Amazing Grace Baptist Bulletin Post

Amazing Grace Baptist Bulletin Post

Amazing Grace Baptist Church 2026© 

FCMEMCOPGEOPASTERANNABENRMNMPBKB 434322#9

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🌿 A Prayer for God’s Blessing Upon Our Church in March

O Lord our God, as we step into the month of March—when winter still lingers but spring begins to whisper—bless our church with renewed strength, deeper faith, and the comfort of Thy presence. March us forward in unity, in holiness, and in love. Let weary hearts find rest, grieving souls find hope, and every believer find courage to trust Thee more.

“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”
Psalm 29:11

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🌤️ A True Story for the Grieving and the Weary

“The March Wind and the Window Light”

Years ago, a widowed grandmother named Ruth lived in a small farmhouse on the edge of town. March was always the hardest month for her. It was the month her husband had gone home to be with the Lord, and every year the cold winds seemed to stir up the ache of loss.

One March afternoon, as she sat by the window with her Bible open, a fierce wind rattled the panes. She whispered, “Lord, I’m tired. I’m lonely. I need You to help me through this day.”

At that very moment, a beam of sunlight broke through the clouds and fell directly across her Bible—right on the verse she had been reading:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee…”
Isaiah 41:10

Ruth later said, “It was as if God Himself stepped into the room and sat beside me.”

That day, her grief didn’t vanish, but her strength returned. She said the Lord didn’t take away the storm—He simply lit the window so she could see Him better.

And every March after that, she would tell her grandchildren, “When the winds blow hardest, that’s when God’s light shines sweetest.”

Her story still comforts many who grieve, reminding them that God meets His children in the very month that hurts the most.

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💬 True, Faithful, Meaningful Quotes From the Heart

• “God’s mercy walks through March long before spring arrives.”
• “The Lord does not forget the weary; He gathers them as the shepherd gathers lambs.”
• “Grief may bend the heart, but grace keeps it from breaking.”
• “Faith grows stronger when the winds grow colder.”
• “God’s timing is never late; it is lovingly exact.”
• “Every prayer prayed in weakness is heard by a God of strength.”
• “Hope is not the absence of sorrow—it is the presence of God in the midst of it.”

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🎶 A Hymn Story About Prayer

“Sweet Hour of Prayer”

William Walford, a blind English preacher in the 1800s, carved small wooden items to support himself. Though he could not see, he had memorized vast portions of Scripture. One day, he recited a poem he had written to a visiting pastor. That poem became the hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”

The hymn was born out of a man’s darkness—yet it shines with the light of heaven.

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things…”
Jeremiah 33:3

Walford could not see the world around him, but he saw God clearly in prayer. His hymn still lifts the brokenhearted and strengthens the faint.

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🫏 A Lighthearted Moment: Melvina the Lone Donkey

Every church needs a smile in March, so here’s Melvina:

Melvina the Lone Donkey was known for two things:

1. Her stubborn refusal to walk in a straight line
2. Her loud opinions about everything

One chilly March morning, the farmer tried to lead her to the barn. Melvina planted her hooves and refused to move. The farmer sighed, “Melvina, why must you always be so difficult?”

Melvina brayed loudly—as if to say, “I’m not difficult. I’m selectively cooperative.”

The farmer finally coaxed her along with a carrot, and Melvina strutted into the barn like she had planned it all along.

The children in church still say:
“Whenever we don’t feel like obeying God, we’re having a Melvina moment.”

Even a donkey can remind us:
“Obey my voice, and I will be your God…”
Jeremiah 7:23

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🙏 A Prayer of Faith for Our Church

Heavenly Father, bless our church in this month of March. Strengthen the grieving, renew the weary, and deepen our faith. Let Your Word be our anchor, Your Spirit our comfort, and Your presence our peace. Lead us forward in unity, holiness, and joy. Teach us to pray with confidence, to trust with courage, and to walk with You daily. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Prayer for Our Military, Our Country, Our Leaders, Our Armed Forces, and Our Churches

Almighty God, our Refuge and Strength,
We bow before Thee with grateful hearts, lifting our nation and all who serve it into Thy mighty hands. Thou art the God “in whom we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28), and without Thee we can do nothing.

For Our Military and Armed Forces

Lord, bless the men and women who stand watch on land, sea, and air. Guard their bodies, steady their minds, and strengthen their spirits. Let no fear overtake them, for Thy Word declares, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1).
Protect their families at home. Surround them with peace that passes all understanding. Let courage rise, and let righteousness guide every step.

For Our Country

Father, have mercy upon our land. Heal the wounds that divide us. Turn our hearts back to Thee. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 33:12).
Let truth reign, justice stand firm, and compassion flow like living water. Drive out confusion, strengthen what is good, and expose what is evil.

For Our Leaders

We pray for our President, our Congress, our judges, and all who hold authority. Grant them wisdom from above—pure, peaceable, gentle, and full of mercy. Let them seek righteousness, walk humbly, and fear the Lord.
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD… He turneth it whithersoever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1)

For Our Churches

Bless every church that lifts high the name of Jesus Christ. Strengthen pastors, teachers, and servants of the gospel. Revive the weary. Heal the brokenhearted. Restore the wandering.
Let the fire of the Holy Spirit burn bright again. Let the Word of God run swiftly. Let love abound.
“Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

For All Who Are Grieving or Weary

Lord, comfort those who mourn. Lift those who are bowed down. Renew those who feel faint.
“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (Isaiah 40:29)
Let Your presence be their peace, Your promises their anchor, and Your love their healing.

Our Closing Prayer

O God of all grace, bless our military, our country, our leaders, our armed forces, and our churches. Keep us faithful. Keep us humble. Keep us strong.
And may Jesus Christ be honored in all we do.
In His holy name we pray, Amen.

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Faithful Quotes From the Heart 

• “Strength is not found in the soldier’s arm, but in the Lord who upholds him.”
• “A nation kneeling in prayer is stronger than an army standing in pride.”
• “The weary find rest when they lean on the everlasting arms.”
• “Leadership is safest when guided by Scripture and surrendered to God.”
• “The church is strongest when it prays the most.”
• “Grief bows the head, but grace lifts the heart.”
• “Faith grows in the dark because God shines brightest there.”

©For this Story Only

A Lighthearted Moment: Melvina the Lone Donkey

Melvina the Lone Donkey heard the farmer praying for the military one morning. She perked up her long ears and brayed loudly—as if volunteering for service.

The farmer chuckled, “Melvina, you can’t join the armed forces.”

Melvina stomped her hoof proudly, insisting she was battle‑ready.

But when a tiny barn mouse ran across the floor, Melvina jumped three feet in the air and hid behind a hay bale.

The farmer shook his head and said,
“Melvina, you’re brave in theory—but terrified in practice.”

The children in church still laugh and say:
“Lord, help us not to be like Melvina—brave only until the mouse shows up!”

And the Scripture reminds us:
“Be strong and of a good courage… for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou guest.”Joshua 1:9

Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Hinkley ©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.

Where Disobedience Took Him-Where Grace Brought Him

Where Disobedience Took Him-Where Grace Brought Him

Heart‑Wrenching Story PG

Opening

They were a Baptist home shaped by Scripture and prayer. Pastor John preached holiness from the pulpit; Mary, his wife, kept the house with quiet faith. Their son, Daniel, grew up with hymns at the table, Bible verses on his lips, and the steady discipline of parents who loved the Lord.

As he became a young man, another hunger rose in him — not for truth, but for acceptance. He wanted to belong. He wanted to prove he could choose his own way. He began to drift toward a crowd that seemed exciting, bold, and free.

The Parents’ Warnings: Gentle and Strong

They were not silent. They were not careless. They were not blind.

One evening Mary sat with Daniel at the kitchen table, the lamp low, her voice trembling.

“Son, please be careful. These people don’t love you. They don’t love God. They will not protect your soul.”

He pushed his plate away and sighed. “Mom, they’re just friends. You don’t understand.”

Later, when the house was still, Pastor John spoke with the weight of years.

“Son, I’m your pastor as well as your father. I know the spirit behind that crowd. I’ve counseled families torn apart by the very things they’re involved in. I’m asking you — stay away from them.”

When gentle warnings failed, the stronger ones came. John stood in the doorway one night, voice firm, eyes full of fear.

“Son, I’m begging you — don’t go with them. They mock God. They mock righteousness. They will drag you into darkness.”

Mary’s tears fell openly. “Please don’t go! You’re going to get hurt!”

He brushed past them. He believed he could handle it. He believed he was strong enough to walk close to danger without falling in. He did not know how far one step of disobedience would carry him.

The Night Everything Changed

They invited him to a party. The music left a ringing in his ears; the air tasted metallic with spilled drinks. Laughter was loud and reckless. He did not want to be mocked as the pastor’s son, so he drank to fit in.

Drink after drink blurred his thoughts. His guard dropped. Judgment faded. Vulnerability grew.

At one point the conversation turned to tattoos. They showed theirs with pride and laughed about what each mark meant. Then they asked him what he thought.

Even impaired, he answered honestly, not with scorn but with the convictions he had been raised with.

“I don’t believe in marking my body. I want to honor God.”

Silence fell. Faces hardened. A voice muttered, “So you think you’re better than us?” He tried to explain, “No, that’s not what I meant—” but the moment had shifted.

Later, when he was no longer fully conscious, when alcohol had taken his edge of awareness, they took advantage of him. They made choices about his body that were not his to make. They altered his appearance in ways he never agreed to, never wanted, and never imagined.

The Horror, the Flight, and the Final Days

He woke with a pounding head. The night tasted like pennies. Thoughts came slow and tangled. At first he did not remember where he was. Then a wrongness under his skin made him sit up.

His arms felt strange. His chest felt foreign. He looked down and his breath caught.

Where familiar skin had been, there were markings he had never chosen. He stumbled to a mirror. The face that looked back was his and yet not his — buried beneath ink he had not asked for.

His knees buckled. His hands shook. Tears came hot and uncontrollable. “God… what have they done to me?” he whispered, voice breaking. He slid down the wall and pressed his forehead to his knees, the room spinning.

Panic drove him home. Each step was a mixture of fear and hope. Tears blurred the world. Breath came in ragged gasps. He knocked until his knuckles ached.

His parents opened the door and froze. Before them stood a figure covered in ink from head to toe. They did not recognize him. They recoiled.

“Mom… Dad… it’s me…” he pleaded.

They stepped back. His father said, “Sir… you need to leave.” The door closed.

He pressed his forehead to the wood and sobbed—deep, broken sobs that came from the very core of his being. He had never felt so alone.

Weeks became a blur. He wandered the streets—hungry, exhausted, invisible. People stared, avoided him, whispered. No one saw the boy inside the broken shell. His tears became prayers. His heartbreak became repentance. His desperation became a cry for mercy.

“God… I’m sorry. I should’ve listened. I should’ve obeyed. Please don’t leave me.”

“Jesus… please save me. I have nothing left, but please… save me.”

He prayed with the last of his strength. Heaven heard. His body eventually gave out. He died on earth as a stranger—unrecognized, unclaimed, unknown. His parents never learned what had happened. They carried the ache of a missing son for the rest of their lives.

The Vision and the Final Truth

Years later, in the hush of night, far away, another pastor's wife knelt by her bed and prayed as she often did. The house was still; the clock ticked softly. In that quiet, she saw a face she had never known.

The young man looked back from his car like a memory, he looked into her eyes, she saw him, her in the spirit. His eyes were gentle. His expression was peaceful. His skin was clear and unmarked—beautiful in a way that made her chest ache. Who is this? I've never seen him before.

She whispered, “Lord… who is he?”

In the hush, God answered her heart: “This is the one who was hurt. This is the one the world rejected. But I received him. I made him whole.”

A peace washed over her. Then, as if heaven allowed one final whisper to cross the distance, she heard him speak — not with sorrow, but with a calm deeper than grief.

“Tell my parents… my skin is beautiful now. I’m perfect. The devil didn’t win. Deliver this message: "I’m okay now, Mom.”

The vision faded. The room returned to stillness. The message remained — carved into her heart. "I will never forget him. His face is in my heart."

Final Reflection

Where disobedience took him is the saddest story. Where grace took him is the most beautiful.

He died rejected by man, but he awoke accepted by God.

He died unrecognizable on earth, but he awoke restored in heaven.

He died with tears, but he awoke with joy.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

One day his parents will see him again—whole, radiant, restored—held forever in the love that never fails.

Susan Barker Nikitenko 2026© MBNNPMRMPBKBANNABENPASTORGEORGE 57564#6

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, famil,y and country.

My Life Is In God's Hands

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My Life Is In God's Hands

In the midst of the horrors of war, a young girl named Anya wandered through the ruins of her once vibrant village in Ukraine. The sounds of explosions and the cries of the broken-hearted filled the air, but her own voice was lifted in a trembling prayer. She had lost her parents, her siblings, and every sense of security she once knew. With nothing left but her fragile faith, she whispered into the night, “Lord, save me. Please, I have no one else.”

The war had stripped her of everything, yet in her emptiness, she found herself reaching for the One she had only heard about in passing. She remembered her grandmother once speaking of a God who never leaves nor forsakes His children. That memory became her lifeline. As she prayed, she felt a strange peace settle over her heart, a peace that seemed impossible in the middle of destruction.

Days later, while searching for food and shelter, Anya encountered a group of missionaries who had come to bring aid and hope to those displaced by the war. Among them was a Baptist missionary named Pastor James. He noticed the sorrow in her eyes and the hunger in her soul. With gentle words, he told her about Jesus Christ, the Savior who came to heal the brokenhearted and give rest to the weary.

Pastor James handed her a small, worn Bible—the King James Version. It was the first Bible she had ever held in her hands. As she opened its pages, her eyes fell upon the words of Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Tears streamed down her face as she realized that God had indeed heard her cry in the night.

The missionaries brought her to a mission of safety, a place where children like her could find shelter, food, and the love of Christ. For the first time since the war began, she felt safe. She began to read the Scriptures daily, clinging to every promise. The words of Jesus in John 14:18 spoke directly to her heart: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

As weeks turned into months, Anya’s faith grew stronger. She learned to pray not only for her own needs but also for others who were suffering. She discovered that even in the darkest valley, God’s light could shine. Her testimony became a beacon of hope to other children in the mission, reminding them that God’s love is greater than the pain of war.

One evening, during a small gathering at the mission, Anya stood and shared her story. She told how God had answered her desperate prayer, how He had sent His servants to rescue her, and how His Word had become her daily bread. She declared with confidence, “My life is in God’s hands, and I am no longer afraid.”

Her words touched many hearts, and even the adults who had lost so much found renewed strength in her faith. The mission became more than a shelter; it became a place of revival, where broken lives were restored through the power of the Gospel.

Anya’s journey was not without pain, but she learned that suffering could lead to a deeper understanding of God’s grace. She held tightly to Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Her life became a living testimony that even in the ashes of war, God can bring beauty and hope.

The story of Anya reminds the world that God cares, God knows, and when someone speaks His name, He listens. No cry is too small, no heart too broken, for the Lord who saves.

Key Verses (KJV)

Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

John 14:18 – “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Quote for the Day

“Faith is not the absence of fear, but the presence of God in the midst of it.”

Tip of the Day

Begin each morning with prayer and a verse from the Bible. Even one verse can strengthen the heart for the challenges of the day.

My personal input: Romans 8:28 was my chosen verse of comfort as a teenager as well. It helped me know that God has a reason for everything, even if it's hard for anyone to understand. 

Recommended Clean Christian Stories of Survival for Teens

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot

Tramp for the Lord by Corrie ten Boom

Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose

Susan Barker Nikitenko 2025 ©

 CaPMRMNMANNABENKBPASTOR

Though this story is fictional, it is so true for someone somewhere.

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.