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Moments with Your Mission Strategist Dr. Dennis Love “Everyone Wants A Good Night’s Sleep, Right?”
I don’t know anyone who says, “Man, I really hope I stay awake half the night tossing and turning and wake up with blood shot eyes and a bad attitude. No, we all want a restful, peaceful sleep. But sometimes, sleep escapes us. I know it does me from time-to-time. It could be stress, it could be something we just can’t get off of our minds, it could be too much caffeine before going to bed, or it could even be our own health issues or the health issues of someone we love.
But sometimes, sleep escapes us, and if we will be perfectly honest with ourselves, sometimes the thing keeping us awake is a heavy conscience. It could be something wrong that we did or it could be that someone did us wrong, and the “quiet nudge” from God won’t let us rest. That’s our conscience. What is a conscience, exactly? Well, it’s that inner awareness God placed in us to help us recognize right from wrong. It’s been there since Adam and Eve first felt the need to hide in the Garden of Eden.
Even King Saul in the Bible struggled with his conscience. God gave him clear instructions to destroy the Amalekite nation, but Saul decided to “partially” obey. He kept the best sheep and cattle for himself. He knew he had disobeyed God, but he still wanted to feel right on the inside of himself. He wanted his own conscience to approve of him, even when he was wrong. So, he initially tried to proclaim that he had obeyed God, though he didn’t. When that didn’t work, he blamed the people, saying it was their fault. Don’t you know that King Saul had a lot of restless nights trying to justify in his own mind why he should be able to go to bed and get a good night’s rest. In fact, the Bible warns us in 1 Timothy 4:2 about our consciences being “seared as with a hot iron.”
Think about it like this: If you burn your finger once, it hurts, but it heals. But if you burn that same spot over and over, the nerves get damaged. Eventually, you will get to the point that you can’t feel anything at all.
That’s what happens when we ignore that quiet voice. We tell a lie, then another, then another. We ignore the truth because it’s convenient or because it fits our politics or our pride.
Eventually, we become numb. We might sleep like a baby, but it’s only because our spiritual nerves are dead to sin in and around us. Friends, sometimes we deserve to have sleepless nights. We need to feel the sting of sin. We need to feel sadness when someone is treated wrongly, especially if we are the ones who did them wrong.
So how do we get a good night’s sleep? How can we find true peace in our sleep? Well, it’s certainly not by making excuses or blaming others like King Saul did. Rather we get there the way King David did……through confession and repentance. When his sin with Bathsheeba was pointed out to him by the Prophet Nathan, David didn’t hold onto his excuses. He said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” He didn’t try to hide anything; he came clean. If you’re tossing and turning at night, don’t just reach for the sleep medicine. Take a moment and talk to the Father. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin, and here’s the best part, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Once you experience the cleansing of your unrighteousness by your loving heavenly Father, then you will experience a really good night’s sleep. Don’t let your conscience stay seared. Ask God to soften your heart, show you the truth in His Word, and give you the courage to repent.
Then…and only then…can you truly put your head on the pillow and rest in His grace, and get a good night’s sleep!! Praying that we all have a good night’s sleep
tonight and the nights to come!
God is Good Dennis
Eph. 3:20-21
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CPR CERTIFICATION CLASSES OFFERED FOR CHURCHES
I am offering CPR certification classes for churches in our community. This training is ideal for ministry teams, nursery workers, security teams, and anyone who wants to be better prepared to respond in an emergency.
The cost is $30 per person, which includes the full course instruction and the CPR certification card provided upon successful completion.
If your church is interested in scheduling a class or would like more information, please feel free to contact me directly:
Email: blanton01@yahoo.com
Phone: 828-442-8117
Thank you for your time, and I would be honored to help equip your congregation with these lifesaving skills.
Warm regards,
Brady Blanton
IRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
Mrs. Brianna Watson May 6 Chapel Hill Baptist Church
Rev. Danny White May 28 Hankins Baptist Church
Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Love May 17 Blue Ridge Baptist Association
Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan Tipper May 20 Greenlee Baptist Church
Rev. and Mrs. Brian Gentry May 24 Macedonia Baptist Church
Mrs. Rhonda Tipper June 10 Greenlee Baptist Church
Rev. Andrew Walker June 22 East Marion Community Church
Rev. and Mrs. Freddie Williams June 26 Harmony Grove Baptist Church
FOOD ROUNDUP IS HERE!
When you are a part of the Food RoundUp, you meet real needs and share Christ’s love with North Carolina children who are hungry for more than a meal – they are hungry for hope!
Food RoundUp is a statewide collection effort for non-perishable food, paper goods, cleaning supplies, and everyday essentials. These generous donations:
- Keep cottage homes stocked all year long
- Support cottage parents as they care for children
- Strengthen ministry across our statewide locations
- Provide stability for children and families in care
It’s simple, practical, and truly makes a difference.
The Association office is collecting gift cards and/or food. Please call the office (559-0224) to make arrangements for dropping the things off that your church has collected.
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
MAY 7TH
5:30 P.M.
MCDOWELL COUNTY COURTHOUSE LAWN
(Bring a lawnchair)
🧸 Loving Hearts B.E.A.R. Closet – Ministry Update
Loving Hearts B.E.A.R. Closet continues to grow and serve families across our community, and we are thankful for God’s provision and the support of our church partners.
Over the past season, we have expanded our outreach efforts through several core programs:
- Hungry Cubs Program – Providing nutritious meals for children ages 1–15, including hot to-go meals and easy-to-prepare options to ensure children can eat safely at home.
- BEAR Essentials – Supporting families with diapers, wipes, formula, hygiene items, and baby equipment for children ages 0–5.
- Food Nest – Offering produce and groceries as available to help fight food insecurity.
- Emergency Response Ministry – Assisting families in crisis with essential supplies such as food, hygiene products, and household necessities.
Through these programs, we have been blessed to serve thousands of families and children, meeting both physical and spiritual needs within our community.
We are also excited to share new growth within our organization:
- Development of a new Advisory Committee to strengthen community partnerships ( if anyone is interested in this please contact us)
- Expansion of outreach opportunities and family support programs
- Continued collaboration with churches and local ministries
We believe God is in this season of growth, and we are trusting Him as we continue to move forward.
🙏 Prayer Requests
- Continued provision for food and essential supplies
- Strength and guidance for leadership and volunteers
- The families we serve—that they feel loved, supported, and encouraged
🤝 How Churches Can Partner
We invite churches to join us by:
- Hosting donation drives (diapers, wipes, food, formula)
- Volunteering during distribution days
- Supporting through prayer and financial giving
Together, we can continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.
Location: 337 Garden Creek Road, Marion, NC
Contact: 828-803-8790
Website: www.lovingheartsbearcloset.org
Philista Gossett, Director
Loving Hearts Bear Closet
It was a joy to worship with the good people at Sugar Hill on Sunday morning, March 1st. Pastor Michael Robinson preached from 1 Kings 3:6-15 a message titled, “How Solomon Teaches Us To Pray.” Solomon began by thanking God for His kindness to his father David. He then humbled himself before the Lord. He then asked for God’s wisdom and that he might discern between good and evil. Thanks, Pastor Michael for delivering a powerful word from the Lord on prayer.
It was a blessing to worship with the good people at Sunnyvale on Sunday morning, March 15th. I shared with them updates on the money we have received thus far for the rebuilding of their church, and a special prayer request on the possibility of CBN doing a Helene anniversary story on the church and its needs. Pastor Jimmy preached from the 14th chapter of John on “Some of the Things Jesus Did Before He was Betrayed and Went to the Cross.” Jesus told us to have confidence in Him and His Word. He told us we could trust Him. He told us we would receive the Holy Spirit. And He told us since the world rejected Him, this world will reject us also. Thanks, Pastor Jimmy, for delivering a good word from the Lord.
I was certainly blessed to worship with the good people at Catawba Heights on Sunday morning, March 22nd. They were observing the Lord’s Supper and Pastor David Bradshaw read from 1 Corinthians 11:23-30. He emphasized that no greater sacrifice of life has ever taken place than our Lord going to the cross for us. He also emphasized that it’s through our relationship with Jesus that we get to come together and partake of the Lord’s Supper. He also reminded us not to partake of it if we have unconfessed sin in our life, and the importance of examining our hearts before we partake of it. Pastor David extended an invitation, and a man walked the isle and gave his heart to Jesus. Thanks, Pastor David, for sharing a good word from the Lord.
The Blue Ridge Baptist Association along with our churches would like to welcome Rev. David Bradshaw and his wife Pam as the new pastor at Catawba Heights Baptist Church. Remember Pastor David and Pam in your prayers as they serve Catawba Heights.
It was a joy to worship with the good people at Glenwood on Easter Sunday, April 5th. Brother Vincent White is a candidate for the Senior Pastor position which will be voted on soon by the church. Brother Vincent read from Luke 24:1-8, and his message was, “Remembering His Words.” He emphasized that we need to remember what He has already said. To remember after the cross He rose from the dead. To remember we are kept until the day of redemption, and to remember He isn’t finished yet. Thanks, Brother Vincent, for delivering a good word from the Lord.
SHARING THROUGH SERVICE
We are asking all of our churches to do a service project between now and the end of June. Take lots of pictures!! We will have a special service on Sunday, June 28th, where we will all come together and share a meal together, and then go into the sanctuary and see all the pictures from our churches, and then celebrate what God did through us by showing our communities that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. More info on where to send the pictures, the time, and where we will meet is forthcoming.
What a great joy it was to worship with the good people at East Marion on Sunday morning, April 12th. God is truly blessing East Marion with tremendous growth. Pastor Andrew preached from Matthew 14:1-12 and he spoke about Herod’s Divided Conscience, and how he was an unstable man in all his ways. He also spoke about Herod’s Divided Moment. It was his birthday, and he was drunk, and made a very foolish promise to his daughter. He finally spoke about Herod’s Divided Soul, and how that when Jesus stood before him and asked him many questions, Jesus did not respond at all. In other words, Herod’s fate was sealed and his window of grace had been shut. Thanks, Pastor Andrew, for delivering a very sad word, but a much needed word to the church today.
Highlights From Our Spring Gathering and Associational Revival
