Early Wednesday morning, we drove to the Southern Surgical Hospital in Slidell, LA, where Benjy had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and have some bone spurs removed. The surgery went well, and we brought him home the same day in cheerful mood with no pain whatsoever thanks to the marvel of the nerve block pain ball which was installed by the anesthesiologists by inserting a tiny tube into the surgery site. The pain ball (similar to a pain pump) held about 30 hours of meds that totally numbed his arm and made the first hours of recovery much more bearable than it has been for patients in years past.

After the pain ball emptied, we realized just how wonderful it had been, because the pain pills he was prescribed has not managed to completely ease the pain. As many of you know, shoulder surgery is NOT fun, and there is a long road of recovery ahead. Please remember Benjy in your prayers throughout the next few days and weeks as he works through the pain and tackles the physical therapy that will help him regain the use of his right arm.

On His Exciting Journey,

Due to Benjy’s upcoming shoulder surgery, Big Level Baptist was our first and only spring revival for 2011. We’ve never had the pleasure of worshiping with this congregation before, but we were immediately taken with the beauty of their sanctuary and the warmth of their fellowship. Pastor David Perry and his wife, Faye, lead this congregation with a tenderness that is truly welcoming.

Bro. Dean Belton (Big Level’s minister of music) and I went to college together many moons ago, and we were recently reconnected via Facebook. When he learned that Benjy leads revival music, he invited him to join Bro. Bill Renick as the evangelistic team for their spring revival … and what a great team they were! Bro. Bill is the long time pastor of Lemoyne Boulevard Baptist Church in Biloxi, MS.

We’d like to thank the kind people of Big Level Baptist Church for making us feel so welcome while we were with you and for your kind hospitality in making the minister’s room available for Benjy during the week. We hope to worship with you again soon!

On His Exciting Journey,

If the video doesn’t work, you can watch it here on YouTube.

Friends told me about this amazing story a couple weeks ago, but I’ve only just sat down to watch it. Now, I’m sorry I waited!

This heart doctor pronounced a man dead after 40 minutes of trying resuscitate him. The doctor filled out the proper paperwork, walked out of the ER, and sensed the Lord telling him to go back and pray over the man’s body. He did … and the man came back to life!

Dr. Chauncey Crandall has also written a book about this experience and how it has impacted his family and his other patients. It’s called Raising the Dead.

On His Exciting Journey,

We received a beautiful Christmas centerpiece from our dear friends in Canada a few days ago. I just LOVE it on my dining room table! It makes me smile every time I pass by it. As I look at it this morning, it brings to mind a quote I read recently:

At Christmas a man is at his finest …
He’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.
~Edgar Guest

I’m not familiar with Edgar Guest, but he certainly has captured the heart of Christmas (and of Christianity) in that statement. Isn’t it true that we see generosity and giving much more clearly at Christmas because, during this season, even non-Christians feel compelled to join in? Why is that, do you suppose? Scripture explains that it is because God has written His command to LOVE on every heart. Romans, chapter 2, says that even in the non-Christian, their conscience and thoughts bear witness that it is the right thing to do!

For the last few years, Benjy, McKenzie, and I have been focusing more on giving outside our small circle of family and friends, and one of the things we’ve been trying to do is match our giving outside our circle to the total of our giving inside the circle. There is SO much need in the world today, and we are commanded to give generously to those who are in need … by this they will catch a glimpse of HIS love for them.

One of the projects we are supporting this year is with World Vision. They reach into very poor neighborhoods and try to help the poorest of people thrive, not just by feeding them, but also by giving them the resources to help them feed themselves. There are all sorts of ways to do this. You can give farm animals, education, medical supplies, etc. Last year, we gave toward a water well. This year, we are giving a collection of farm animals. We’d like to encourage you to take a look at World Vision’s Gift Catalog and consider reaching out beyond your circle of family and fiends this Christmas season.

We pray that you will have a beautiful and blessed Christmas, that you will let LOVE reign in your hearts, and that you will enjoy much love and laughter throughout this special season.

On His Exciting Journey,

How Would A Ninja Do Christmas?
One of life’s greatest questions finally answered!

Momja an Dadja have handed the responsibility of decorating the family Christmas tree down to Ninja, and she is going to decorate it THE NINJA WAY!

Kudos to McKenzie! Not only is our Christmas Tree beautifully decorated, we have had a ton of laughs watching her video. Hope you got a chuckle out of it too.

On His Exciting Journey,

Thanksgiving baskets were filled and prayed over, then we loaded them up and delivered them to several widows and shut-in couples in the Picayune area. McKenzie and I were privileged to participate in this ministry which the Lord led Lisa McCaskell to start several years ago. And what a precious ministry it is! Benjy, McKenzie, and I would like to encourage all our friends to reach out and bless those who are in need this season. Most of us have been blessed with more than enough to share.

Ms Ethel was one of the sweet little ladies McKenzie and I delivered a basket to Wednesday morning. She still mows her own lawn, blows the acorns and leaves off her driveway, participates in a bowling league, and takes hula dancing classes! She mentioned that she meets with a group of retirees every Tuesday from 8am – 10am at the Subway located inside Walmart. She invites any senior that would like to join that time of fellowship to come have a doughnut and coffee with the group.

We easily remember the disgusting sins of Sodom, but do you know that God destroyed them because they were arrogant, overfed, unconcerned, and they did not help the poor and needy (Eze 16:49-50)? Oh, Lord, forgive us for being a nation of unthankful and greedy people. Help us honor You as we share Your blessings with those in need.

On His Exciting Journey,

Our busy fall revival season has come to an end, and Benjy and I are enjoying visiting with our good friends at Harmony Baptist Church. We stood around visiting for a long while after the morning worship, so I took the opportunity to snap a few pics of several people who minister to us in a special way.

Pastor Braque Cutrer and his wife Tammy are dear friends to our family. Their daughter and ours are great friends and that helps keep McKenzie feeling part of a youth group. She’s been a real sport about following us around from church to church, but for the last couple years she has needed a more stable connection to a church family.

Youth Pastor, Kevin Jackson, and his sweet family have been a real blessing to us. We enjoy their fellowship and trust them not only to teach the truth but also to model it with their lives. They have shown a deep love for the Lord, and they are eager to participate in the lives of the young people we have entrusted to them. They even showed up to watch McKenzie play the part of March Hare in Picayune On Stage’s production of Alice in Wonderland a few months ago.

These are but two of the many precious members of Harmony who make us feel loved and welcomed. Shaye and Jennifer have a ready smile and a great sense of humor mixed with compassion. I love that they are my sisters in Christ!

On His Exciting Journey,

The whole Altered Heart crew (plus a waiter!) at Outback Steakhouse for a celebration of Sherri’s birthday. What a fun evening, and good food too!

The birthday girl, Sherri Lawley, husband Terri, and “Muslim Baby” at Outback Steakhouse.

On His Exciting Journey,

One thing Benjy loves to do at West Poplarville Baptist Church is to give the children an opportunity to participate in the revival. Every year he invites the children from the congregation to come sing a couple songs, and they REALLY get in to it! Benjy has always felt that our children should be given more opportunities to serve in the ministries of the church. They LOVE to participate, and it’s a good idea to start training them to be involved.

The camera caught a silly expression on Bro. Kevin Wilcox‘s face, and you all KNOW how rare that is … NOT! Bro. Kevin is such a fun pastor, but he is also serious about the Lord and His work. The Lord led him to put together a GREAT revival team this fall … Bro. Shad Kennedy preaching and Benjy leading the music. We love the people at West Poplarville, and we were thankful to have a part in the Lord’s work there this season.

Bro. Shad Kennedy did a fantastic job preaching this revival. The Lord used him powerfully and a goon number of people responded to the messages he was led to preach. We really miss Shad and his precious family here in Picayune, but we understand that the Lord is using him in a mighty way at First Baptist Zachery, LA, now, and that makes us proud.

Also, it was good to have Altered Heart in the Sunday evening service … Benjy Rigney, Sherry Lawley, and Geri Grubs.

On His Exciting Journey,

Tara Pooleson, Matty Fox, and Benjy were a great music team for the fall revival this year at Central Baptist Church. We can’t say thank you enough to the musicians we work with in each church. We are SO appreciative of your willingness to use your gift in the worship services.

Birds of a feather! Benjy and Bro. Danny Johnson have a lot in common. They are both music ministers, they both have a good time regardless of where they are, and they both have the sweet Spirit of the Lord all over them!

For Monday evening’s special music, McKenzie sang “I Wanna Know How It Feels.” I love that she got Benjy’s genes where music and voice are concerned! And we are so thankful that she uses her gift for the Lord, when she has an opportunity.

Pictured in the far left is Pastor Billy Galloway. We LOVE doing revivals under Bro. Billy’s leadership because he recognizes the need for preparing hearts before the service even starts. We’ve done many revivals with him, and I don’t think he has ever started a service without asking his whole congregation to come kneel at the altar and pray first. I also can’t remember ever experiencing a dry revival under his leadership.

Altered Heart sang a few songs during the Sunday evening service. They sound great, and the Lord uses them to move our hearts to worship every time they sing.

Bro. Clark Stewart did an outstanding job, delivering the messages this week. Don’t let ANYBODY ever tell you that he is too laid back. That guy was all over the sanctuary and all over our toes! Bro. Clark preaches when he preaches … and he can’t be still. That’s ok, though, because we saw the Lord use him to move a number of people out of their comfort zone, and into the family of God!

On His Exciting Journey,