New Desire had a women’s conference at New Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Hodges, AL this past weekend. Their theme for the weekend was “Branded for Christ.” They were coming from Galatians 6:17 which says, “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Brenda taught us how that when we are saved by grace through faith, that we then bear the marks of Jesus Christ. She gave an illustration about going to the cattle barn and picking out the right, healthy cattle and what a farmer looks for when he’s searching through the cattle.  Here are some of the qualities he looks for:

1.  Productivity/longevity
2.  Their ability to reproduce
3.  Nutrition
4.  Healthy
5.  Whether or not they are thriving or just surviving
6.  Performance-turning forage into muscle requires high capacity to turn into meat

When I heard her start teaching all of this, I immediately started jotting down how I could turn all of this into Biblical principles. The questions I started asking myself were the following:

1.  Am I being productive for Christ?
2.  Am I a part of the reproductive cycle for Christ? Am I able to witness and produce new Christians?
3.  Am I nurturing my mind and soul with the Word of God?
4.  Am I a healthy Christian? Do I put in all good and no bad?
5.  Am I thriving (excited about the Lord and doing all I can do) or do I just do enough to get by or survive?
6.  Is my performance what it should be to turn my muscle (knowledge) into meat for the Master’s use?

All of these questions ran through my head. I had to do some major examining! It wasn’t pleasant to answer all these questions and check myself out! The Great Physician had to give me some orders on how to make myself healthier, more nutritious, more productive, etc.

We were also taught that the Brahmas hold water in a pouch on their necks as a reservoir. I kept thinking, “Man, this is the way we Christians do. We only go to the water of life once per week. That’s when we enter the doors of the church and we want to drink from the pastor’s long, hard study time and store up for the whole week. We nurture off of what God has given him and think that’s enough to last us.” Well that is SO WRONG! By mid-week we are thirsting to death. That water doesn’t last without replenishing it in the Word daily. We should not depend on someone else to water us; we should be willing to go to the well ourselves on a daily basis to fill our souls with the Living Water….Our Lord JESUS CHRIST!

Let me know what you think about this. God has really burned a desire in my heart to fill my pail each day until it just over flows with His love, mercy, grace, comfort, guidance, etc.

In Christ,

Brooke

Most of you know Christie Pickard. She is the beautiful face that you see each year at the annual conference that emcees for us all weekend. She is the most wonderful person that anyone could ever meet. She is always so cheerful and positive, but she is human just like the rest of us. Her husband Jamey serves our country and is also a wonderful man of God. Christie has a devotional that she would like to share with you all. Please let her know what you think about her heart!

~Brooke

My husband was deployed and I was struggling with it. When he is gone, I have good days and bad days like every other wife I know. This particular day was a very bad day. I lived in a different state from all my family. I had no one to talk to or turn to when I was feeling down in the dumps. My brother called and could hear it in my voice I suppose, because he was on my door step in about two hours along with my Dad, my niece and my nephew.

It was truly a beautiful day. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. The flowers were blooming. I should have been in the best mood, but my day looked gray as I lay on the couch.

The house was quickly filled with the laughter and busyness of two energetic children. My niece and nephew would always make my day. Lilly Grace was three at the time and Eli was five. They had no idea that my world had been rocked and that I was struggling. Hugs and kisses and giggling were just part of the package when they were around… my brother knew I needed it.

He also knew I needed to get out of the house. We loaded up and headed to the state park. Hiking is one thing that is therapy to my soul. I love the peace that rustles through the trees as I walk and the view is always breath taking. We began our hike near the animal rescue. There were owls, raccoons, and other woodland creatures in cages near the trail head. Seth and Lilly Grace were hand in hand as usual. He being a big burly six foot three and her being a petite three year old were a sight to see.  As she stumbled across the stumps of tree roots that had ruptured the ground beneath her tiny feet, she would look up and say, “ Daddy, God loves me so much that He made these beautiful (sounded more like bootiful) flowers just for me.” And he would reply with a gentle, “yes baby He did.” She continued to describe the trees, the grass, the animals and the sky the same way and he continued to respond in the same manner. She then said, “ then Daddy why did He make so many bumps in the road?” We all froze in our tracks. Tears began to stream down my face. Had God just spoken to me through a three year old? Was that happening? Did she really say what I think she said?

The very question I had for my heavenly father was coming right out of her mouth. God spoke softly to my heart as the breeze blew through the trees. Those bumps were not meant for harm, but for growth. To me, part of being God strong is realizing that God wants the very best for us and though it may not seem like the best at that point in time or ever for that matter, we must remember the words in Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

In Christ,

Christie Pickard

Hi Friends,

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything to our community. However, it is not because I do not love you all. I have had some trying times these past few months that have required all of my time and attention.  Most of you have heard about the death of my brother and the cancer my sister has been diagnosed with.  Dan’s brother suddenly passed during this time as well. Four months after Dan’s brother passed his son (Dan’s nephew) age 31 also suddenly passed away while on a VBS retreat. He also died of heart failure just like his dad.  Please pray for his family. He left behind a two year old son and a very precious wife. Read the rest of this entry »

Matthew 9:9-17

“And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, ‘Follow me‘. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, ‘They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’. Read the rest of this entry »

Well friends, it’s that time of year again that we start preparing for the studio. We always try to put a lot of prayer and fasting in selecting the songs for all of our projects. We feel that God is leading in a different direction this year. It takes a lot of time and effort in to making a CD of songs the quality and the anointing that it needs to be before you get to hear it. Sometimes the studio gets very stressful and frustrating, but we pray our way through. We have spent hours on trying to get one WORD on the right pitch or trying to find the right harmony part. I know you don’t hear that when we sing it out, but that’s because we have worked hard to make it right before you hear it. Read the rest of this entry »

When you think of the word “peculiar,” you probably think of “different, apart from everyone else, or a separate people.” The word peculiar comes from the Latin word peculium which means “private possession.” If we are born again, we are God’s peculium. That makes us God’s purchased, private possession. We don’t belong to ourselves anymore. We have been bought with a price. We belong to God and we are His private property. We should be walking around with a “NO TRESPASSING” sign around our necks that states “VIOLATERS WILL BE PROSECUTED.”  We have to start having the mind frame that whatever the world has to offer we can’t accept because we don’t belong to the world anymore. Yes, some of the things it offers are pleasing to us, but they are only temporary. What God offers us is for eternity! Are you ready to put on your “NO TRESPASSING” sign? If you are saved, you are wearing one whether you want to or not.

Are you wearing your sign?  Tell us what happens when you do!

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

I Thessalonians 5:5-11 Read the rest of this entry »

We headed to the hospital for Kevin and Heather’s emergency C-section on Friday, March 20. When we got there, I had to stay in the waiting area with all of their luggage. I found me a place to sit with another family. They looked friendly so I plopped down to sit with them. Most of you that know me, know that I am not a shy person. I asked them if they were having a baby that day and awaiting the arrival of their new little one. They replied with “our baby was born on Monday in Athens, GA and was stillborn.” Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever asked, “Why me Lord?” Why did I lose a parent? Why did I have to miscarry a child? Why did I lose my job? Why was my child born sick? Why was I diagnosed with this sickness? The list could go on and on. I’m sure we have all asked the question is some shape or form. I AM GUILTY of asking it myself. Read the rest of this entry »

We would like to take the opportunity to thank you all for your prayers during our loss. We buried Dan’s brother, Rickey, on Tuesday of this week. The funeral went well. The pastor of his church delivered the message and the eulogy, and did a wonderful job. The family laughed a little and cried a little. There was such a huge turn-out for the funeral, and we can’t say thank you enough for your prayers and support through this loss.

Read the rest of this entry »