Next, DIY Kids is coming up. Help us get the word out. Please sign up by May 3, 2023

DIY Kids is a time when young children can get together and create projects with their hands while also learning about our creator. Join us as we explore the unique abilities and creative imaginations God has given us.

First Baptist Church
Family Ministry Building

Next Workshop
Saturday, May 6, 2023
10:00 AM – 12 Noon

Giving as of April 11, 2023

Budget for 2023 . . . . . . . .  $348,707.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . . . $100,588.65
Received to Date . . . . . . . . . $68,890.24
Needed for weekly budget . . .  $6,705.91
Tithes Received this week . . . . $4,454.00

MID-WEEK DEVOTION

Don’t forget to check out Brother David’s Mid-Week Devotion in the book of Psalms. They are uploaded each Wednesday on the sermon page.

From Our Family and Music Minister

We all need encouragement from time to time. Encouragement can be helpful when we are feeling down, struggling with a difficult task, or trying to achieve a goal. Encouragement can come from many sources, such as friends, family, teachers, mentors, or even strangers. It can be as simple as a kind word, a hug, or a pat on the back. When we are encouraged, we can receive the strength to keep going when we feel like giving up. However, we can’t always be on the receiving end. As Christians, we need to make sure that we reach out to our family and friends who might need encouragement. As Christians, there are so many ways we can encourage each other:

We can encourage through our presence. Have you ever awakened in the morning and prayed that God would put negative people in your life for the day? Then when God doesn’t answer this prayer, we question His love for us. Of course not! We want the complete opposite. We enjoy being in the presence of an encouraging person. As Christians, we need to guard ourselves against negative attitudes towards people. Amazingly, God can deliver a gift of encouragement through a hug, a kind word, or just the presence of a good friend. We can easily be a light in a dark world by having a positive attitude around people.

We can encourage through our prayers. The Apostle Paul modeled this for us regularly. He knew the value of praying for people and letting them know precisely how he was praying for them. I encourage you to consider the name of one person you want to see encouraged. Find that person and ask him/her to share a specific prayer need with you. Then take the time to pray specifically for this need and let him/her know you have prayed.  It will amaze you how your attitude and someone else’s attitude will change when you sincerely lift them up in prayer.

We can encourage through our actions. When we have hardships, we often receive comments like, “I have been praying for you; let me know if you need anything.” These are great and are greatly appreciated. However, sometimes what helps the most is when those generic offers become specific actions. Be a person who thinks about what another person could need during a rough time in life. Think about his/her daily routine: childcare needs? Help with meals? Yard work? Walking the dog? Be open for God to use you in other people’s lives through your actions.

We live in such a negative society. Unfortunately, there are people around us who always try to find the bad in a situation instead of finding the good. Be someone who sees the good in situations and finds the good in others. We might think that people we know have lives full of happiness and have everything going their way; however, because they hide their true feelings, they usually can use just as much encouragement as anyone else. I hope that you will make it a habit to encourage your friends and take the time to encourage other people you may come across in your day-to-day life. You never know how one little task can show someone the love of Jesus Christ we all need.