Sunday we celebrated someone who BEAT THE ODDS once more, and in a very special way, as Kenneth and Tory talked about their 2010 graduation from St Louis Public School.  Congratulations and Blessings to them!  We also celebrated educators, and particularly the educators at Lyon at Blow, our official partnership school, for all they do for our children and community.  Pastor Tish talked about Pentecost Sunday, the celebration of the church calendar.  She drew attention to how the Holy Spirit led each Apostle to preach in a different language of their audience, so that all could understand the Gospel....

Sunday we still BEAT THE ODDS as Kim Stalmach shared her testimony of her  struggle with drugs and multiple prison sentences, before finally finding sobriety and her way back to His family.  Pastor Tish compared this to Paul and Silas, who when in prison, spent the time singing hymns of praise to God, and even when an earthquake came, and the bars all fell off, they remained and converted the guard, rather than escaping.  That’s faith!....

Sunday we BEAT THE ODDS again as Dorothy (Dee Dee) Bradford shared her testimony, via video, of her family’s struggle into and back out of a homeless shelter.  Dee Dee said God was with them the whole time, and even in their struggle, in His presence they found joy.  She reminded us of Psalm 37: 25 “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken…”  Tish talked about a story from Daniel, where three believers, were going through their toughest struggle, as they were thrown into a fiery furnace for not worshipping false gods; yet they were unharmed—even found joy—because the real God was with them.....

Sunday we began our BEAT THE ODDS, series as Sara Swinson came and gave her testimony of God saving her from a rare blood disorder when doctors told her she was all but dead.  Sara said God gave her a Bible verse for inspiration, Ezekiel 16:6, so start your reading for this week, by checking that one out.  Our programs also directed us to Mark 5: 25-34, but I suggest reading all of Mark 5 and discovering for yourself, as Sara shared, what God can do with the power of faith.....