Re-subscribe to The FiveOneGal Karen Ketchie Blog

ok, so I'm slow at trying to understand blogs and feeds and URL's. In wanting to spruce up my blog when it is viewed by you in your email, I had to change ...something. I dont know. So if you want to continue to receive the email updates, I'm sorry but you'll have to do the one minute email subscribe, then confirm to redirect it. On the right is a sidebar with a spot to "Email Subscription... Delivered by FeedBurner" (not feedblitz) . Put your email in there and then confirm in your inbox and all is well. Sorry for the inconvenience..I'm sure there's a better way, but as i said in my opening sentence...

Are you a bit warm today?

7-Day Forecast for
Baghdad,Iraq
Fri 88 -115
Sat 89 - 117
Sun 90 - 120
Mon 92 - 122
Tue 89 - 115
Wed 89 - 115
Thu 89 - 115

As you feel the heat and humidity this summer, let it be a reminder of the conditions in which the armed forces men and women serve. Take that moment to pray for them as they serve in theses conditions.
Father, I ask right now, for your love, comfort and protection to surround every soldier, sailor, airman and marine. Lord, please provide them endurance and strength. Let them have comfort in knowing that love and honor is being shown to their families as they too sacrifice. Amen

GOSSIP - THE FELLOWSHIP KILLER

Yesterday in Sunday's Hi School girls small group, we studied the topic of gossip. It is a paradox! The girls claim the ‘bad habit’ that girls have most is gossip and yet it is gossip that is most hurtful to them. The letter to the Colossians exhorts living the holy life and much of the text deals with attitude and language (Col 3: 8-10) and their source, the heart. Be assured that who you hang out with, what you listen to on the tv and your music GREATLY influence your thought life. Garbage in – Garbage out. Having trouble bridling your tongue? You’re not alone. Let these 3 tips offer assistance (source Teens DEVO book):
1. Accountability: Find a partner that you trust for confidence and prayer to keep you accountable with your words. Ever week,until you have a better control, have them ask you if you belittled, tore down or talked about anyone in the last week. Also, if you were feeling insecure at the time…as this is a dominant reason for gossip.
2. Before you speak, answer the “3 Box” questions before you speak.

• First, is what you are about to say TRUE? (if not, zip it.)


• Second, is what you are going to say KIND? (If it is true, then ask yourself, is it kind? If not, keep it to yourself.)


• Third, is it NECESSARY? (If true, then if it is kind, is it necessary?)

3. Last, pause and pray. James (James 1:19) advises us to be slow to speak. Why? Give the Holy Spirit a moment to intervene to guard your mouth or change your words.If this is an area in which you struggle, ask God to give you a repentant heart, confess it as sin, and then spend time in prayer for guidance on this serious matter. If I can pray for you, send me a note and in confidence, I’ll do just that…pray for you.

Children's Camp Day 4 (it's after midnight)

I'm here with Lauren Kaye @ Children's camp for the week, somewhere in Ocala. Nice place! The theme is Knight or Knot? This year I'm the camp nurse for this group of 1st-7th graders. So far the tally is:
headaches: 5, fever: 1, bellyaches: 5 somekindofbite:3 my leg/knee hurts: 2, rash: 2, ear ache:2, cut:2 boo-boo: 3 ....and now for the children:..nah, just kiddin... the counselors are great!
Just some quick thoughts: Ken's cabins' boys are dropin like flys tonight! Laury, I think Jared and the boys are the ones who TP'd your car...Alex and Judy: wow what awesome food! I can easily see (and taste) that you do this for the Lord! My, what intersting stories these kids tell about you parents! Justin, you're turning into a man after God's own heart. A little white mouse was captured in our cabin hallway tonight by a brave knight. Another one appeared about 1 hr later. They look suspiciously like store-bought mice....I still get lost getting to my cabin! Counselor's Night Out looked as exciting as the old folks home ho-down. To the teenagers on the puppet team..how awesome you are!
Peace Out! KK
Psalm 118: 28-29 You are my God and I will give you thanks. You are my God and I will exhalt you. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.

My faith is _____________ .

Today in High School Girls Small group, we studied about our faith. What kind of faith do you have? If Jesus got in your face at eye level and asked you to use one word to describe your faith you would say....?

weak-full-none-huge-limited-lukewarm-alive....

I'm sure there are specific terms for faith types, but off the top of my head, here's some I think of:
1. Generational faith- you got your momma's faith; or a religious background.

2. Relational faith - you have a rub-off faith from a friend. If your friend quit going to church, you probably would too.

3. Intellectual faith - head knowledge. Know the church lingo..

4. Experential faith. ..you don't know about God, you know God. You've met him. This isn't exclusive of the 5th type of faith...

5. Personal faith. Not only did you have an encounter with Jesus, you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior..He is now personal to you.

I gave the example of saying to the class that Katie and I are BEST FRIENDS. Then I asked her how many times in the last week did I call her, this best friend of mine. She said, of course, "none". So despite my claim to be best friends w/ Katie, it isn't true due to evidence. I asked her how many times she and Ashley talked.."lots". Right. This is evidence of a good friendship.



So despite what you claim (I'm a christian) it is the evidence that proves the truth( my faith is____) . So be truthful..what does your faith look like? God knows your heart. He knows your real relationship. So girls, I encourage you to GET REAL with Him. Even if you don't know Him personally..tell Him so and why. If you're angry or saddened - be real with God. He wants to hear from you. But be honest...for if you knew the Jesus I know, you'd have no doubt.

So, what's it going to be? My faith is___________. If you truely want to grow your relationship w/ Jesus, thell Him that too and well....hang on! He'll touch you fresh and anew!



Remember to pray for:

Darcy, for her surgery tomorrow; neighbor

He, former teacher's little boy and her bro

Ch, cousin & uncle...(I'll miss you girl!!) ; Pa, work

Ma, brother and mom; Je, friend's family, Kaylee D, camps, aunt

Br, brother going to Iraq Ja, brother in bootcamp

Ma, g/mother Ta, family

And many unspokens

Lessons from the Old Testament

I have been reading the OT for a bit and am in the book of Judges. Moses has died, as well as his successor, Joshua. The Israelites asked the Lord for guidance when fighting the Canaanites, the first people they were to fight without a leader. God told them how to fight and what to do. They didn’t comply completely with is directions which lead them into worshiping and serving idols. In the upcoming chapters- which were actual living years to these folks, we see the result of this disobedience (more on that another day) but a KEY set of verses jumped out at me:
JUDGES CHAPTER 2: 10 After that (the death of Joshua) the whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal…

Key words: did evil, forsook, followed, provoked

Because of this God handed them over to raiders who plundered and sold them and…”they were in great distress”. Are you in distress? Then consider their story and see if it looks like, well..you…or me…any of us.

How many times in our own lives do we forsake what the Lord is plainly telling us? DO any of these look familiar?
· He says NO to something we want to buy, and we do it anyway.
· He says ‘Be my hands and give to that person’, and we withhold because “I worked hard for that”!
· He says I miss your fellowship and you say, ‘Yeah but I’m too busy with this new job you provided to me’.
· He says do this in my name and you think…not glamorous enough?...somebody else should do it? …fill in the blank...

God, may you find me on my knees with an open heart and open hands. You, O God are the One that I worship!

Tomorow night - Wednesday - mission trip testimony

Tomorrow night, Wednesday, the team from Promise Land Baptist Church will be sharing our testimonies of our adventures while on a mission trip in Panama. Please come and join us @ 7 pm at PLBC Promise Land Baptist Church
(www.plbcjax.org 2197 Blair RdJacksonville, FL 32221(904) 783-9980 Get directionsMore information »)
Tommy Rosalee has to work so hear what we have to say about him....I mean for him!!
Also be in prayer for Seth Mallard as he has surgery Wed and for the healing process of Danny Green. See you then.. Karen

Kirk Cameron with Gang Bangers...amazing video...

Go to You-Tube and google Kirk Cameron and gang bangers...

It is amazing that at the start of the video Kirk was interrupted and laughed at. Notice how quiet it got? The word of God is powerful!

PURGE

I am Deuteronomy in my QT right now and this morning I’m reading Chs. 19-21. The text is talking about the law of God, governing laws for the cities as well as behavioral law. A certain phrase just jumped off the page at me. It is a condemning phrase of ‘you must purge’, and ‘show no pity’. When a man intentionally kills another “show him no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood”.
If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, and is caught lying “then do to him as we was intending to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you… show no pity”.
If your son is rebellious and does not obey when disciplined by his parents…take him to the priests and "all the men will stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you."
In this sense the word purge is defined as the verb to wash out, rid, cleanse and eliminate. The people of Israel lived under the laws of God and were instructed and expected to live under those laws.
Another definition of PURGE is to pardon, exonerate, and forgive. An example of this type of purge would be for a convicted criminals’ record to be pardoned: to free someone from blame or guilt to declare officially that somebody is not to blame or is not guilty of wrongdoing; to relieve somebody from an obligation or responsibility.

One word. Such diverse consequences yet both with the same end result: to make clean and pure. I am so glad I live under the grace of God’s mercy. See before I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, I personally would have to live under the law - the first example of purge. I would be found guilty and have to take the punishment of breaking the law and would receive 'no pity'.

In 2004 I placed my faith and trust in Jesus, he who knew no sin – yet bore all my sin and took my punishment under the law. He received 'no pity' in place of me. Because of His sacrifice on the cross, my previously guilty record – past –present- and future is purged – the second type of example. I have been found free of guilt or blame.
I am so thankful for the mercy of God.
Titus 3:4-6 (NIV) 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Panama Mission Trip Guest Blogger: Thomas Holden

Thomas is a husband and a father. He works in the construction/restoration business. He was part of the Panama mission trip and is today's guest blogger.

"Wow, what great time we had in Panama. We serve an awesome God. This was my 2nd time going to Panama ministering to the Guayami Indians. My wife, Rachel and I had blast working along side Tommy Rosalee, Tim and Karen Ketchie during this medical/ evangelistic mission trip. We also were blessed to meet other pastors who came from West Virginia, and a pastor from Kentucky. I’m sure these gentlemen will be leaving their own blog soon. Because this was such a great trip, we all were blessed just to be apart of it. One morning when all the Guayami ladies were in their service, 9 ladies got saved. Listening to the preaching from God's word. On Saturday we witnessed 24 Indians getting baptized down at the river, while 160 people were there watching. My wife, Rachel was able to give out over 100 reading glasses and about 35 pairs of prescription glasses. I had no idea she was an optometrist. She also was able to give out 20 purses filled with all kinds of little goodies for 20 different Indians ladies. For some of you that don’t know, God has called Rachel and me to be full time missionaries, to go and serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please be in prayer for us, to where will be serving Him. Thanks to everyone who supported us and also the ones who helped watch our kids while we were gone. I've got another chance to go back to Panama April 28th with my son Josh ( who is 15 years old) and help Bro. Mike Lewis and 6 other men to build a church much, much further up the mountains for the Guayami Indians. Please pray for us we will be camping up there for 5 days until the church is built. Thanks again, May God Bless you as He has blessed me." Thomas Holden