March 21, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Thursday, March 21.

Last night, at First Baptist Center, our children competed in an exciting event, an event to qualify them to compete at a state level. The event? Bible Drill! You're probably familiar with this program. Maybe you grew up participating in it. I did.

March 19, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Tuesday, March 19 - the first day of Spring!

My niece, Lesli, lives with her family in upstate New York, in a house built in the 1850's. That house was brand new when a new minister came to that town. His name was Maltbie Babcock. He was young, and he was determined to be an effective pastor to his flock. Whenever the burdens of his job grew too great, Babcock would go for long walks into one of the most beautiful parts of America. He would call to his young wife, "I'm going out to my Father's world!"

March 15, 2024 - On the 3rd Monday of each month, First Baptist Center, 117 Cora, hosts an 11:30 lunch meeting for senior adults from our community. It's called the Golden Harvest Club and it's free. The program this month, on Monday, March 18, will feature Rev. Porter Brewer, the brand new pastor of First Baptist. Join us!

March 14, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Thursday, March 14.

My devotion today can be summed up in this familiar phrase, "one thing leads to another". On this day, in 1794, Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin. That word "gin" is short for "engine", and this new engine mechanically removed the seeds from cotton. Before Whitney's invention, this process was slow and labor intensive, and significantly reduced the profit margin of raising cotton.

March 12, 2024 - Good Morning! It's March 12.

One of my favorite hymn writers was born on this day in 1826. His name was Robert Lowry. Heard of him? Maybe not. But you've certainly heard of his hymns. He wrote more than 500 of them. Here's just a few -

*All the Way My Savior Leads Me
*Low in the Grave He Lay
*I Need Thee Every Hour
*We're Marching to Zion
*Shall We Gather at the River
*Nothing But the Blood