The 68th Anniversary Of The Attack On Pearl Harbor

Tree Of Angels Ceremony Dallas,Tx. 12/3/09

On Thursday 12/3/09, I attended the 12th Annual Tree of Angels Ceremony in Dallas,TX. The Ceremony is sponsored by the Dallas County Crime Victim Council and is held annually to honor those lost to violent crime and accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. The families and friends of those lost are ask to make a ornament with their loved ones picture and name. They place them on a memorial Christmas tree at a designated time. There is a solemn service with prayer and music, this year the Dallas Police Department Choir and bagpiper played and sang. After the ceremony the attendees are fed dinner and they release balloons with their deceased loved ones name on them. As a volunteer chaplain with Victim Relief Ministries, I attended to help provide emotional and spiritual support for those in attendance. There were several other VRM chaplains and crisis responders participating in the ceremony and our client case manager was the MC for the night. The pictures posted above show two precious souls and both lost their sons,(Kendrick and Stephen), to senseless murders. Patricia and Jean both attended our grief sharing group held for several weeks at our office. Jean is the mother of Stephen Swan, who I have blogged about previously. Jean recently went through our training and now is one of our crisis responders. I pray God continues to comfort and care for Jean, Patricia, and their families as they continue on the road to coping and healing. Carey

How Did We Know?

Comedian Jonathan Winters said in an interview that his life was scarred by the cruel things his parents said to him in childhood. "I'm no crybaby, but I remember things with almost total recall-there's a lot of pain there." His father once told him, "You're the dumbest kid I know."

When he joined the Marines and went off to the South Pacific during World War II, Jonathan felt no support from his mother. When he came back home, he discovered that she had given away the precious, personal things he had stored in the attic. He was upset, but her response was, "How did we know you were going to live?"

Many people have scars caused by people words. If that has happened to you, there's another voice you should hear. The Lord's words are stronger than anyone else's. He has words of love and life, words of affirmation. "I have loved you with an everlasting love," says the Father.

God loves you so much, He desires a deep and delightful relationship with you. Don't be discouraged by the words of others. You are special in God's eyes.

This devotion is from the Turning Point Devotional Book, Dr.David Jeremiah

In The Arena

Missionary Isobel Kuhn wrote a book entitled IN THE ARENA, in which she described great difficulties she had faced, showing how each had become an arena in which her influence for Christ was magnified.

After they were thrown into the fiery furnace, the three Hebrews in Daniel 3 were promoted, and their reputation was enhanced. It was imprisonment that allowed Paul to evangelize Rome's Praetorian Guard and that spurred the early church to action.

It was after Charles Colson had served time in a federal penitentiary for his role in the Watergate scandal that he became a prominent spokesman for faith, establishing an effective ministry to men and women in prisons across America.

It was after his arm was amputated from cancer that the world began listening to the testimony of baseball player Dave Dravecky.

It was after months of uncertain captivity by the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan that Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer emerged to tell their stories and glorify God for His deliverance.

Are you in a season of suffering? God will use it to magnify your influence for Him. Trust Him, and be faithful.


The things which happened to me have actually turned our for the furtherance of the gospel. Philippians 1:12


This devotion is from the Turning Point Daily Devotional Book, Dr. David Jeremiah

I know we could all add our names to those listed above. We all have had our seasons of suffering and had our faith tested in the arenas of life. Ever since my fight against cancer, I see more clearly what the Lord wants me to do and I endeavor to do my best to further His Kingdom every day he gives me to serve Him. I keenly desire as our church youth minister says to serve the Lord with "Purity, Purpose, and Passion." Carey

Battle of Franklin Tn. Nov. 30, 1864( A family loss)

Today marks the 145th anniversary of the Battle Of Franklin, Tennessee. It is called the bloodiest day in the War Between the States. Over 9,000 were killed and wounded in just over five hours of fighting. 6,000 of those were Confederates and six Confederate Generals were also lost in this number. There were more high ranking officers killed and wounded in this battle than in any battle in American History. The Confederate frontal assault on fortified Union positions was 10 times the size of Pickett's Charge in the Battle of Gettysburg. Included in the terrible casualties on this day of savage fighting and carnage were two relatives of mine. Martin and Wilkin Bond were my great-great uncles and were members of the 3rd Mississippi Regiment(Gen. Loring's Brigade).Their picture is posted above, they are posing with their father Russell Bond before the war began. This same picture is hanging in the Carter House Museum in Franklin Tennessee. Martin was killed during the battle and is buried with 1,840 other Confederate soldiers in the MaGavock Confederate Cemetery in Franklin. Wilkin was wounded and taken prisoner. He was sent to a Union prison(Camp Chase)in Columbus, Ohio where he died of yellow fever at the end of the war. I have visited both their graves and placed flowers and flags in honor of them. I said to my family that I may have been the only relative to visit their graves, especially Wilkin's grave in Ohio. All these brave southern Americans fought to defend their homeland from a Federal invasion and against forces seeking to take their liberties. I think we today should take heed and stay vigilant to what's happening around us. The defense of freedom and liberty is now on our watch and is worth defending, may we always trust God alone in helping us with this worthy endeavor. May we also never suffer this awful loss of life again and I pray this cause can be accomplished through the ballot box and other peaceful means. Carey

The other pictures above include, the MaGavock Cemetery, The Carter House(a farmhouse at the center of the battle), and a famous portrait of the battle.

Sunday Scripture

Snared or Safe?

Recently a man in New York turned down a promotion because his new office would be on the tenth floor. The problem? He suffers from a fear of elevators-evidently a combination of acrophobia(fear of heights) and claustrophobia(fear of enclosed spaces).

When a fear takes hold of us, it doesn't like to let go. For some, it's the inability to relax at night because of squeaks of timbers or noises near windows. For others, it's panic attacks or anxiety disorders. And then there are people who experience apprehension whenever a loved one is traveling, or a sense of dread when fetching bills from the mailbox. Many of us are afraid of other people, those intimidating souls who frighten, bully, harass, or torment us.

Proverbs 29:25 gives us two options: We can fear others, which becomes a snare. Or we can trust God, which leads to safety. The devil is the source of fear, and his goal is to confuse and confound. The Savior of our souls replaces fear with faith, and whoever trusts in Him is safe.

Turning Point: I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear. Rosa Parks

Recommended Reading: 1 John 4:17-18

This devotion is from Turning Point Ministry, Dr. David Jeremiah