Amazing Grace Baptist Bulletin January 18th 2026

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❄️ The Snowflake That Spoke of God’s Care — A True Winter Story

In the quiet mountain town of Estes Park, Colorado, winters arrive like a hymn—soft, solemn, and full of wonder. One January morning, Mrs. Eleanor Hayes, a retired schoolteacher known for her gentle spirit, stepped outside to check on the birds she fed each day. The night had been bitterly cold, and the world lay under a fresh quilt of snow.

As she opened the feeder, a single snowflake drifted down and landed on the sleeve of her coat. It was perfect—six‑pointed, delicate, shining like a tiny crystal crown. She paused, marveling at its beauty. In that moment, she remembered the verse she had read earlier that morning:

“He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.” — Psalm 147:16 (KJV)

Eleanor had been praying for weeks about her grandson, who was struggling with discouragement and drifting from church. She felt helpless, unsure how to reach him. But as she stared at that snowflake—unique, intricate, and crafted by the hand of God—she felt a quiet assurance settle over her heart.

“If God can design something this small with such care,” she whispered, “He can reach a young man’s heart.”

Later that afternoon, her phone rang. It was her grandson. His voice trembled as he said, “Grandma… I think I need to come back to church. I miss God. I miss peace.”

Tears filled her eyes. She looked out the window at the falling snow and said, “Honey, God’s been waiting for you.”

That Sunday, he walked into church beside her, and the congregation rejoiced. Eleanor kept the memory of that snowflake as a reminder that God works in quiet, beautiful ways—often in the very moments we feel most helpless.

Amazing Grace Baptist 2026©

🙏 A Prayer of Blessing on Our Church

Heavenly Father, Bless our church family with unity, warmth, and steadfast love. Let Your Word be our anchor, Your Spirit our guide, and Your presence our joy. Strengthen every ministry, every servant, every child, and every elder. May our worship be pure, our fellowship sincere, and our mission fruitful. Cover us with Your peace in every season, and let Your light shine brightly through us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

💗 Words of Help and Love for the Sick & Troubled

To those who are hurting, weary, or walking through deep valleys—your church loves you, and God has not forgotten you. Winter may feel long, but the Lord walks beside you with unfailing compassion. His promise still stands:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee… I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee.” — Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)

You are held. You are prayed for. You are precious to God.

🙏 Prayer for the Sick and Troubled

Merciful Father, Stretch forth Your healing hand to those who are sick, suffering, or burdened with sorrow. Bring comfort to troubled minds, strength to weak bodies, and peace to anxious hearts. Let Your presence be a warm fire in their winter season. Surround them with love, restore their hope, and remind them that You are near to the brokenhearted. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

🌊 Short Sermon Outline — “Jesus in the Boat”

Text: Mark 4:35–41 (KJV)

I. The Storm Came Suddenly

• “There arose a great storm of wind…” (v. 37)
• Storms don’t ask permission.
• Even obedient disciples face violent, unexpected seasons.
• Following Jesus does not prevent storms — but it guarantees His presence.

II. Jesus Was Already in the Boat

• “He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.” (v. 38)
• He was not distant, absent, or unaware.
• His presence is not proven by what we feel, but by what He promised.
• The storm did not wake Him — but the cry of His children did.

III. Fear Makes Us Forget Who Is With Us

• “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”
• Fear exaggerates the storm and minimizes the Savior.
• The disciples saw waves, but Jesus saw an opportunity for faith.
• Panic asks, “Where is God?”
• Faith whispers, “He is here.”

IV. Jesus Speaks Peace Into Chaos

• “Peace, be still.” (v. 39)
• The wind obeyed instantly.
• The sea became calm immediately.
• The storm outside bowed to the authority of the One inside the boat.

V. The Storm Revealed Their Faith

• “How is it that ye have no faith?” (v. 40)
• Storms expose what sermons cannot.
• They show us where we trust God — and where we don’t.
• Jesus uses storms to grow us, not to crush us.

VI. The Final Question: Who Is This Man?

• “What manner of man is this…?” (v. 41)
• The storm became a classroom.
• The disciples learned that the One who rides in their boat rules over their storm.
• When you know who Jesus is, you stop fearing what storms can do.

🌟 Closing Thought

The miracle is not only that Jesus calmed the storm — The miracle is that He got in the boat before the storm ever began.

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🌊 Was Jesus Truly in the Boat During the Storm?

Yes. The Bible plainly says Jesus was physically present in the boat with His disciples when the storm struck the Sea of Galilee.

📖 The Key Passage (KJV)

Mark 4:37–38 “And there arose a great storm of wind… And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow…”

This is not symbolic or poetic — it is historical narrative. Jesus was literally there, asleep, while the storm raged.

🌬 Why This Matters

Jesus didn’t calm the storm from a distance. He didn’t shout from the shore. He didn’t send angels instead.

He got into the boat with them.

That means:

• He was present in their fear

• He was near when they panicked

• He was close enough to hear their cry

• He was the peace in the middle of their chaos

And when they woke Him, He rose and said:

“Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39 KJV)

The storm obeyed because the Creator was already in the boat.

🌟 The Devotional Truth

The miracle is not only that Jesus calmed the storm — the miracle is that He was with them before the storm ever began.

Just as He is with you, with your church, and with every believer who feels overwhelmed.

❄️ Just a Thought God Repeated

Some truths in Scripture are spoken once. Others are whispered again and again. But a few—those that reach deepest into the human heart—God repeats with unmistakable clarity.

“Let My People Go.” Those words echoed through Egypt not once, but many times. God repeated them because freedom mattered. Deliverance mattered. His people mattered.

Centuries later, Jesus repeated something too—this time not to a nation, but to one man whose heart needed restoring.

“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” He asked it three times. Not because He didn’t know the answer, but because Peter needed to hear the question. He needed to face his failure. He needed to rediscover his calling. He needed to know that grace still had room for him.

God repeats what heals us. He repeats what frees us. He repeats what restores us.

“Let My People Go.” “Do you love Me?”

Two repeated messages—one to break chains, the other to mend a heart. Both reveal a God who refuses to give up on His people.

And maybe today, He is repeating something to you. A call. A reminder. A gentle nudge. A truth you’ve heard before but needed to hear again.

Because the God who repeated Himself in Scripture still speaks with patience, mercy, and love.

Amazing Grace Baptist 2026©

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💗 Seven Trusted Quotes From the Heart

1. “When God holds your heart, no storm can steal your peace.”

2. “The Lord writes hope into our days long before we see the sunrise.”

3. “A prayer whispered in weakness reaches a God who answers in strength.”

4. “Even when life feels heavy, grace arrives light as a snowflake.”

5. “God’s love does not waver with the seasons; it stays warm through every winter.”

6. “Healing begins the moment a hurting soul remembers it is not alone.”

7. “Faith grows quietly—one step, one tear, one answered prayer at a time.”

Amazing Grace Baptist 2026©

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible-centered non-profit ministries and must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com." All my poems with stories are both real and fictional, designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You. Images are not all Christian, but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family, and country.

Amazing Grace Baptist Church Bulletin November 30th, 2025

Susan Nikitenko Owner 

 A Prayer for Our Church

Lord God, We thank You for the gift of our church—a place of refuge, worship, and fellowship. You have planted us here with purpose, and we ask for Your Spirit to dwell richly among us.

Strengthen our leaders with wisdom and grace. Renew our hearts with compassion and courage. Let our worship be sincere, our teaching be true, and our outreach be bold.

Where there is weariness, bring rest. Where there is division, sow peace. Where there is doubt, shine Your light.

Make us a people who love deeply, serve joyfully, and walk humbly with You. Let our church be a beacon of hope, a sanctuary of healing, and a testimony of Your goodness.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

🙏 Prayer of Thanksgiving and Comfort

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of this season — for family, for friends, for the blessings seen and unseen. We are grateful for the laughter around the table, the warmth of fellowship, and the daily mercies that remind us of Your love. Even in simple things — a shared meal, a kind word, a quiet moment — we see Your goodness shining.

Yet, Lord, we remember those who cannot join the celebration because of sickness, sorrow, or pain. We lift them before You, asking for Your healing touch, Your peace that passes understanding, and Your presence that comforts in the night. Teach us to be merciful, to weep with those who weep, and to carry one another’s burdens in love. May Your light shine in every heart, and may gratitude and hope rise even in the midst of trials.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thanksgiving Afterglow 

 The dishes are washed, the pies are crumbs, and the laughter has quieted into memory. But in the hush that follows Thanksgiving, something sacred remains — a glow not from candles or ovens, but from hearts that have remembered what matters. Gratitude doesn’t end with the meal; it begins there. It stretches into the ordinary days, lighting them with the warmth of shared stories, humble prayers, and the quiet joy of enough.

In this afterglow, we see more clearly: the miracle of breath, the gift of family, the grace of second chances. Thanksgiving is not a holiday — it’s a posture. And when we carry it forward, we become living echoes of the goodness we celebrated. The table may be cleared, but the spirit of thanks lingers, glowing softly in every act of kindness, every whispered prayer, every moment we choose to see beauty instead of lack.

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Blessed Are the Merciful – Weep with Those Who Weep

Mercy is more than a kind act; it is the heart of Christ beating within us. When we choose compassion, we reflect the Savior who forgave freely and loved deeply. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7, KJV). Mercy is not weakness but strength — the strength to forgive, to embrace, and to lift others when they cannot stand alone.

And mercy is never silent. It listens, it feels, it weeps. Paul reminds us to “weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15, KJV). To share another’s sorrow is to honor their humanity and to echo Christ’s own tears at Lazarus’ tomb. In this holiday season, when joy and pain often mingle, let us be merciful enough to laugh with those who rejoice and tender enough to weep with those who grieve. In doing so, we become living witnesses of Emmanuel — God with us.

🌟 ✝ 💧 ✝ 🌟   Blessed Are the Merciful   🌟 ✝ 💧 ✝ 🌟

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 Encouragement for the Sick at Thanksgiving

Even when illness keeps you from the table or the celebration, the spirit of Thanksgiving can still fill your heart. Gratitude is not limited to feasts or gatherings — it is found in the quiet moments when you feel God’s nearness, in the kindness of those who care for you, and in the hope that tomorrow can be brighter. Your presence, even in weakness, is a gift to those who love you.

The holidays remind us that joy is not measured by strength or circumstance, but by faith. Just as the shepherds came weary yet rejoicing to the manger, you too carry a testimony of courage and belief. Even in sickness, you shine with the light of Christ, showing that gratitude and hope are stronger than pain. May this season bring you peace, comfort, and the assurance that you are deeply loved and never alone.

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Christmas Bulletin Story

One snowy Christmas Eve in 1914, during the First World War, weary soldiers on both sides of the trenches laid down their weapons and began to sing “Silent Night.” The haunting hymn carried across the battlefield, and soon voices joined together in harmony. Men who had been enemies only hours before stepped out into the cold night, shook hands, exchanged small gifts, and even played a game of football. In that moment, the power of believing in peace and hope overcame fear and division. It was a glimpse of heaven breaking into earth — a reminder that the birth of Christ brings light even into the darkest places.

Christmas teaches us that believing is not naïve, but courageous. The shepherds believed the angel’s message and ran to the manger. Mary believed the impossible promise and carried the Savior of the world. And those soldiers believed, if only for one night, that love was stronger than war. The true story of Christmas is that faith transforms chaos into harmony, despair into joy, and enemies into brothers. When we choose to believe, we open our hearts to miracles — and we see Christ born anew in us.

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10 Life Quotes That Apply to This Story

1. “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll Like the cheesecake shoe, it’s not the mishap but the joyful reaction that people remember.

2. “God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” — Unknown Even crooked halos and forgotten lines can be used by Him to bless others.

3. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” — Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) The laughter over invisible fire and cheesecake shoes was healing joy for the whole audience.

4. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV) The candle’s weakness became the stage for God’s strength to shine.

5. “Joy is not in things; it is in us.” — Richard Wagner The program wasn’t perfect because of props, but because of the children’s joy.

6. “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway Every program, like life, is practice — and God is the true Master who makes it whole.

7. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” — Romans 8:28 (KJV) Even cheesecake mishaps and crooked halos worked together for good that night.

8. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford The candle blooper became a chance to improvise with invisible fire and laughter.

9. “The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” — John 1:5 (KJV) Even when the LED candle refused to glow, God’s true Light was present.

10. “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” — Vince Lombardi The children didn’t deliver perfection, but they caught excellence in joy, unity, and faith.

Amazing Grace Baptist Church©2025

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.Images are not all Christian, but put here for the purposes of doing good works of faith, family and country.