I received a notice from our pastor via the Calling Post, informing us that we would not have services for at least a couple of weeks. I hate to miss that wonderful weekly joy but I understand our bishop’s desire to keep us all safe, just in case. I always record Dr. Charles Stanley’s morning service and play it back while we dine on lunch. I stopped recording Joel Osteen’s after I saw him ripping up a Bible online! I noticed that he never cited any scripture in his sermons, but sort of enjoyed the little humor he usually started with in his morning talk.   

  I was delighted when I heard that our former pastor, Alex Stroud, would be sharing his morning sermon on the Kennesaw church’s Facebook page. It was great to see him again, and of course his words were very captivating and encouraging as he preached about prayer. As usual, he held a large Bible, and read from several different gospels, and like our current pastor, he never lost my attention. I enjoyed how the words to the hymns that were being performed were displayed on the bottom of the screen too. I usually know most of the lyrics to our Sunday morning enjoyment, but it helps to have the words available.

  I still read some of Pastor Stroud’s wonderful sermon titles that I wrote down in the front of my Bible. My favorite one of all is “I’m Jesus, I’m coming, and I’m bringing heaven.” I almost didn’t need to hear a sermon after those wonderful words. I’m glad that Alex helped us grow our different programs, led us through fasting, and lots more. We are very blessed to have the Stroud family leading Mt. Bethel, in other ways too. His wife, Erin, taught us ladies a special Bible class and I still use one of the lessons from time to time. The lesson came from a spiritual leader, Beth Moore. The best part of her lesson was a special kind of prayer, and I call it the Beth Moore prayer. Here’s how it works: if you have a very special or urgent prayer need, you lay face down on the floor, and lift up only that one prayer. I just did one yesterday for a fellow Methodist suffering from Shingles. I plan on doing another one tonight, about the scary virus going around the world. 

  I’m glad there was a neat message on Facebook about a request for all to pray for three minutes starting at nine p.m. and of course I was very pleased to be part of that wonderful blessing. So, I passed it on to a few of my Methodist brothers and sisters plus family members. Facebook has got to be one of the greatest internet projects ever invented.  It keeps me current on local happenings, sends me important prayer requests, and I can stay connected to those I’ve met over the years too. We are VERY blessed to have it since the scary Coronavirus came to light.  

  And I am keeping the prayers going, not just for my family, town, county and state but for the USA and other countries too. 

  I hope that it all comes to a swift halt with very few suffering and fewer deaths also. I’m grateful to Facebook for keeping me up-to-date on the latest and also my AJC sending out special announcements. Somehow I missed learning that the library would be closed and stopped by to pick up some more books but found a big closed sign on the door. As I walked back to my car, a lady came out of the business office and told a gentleman heading for the library about the closing. I’m glad that my Publix, Food Depot, Walgreens and CVS are staying open. I will cut back on my daily trips though because I still obey all rules!