Spurgeon Quotes for Sept. 28

"I learned, when I was a boy, that the chief end of man was to glorify God and enjoy him forever; but I hear now, according to the new theology, that the chief end of God is to glorify man and enjoy him forever. Yet this is the turning of things upside down."


"We endeavor to glorify him now by our actions, but then he will be glorified in our own persons, and character, and condition. He is glorified by what we do, but he is at the last to be glorified in what we are."

In the midst of hurricanes much is being done...

The internet came back up yesterday after about a week of being out, so I guess that warrants an update of what happening around here. We had several groups in these past couple of weeks working primarily on Betty Cox and Larry Poolson's homes. Both of these families had their FEMA or MEMA temporary housing flooded during hurricane Gustav. They are currently living in hotel rooms until they are able to move into their homes.

At the Cox's we pretty much finished everything up that we can do and now are waiting on inspections to tell her whether her family can move into the home. It shouldn't be long now!

At the Poolson's we are plugging away. We laid flooring and set cabinets this last week. It will be a little longer yet before we are able to move Mr. Larry in but Lord willing not long.

We had a team also working at the Smith house prior to Hurricane Ike's arrival to the gulf. But as Ike passed he produced flooding near the coast and all the bayous and inlets. Mr. Al's house sits right on a Bayou so the team was not able to get back to the home to work on in. But the good news is the home is high enough it did not see any water inside during the last two storms.

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul

Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel

But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee
Though prostrate in the dust

Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner's prayer
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there

Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet

©1998, Kevin Twit Music.

A Defeated Feeling

It has been a exhausting week physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for me. There's been so much going on. Evacuating really wore me out emotionally, I was unsure and a bit nervous as the first hurricane since Katrina and my first hurricane headed toward the Louisiana/Mississippi gulf coast. We then returned to Lakeshore and when I learned that my cottage had about a foot of water in it, I came away feeling very defeated. We were almost done with the sheet rock and now we are having to tear part of it back out. A great group of guys from Sovereign Grace Church in Slidell, LA came over today and tore the sheet rock out of the house for me.

But it still encourages me each time I hear... the Lord is still ruling and reigning in heaven and was completely in control of the storm, it's path, and the damage it brought.
The Lord gives and takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Gustav clean up

We've got back to Lakeshore yesterday and scoped things out. Returned again today. Things are torn up around here. The kitchen has been destroyed as well as the big storage tent and some of its contents. As far as the Church building, the office and most of the Quonset huts they fared pretty well. We have a few down trees and another that looks like its going to come down. Things are pretty messy around here, though not as bad as it could be.

I went back to my house yesterday and saw that it had been flooded by the marsh water at that time thought it was about an inch. Went back in there today to check on some things and realized there probably was more like 8 - 10 inches inside. Which means probably about 3 to 3 1/2 feet in my yard. I was happy that I hadn't moved in yet. Though there is still a feeling hard to describe, thinking I was pretty close to being in.

I had my first experience going through a Point of Distribution today. That is a place where they hand out water, ice, and MRE's to people affected by the disaster.


Pastor Don also posted more pictures on Rebuildlakeshore.com

And for humor's sake. While we were preparing to evacuate we made sure we had everything...including the blue alien. He's like family and just in case things flooded he was ok. :)

Monday Morning Waiting

I'm the first to rise here in the church. Just listening to the radio no since the computers have very limited and sporadic internet access. Storm hasn't made landfall yet but there is rain on shore, and its now raining in Franklinton, LA. Hearing reports of tornadoes in Hancock county (near Lakeshore). Mostly just talk now on the radio waiting on the storm to hit and then to see what happens with the storm surge.

I can't wait just to go home back to Lakeshore. I have a feeling today is going to be a long day once it begins to rain and get windy. Lord willing we wont see the hurricane force winds up here. They say we shouldn't but you never know I guess.

Well I guess I am going try to go back to sleep, just a bit nervous. And I need to be in a good mood so I stay calm today.