Summer Rain Women's Conference/FBCRobinson

Card received

2011-08-11T21:49:00.000-05:00

Would like to share this wonderful card that was received at the office just today. Thanks so much Marynell for your encouragement.

      "Thank you again for sharing God's special one, Thelma Wells, with us. Her love for our Lord and His children lifted our hearts and spirit.
       Also thank you for the thoughtful gifts you shared with us! The two books, incredible book marker, and the 'Christian Chick' note pad will be a blessing for many weeks to come.
      May the Lord bless your missional out-reach as you have blessed us.

      Your sister in Christ, Marynell Shelton - Meadowbrook Baptist Church
     P.S. Jesus Loves You!"

Summer Rain 2011

2011-08-11T21:30:00.000-05:00

Summer Rain 2011

2011-08-02T09:29:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe that Summer Rain is next Tuesday (8-9-11). Seems like only yesterday that Thelma was here for Summer Rain 2010. If you haven't gotten your ticket please hurry! I have only 8 left in the office, don't know how many are left among the other ladies who are selling them. For more information call the office @254/662-6803.

Love ya!

Lucy

Summer Rain 2011

2011-07-12T16:30:00.002-05:00

Tuesday * August 9, 2011* 7:00 - 9:00 pm

First Baptist Church of Robinson

104 E. Stegall * Robinson, TX 76706

tickets $5:00 in advance - $10:00 @door

may be purchased at church office

Mon - Thurs 8 am - noon/1 - 3pm

call 254/662-6803 (limited seating - only 300 available)

Come hear Thelma speak as she purposes to lift up the

name of Jesus Christ and to provide a 'safe place' for those
who have been wounded by the world so that they can be

saved, healed, set free, and matured
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Her motto is: "In Christ, you can BEE the best!" Philippians 4:13

visit her website @Thelmawells.com

listen to an interview with Carol Kent

2010-09-25T16:15:00.000-05:00

CSS Virtual Book Tour | Carol Kent | Between a Rock and a Grace Place Listen to the archive of this interview of Carol Kent with Kathi Macias and Ron DiCianni as they discuss her new book, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A GRACE PLACE.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/communicatethevision/2010/09/23/between-a-rock-and-a-grace-place

Listen to an interview with Carol Kent

Between a Rock and a Grace Place

2010-09-25T11:59:00.000-05:00

An interview with Author Carol Kent about her book; Between a Rock and a Grace Place

Questions/Answers from Carol Kent

Tell us about the Christmas gift you received. How did it help you to find grace in the middle of a seemingly hopeless situation?
Two weeks before Christmas our doorbell rang at 9:15 p.m. It was dark outside and by the time my husband, Gene, joined me at the front door, we were surprised to find no one there. It was already dark, but my eyes fell on a large, exquisitely wrapped gift. The card on top said, “Mom.” Initially, it felt like a bad joke. Nine years earlier our son, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy had been arrested for murdering his wife’s first husband and he was in prison serving a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole sentence.
However, I am a “Mom” and the package was left on my doorstep, so I opened it. The note appeared to be in my son’s unique handwriting. The note expressed his deep love for me and his gratefulness for what I had done to help him since his arrest. He said a “friend” had helped him deliver the surprise. Opening the box, I discovered a gorgeous russet-colored silk jacket—and it fit me perfectly.
That night I discovered something new about God and something I had forgotten about myself. He loves to interject divine surprises into our lives. His timing is always perfect, but it had been a while since I had been surprised by joy, wonder, and grace in the middle of one of the tight spots of life.
What are “grace places,” and how can hurting people in need find them?
All of us experience tight spots when life turns out differently from our dream. When we face the overwhelming obstacles of life, we can experience the last thing we ever expect—the sweet spot of grace. Grace places have a variety of forms, but some include:

Receiving love when we don’t deserve it
Finding safety in the middle of a fearful and uncertain experience
Being comforted by friends and family (people who are extensions of God’s love)
Experiencing the embrace of God when we have run out of strength and courage

“Grace means the free, unmerited, unexpected love of God, and all the benefits, delights, and comforts which flow from it.” (R.P.C. Hanson)
How important are contentment and gratitude in finding grace and peace?
My son, Jason, is teaching me that I need to choose contentment and thanksgiving in all things. As an inmate in a maximum-security prison, all of his personal items must fit in one small one-foot-high and one-and a half-feet-deep and two-and-a half feet long steel lockbox. He has learned to live comfortably with very little, which brings him a surprising sense of peace.
When I was visiting him one weekend I asked how he holds on to hope in the middle of a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole sentence. He said, “Mom, I have a gratitude list. Whenever the clouds of depression try to discouragement, I get out a piece of paper and write down everything I have to be thankful for. I’m thankful I have two parents who will be my advocates for as long as they live. The average number of years a lifer gets visits is five years and then no one comes anymore. I’m also thankful I can be a missionary on a compound that houses up to 1,700 men.” I’m learning from Jason that I find contentment when I choose to be thankful and when I invest my time in helping other people.
What are some unexpected gestures of kindness you’ve received in the past, and how did they help you through difficult times?
A couple of years ago Jason’s appendix ruptured and he was rushed from the prison to a civilian hospital. Gene and I were not allowed to know where he was and I prayed for someone to care for him as a mother would. He had two armed guards in his room at all times. Nurse Betty was assigned to Jason’s care. She treated him with respect and extraordinary care—and I knew she was a direct answer to my prayers.
A group of people who called themselves our “Stretcher Bearers” received an e-mailed monthly update on how to help with our needs. We were blessed with meals, cards, and financial gifts, often just before we needed extra funds for the next legal payment. These amazing people waited with us for two and a half years through seven postponements of the trial.
How has your definition of adventure changed over the years, and why is it important to retain adventure in your life, despite your situation?
True adventure is seeing the potential of living for things that matter in the middle of your current circumstances. We had the adventure of launching a nonprofit organization that helps to empower our son to facilitate classes by having books and DVD teaching series sent to the prison. We also have the adventure of reaching out to other people who are in crisis, which brings purpose and deep meaning to our lives.
There is a theme of surprise throughout the book. What is one of the greatest surprises you’ve had?
The powerful story of Tammy Wilson and Matthew Ben Rodriguez is in this book. Tammy contacted me after I spoke at an event she attended because my son is incarcerated in the same prison where Matt, the man who killed her mother thirteen years ago is incarcerated. She had been praying for someone to lead Matt to Christ and asked if Jason would try to meet him. It turned out that Jason and Matt were already friends and this amazing story is one of forgiveness, redemption, and restoration that can only be explained in the supernatural dimension.
Between a Rock and a Grace Place releases 10 years after your son, Jason, was sentenced to life in a maximum security prison and includes excerpts from Jason’s letters. Can you tell us how he’s doing now?
He has just taken his 8th group of men through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University Course and he will be facilitating a biblical counseling class on marriage and family this fall. He has a prayer group of twelve inmates who fast and pray for the needs of each other and their families. Prison is a depressing, dark, and sad place, but Jason is living for things that will outlast him.
When you received news about Jason’s clemency hearing being denied, how did you respond?
I wailed like a baby, sobbed, felt angry, hurt, and disappointed in God. Then we saw Jason a day after this devastating news. He was calm and very much at peace. He hugged me as I wept and said, “Mom, this case isn’t about having the best attorney or about having the favor of Florida’s top executive political leaders. If I am ever allowed to walk in freedom in this lifetime, it will be because God miraculously opened a door that was closed.” My son helps me to develop an eternal perspective and that day he comforted me.
What advice do you have for those who are stuck between a rock and a grace place?
In the middle of your own hurt reach out to someone else who needs help worse than you do. When you involve yourself in meeting the needs of others, you discover an unexpected freedom on the inside. Corrie ten Boom once said, “What did you do today that only a Christian would have done?”
As a result of your journey, you and your husband have founded the nonprofit organization Speak Up for Hope. What are the goals of the organization, and how can people get involved?
Our vision: To help inmates and their families adjust to their new normal.
Our mission: We exist to provide hope to inmates and their families through encouragement and resources.
Please go to www.speakupforhope.org for a list of practical ways individuals, churches, and organizations can help with specific projects. Our goal is to live out the truth of Prov. 31:8-9: “Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice. Stand up for the poor and destitute!”
Where may we connect with you further or to purchase a copy of Between a Rock and a Grace Place?
I would love for you to visit my web site at www.CarolKent.org, browse through the various events and other resources available. You may also join me on my Facebook page, please click here.

Read an excerpt of the book now

Between a Rock and a Grace Place by Carol Kent (Zondervan)
From bestselling author Carol Kent comes a riveting journey of facing the impassible obstacles of life and discovering the last thing ever expected—the sweet spot of grace.
Carol Kent and her husband, Gene, are now living what some would call a heartbreaking life—their son, Jason, a young man who initially had so much promise, is now living out a life sentence for murder in a maximum security prison. All their appeals have been exhausted at both the state and federal levels—humanly speaking, they have run out of options. But despite their hopeless situation, Carol and her husband live a life full of grace. Kent reveals how life’s problems become fruitful affliction where we discover the very best divine surprises, including peace, compassion, freedom, and adventure. Through the Kent’s remarkable ongoing journey, Jason’s riveting letters from behind bars, and true “grace place” stories from the lives of others, Between a Rock and a

Carol Kent

Grace Place reveals that when seemingly insurmountable challenges crash into our lives, we can be transformed as we discover God at work in ways we never imagined. With vulnerable openness, irrepressible hope, restored joy, and a sense of humor, Carol Kent helps readers to find God’s “grace places” in the middle of their worst moments.

About the Author
Carol Kent is the bestselling author of When I Lay My Isaac Down and A New Kind of Normal. Carol is an expert on public speaking, writing, and on encouraging people to hold on to hope when life’s circumstances turn out differently from their dreams. She lives in Florida with her husband Gene.
Carol Kent is a popular international public speaker best known for being dynamic, humorous, encouraging, and biblical. She is a former radio show co-host and has often been a guest on Focus on the Family and a featured speaker at Time Out for Women and Heritage Keepers arena events. She has spoken at The Praise Gathering for Believers and at Vision New England’s Congress. She is also a frequent speaker at Women of Virtue events across the country.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me as a blog tour host by Zondervan in exchange for posting this interview on my blog. Please visit Christian Speaker Services at www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com for more information about blog tour management services.

2010-08-18T11:25:00.000-05:00

Escaping the Cauldron Blog Tour with Kristine McGuire

2010-08-09T13:48:00.001-05:00

What is the book about?

The book is part testimony of how I went from committed, albeit legalistic, Christian for twenty-nine years to witch, medium, and ghost hunter for eight years before God restored my faith and life. It details my personal struggle with trying to be "the perfect Christian" while being drawn to the Occult from childhood. The book is also a Biblical study that examines the current pop-cultural interest in the occult (in particular ghosts, hauntings, and mediums) and how this interest is affecting Christians as well as their beliefs about the supernatural.

Why call it Escaping the Cauldron?

This is actually the first book in a series, What Christians Need to Know about the Occult. It is a series of collections written from my former experiences as a witch, medium, and ghost hunter. This book is primarily about ghost hunting, mediumship, and the paranormal but I chose "Escaping the Cauldron" as the main title because witchcraft was truly my entry into the arena of occult interest and exploration including such things as divination, psychic ability, spirit guides, mediumship, ghost hunting, etc.

What do you think is the most important chapter of the book?

I think there are many important chapters but "Spiritual Warfare" and "How Should Christians Respond?"are the two which take everything discussed in the previous chapters bringing it all together, helping the reader understand their authority in Jesus Christ and leading the way to a ready defense for any kind of paranormal or supernatural event they may experience in their life as a Christian.

What do you hope to accomplish with this book?

I hope to inform and equip Christians with information about the occult. Additionally I pray the church will begin to acknowledge the presence of the spiritual world around us and listen to people who come forward with stories or claims of paranormal experiences without dismissing them immediately. When the church refuses to listen or offer any Biblical assistance, many people are forced to seek help elsewhere. This generally means seeking out ghost hunters, mediums, and psychics. I also hope to encourage Christians who may be questioning their faith to seek a deeper relationship with God, especially if they are stuck in a form of legalism. Our answers truly can be found in Jesus Christ.

Where is the book currently available to purchase?

The book is available in paperback and Kindle editions at Amazon. The book is also available in paperback and e-book editions at my blog site: Kristine ReMixed at www.KristineMcGuire.com and Lulu Publishing.

How are you available to the Christian community?
I write a daily blog, Kristine ReMixed at www.KristineMcGuire.com, on a variety of topics including faith, marriage, prayer, spiritual gifts, and the occult. I also work with my husband through Big Fish Ministries at www.BigFishMinistries.com, ministering through speaking with him at church and para-church events about marriage, facilitating seven day or special event prayer rooms, helping the homeless, etc. I am also available to speak at any youth, women's, or church events on a variety of Christian topics.
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Find Kristine McGuire on Social Media Sites:
Follow on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/kristinemac
Follow on Twitter at: www.facebook.com/kristinemac

Optional Videos:
Ignite Radio – Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwQ0rY1rLQI&feature=related
Ignite Radio – Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ_NQbU-rIM&feature=related
Ignite Radio – Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvsyQF91YFw&feature=related
Ignite Radio – Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVlMHJ3PQ20&feature=related

Please visit Christian Speaker Services at www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com for more information about blog tour management services.

Emma & Thelma

2010-08-07T13:20:00.002-05:00

Emma meets with Thelma

2010-08-07T09:42:00.000-05:00

Five years ago, when Emma Grace was born, and she was sent to Cook Children's hospital, I emailed several friends and asked for prayer for her. I had seen Thelma at the WOF Conference in August, and felt led to send her a prayer request for Emma as well. She responded to my email saying she would pray. I had no doubt she would pray, but was so surprised to hear from her. That wasn't the only time I heard from Thelma. She emailed me several times to ask how Emma was doing. Thelma and I hadn't emailed each other, about Emma anyway for a while after Emma came home. When Emma turned two years old, I received an email from Thelma, asking how Emma was doing. I just started crying. It meant so much to me to know that she remembered Emma as busy as she is and of all the prayer requests she had for others. Thank you Thelma. Was so blessed to have you over for lunch and to meet you face to face. If you didn't see Thelma last night at Summer Rain at First Baptist Robinson, you missed a Blessing!
God Bless you and thank each of you for your continued prayers for Emma.
Nancy

karenp

2010-08-07T09:32:00.000-05:00

Thelma and I had a wonderful time with you ladies, and Pastor Mike, at lunch and for the conference. Thank you! And, may those who attended continue to be refresh, renewed, and revived!

A note to Karen:

2010-08-07T09:30:00.002-05:00

I tried to publish your comment but it didn't work. I will try again.

updates

2010-08-06T09:29:00.000-05:00

Will post more detailed comments about Summer Rain 2010 when have time - just hit and miss right now, but I would like to ask those that are 'followers' to please post their comments and pictures. Also - instructions as to HOW to become a follower. Several people have told me that they tried to post comments and can't get it to work. And if you would, invite more people to our blog!

2010-08-04T12:13:00.000-05:00

Summer Rain 2010 started off with a fantastic lunch hosted by Nancy Guenat & Gloria Moran

Summer Rain Tickets

2010-07-15T22:08:00.001-05:00

As of today - July 15, 2010 Summer Rain tickets are SOLD OUT!!! 300 TICKETS!!!

'Rise and Shine' by Mama T

2010-06-30T09:32:00.001-05:00

Ruby Wright found the most awesome devotional several weeks back: Rise and Shine by Thelma 'MaMa T' Wells. She called to tell me about it and I immediately said; "Buy it for me and I will write you a check."

There are several devotionals I have been trying to read each morning, without success, but let me tell you, this one is so good that I purposely make time to read it before I leave the house every morning! Thelma is so real! Each day when I read her stories I say to myself; "Now I can picture myself doing just that same thing"! She doesn't mind telling about the moments when she fails to let God be in control of her life, but in her spirit (which is intimately linked with The Holy Spirit) she becomes uneasy and she turns to God for His instructions. Sometimes it's after the fact (which is usually when I turn to Him) and He has to tell her how to 'fix it' and other times it's in the middle of a situation.

If you are in need of a spiritual uplift each morning to set your day off right, get this book! You will see what I mean!

P.S. I'm sure she will have several copies of it (along with others she has written) at Summer Rain. Make a point to be there! Tuesday, Aug 3rd, 7 - 9 pm

Tickets

2010-06-08T15:48:00.002-05:00

6/8/10 - FYI - we have sold 160 tickets so far! There will only be 250 sold so call the office (254/662-6803) to get yours today!

2010-06-02T16:21:00.000-05:00

Please go to the 'pages' side bar to the right and click on 'Past Speakers at Summer Rain', 'Summer Rain Women's Conference' and 'Summer Rain 2010'. I feel you will be pleased and encouraged to attend this year's conference.

ALSO

I would like to invite those who have attended in past years to please post a comment. The committee would like your feedback. This will help us make the conference what you would like it to be in the future.

Video Bio

2010-06-02T10:53:00.000-05:00