My family and I joined our home church last night. I had so much joy and excitement coming home to our family and friends. God always knows what I need and he always provides for me. We are having revival this week at Crystal Hill Baptist Church and it has been an amazing experience! God is moving in the church and mending hearts like crazy. I'll say Yes, Lord ,Yes...to your will and to your way! If you need a church home I think you would be blessed by checking our Crystal Hill Baptist Church. If you can't make it to church, you can watch the service from you computer at home. Come on by and see us or sit back on your couch and better ready to have your socks blessed off! God bless you.

PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

I have a dear friend that is facing some struggles today and needs prayer. Please pray for comfort for him. He does not understand why he is going through the struggles, but we don't need to understand...we just need to pray.

As Christians God instructs us to pray for one another. Please pray for my friend. Look at this beautiful picuture below. It says it all! God bless you!

IF YOU HAVE A PRAYER REQUEST PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE WILL PRAY FOR YOU!

GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!

Can you believe it's time for the kids to go back to school? This summer has flown by! Ethan is going into the 3rd grade, Jackie is going into the 11th grade and Lyndsie is going into her sophomore year of college. The kids are excited about going back and I know that we are going to have a great year! I can't believe that when I take them to school, the house will be quiet all day....WoW! :) Jackie is excited about getting to meet new friends and witnessing to people. We found Jackie some religious folders for school and he is so excited about that!! I hope God uses him this year in mighty ways and Jackie is able to help bring lots of kids to Christ. Please pray for all the kids going to school and for God's protection over them. God bless you!

BACK TO SCHOOL

Today we went and got Jackie and Ethan registered for school. I can't believe it's time for the kids to go back to school already. It seems like they just got out! I am excited for Jackie. Jackie will be going to Bryant High School. He seems to be thrilled to be able to go to such a large school. He is excited about witnessing to all the kids. Jackie handed out flyer's to mow yards. He has gotten 5 clients in our neighborhood. He loves making money! LOL. Lyndsie is enrolled in Pulaski Tech and is starting her semester. She got a job at Petco and she really seems to like it. She has worked 40 hours a week the last two weeks. She said the manager told her she was doing a great job! Ethan is glad to be back home as well. He has expressed how hard the ministry was on him and how much he missed his mom and dad while we lived there. He needs mommy and daddy time so we have really been focusing on spending time with him. He will start school at Salem this year and he is very excited about seeing his old friends. I know God is just getting started in this new phase of our lives and we are very excited about what he is going to do in our future. Gary is still with the concrete company. He is really enjoying the group he is working with and has had the chance to witness to someone, which thrills him. We know God has good things in store for our family. We will keep the faith....and God will take care of our needs. May God bless you always!

NORMAL??

Normal defined in the Webster dictionary as; having a straight-line structure.

My husband told me today that we are going back to living a "Normal" life. I said; What's normal?
He said; a regular job and a regular home. We have been living with so many teenage boys for so long, that I have forgotten what "Normal" is really like. The process of getting there seems a little scary. We have only been doing full-time ministry for a couple of years but I find it hard to focus on something besides a ministry for God. I'm not sure what normal is, but I am sure that God is going to take care of us and plant us exactly where he wants us to grow. Please pray for us as we seek God's will for our lives. Maybe "Normal" won't be so bad after all. I love you Lord and I know you have great plans in store for our family. God bless you!

BLESSED BY GOD

I have been so blessed by God. He takes care of my every need. I love to sit at the computer and worship with music. I heard a song on the radio the other day and I play it all the time now. I would love for you to listen to it. Go to U-Tube and look up; "Someone worth dying for" by Mikeschair. 
I know that you will love it and you will be blessed by the words in the song. Have a great day.....and God Bless You!

YOU JUST POISONED YOUR FRIEND!

             THE TONGUE.....HARD TO CONTROL AND POISON TO THE SOUL!

But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
                                James 3:8                     

Have you heard the old saying; Your tongue reveals what your heart feels? Well, it's true. The quickest way to ruin a ministry for God is to start rumor's and gossip. You say you would never do that? Here goes;
Hey, did you hear about Michael and Kelley? I heard they were having a rough time in their marriage.
Hey, I heard the preacher didn't like the songs Bro. Brown picked out?
Boy, Claude and Jennifer sure are hanging out a lot together.
Cynthia really dislikes our deacon...I'm going to pray for her.
Yes, as innocent as some of them seem....they are vicious and deadly to a ministry or even to a friendship. Something started out so simple can turn out so bad. I admit that sometimes I'm bad about speaking before I think. I'm working on that in my life. Some people are not happy unless they are causing problems for others. Pray for them. Don't tell your best friend Sarah about them.....PRAY FOR THEM! 

IF ANYONE CONSIDERS HIMSELF RELIGIOUS AND YET DOES NOT KEEP A TIGHT REIN ON HIS TONGUE, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF AND HIS RELIGION IS WORTHLESS.
                              JAMES 1:26         

It is so easy to get drawn into gossiping. We need to learn to bridle our tongues and not get polluted by the world. Easier said than done I know. But with God's help....it is possible. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD! I have had to ask God for a lot of forgiveness lately. I don't want to be the one to bring his ministry down. I want to be the one to lift it up. I am praying hard and steady for control of my tongue.

LORD, WHO MAY DWELL IN YOUR SANCTUARY? WHO MAY LIVE ON YOUR HOLY HILL?
HE WHO WALKS BLAMELESS AND WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHTEOUS, WHO SPEAKS THE TRUTH FROM HIS HEART AND HAS NO SLANDER ON HIS TONGUE, WHO DOES HIS NEIGHBOR NO WRONG AND CASTS NO SLUR ON HIS FELLOWMAN.
                                               PSALM 15: 1-3

Now I'm just going to give you a fact right now. There was a rumor started recently about me and a friend. It became poison to both of our ministries. Our first reaction was to get them back, I know...not very Christ like of us. After giving it a couple of days and praying to God about it, I came to the point of forgiveness. Two wrongs were not going to make a right, and I knew that. While my friend and I were discussing this rumor and forgiveness and what God could do, we discussed how we should forgive and let God have control of the situation. Because God had shown us how to forgive once we became a child of his. My friend has been in the ministry a long time, as I have too,  but realized that he was not able to forgive. He stuggled with anger and vengence. After talking to him, this is what I did. I looked him in the eye and said; If you die tonight, are you going to Heaven. He sat there for a minute and then said; well, yea. I'm a preachers son, I'm in the ministry and my mom told me I was saved when I was 8 years old. I said; Do you remember asking God into your heart or what you said or are you just relying on what your mom told you? Then I asked him again. If you die tonight, are you going to Heaven. He said; No. He realized he was not a child of God's. I had the opportunity to lead my friend to Christ that night. Gossip that led to forgiveness led to Salvation. But had we let the devil destroy, and I could have very easily fallen victim to that, the devil would have won and my friend would still not know Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. The devil will use your best friend, even the preachers wife to spread his poison if you let him.

KEEP YOU TONGUE FROM EVIL AND YOUR LIPS FROM SPEAKING LIES.
TURN FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
                                         PSALM 34:13-14

We can tame our tongue. We just need to ask God to help us do that. Don't speak ill of others. Don't be the one to put the flame out on a ministry. Be the one to set the ministry on fire with God's help. My friend is on fire for God and the ministry now. He knows that God has great things instore for him. He is no longer full of anger and no longer running from the devil. He is looking him straight in the face and telling him to get behind him! Don't give in to the devil. He laughs at you every time you do.

I SAID, 'I WILL WATCH MY WAYS AND KEEP MY TONGUE FROM SIN; I WILL PUT A MUZZLE ON MY MOUTH AS LONG AS THE WICKED ARE IN MY PRESENCE.'
                                       PSALM 39:1

FOR, 'WHOEVER WOULD LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM DECEITFUL SPEECH. HE MUST TURN FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
                                      1 PETER 3:10-11

I don't know about you, but I think I would rather keep my eyes on Jesus than to focus on destroying others lives with my tongue. Simple gossip could cause someone not to come to Christ. If they see a proclaimed Christian spreading lies, what desire do they have to be a part of God's family? Don't be the reason someone ends up in hell. How disgraceful that would be when you face your father in Heaven and have to answer to him why. If your spreading gossip and starting rumors and not feeling guilty about it, maybe you should check your heart. Maybe you are not a child of God's.

AS LONG AS I HAVE LIFE WITHIN ME, THE BREATH OF GOD IN MY NOSTRILS, MY LIPS WILL NOT SPEAK WICKEDNESS, AND MY TONGUE WILL UTTER NO DECEIT.
                                            JOB 27:3-4

God gave us our first breath and every breath we have taken since then. He gives us life. Let's go out and serve him in a mighty way. Think before you speak and hit your knees in prayer right where you are if you need to. Let's praise God in all things and be a witness for him so that others will come to know Christ. Hate the sin....love the sinner. Forgive so you can have peace. God bless you!

YOU DIED SO I MAY LIVE...SO I WILL LIVE FOR YOU!

I GROW WEARY SOMETIMES IN MY TRIALS,
AND HAVEN'T BEEN ON BENT KNEES IN A WHILE.
MY FAITH IS GROWING A LITTLE WEAK.
I PRAY FOR MERCY AND YOUR FACE I SEEK.
TIME GOES BY SO VERY FAST.
BUT I KNOW YOUR LOVE WILL FOREVER LAST.
SO I NEED YOUR GUIDANCE TO BE STRONG,
AND I NEED YOU TO REMIND ME WHERE I BELONG.
I KNOW YOU FORGIVE MY SINS WHEN I PRAY.
FOR YOU HUNG ON THAT CROSS AND SAID; PRICE PAID!
YOU DIED SO I COULD LIVE FOR YOU.
JUST SHOW ME LORD, WHAT I NEED TO DO.
THE UNFAILING, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE YOU GIVE TO ME,
THE KIND OF LOVE I WANT ALL OTHERS TO SEE.
THE KIND OF LOVE LORD, THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN GIVE,
AND BY YOUR MERCY, YOU TEACH ME HOW TO FORGIVE.
I'M NOT PERFECT AND DON'T PROCLAIM TO BE,
SO LORD PLEASE CONTINUE TO WORK ON ME.
YOU DIED FOR ME SO I COULD LIVE FOR YOU,
JUST SHOW ME WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO.
I'LL BE THE ONE TO STAND UP WHEN YOU CALL,
ALTHOUGH YOU ALREADY KNOW SOMETIMES I WILL STUMBLE AND FALL,
BUT YOU STILL HAVE FAITH IN ME AFTER ALL.
SO I WILL WITH YOU LORD, STAND STRONG AND TALL.
PLEASE GOD, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BRIGHTLY THROUGH ME,
HIDE ALL OF ME SO THAT IT'S ONLY YOU THEY WILL SEE.
ALL THE SAVING GRACE AND LOVE YOU HAVE TO GIVE,
AND THE CROSS YOU HUNG AND DIED ON....SO THAT I MAY LIVE.

Denise Rochester
08-01-2011

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO....

We have been gone from ABC Homes for about 3 weeks now. We did get custody of a young man from the home. He is the guy on the right. His name is Jackie. He is 17 yrs old. He came to the home about 2 weeks before we did in October last year. When we came to the home we became his relief house parents. He was not saved and was set on serving his 6 months in the home and then going back to his lifestyle. He loved what he was doing in his life and he just wanted to go back to where he was comfortable. One day Jackie asked me if when he died, could he go to Heaven and ask God to be one of the devils demons. I was floored. I told him no. It did not work like that. I told him that he would go to hell and burn with the others that did not know Christ. Over the months Jackie began to ask more and more questions about God. We told him that God was much stronger than the devil and has so much more power than the devil. That seemed to interest him. Over the months each Sunday I would watch him during the invitational song. He was holding onto the pew so hard that you could not have torn him away if you had to. But one day, the Holy Spirit did. Jackie released his hold on that pew and took off like a rocket down that isle. Jackie got saved and became a soldier for Christ. Jackie stayed in his Bible learning everything he could about Jesus. He got in trouble a few times for staying up so late reading his Bible. LOL. He would not go to sleep until 3 or 4 in the morning and he was getting really tired in school. Jackie has since preached in a couple of churches and has joined our family in seeking God's will for our lives. Since the day he moved in with us, every morning he gets up and hugs me and tells me how much he loves us and is so happy with his new family. I know Jackie is going to do great things for God and I am honored that God has allowed my family to be part of that. Gary and I have gone back to our jobs that we had before we went to the children's ministry. Gary is going to a church in Tiller in view of a call tomorrow so please be in prayer for that. We want to be in God's will always. Please continue to pray for our family as we seek God's will and we will keep you updated. Thank you and God bless you! 

THE FINAL POST AT ABC HOMES

Yesterday we got moved back to Benton. We love the house and love the quiet time right now. We do miss all the kiddos at the home though. We still have a lot of boxes to sort through so I guess that's how I will spend my day today. I got up this morning, at 10:30, Gary and Jackie were on the back porch doing their Bible study. I thought that was sweet. Watching them two together study about God. I believe God has worked all of this out for a great reason. I know he has big plans for our family and we are excited about our next ministry. We are even more excited that God has given us another son to teach about his love. We got custody of Jackie last week and he is very excited about getting opportunities to preach. We are very excited we could give him a family to grow with. I'm trying to learn to forgive today. We were told a lot of things before we moved that really caused anger and pain in our hearts. We are praying for love and for God to give us the peace we need to forgive. We are praying for God to open hearts and to soften them for his ministry. We are trying to remember that it was all for God's glory.... God loves us so much and we know that he is marking the path ahead of us. This post is going to be the close of this blog. We loved our time at ABC Homes but felt that God was moving us on. Sometimes his will even hurts but we must follow and obey. We love the kids there so much and will always pray for them...and we will always have a very special place in our hearts for them. They are great kids and care so much about people. I know that God is going to do great things in their lives.  I hope you have a great day today. Thank you for being so faithful to pray for the ministry and for these awesome kids. May God richly bless you! We love you. 
Love, The Rochester's


JOHN 3:16 God loves the world!!!