! Forgiveness does not come just because you make the statement, I choose to forgive. It is a process that we have to work and pray through.
In my practice, I incorporate education about what forgiveness is and is not. Forgiveness is not condoning or justifying what the other person has done. It also does not necessarily mean you have to reconcile with the other person in order to forgive. There is much more to be said about what forgiveness is or is not but for the context of this article, learning those things is part of the healing process. The next thing, I implement when working on forgiveness is identifying how the individual has been wronged, then actively working through identifying if the client is willing to fully forgive.
Tyler Vanderweele and the Human Flourishing program at Harvard have created a model for finding forgiveness named REACH. REACH stands for:
R: Recall the hurt and let the emotions associated with it surface; do not suppress them.
E: Empathize with the offender, trying to understand their reasons for the action without condoning it or invalidating one’s feelings.
A: Altruistic gift; realize that forgiveness is an altruistic gift that can be offered or withheld, and one has oneself sometimes done wrong and is forgiven.
C: Commit to forgive and try to replace ill will with goodwill.
H: Hold on to the forgiveness, realizing that emotions take time to heal, and sometimes the anger will return.
Research has found that forgiveness can decrease depression and anxiety and increased hope. As noted above, it is essential to the Christian life. If you are struggling with forgiveness, talk to God first but then also seek out a pastor, therapist or good friend who can help provide perspective.
Vanderweele, T.J. (2023) Human Flourishing: Empirical research and impact on everyday life. Christian Counseling Today, 26 (4), 28-30.
In Christian Sympathy
We extend our condolences to Rev. and Mrs. Marty Conner in the passing of Mrs. Conner’s mother Jean Vess Elkins on January 30, 2025. Please remember the family in prayer.
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
01 Mrs. Danielle Walker (East Marion)
11 Rev. Freddie Williams (Harmony Grove)
13 Mrs. Jennie Ammons (West Marion)
APRIL BIRTHDAYS
03 Rev. Brian Gentry (Macedonia)
24 Rev. Michael Robinson (Sugar Hill)
27 Rev. Kevin Arrowood (Bethlehem)
APRIL ANNIVERSARIES
30 Rev. and Mrs. Marty Conner (Cherry Springs)
Our association was blessed by AMS Keith Hollar and the churches of the South Fork Baptist Association. They came to the office and presented our association with $2,950 to go to people in need affected by Helene. Most of the money went to propane vouchers for those needing to stay warm in their tents or campers, and some went to one of our pastors who had to replace his roof and his insurance wouldn’t cover it.
BRBA will be collecting gift cards for Walmart, Sams Club, Food Lion, Piggly Wiggly and Ingles through the end of April. Resources to share with your church can be found at bchfoodroundup.org.
We’re encouraging every N.C. Baptist church to fill their baptism tanks on April 27 – or an upcoming Sunday – and trust God to save people between now and then. Will you sign up to “fill the tank?” Visit fillthetanknc.org to sign up.
Spencer Baptist Church, 187 N Oak St, Spindale, NC 28160
Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
For more information and to register go to:
https://ncbaptist.org/events/vbs-regional-training/
Loving Hearts Bear Closet is on a heartfelt mission to spread joy and support children in need by providing Easter baskets filled with love and care. This year, we invite you to join us in this meaningful endeavor. By participating, you help us extend a message of hope and community spirit to children who deserve to feel cherished and supported. Let’s come together to make this Easter a memorable one for every child in our community.
I was led to go and worship at Providence Church on Sugar Hill Road on Sunday morning, February 2nd. Jason Burch is their new pastor. Pastor Jason was beginning a new series on Hebrews 11. His introductory message was titled, “Faith Is More Than A Word.” He used Hebrews 1:1-3 and preached about the fact that faith is more than a word because of its Holy Evidence, its Human Evidence and its Historical Evidence. Thanks, Pastor Jason
I was blessed to worship with the good people at Friendship on Sunday morning, January 19th. Pastor David preached a sermon titled, “Are You Really Walking By Faith?” His text was 2 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 11:1-3. He reminded us that faith is simply taking God at His word and standing on it, and faith is putting into action what we believe. He also reminded us that faith without internal and external actions is no faith. Thanks Pastor David for bringing a good word from the Lord.
Giving Hope to Youth in McDowell County
Hope 29:11 is a Nonprofit Ministry that has served over 75 youth since 2016 in McDowell County. Our program consists of a Farm and Outdoor Program that meets weekly during the school year. Through our program youth learn responsibility by caring for animals, gain self-confidence through riding, and learn about God’s love through weekly group devotions. About half of the youth that participate in our program are kids being raised by grandparents. The other half are referred to us by agencies in the county, school counselors and pastors. Most of these youth stay in our program for 2 to 3 years and currently we have 9 participating.
I want to share one of our success stories with you! Makayla started participating in Hope 29:11 when she was 15 years old. Makayla lacked self-confidence and dealt with a big anger problem that stemmed from an alcoholic father. Quite often she had anger eruptions during our farm sessions at the barn. The one thing that could help her calm down was Cherokee, her horse buddy whom she loved dearly. Her anger reached a tipping point when her father tragically passed away. Feelings of guilt, hurt, and grief were all bundled up inside and exploded in a big outburst one particular day at the barn. Needless to say, we had some issues to deal with and had to take some big steps to lovingly teach, guide and discipline her inappropriate behavior. Through several weeks of working with her outside of the farm and getting her into one-on-one counseling, Makayla’s behavior slowly started to change. She spent 3 years in our program learning through weekly devotions and Bible studies that she is deeply loved by God, she was created for a special purpose and that there is hope that comes from knowing our Savior, Jesus Christ. Makayla graduated from McDowell High School in May 2023 and was one of the first youth to graduate while in our program. Today, she is in her second year of college pursuing a degree in business. Makayla still joins us once a month as a mentor-in-training, learning to give back and serve others as Jesus taught us to do. It has been so amazing to watch the transformation that happened in Makayla’s heart and to see the young woman she is today!
Our program needs three things to continue having these success stories like Makayla’s. First, we can only do what we do because of financial support from individuals, churches and organizations. We rely on God and his provision for Hope 29:11 to continue each year and He ALWAYS comes through. Secondly, we always need weekly mentors and/or volunteers that have a special hobby or talent to share with us. And thirdly, we need prayer. Here are three things you can pray: for God to send kids that need us, for our mentors to be the hands and feet of Jesus and for us to be an encouragement to the parents/guardians of the youth we serve.
We would love for your church to support us in any of these three ways and I am always available to come share more about Hope 29:11 with your congregation or small group. If you have questions or want to talk more please contact me.
Paula Burgin Hope 29:11
Hope 29:11 Director PO Box 1587
plburgin@yahoo.com Old Fort, NC 28762
828-442-3672
Mission Ministries Alliance: A Ministry to serve the least of these
A Personal Testimony and Divine Calling
The Lord rescued me from a life of addiction and set me on a path to serve those most vulnerable in our community—those experiencing homelessness, hunger, and hopelessness. Every day, I thank Him for the opportunity to be part of this ministry. This work is not just a job—it is a divine calling to be the hands and feet of Christ to those in desperate need. I believe the Lord has a plan to heal the homeless in our community.
Each Monday morning, our team gathers for prayer, seeking the Lord’s guidance as we serve. In these sacred moments, we lift up every person we encounter—no matter their circumstance—affirming that God sees them and loves them just as they are. Whether someone struggles with addiction, lacks basic hygiene, or feels isolated, we trust that God’s grace is sufficient to heal and restore. We pray and wait to see what we can do in the lives of those we serve. It is amazing to witness God working in so many lives; we pray for revival in our community and envision a place where no one has to sleep outside in the cold, and everyone experiences the transformative love of Christ. We invite you to become a part of this work.
Over the past year, our ministry has made a profound impact in our community. We have served 355 individuals, distributed over 200,000 pieces of clothing, and issued 560 clothing vouchers. Our shelter, open 365 days a year, provides approximately 129,575 nights of safe shelter to those in need. Additionally, we have provided Rapid Rehousing assistance to 32 individuals over the last year, and all 32 remain in safe housing to date. Not only do we conduct outreach in tent camps across our community, but we also engage in extensive prevention work by taking in people who are at risk of becoming homeless.
A Call to Prayer and Action
If you feel led to help those experiencing homelessness in our community, we invite you to join us in prayer to discern whether you are called to serve the poor.
Dear Heavenly Father, open our eyes to see those in need within our community. Jesus, help us recognize Your face in every homeless person we encounter. We pray for all who are without shelter, those sleeping in doorways, parks, hotels, and night shelters; for families facing eviction; and for those who feel abandoned and hopeless. Grant us hearts full of compassion and guide us in serving those who have no place to call home. Use us as instruments of Your love and healing and help us bring hope to the least among us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
How you can help
If God is stirring your heart to join this work, please reach out. Whether you’re able to volunteer, donate, or support us in other ways, your involvement helps show the love of Christ to the least of these in our community. As the old proverb goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Donations of items, financial support, and your time not only strengthen our program but also help us reach more people. We are in constant need of essential supplies such as men’s and women’s hygiene products, laundry detergent, dish soap, towels, twin sheets and comforters, as well as used clothing, household items, and furniture. These contributions are vital as they help those, we serve transition into safe, stable housing. Additionally, if you would like to create a “welcome home basket” for someone transitioning into their new home, please let us know.
Your prayers, time, and resources are invaluable to our mission. Together, we can bring hope, healing, and the transformative love of Christ to those who need it most. For more information or to get involved, please contact me at crystal.sweatt@m3life.org, or visit our website at Mission Ministries Alliance. You can also sign up for our e-news to stay updated on our work and upcoming events.
In His Service,
Crystal Sweatt
Executive Director, Mission Ministries Alliance
I was blessed to worship with the good people at Bethel on Sunday morning, January 12th. It was Youth Sunday and one of the youth sang a beautiful song. Brother Dean Rose then brought a message titled, “Miracle at Marah.” His text was Exodus 15:22-27. Brother Dean reminded us how easily we can become discouraged, but God will always bring us back to a place of sweetness with Him, if we will cry out to Him, and if we will do our best to follow His Word. Thanks Brother Dean for bringing an encouraging word from the Lord.
The Lord led me to go and worship at New Horizon on Sunday morning February 9th. Pastor Steve Bugenhagen was going to preach even though he wasn’t feeling well. He said when I walked in the Lord answered his prayer. I happily filled in for Steve that morning and the people responded well to the message. I’m always amazed at how God works when you listen to your heart and follow His leading. It was a joy being with the good people at New Horizon.