A very Special PSA for a Very Special Event. My Sister is doing something exciting...!

Where the Arts meets Gospel missions is one mighty accurate way to describe the "Curtain and Lights Theatere Company".  This company is driven by the Sword of the Spirit (the Holy Bible),  motivated by genuine compassion and desire for missions work locally and globally ,empowered by the Grace and Spirit of God Himself!

Jesus spoke through Paul to the Corinthians and to us today that ..whatever you do, do so to the glory of God" (see 1 Cor. 10:31)
My sister's, as is her theatere company, as is to know, love and obey God more every day for the glory of God in all nations.

Below is the all the information straight form Heather herself, as a guest blogger today,you need to know to see and experience her next show!

"Join us for our upcoming Concert Series:
“Songs of the Stage and Screen”

A collection of songs from Classic Broadway Musicals and Hollywood Films.

Featuring Songs from: Mary Poppins, Frozen, Mulan, Little Women the Musical, The Little Mermaid, Hercules, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, and More!

Starring Nathan Johnson, Jackson McDaniel, Conner McDaniel, Katelyn McDaniel, Grayson Fink, Regan Fink, Jaelyn Fink, Becky Glenn, Kristin Glenn, and Heather Anderson.

Hosted by Brittany Heflin Cortez

Directed by Heather Anderson

Performance Dates:
Thursday February 22nd at 6:30 PM
Friday February 23rd at 6:30 PM

Venue: The Stephenson Chapel at First Baptist Church Decatur, Alabama

Tickets: $12.00
Proceeds will fund our upcoming Summer 2018 production of Annie the Musical which will benifit the Alabama Children's Home."

New Year, specific new goals, but same one desire! Two-thousand and eighteen.

 I am excited by the way God has ordained anyone reading this to live this long into the year 2018 (possibly further if you are reading this at a later year and the whole "internet" fad hasn't ended haha).

I love January 1st. I find it highly fun that everything I do that day is the first time I've done it all year, I love the "I haven't seen you since last year"jokes my local friends and family exchange. Lots of fun and lots of puns. Of which I love both of those things.

For many, it's obviously time to start afresh, to set their eyes on achievements they desire to accomplish, and a time to tuck away the ones they didn't succeed into the extent they had wished for the previous year. Our American culture often views the turning of a New Year as a reset button to cleanse all the past mistakes of last year, in hope of just getting past those and looking forward to new beginnings. This is a magical, sentimental and blissful thought. It is also can be extremely dangerous.

Because it's a lie. A great many problems we had last year, like debt, failed classes, or the greatest crushing burden of all, the multitude of sins against God who is Holy and good, these weighty issues  don't mystically disappear because from 11:59pm one December 31st to January 1st 12:00am. I sense that many people see me as a pessimist or a party pooper because I believe truth should be believed in real life. Such as situations like this. Some might think "can't you just let us have this one? It gives us a spark of hope, even if it isn't real, it helps us"

My response is no. I won't let you have this one. This fake hope is meaningless. Sometimes it may seem I lack compassion due to this mindset however, it is quite the opposite intentions for speaking up knowing I will get backlash. It because of my immense love and genuine compassion for the people in this world, that I post (primarily on facebook up to date) about treacherous traditions,  harmful self-hope philosophies, the so popular charlatans who claim to be Christian preachers, teachers, bands or even holistic practices (that deceive many with false promises to closeness to God through extra-Biblical means).

 I speak up in order to magnify and passionately point back to the one source of truth we can absolutely bank on. The Bible itself. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."-Psalm 119:105-106 

  I am not only not a pessimist, but I am a joyful believer in hope. But I want the real hope, not the parody of it.
I believe in hope but He has a name not a date of the year. There is real hope! He is glorious and His name is Jesus. I am just one of many weak and simple-minded guides on this planet that deeply long for you to know God. How? Through the reading of, studying, and listening to sound teachers of the Bible. Through earnest prayer. Through meeting weekly with His Body and Bride; the Church.
We want for you to be given the gift from God through knowing God, the 2nd gift of loving God. And we want you to obey God out of the joy and desires of your heart. 

One of my New Year's resolutions is to exhibit better that my love for theo (meaning God) ology (the study of) has not made me cold or uncaring. But as someone once recently said I am "seriously joyful and joyfully serious"!  That is who I am by God's grace. I struggle daily and consistently but He is with me, and I want people to see, read, hear and watch the fact that "the things of this Earth grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." is what is welling up inside of me right now.

And I am compelled to share that. Pray for me to convey that love for God that only comes from Biblical theology and extends to the people in the world around me


2018 is a year to live for my friends!

 Literally and metaphorically. Literally as in many of us will reach December 31st of the upcoming year alive.  Metaphorically, as in, to the fullest. If that means setting resolutions for some if that means being kinder to others, or perhaps being more accessible to people and intentional about teaching them what Jesus did then that is all great!

Seeking joy in small things, having genuine compassion towards everyone no matter what, and to know, love, and obey God above all pursuits and passions. To live as a "human-doing" rather than a mere human being.

Let's live this year to Do Hard Things to the glory of God in all nations.

THE SAME ONE DESIRE: God and His Glory among all nations.
Soli Deo Gloria!

"May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,
    your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you judge the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!

6 The earth has yielded its increase;
    God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us;
    let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Psalm 67English Standard Version (ESV)

“Be like the Bereans” Acts 17:11 Breakfast at NCB Church Oct, 21st 2017

My sister graciously filmed most of the sermon on her iPhone, 

You can watch the video by clicking here.

I was recently invited to speak at the "Breakfast day" at New Center Baptist Church. I spoke on the theme verse for all of the book studies we do at the Bible study I co-teach at. It is imperative for the discerning believer in Christ to be cautious when listening, reading, or studying any and all sources that say something about God, man, or anything that falls within the bounds of worldviews. It was a humbling blessing to be invited or even able by God to talk about Him and His Word. Just as it is every time I have the privilege to teach and preach solely on the authority of God's Word enabled by the Holy Spirit. I have a great passion for preaching and hope to do so in some capacity full-time someday, but only if the Lord Jesus Christ has decided that be my lot in life.

Below is the message notes that go along with the sermon.

"fill-in-the-blank Sermon Notes" 

Brotherhood Breakfast at New Center Baptist Church Oct, 21st 2017

“Be like the Bereans”

Guest Speaker: Zack Anderson

Acts 17:11

One point sermon: Study the Bible.

Four applications for every single one of us…

    Know God______________________.

How can one know God?*

    Read the ________ of God for yourself daily.
    Obey the Word __________________.

    Spread the Word_________________.

Fundamental Truths about the Bible

·         It is Inspired by God: -2 Tim. 3:16-17

·         It is Absolute truth: Psalm 119:151

·          It is forever unchanging: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”- Isaiah 40:8

·         It is Complete Revelation: Deuteronomy 4:2

·         It is all about Jesus: Luke 24:44-49; Ephesians 2:19-20

·         It is preached to make faith, repentance, and Salvation possible: -Rom. 10:14-17; Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21

·         It is alive and judges our actions: -Hebrews. 4:12.

*How can a sinner know God? Romans 10:9,13-15

God Calls, Convicts, and Converts sinners into saints.

 Sinners must repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

                                  Mark 1:15; John 3:16-17

"A true disciple inquires not whether a fact is agreeable to his own reason, but whether it is in The Book." -Adoniram Judson, Baptist missionary, who served in the country of Burma for almost forty years.



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Other quotes on the supremacy and importance of Scripture: 

“Whatever the Bible says, God says”- Dr. Benjamin Warfield

"When God has spoken, that settles the matter. No room is left for debating or reasoning. It is vain for us to discuss and dispute. Our duty is to submit. The Word itself must regulate our worship and service, as well as everything else. Human opinions, human traditions, custom, convenience, have nothing to do with it. Divine revelation is our only Court of Appeal."~ Arthur Pink, "Gleanings in Exodus"

[Talking to a room of pastors]

"Their greatest need is not tips from you. Their greatest need is Truth from God!!"-IMB President. David Platt 

My First Trip to the Beautiful Country of Haiti. With Recap Vid. (9:43)

In the year 2012, I went along with the local church I am a member of, to the country Haiti!

Our group of fourteen “short-termers” stayed for a week. The sum of our mission was to serve, encourage, and learn from the full-time missionaries and local Christian churches in the area. 

We stayed at the, then much smaller, "Alabama House"*, where short-term missionaries were very blessed to be able to stay while in Jacmel, Haiti. At this location, we had no hot water or air conditioning, we were right above some sort of disco tech that was lively from 10 pm till somewhere about 4:30 am, and directly across the street resided the city’s community dump for burning trash. However, many in Haiti didn’t have near the luxuries that this house we stayed in did. In this house, we had food to eat, shelter from storms, beds to sleep in, and clean water to drink. Millions of dear people living in this country, to this day, still do not. These living conditions we saw were quite a culture shock to most all of our team, compared to our high amenity houses we were used to.

In spite of (or possibly in part, because of) these few minor inconveniences this trip was a joyful, yet sobering, glimpse into what my Brother and Sister's in Christ daily lives are like as missionaries here. It is anything but easy for the missionaries in the spiritually dark country of Haiti. As this was my first time out of the United States it was also my first look at the work of God practically being done through local churches in a different context than I am accustomed to.

I was blessed and changed for life by briefly experiencing the nation, seeing the poverty, and meeting and ministering to the dear sweet people.

Please watch this short, hopefully inspiring, video that I documented first hand in Haiti and enthusiastically (although less than skillfully) edited together when I got home. 

Being actively involved in local and global missions is mandatory in order to Biblically follow Jesus.

I would like to challenge the Christian after having watched this video and reading this blog post to take some serious time in your own life to pray. Pray about where God would lead you if He wants you to go yourself to see and to serve. Perhaps now is not the right time. Maybe you are called to be a “sender” rather than an overseas “server” for this season in your life.

But when we are called to go, may we not go as tourists or for Instagram likes, and may we not go so we can return home to saying, “we were blessed more by them than we were to them” (that commonly said statement is a selfish reason to serve others. Even though serving others is an incredible  blessing from God, it is a sad sentiment and reflection on many of our churches that won’t lift a finger unless we get something big in return).

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, instead of these vain reasons above, let’s, joyfully armed with truth and genuine compassion, go for an opportunity to learn from people different than we are! Let’s go to support the ministries and local churches already in place (if there are any) and encourage the Christians who live there all the time! And most importantly, let’s do all of this to bring glory to God by being obedient in caring for people in urgent physical and Spiritual needs. It is an honor and privilege that God has chosen to include us in His gathering of people to Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation. He graciously, allows us to be a part of the Great Commission because of His love for us.

 May we pray, send, and go in order to take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth!   

*[The location of this particular "Alabama House" described above is across town from the current missionary housing facilities of this same ministry. It is far less unaccommodating as I described the first home we resided in during my first visit to Jacmel. This new, beautifully constructed and strategically placed for ministry, location is for the God-centered  ministry of Children’s Hope which is based out of Montgomery, AL, hence the name "The Alabama House".]