“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”  Cody watched as his five children performed a Christmas play.

    Sitting next to his lovely wife, he thought "Finally I’m home."

    A rough voice awakened Cody. It was his commander. He was still in the middle of WWI.

      Cody was in the 91st Brigade. When he joined the Brigade he was given a card with the 91st Psalm on it and was instructed to read it every day. As he read it today he had no idea of what was going to happen in the next few hours.

       "Private Cody come here." The commander said 

    "Yes sir!” Cody replied. "We just picked up a lost soldier. I'm putting you in charge of him." Cody took the man and showed him around camp. Then he gave him a card with Psalms 91 on it.

    "What is this?” he asked.

    "It's the Psalm for our brigade. We read it every day and you’re part of our brigade now." Cody replied.             

      After Cody showed Henry the camp, there was a meeting called. The commander told everyone, “We are to attack the Belleau Woods today at 1200 hours. We will meet the other troops at 11oo hours, so we need to march right away.”     

      They got to the meeting place right on time, and at noon they rushed out at the Germans. When the Germans realized what was happening, they began firing their machine guns. Cody and Henry stopped at the edge of a little opening and took cover.

     “Follow me!” yelled Cody to Henry. Then they started running though the opening. After about 10 feet Cody fell to the ground. As Henry watched a bullet hit the tree right behind Cody. Cody then jumped up and kept running. When they made it to the end of the clearing they were able to see the men shooting the machine guns.

    “Henry you start from right to left and I’ll start from left to right.” Cody commanded. After shooting down the machine gunners they continued to push the Germans until dark. 

     At the camp fire Henry asked, “How did you know to drop to the ground in that clearing?”

     “I didn’t drop. I tripped,” Cody replied with a little laugh.

     “Did you know a bullet hit right where you would have been standing?”

     “No, but I could tell the Lord was fighting by my side,” Cody said.

    “For the first time I could feel the Lord in my life too,” Henry acknowledged.

     The battle lasted 19 more days. The Americans defeated the Germans, ending their last big attack. At the end of the battle 9,777 Americans were wounded and 1,811 were killed. None of them were from the 91st brigade. When Cody heard this, he remembered Psalms 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

     On November 30th, the fighting had stopped and Cody got to go home. When he arrived at his house, his wife was the only one home. “Cody! I am so glad you’re back! Let’s go see the kids. They’re at the church working on the Christmas play.”

       Even though the story of Cody is fictitious, it is true that the 91st brigade had everyone read the 91st Psalm daily. In the battle of Belleau Woods other brigades lost up to 90% of their troops. And through the entire war, the 91st brigade didn't lose one single soldier to battle.

    Are we in a war today? Yes, a spiritual war. When I thought of this, I started reading Psalms 91 every day because I don’t want the devil to take me down in battle.  

Psalms 91

1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

     Wesley  was woken up lightly by his father. "It's time to get up and get ready to go hunting your uncle and his family are coming over tomorrow for Christmas. Mom has a piece of corn bread and for you." 

    Wesley was already sitting up and starting to put on his socks. After he finished getting ready, he walked into the kitchen.

     "Are you ready to go hunting?" asked Wesley's mother as he walked in.

      "Yes," replied Wesley"
    "Get a good one and stay safe," said his mother as she handed him a piece of bread.

  They stepped out side. The sun was  just starting to come up. Wesley and his father started hiking up the mountain. They got about half way up.

    "Lets stop and listen for a moment," said Wesley's father.    Wesley sat next to a big aspen tree. He's legs were tired and he was ready to take a break.

     "Look Dad," whispered Wesley."There's a bee hive in that tree!" 

     "they are really interesting, did you know that they help the flowers live" said father

     "no how" Wesley asked

    "they go from flower to flower gathering nectar and as they do they spread pollen God is a great creator."

    Just then they heard a gobble. Wesley's heart started to beat faster.

    "Lets be quite and sneak up. They have really good eyes so we'll need to be careful,"  said his father.

    They moved really slow through the woods."I see one," said Wesley quietly to his father. Wesley's heart was racing.

    " Can't see it." said Wesley's father "Here you can shoot it," 

    "Me?"

    "Yes here's the gun."

    Wesley took the gun.

     "Pull the trigger back slowly and shoot"

    Wesley pulled the trigger back aimed and shot bang the turkey fell to the ground.

    "Nice shot," said Wesley's father. Then they heard something running off they looked back it was a mountain lion that was stocking them. "We better be careful it might be back," said his father "Lets reload and get the turkey, there might be another one in a tree near by,"

    They went over and there was a mountain lion starting to go off with their turkey.
Wesley's father pulled his gun up. the lion began to run he shot. The lion yelped and fell over.

     "Wow you are a good shot I didn't know any body could shoot a running mountain lion!" said Wesley.

    "Thank the Lord He has given us a good hunt. We should use the skin to make a coat it won't be done for Christmas but it will be a nice winter coat"

    They skinned the mountain lion and went back home by  the time they got home it was almost dark. 

    "Your home," said Wesley's mother "and you got a Christmas turkey!"

    "Yes barely, a mountain lion almost got it but Dad shot it on the run," said Wesley.

    " And were going to make you a coat out of it" father said.

    Wesley and his younger sister Joanna hung their stockings and went to bed.

    The next day Wesley was woke up by  Joanna "It's Christmas! Lets go look in our stockings," she said excitingly.

  "Okay," Wesley replied. They both went into the living room walked over to the fire place

    "Oooh! I got a some orange suck-um candies in my stocking!" said Joanna  

    "Me too!" Wesley replied. 

    Wesley and Joanna finished looking through there stockings and helped their mom bake the turkey.

    "knock knock," said Wesley's Uncle Jack as he peaked through the main door.

     "Jack," said Louise, Wesley's father, as he rounded the corner. "I'm glad you could make it here safely."

    They all came in and talked for a while.

    "Dinner is ready." said Joanna so they all moved in to the kitchen dining room and feasted on the Turkey God had provided.

  The End.

Click Here for a link to the Orange Suck-Ums Recipe!!

     “Dad, thank you so much for taking care of the kids tonight.” Sally told her father. “It’s been a long time since John and I have been able to have a night together just to ourselves.”     “Oh, don’t worry about it! There is nothing better that watching my grandkids.” Grandpa kissed his daughter on her forehead. “Go have a good time sweetie. Your mother and I used to love to do things like that.”
    “The kids will be ready for bed soon; they had a big day today. We should be home in just a few hours.” Sally rushed out the door to her car and drove away.

    “Okay kids!” Grandpa said turning around. A cute little boy and girl were peaking out from behind the corner. “I think that it’s story time, don’t you?”

    “Yeahh” both of the children screamed as they came running out of their hiding place.

    “Let’s go sit down on the couch; Grandpa has a special story for you tonight.”  

      Grandpa sat down on the big green sofa in the living room. The two little children hurried over and jumped into grandpa’s lap.

    “Well,” Grandpa started. “A long, long time ago, there was a man whose father was well known among the people as a very valiant man. One day this young man was walking alone in the woods through a blizzard. It was dreadfully cold and the frost stung his face. He had a big fur coat wrapped around his broad shoulders and a spear in his hand as he trudged through the terrible snowstorm. As he was walking through the dark woods, he did not realize a starving lion was lurking in the bushes ahead. As he walked along the snow covered path he drew closer and closer to the waiting lion. Suddenly the lion leaped into the path in front of the man and let out a big ROAR!!!”

    “Oh no!” little Charity screamed looking up at her grandpa in terror. “What happened to the man? Did the lion eat him?” the young girl questioned.

    “Well Charity, let me finish the story. The lion looked at the man with his dark and hungry eyes and gave him a long stare. And what did the man do? He stood there and gave the lion a long stare back! The lion took a step toward the man! The man's heart started to race, what would he do? Should he run?

    “No,” Grandpa continued. “This man decided to be courageous.  A matter of fact this man took a step toward the lion! The lion stood there and looked as though he may pounce on the man at any moment, but something happened that no one would expect. The fierce animal turned and started running from the man!”

    “Wow Grandpa! What a great story!” Joshua said as he clapped his hands excitedly.

    “Well Joshua that is not the end. You see, the man didn’t just continue on his way, but rather he started chasing the lion! In no time at all they were both running through the woods at a great rate of speed when all of the sudden the big beast went crashing through an ice shelf into a big pit! The man came up to the pit and looked in and saw that the large creature was trapped. He stuck his spear into the snow beside him and started slowly walking away. The next thing that took place was very astonishing; the man stopped walking and turned around. He then developed a very determined look in his eye and ran full speed and jumped into the pit!”

    “I can see it now,” Grandpa said “The thrashing about between the monster of an animal and the outstanding determination of this rugged man!  There were cries and growls coming from the dark pit beneath. Then… All was quiet. There was nothing could be heard, no birds in the trees, no crickets in the distant. Even the wind ceased to blow…” Grandpa paused.

    The Children watched their grandpa intently waiting to hear the rest of the story.

    “The snow flakes gently drifted to the ground. Suddenly a hand reached out of the pit, and then another hand soon the man pulled himself out of the pit! He had killed the lion with his own bare hands! The End” Grandpa said as he finished the story.  

    “Wow Grandpa! That was a great story!” Charity said with great enthusiasm. “You always come up with the greatest stories!”

    “Well thank you, but I actually didn’t come up with that story.” Grandpa said with a grin.

    “Then who did?” the children asked.

    “God did!” Grandpa said to the children’s surprise. “He even wrote it in the Bible so we all could read it! The Bible is full of great stories like this.”

    “I don’t remember reading about that!” Charity said scratching her head.

    “Oh, they may not be in such detail as I tell them, but I sure like to use my imagination.”

    “What was the man's name?”  Josh asked his grandfather.

    “His name was Benaiah. Some time I will have to tell you another story about him, but not tonight. It is time for you to go to bed now, and the exciting story of Benaiah and the Egyptian knight will have to wait until then!”

II Samuel 23:20

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab. He went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

The End

    Our story begins in nineteen-seventy in a tiny cottage in Kentucky where a poor family lived, there was Leah the mother, the oldest child Charles, and twin sisters Miriam and Martha.

    On the twins twelfth birthday Charles was working in their fields when a thought popped into his head.
     The next day, Miriam went to wake her brother for breakfast.

    "Mother come quickly!” Miriam called.

     “What is it Miriam?” her mother yelled running down the hall.

     “It’s Charles.” Miriam called back.

As her mother looked in she was astonished, he was missing.

     Days went on; it was hard without him especially without Mathew, Leah’s husband who died two months ago.  They prayed and prayed trusting in the Lord to bring him back someday.

     Charles, being seventeen, served in the army for two years. After being in the military, he found a gorgeous girl named Lily Anna. A year later they were married, and had twin girls and named one Anna and the other Anne. The Baby girls reminded him of is sisters.

     Seven years later, they were about to split up, so Charles decided to find his mother to see what to do. With the help of a friend, he found out his mother died and his sisters were given to marriage. I’m going to ask their husbands, he told his friend.

     Surprisingly they lived in the same city. So the next evening he had dinner with his new-found brother-in-laws. After talking a few moments Charles asked, “How do you keep a marriage together”?

     “By respecting her, showing her you love her, and most importantly, having Jesus helping along your marriage, said Martha’s husband Jack. "Without Jesus most marriages crumble.”

                 “How can I get Jesus back into my life?” Charles asked

     Miriam's husband John told him, “In Acts two thirty-eight it says, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”  Is this the desire of your heart Charles?”

    “I do not think I can make that commitment yet.” Charles replied. Charles could not sleep all night. His mind traveled to his childhood.

  “Charles I don’t know how much longer I can hold on,” Said his father. “This is my last commandment to you, my son. Fear God and keep his commandments.”  

That hit Charles like bricks. “I’m disobeying my father's wish.” He thought. “Where would I go if I died? What is the reason for life if not served for the Lord?” Those thoughts repeated over and over in his head.

   The next morning Charles called John. “I am ready to live for Christ. Life is not worth living without Him. It would be hard for me to live without Lily Anna too."

     “If you are really ready for the Word of God, you may come to church with Miriam and I Wednesday night, if you would like.” said John.

   “I would love to come to church with you!!” replied Charles.

   “We’ll meet you at the city park at six.” responded John.

   “Sounds good, I’ll meet you there.” Said Charles.

  Charles went with John and Miriam to church. Jack and Martha were there too. The Pastor  preached on Acts two thirty-eight. Charles knew it was no coincidence, And that God did it for him.At the end of the service the Pastor called an altar call. Charles was the first one at the altar, crying out to the Lord to forgive him. The Pastor came and prayed for him. Jack and John also went up and prayed for him too. Later that night Charles talked to the Pastor and asked him to baptize him. Charles wanted to be baptized at soon at possible, so they planned on doing it Sunday.

    Thursday was a hard for Charles the devil tried beating him down. After he told his family about his confession, it seemed that Lily was trying to make him more mad than ever. Anna respected her father, but Anne did not show him any respect.

  Sunday Charles took Anna to Church with him.during service Anna got saved. And after service Charles was baptized.   Anna and Charles prayed for Lily and Anne knowing that someday God would answer there prayer.

    Once there was a girl that was twelve years old, and she had a very, very bad disease. Her parents could barely afford to pay there taxes, let alone pay to take their daughter to the doctor.

    They lived in not even a cabin; it was a tiny little poor ripped up tent on the little road!

     One day Jesus came walking by with his disciples, he saw the little tent just sitting there.

    And he called to the girl's Father Jacob. “Jacob”.

    Jacob came out of the tent with a strange look on his face. Jesus, said with a very soft voice, ‘’Bring me your daughter.’’

    ‘’Sir you do not want to see her, she will give you the disease’’ Jacob said.

    Jesus responded,’’ All things are possible with God.’’

   ‘’ Well, alright.’’ He had never heard of Jesus before. He came out with his terribly sick daughter. Jesus saw how sick she was, and he put his hand on the poor girl, and immediately she was healed! The little girl hugged Jesus; she thought she would never be healed. They fed Jesus and then Jesus left with his disciples to go to Jerusalem.

     ‘’ Father, Mother may I go with them? He healed my sickness, so he can protect me too.’’ Debra said. (Debra was the daughter)

     ‘’ You may go.’’  Her father Jacob said.

     ‘’ Thank you, I will stay with the one who healed Me.’’ replied Debra.

     There was a huge crowd around Jesus.

     ‘’How am I ever going to get to him,’’ She thought to herself.

     Suddenly she saw the man; he walked straight to her and said,

     ‘’This girl here is a woman who had faith I could heal her, even though she had a very bad disease. She has faith!’’ (Using her as an example)

     The girl got home the next day and she told her parents all about her day, and how he healed not just her, but lots of others since they had faith, and how His name was Jesus. (Because they had never heard about him) And He is the King of the earth. And they all followed Jesus and the ways He taught them to live. One day a messenger came to them and said that Jesus was being judged by pilot and they needed to “Come immediately”. They were too late when they got there; He was already on the cross, and Barabbas was already set free.   

     ‘’NOOO!’’ cried Debra looking at the cross where Jesus was hanging. “We should have come sooner” thought Jacob.  They remembered what Jesus said at the temple, that to tear it down and in three days it will be built again.

Now they knew what that meant. Three days later the messenger came again, but this time he said,

     ‘’ Jesus is alive!’’

     ‘’ Father May I go see’’ said Debra with her happy voice.

      ‘’ We will all go’’ said Jacob “To see Jesus.’’  

     They all went to see Jesus on a hill side there at that place he went up into   heaven, with His Heavenly Father.

 Before He ascended to heaven He told the disciples to, “Go and baptize in the name Jesus Christ.” And that He would come back for us some day!” Debra and her family were blessed richly through their life.

     One day Jacob became ill.

     ‘’ Father I don’t want you to leave us.’’ said Debra.

     ‘’ I will go to heaven with Jesus’’ replied Jacob.

     ‘’ Oh Father I am so happy that you will see Jesus again.’’ said Debra, “but…”

Two hours later Jacob died. Debra didn’t cry, for she knew he was with Jesus once again.

     ‘’ Mother will Jesus really come back soon?’’ said Debra

     ‘’ Of course, if Jesus said so, he will.’’ replied Sarah. “He promised”

           Jesus did say He would come back some day. And He will come back for YOU if you are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ!!!!!

             So BE BAPTIZED!!! 

GRACE"S article " God Working Thru a Crying Baby" Is the winner for the January  article competition!!  Grace received a $5 gift card to Swirls  frozen yogurt shop for her prize. It was a very close race with runer up only 1 or 2 votes behind. Thank you all for voting we look forward to next month. 

It was late in the evening on the 17th of January when our cousins were just leaving a friends house. They just had a birthday party for my cousin Jonathan.

Most of the family went straight home, but Paula and Alethea stopped to get gas in their green Geo Prizm.

        After filling up, the two girls started home. The two were driving on highway 142 near Myrtle MO when head lights came speedily over the hill in their lane! Paula slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. The drunk driver smashed into them in a head on collision. The force of the other vehicle pushed the Geo Prizm backward almost 20 ft! The front of the car was crushed into the windshield and both of the girls were trapped inside of the car.

        Paula could hear her sister screaming in pain. She tried to get her cell phone, but her right arm was broken and she could not find the cell phone with her left hand; they would just have to wait for someone to call it in. Paula started crying out to God, that he would help them, they were trapped in the car and she could not even call 911. Just a few minutes later an off duty first responder drove up on the accident on her way home.

        Meanwhile the rest of the family was at the house wondering where the girls might be. Soon my uncle Robert got the kids in the car to go look for them, leaving my Aunt Lydia, the baby Lydia and Jonathan at home. Uncle Robert drove about eight miles from the house and saw emergency lights everywhere. Pulling off the road with that very deep sick feeling in his stomach, he waited hoping that his two daughters were just pulled off the road because they saw the accident. Then Uncle Robert saw Alethea being put into the helicopter. There was no mistake; they had been in a very dangerous car accident.

      When the emergency team got to the accident the car was so smashed they had to cut the top of the car completely off and cut the floorboard in a few places so they could stretch the car out to get the girls out. They immediately flew Paula to Springfield; she had a little bleeding to the brain and broken bones, but was fairly stable.  Alethea on the other hand was not doing very well, on the way to Springfield her pulse stopped for about 30-40 min, so they took her to West Plains first to stabilize her.

        Doctors at West Plains gave Alethea a blood transfusion which stabilized her enough to get her to Springfield. There was probably not one doctor or nurse that expected her to make the trip, but we know a living God that is still answering prayers. At the St. Johns hospital in Springfield, they were able to take a look at all of the injuries both of the girls had obtained.

        Paula had a broken right arm, broken right leg and a little bleeding to the brain, but they were able to get that stopped.

        Alethea had a shattered pelvis bone, broken legs, internal bleeding, and one of her kidneys were severely damaged and the other was having trouble. God has been answering prayers from all over the world for these young girls.

        Paula is doing much better and they have set her broken bones and she is in rehab already!

         Alethea is doing much better also. They were able to get her internal bleeding to stop, she is able to respond more and react to the doctors commands. She is going into have surgery on the 26th of January and they will go from there.

        We thank all of you for all of your prayers, and we ask that you keep praying for the girls and their family as they make their recovery. Although they will have a long and hard road ahead of them, we thank God for working wonders for them, and that it is only because of all of those precious prayers from all of you.