Willow Grove Community Church

11/11/2021

I would like to throw my hat in the ring for re-election for Shelby County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3.
Since August 1, 2020 I have established an office, completed more than the 80 hours training mandated by the Texas Justice Court Training Center and many, many hours of on the job training.
I continue to believe this is an extension of what I have been doing all my life and is God’s will for me to better serve my community. I have worked hard to comprehend the immensity of this job and I strive daily to do it with honesty, competency and integrity.
I would love to have your support in the upcoming election to finish the journey I have begun.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you as Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3 these last fourteen months.

05/03/2020

IF YOU NEED A BREAKTHROUGH....PUT IT IN GOD'S HAND AND STAND YOUR GROUND...IT DEPENDS on WHOSE HAND IT IS IN!!

I Chronicles 14:8-11. And when the Phillistines heard that David was anointed King over Israel, all the Phillistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them. 9. And the Phillistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10. And David enquired of God saying, Shall I go up against the Phillistines? And wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand. 11. So they went up to Baalerazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand le the breaking forth of waters: therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim (Lord of the Breakthrough)

When satan spreads himself out before you like the Phillistines did in the valley of Rephaim....He is trying to strike fear in your heart so that you will lay down and hand over your victory to him. Remember it is the Lord who breaks open the gate so you can pass through!!

After the death of Joshua the Children of Israel asked God what tribe would lead them into battle and the Lord said....Judah shall go up (Judges 1:2). The meaning of Judah is praise!! When you are facing difficult situations....Make sure you praise before you do anything else. God wrought a great victory at Jericho when they shouted on the 7th time around the walls. That shout was what God was waiting to hear!! The God of the breakthrough broke down those walls. When you need walls broken down begin to PRAISE!!

II Samuel 23:11-12 And after him was Shammah the Son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles (peas...a pea patch) and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. Shammah was a grandson of Essau....He was NOT MUCH in his natural self but God wrought a great victory because he chose to STAND HIS GROUND!!

Sherry Shofner sent this to me last week and said "This will preach". I said, Yes it will."

A basketball in my hand is worth about $19 but in Lebron James' hand it is worth about $33 million. IT DEPENDS WHOSE HAND IT'S IN!!

A football in my hands is worth about $10 or $11 dollars but in Peyton Manning's hand it is worth about $50 or $60 million bucks.

A golf club is useless in my hands but in Tiger Woods hands it is worth $19 million!!

Two fish and five loaves in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches but in God's hands it will feed thousands!!

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse but nails in the hands of JESUS CHRIST produced salvation for the entire world.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHOSE HANDS YOU LEAVE IT IN!!

Shammah was not much in his natural self but God wrought a great victory becaus he chose to stand his ground and allow God to bring him through!! The enemy has come to claim your harvest. Satan has been waiting for you to PLOW THE FIELD...SOW THE SEED....REMOVE THE WEEDS and GET IT READY FOR HARVEST!!

People will tell you....It is only a pea patch....let them have it. If it is just a pea patch....Why is there an entire army gathered against you? Your children will reap the benefits or the consequences of the choices you make now!! They will be affected for a lifetime.....YOU ARE CALLED TO STAND UP TO THE ENEMY!! Be ready for that dam to break....you are not standing alone. THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD!!

05/03/2020

IF YOU NEED A BREAKTHROUGH....PUT IT IN GOD'S HAND AND STAND YOUR GROUND...IT DEPENDS WHOSE HAND IT IS IN!!

I Chronicles 14:8-11. And when the Phillistines heard that David was anointed King over Israel, all the Phillistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them. 9. And the Phillistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10. And David enquired of God saying, Shall I go up against the Phillistines? And wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand. 11. So they went up to Baalerazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand le the breaking forth of waters: therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim (Lord of the Breakthrough)

When satan spreads himself out before you like the Phillistines did in the valley of Rephaim....He is trying to strike fear in your heart so that you will lay down and hand over your victory to him. Remember it is the Lord who breaks open the gate so you can pass through!!

After the death of Joshua the Children of Israel asked God what tribe would lead them into battle and the Lord said....Judah shall go up (Judges 1:2). The meaning of Judah is praise!! When you are facing difficult situations....Make sure you praise before you do anything else. God wrought a great victory at Jericho when they shouted on the 7th time around the walls. That shout was what God was waiting to hear!! The God of the breakthrough broke down those walls. When you need walls broken down begin to PRAISE!!

II Samuel 23:11-12 And after him was Shammah the Son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles (peas...a pea patch) and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. Shammah was a grandson of Essau....He was NOT MUCH in his natural self but God wrought a great victory because he chose to STAND HIS GROUND!!

Sherry Shofner sent this to me last week and said "This will preach". I said, Yes it will."

A basketball in my hand is worth about $19 but in Lebron James' hand it is worth about $33 million. IT DEPENDS WHOSE HAND IT'S IN!!

A football in my hands is worth about $10 or $11 dollars but in Peyton Manning's hand it is worth about $50 or $60 million bucks.

A golf club is useless in my hands but in Tiger Woods hands it is worth $19 million!!

Two fish and five loaves in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches but in God's hands it will feed thousands!!

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse but nails in the hands of JESUS CHRIST produced salvation for the entire world.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHOSE HANDS YOU LEAVE IT IN!!

Shammah was mot much in his natural self but God wrought a great victory becaus he chose to stand his ground and allow God to bring him through!! The enemy has come to claim your harvest. Satan has been waiting for you to PLOW THE FIELD...SOW THE SEED....REMOVE THE WEEDS and GET IT READY FOR HARVEST!!

People will tell you....It is only a pea patch....let them have it. If it is just a pea patch....Why is there an entire army gathered against you? Your children will reap the benefits or the consequences of the choices you make now!! They will be affected for a lifetime.....YOU ARE CALLED TO STAND UP TO THE ENEMY!! Be ready for that dam to break....you are not standing alone. THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD!! IT DEPENDS ON WHOSE HAND YOU LEAVE IT IN!!

04/19/2020

THIS VALLEY IS TEMPORARY!!

The same God that is on the mountain is the same one that walks through the valley with you. It is in the valley that He shapes you for His purpose!! We have to make up our mind when we are in the valley...Even in this Lord I trust you! Valleys are inevitable and they are a reality but they are only temporary. We have to go through the valley to get to the mountain top but we are not destined to camp out and stay there.

Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea though I walk through the VALLEY of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Robert's class had to memorize the 23rd Psalm. On a set day each child would have to recite the whole Psalm. Everybody was excited except Robert? He was very shy and had difficulty memorizing.

The dreaded day came and one by one they all recited the 23rd Psalm with much enthusiasm. Robert was the last one to recite. When it was his turn, he jumped up and grabbed the microphone and started with gusto....The Lord is my Shepherd....then he paused for several seconds. Then with a louder voice
He shouted...And that is ALL I NEED to KNOW!!

As we go through this valley called a pandemic.....that is all we need to know and remember!!

We are in very uncertain times and we still don't know how it is all going to play out but if you know the Shepherd....that is all you need to know!!

In the song "The Sun's Coming Up in the Morning" it says...."But in my weakness God sent reinforcement and at Sundown I sang victory's song!!

Accept the reality of the valley and remember....in the end we will sing victory's song!!

We can focus on the pain and unfairness in the situation or we can focus on the Shepherd and what He is trying to accomplish in our life!!

We can look at our situation as a piece of a much bigger story that we can't see at the time and know God is in control!! He can use everything that is going on to bring about His purpose.

In the middle of this valley declare your victory in God!! David had the right perspective. He did not say....I walk in the valley...He said I walk through the valley!!

II Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

This valley is temporary!!

04/18/2020

04/10/2020

I am sitting here on my front porch today enjoying the cool breeze and new life springing forth!! Without the run-off elections being pushed back to July 14, social distancing and orders to stay home I would not have taken the time to enjoy the beauty surrounding me. My lawnmower is in the shop so it looks like a jungle around here. Any other Easter it would not have been okay...it would have been unacceptable but I am at peace. Thank God that I know what Satan meant for harm God can turn around for our good!! I am seeing the focus this year not so much on Easter baskets, eggs and rabbits but on crosses draped in red fabric signifying the shed blood of Jesus Christ for our sin and for our healing....body, soul and spirit!!

I know this pandemic was sent to kill...steal and destroy but as Shadrack Meshack Lockridge, a well known African American Preacher said.... IT'S FRIDAY but SUNDAY'S COMING!! Folks we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (places of authority). Yes he has his demonic workers clothed in flesh working among us!!

It is high time to "Choose you this day whom you will serve". Riding the fence is not an option. We no longer have the luxury of staying neutral. It is time to get in the fight. If you are not for Him....you are against Him!!

On Friday it LOOKED LIKE everything was lost....all hope was gone but awwww.....Sunday was coming!! On Sunday that stone was rolled away and Jesus arose and defeated death, hell and the grave!! Hallelujah....Christ arose and conquered the enemy!! Go ahead step up and put him under your feet....his teeth have been pulled.

Take heart my friend....He knows exactly what is going on !! Don't get hung up on what it LOOKS LIKE....stay FOCUSED on the TRUTH!!

THIS Is FRIDAY but Thank God SUNDAY is COMING!!

Y'all I took a pic of my front porch view this morning and attached it for this post. I was most surprised when this pic showed up but I think it is full of beauty also so I am leaving it!!

04/05/2020

There was a young boy sailing his boat on a pond one day. Suddenly the wind caught his boat and it began to drift away from him.....well beyond his reach and his ability to save it. The little boy did the only thing he knew to save it....he cried for help from a nearby man. To the young man's horror he watched the man reach down and pick up stones and begin throwing them at his little boat. The little boy thought "How can he be so cruel to me?" However to his delight, he noticed the man was a Very bad shot! Every rock he threw went over the boat and hit on the other side of it. Suddenly he got the picture.....this was being done deliberately by the man. The ripples produced by the overthrown rocks forced the boat back toward the shore to the arms of the little boy that owned it. The man wasn't trying to sink his ship....He was saving it!! The young man just did not understand the process at first. Source unknown

Have you cried out to God during this crisis and felt all He was doing was throwing stones? Perhaps He is saving you in the process!! Let every ripple drive you back to the one who bought you with a price!!

04/03/2020

Amen!!

02/11/2020

ISAIAH 40:4-5 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

01/18/2020

I didn’t want to go to church today. I almost didn’t.

I thought it wouldn’t hurt to skip one Sunday. After all, we go every week and rarely miss.

But today, it was the last thing I wanted to do.

I knew it would be hard. I knew that I would be fighting tears before I ever even entered those doors.

You see, we are supposed to gather with other believers to encourage, and be encouraged. And today quite frankly, I didn’t want to deal with it.

I didn’t want to enter those doors and have to pretend I was having a good day.

I didn’t want to smile and shake hands and ask how people were doing.

I didn’t want to have to pretend that I wasn’t shattered and hurting, and filled with sorrow and loneliness. And I knew that if I sat in that pew, if I sang those songs of praise, if I listened to the word of God being preached, that the fragile shell of a mask I had put on would crack.

And there would be no pretending, no charade, no encouraging, no small talk.

There would be messy sadness, and I didn’t want to put that on other people. So I wanted to stay home and avoid the entire situation all together.

But the kids knew it was Sunday and they would have been sad to miss. And deep down in my heart I knew that today church would be hard, but that it would also be a balm on my wounds.

And I sat in the pew, wiping tears from my eyes.

I choked back sobs as I listened to the people in the pews sing songs of praise.

I was overwhelmed with a mixture of grief and peace that was unexplainable.

And I let my church family see my brokenness. I let them pray for my heart. I let them weep with me as they sat with me in my sadness.

I used to think that being called to encourage one another meant trying to cheer someone up, or offer them uplifting words, or just the right scripture to fit their situation.

But today I learned that isn’t always the case. Sometimes encouragement means just knowing that they care. Knowing they see your hurt and not trying to fix it, but lifting you into the hands of a God who can.

Sometimes it means letting them take off the mask that they’ve tried so hard to keep on, and allowing them to be vulnerable with their heart, knowing that their brother and sisters in Christ will surround them in prayer.

If ever you feel too broken for church, can I encourage you today to not believe that lie?

Nowhere does it say that we must come to the altar with mascara perfect, smiles genuine, and a pretty bow to tie up our life.

We are welcome when we are broken.

We are welcome when we are hurting.

We are welcome when we are messy.

We are welcome with all of our baggage.

You are welcome.