Moments with Your Mission Strategist

 Dr. Dennis Love

“Do You Pray for Peace?”
 
 

Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace….”  Let me ask you something.  Why is it that we must pray for peace? 

I’ve never met a single person, young or old, rich or poor, who did not want peace.  Peace in their homes.  Peace in their hearts.  Peace in the world.  Yet here we are, in a world advanced enough to send a man to the moon, FaceTime across continents, and fit more technology into a cell phone than the computers that sent astronauts into space, and yet we still have to give special effort, and sometimes gather together, to pray for something as basic as peace.

Why?  Because as much as we want peace, it is not naturally in us.  Open a history book.  Humanity has fought thousands of wars since the beginning of time.  We’ve signed enough peace treaties to wallpaper a whole building.  Shucks, just turn on your TV.  You will quickly see that still today we find ourselves having to pray, “Lord, please give us peace.”

If you doubt that peace does not come naturally, just put two children in a room with one toy between them.  You will find out quickly that the human heart doesn’t drift towards peace, it drifts towards “Mine.” 

And the Bible backs that up.  Romans 3:17 says, “The way of peace they have not known.”  In other words, left to ourselves, peace is not our default setting.  We do not wander into peace.  Our human nature pulls us towards conflict, pride, and self-conteredness.  Then even as we pursue peace, things like greed, jealousy, insecurity, anger, and sometimes, as my momma used to say, just plain old meanness gets in the way.  We don’t fall into peace.  We fall into conflict.  And because we desire something that does not come naturally, we need supernatural help to find it.

That is why we need to pray for peace!

Now, praying for peace does not mean peace will fall like morning dew and suddenly change everyone around us.  We expect that though because, if we are honest, most of us think everybody else is the problem anyway. 

God’s peace works differently.  God’s peace works like a salve that you apply to your own soul.  When you pray, that peace seeps down softening the hard places, calming the anxious places, and steadying the fearful places.  Your sincere prayers for peace will change YOU before they change anyone else.  You see, the peace we need most is not peace without, but peace within.  And that is why we all need to pray for peace.  Jesus plainly said, “In this world you will have tribulation.”  Not might.  Not sometimes.  But you will have tribulation.  Then He added, “But be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” 

And when the One who overcame the world lives inside your heart……so does peace.  A peace that holds you in the storm.  A peace that steadies you in chaos.  A peace that does not depend on what is going on around you, because it’s rooted in Who is living within you.  My friend, Jesus overcame the world so you and I can overcome the turmoil within it.      AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED TO PRAY FOR PEACE!!

 

God is Good

Dennis
Eph. 3:20-21
LEAH R. KELLEY MA LCMHC
 
 
Leah is the counselor at Hope In Christ Counseling.                    

Her office is located at 130 Logan Street, Marion. 

Phone number is 828-559-7710.
 
 

     The Bible speaks to us about the importance of marriage. “ Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4, NKJV). It also speaks to the importance of choosing the right marriage partner; “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.” (Proverbs 31:10, NKJV). The rest of Proverbs 31 tells of the benefits of finding a good wife. This does not mean that the husband is exempt from living the way he should. In Ephesians Chapter 5: 25-27, Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church and goes on to state, “gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.” The Gottman Institute has compiled a great deal of evidence based research over the last thirty plus years. They have found that unhappy marriages increases your chances of getting sick by 35 percent and “shorten your life by an average of four to eight years” (Gottman & Silver, 1999). They have also found that the flip side of this is true as well; those in happy marriages tend to live longer. Research indicates that people in a happy, committed marriage have less illness. While those going through a divorce have lower immune system responses. (Gottman & Silver, 1999).

     Therefore, it’s super important to not make impulsive or short-sighted decisions in deciding who to marry. I tend to find when counseling couples and individuals, there is a much higher marital satisfaction rate and positive outcomes when the couple dated long enough to get to know one another well, did not marry out of obligation (such as unplanned pregnancy), and have similar values and faith. (As a sidenote, I am not saying that those who have unplanned pregnancies should never marry but should only do so after prayer, time and consideration. However, this is a topic for another day.) Recently, I attended a training on marital counseling through the Gottman institute where I learned a great deal. Interestingly, one of the things that stood out to me was not any of the things specifically mentioned above, nor was it learning healthy communication skills. Instead, what they have found through research is that marriages have a much higher long term success rate when the relationship is built on healthy friendships. I’ve written previously about how much the Bible has to say specifically about friendship. Gottman & Silver put it this way, “At the heart of the seven principles approach is the simple truth that happy marriages are based on a deep friendship. By this I mean a mutual respect and enjoyment for each other.” (1999). This is not to say that happy couples never fight. All couples (and friends) have disagreements. However, friendship is the basis for romance because it keeps us from being resentful of our spouse. “This means that their positive thoughts about each other and their marriage are so pervasive that they tend to supersede their negative feelings.” (Gottman & Silver, 1999). Gottman also states that for marriages to be successful, there needs to be 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction.

     Living with other people is hard! Being married is hard! Being married is also hard work but it doesn’t have to be cumbersome. Finding ways to stay connected with our spouse, enjoy life together and lean into God and our Spiritual beliefs help when things get hard. If you are looking for resources for your marriage, “The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work” by John Gottman and Nan Silver is a great book.

 
 

 

 

I was honored to fill in for Pastor Jimmy Reese at Calvary Baptist Church on Sunday, November 2nd.  Pastor Jimmy and his wife Wendy were both sick.  We had special prayer for them both and then I preached.  Keep Calvary in your prayers as they seek ways to grow their church.

 

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
 
JANUARY           18     Mrs. Michelle Gentry           (Macedonia)

FEBRUARY         08     Mrs. Lillie White                    (Hankins)

FEBRUARY         11     Mrs. Shelley Chambers      (Cross Memorial)

ANNUAL CHURCH PROFILE

Clerks and Secretaries – The 2025 ACP form launches January 1, 2026 at ncbaptist.org/acp!

 
I had the opportunity to worship with the good people at Bethlehem Baptist Church on Sunday morning, December 14th.  Pastor Kevin Arrowood resigned about a month ago and Michael Thomas was with them.  He preached from Matthew 1:18-25.  He did an excellent job sharing how every part of the Christmas story is pointing us to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Pray for Bethlehem as they seek out their next pastor.  Thanks, Brother Michael for the good word from the Lord.
 
A very special thanks to Cross Memorial for hosting our Pastor/Spouse Christmas Banquet on Tuesday, December 9th.  We had a very good turnout, a delicious meal, a powerful devotion from Pastor Michael Chambers, some very exciting news from Richard and Beth Anderson, some special music and singing from Paul and Miriam Boyd, and we closed out by singing a few Christmas carols and giving out gifts from the association to our pastors and their wives.
 

Seeking Volunteers for “Code Purple” Shelter Support

A Partnership Between Mission Ministries Alliance & Marion-area churches

As winter approaches and temperatures in our community dip to dangerous levels, our neighbors experiencing homelessness face life-threatening conditions. Mission Ministries Alliance (MMA) operates “Code Purple” emergency shelter nights—opening safe, temporary housing on the coldest and hottest days of the year to ensure that no one in Marion is left outside without protection.

Local churches have been invited to join MMA in this vital ministry, and we are seeking volunteers who feel called to serve.

What Volunteers Do

Volunteers help with simple but meaningful tasks, such as:

  • Welcoming guests and offering hospitality
  • Preparing light snacks or simple meals
  • Helping with check-in and basic setup
  • Providing a warm, compassionate presence
  • Assisting MMA staff with light support tasks as needed

Shifts are flexible, and training is provided. Even a few hours can make a real difference to someone in crisis.

 

Why This Matters

For individuals and families without a safe place to stay, extreme temperatures can quickly become dangerous. By partnering with MMA, local churches can help ensure that Marion remains a community where every person is treated with dignity and care—especially on the hardest days of the year.

 

Interested in Volunteering?

If you feel drawn to this ministry of compassion, please reach out. Your presence could be the difference between fear and safety for someone in need.

Contact: Brian Wenner bjwenner@gmail.com

Thank you for helping us extend Christ’s love to our neighbors through this important ministry.

 

A very special thanks to Bethel Baptist Church for hosting our Fall Gathering and feeding us a fantastic meal after the service on Sunday evening, October 26th.  We had a great turnout and people truly enjoyed our special cow bell service.  Each pastor had 10 minutes to preach and after the cow bell was heard, the next preacher would get in the pulpit and preach.  Our pastors who preached were:  Michael Robinson, Heath Ammons, Freddie Williams, Brian Gentry, Danny White, John Cope and Steve Bugenhagen.  We had a wonderful Spirit and truly enjoyed our time together.        

Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week Highlights
 
Annually across our nation, Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is recognized to bring attention to this growing crisis. This year, MMA hosted our first Sleep Out event on November 20th to stand in solidarity with those who sleep outside every night.
 

We want to thank First United Methodist Church of Marion for allowing us to use their facilities, Kona Ice for providing hot chocolate, and Big Yummy for serving dinner and breakfast to everyone who participated. Our Executive Director, Crystal Sweatt, spent the night outside along with board members, community partners, and supporters, encouraging others to give so that those without a home can find warmth and safety this winter.

According to our most recent Summer Point-in-Time Count, 106 individuals sleep outside in McDowell County each night. Because of your generosity, we are able to continue supporting Code Purple emergency shelter operations and keep our doors open through the coldest months of the year.
 
 
       

 

It was good to worship with the good people at Glenwood Baptist Church on Sunday, October 26th.  Interim Pastor Doug Parham is preaching through our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount.  He preached from Matthew 5 on the first two Beatitudes in verses 3-4.  He reminded us that the Beatitudes were given as attitudes to distinguish us from the world.  Thanks, Pastor Doug, for bringing out some wonderful facts surrounding these two verses.
 
 

B.E.A.R. CLOSET

End of Year Numbers:

Diapers (packs) 29,766 – Wipes 30,001 – Cub Hygienes 24,654 – Baby Cub Formula 12,365 – Hungry Clubs Meal (started 6 months) 5,168 – Cubs OTC 9,586 – Cubs Car Seats 2,250 – Baby Cub Equipment 4,659 – Christmas Adopt A Bear Cub 258

Extra:  Adult OTC 5,622 – Adult Hygiene 10,008 – Hot Wednesday Meals 8,885 – Produce Stand (Count family sizes) 48,212 – Precooked food poundage (donated to us) 14,076 pounds

Thank you so much! We always ask for prayers! And thank you all for all the donations that come in! We wanted to share the numbers so it gives an idea of what we do to help the community. Monetary donations are appreciated.  Checks can be sent to: Loving Hearts, Bear Closet, 337 Garden Creek Road, Marion, NC 28752

Supply List Needed: Baby children wash, children hygiene products (lotion butt crème), formulas in date, baby food in date, children’s warm blankets, new children’s coats, hats and gloves, kids food/drinks, snacks, children medicine in date, Pediasure

 
I had the wonderful privilege to worship with the good people of Sunnyvale Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 23rd.  They are currently worshipping in the Chapel at Westmoreland Funeral Home on Sunday mornings.  Pastor Jimmy Buchanan preached from Job 6:1-14.  These verses are Job’s reply to some of his so-called friends.  Even after Job lost everything and his wife telling him to curse God and die, Job said, “You talk like a foolish woman.”   Through all the tough times that Sunnyvale has gone through since Helene, just like Job, they still fear God and desire to follow Him.  Thanks, Pastor Jimmy, for bringing a great word to your church
 

ATTENTION PASTORS

We will be having a pastors’ conference on the third Monday evening of January.  This is for ALL of our pastors.  The date is January 19th at 6:30 pm at the associational office.   Looking forward to seeing you and spending a little time with you in the Word and in Prayer.

Please be in prayer for our churches without pastors: Vein Mountain, Catawba Heights, Bethel, Glenwood and Garden Creek.

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

 

Sunnyvale Baptist Church

I recently had the privilege to worship with the good people of Sunnyvale Baptist Church. Hurricane Helene has almost become a forgotten memory for many, all except for the good people of Sunnyvale Baptist Church in Old Fort.  Below is a picture of the church before Helene, and then a picture after Helene.  A few things within the sanctuary were salvaged but the rest of the church had to be demolished and removed from its existing site.  Sunnyvale is a small church averaging around 30 in attendance.  They are presently meeting in the Chapel at Westmoreland Funeral Home on Sunday mornings.  At one time they were in our association and are now moving towards coming back. 
 
 
 

I feel strongly led to ask of you a tremendous favor.  We believe we are better together, and I believe here is an opportunity to show McDowell County just how together we are.  Would you get the word out to your church to join together with ALL the churches in McDowell County in receiving a special Sunday morning love offering for Sunnyvale on February 15th, 2026?  I’m simply calling it (A Sunday for Sunnyvale).

It cost this small church $35,000 to have what was left of their church torn down and taken away.  Samaritan’s Purse has promised them a grant once they start rebuilding.  Many mission teams from as far away as Texas are wanting to come and help the church rebuild. 

I have sent emails to every association in NC asking them to do the same.  I have no idea what dollar amount all of our churches here and across our great state could give on one designated Sunday morning.  However, I do know that our God can do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or think according to the power that is at work in us. 

Jesus said, “We have not because we ask not.”  Feeling led of the Lord, I’m asking so let’s see what He can do in us and through us on “A Sunday for Sunnyvale.”  Again, the day is Sunday, February 15th, 2026.  

God is Good

Dennis

Eph. 3:20-21  

 

The Gaston Baptist Association stepped up and sent Sunnyvale Baptist Church $5,000.  I was honored and thankful to present the check to Pastor Jimmy Buchanan on Sunday morning, December 21st,  and to share some updates on what our association is doing to get funds for the rebuilding of their church.   The Gaston Association is also promoting the special Sunday for Sunnyvale offering on February 15th to their churches.