Merry Christmas and a busy new year!

Hi everyone!! I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since I updated the blog. I'm so sorry. It has been a busy 2 months. Whew!
Let me just give everyone a run down of what is coming up! I hope you have your running shoes on...
TONIGHT is F.O.L.D. - Dinner at Dale's Southern Grill in Vestavia Hills at 6:00pm. if you are planning to join us, please email me, text me, or call me (305-8709) and let me know. I want to make sure we have plenty of room for everyone!
Journey Through Bethlehem is this week - Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Make plans to come and bring family and friends. BUT PLEASE come any night but Sunday night. We want to spread the joy and Sunday is usually the busiest night.
Ladies Weekend 2011 - Tickets are on sale NOW! We have tickets wrapped and ready to put under the tree! If you have a friend, family member, teacher, etc. that you are trying to find something to give them for Christmas but they seem to have it all or they are just plain difficult to buy for...well, purchase them a ticket to Ladies Weekend!! Or if your husband or boyfriend needs some ideas of something to get YOU for Christmas, suggest buying YOUR ticket to Ladies Weekend. Mark your calendars now for a wonderful day of Worship and God's Word - March 5, 2011. Babbie Mason, Corrie Adamson and Brenda Ladun will be with us for a day you won't want to miss. Tickets are $25 until February 1st and $35 after February 1st.
Ladies, it is my prayer that you slow down and treasure every moment of Christmas this year. Beth Moore spoke this past Saturday at Deeper Still on Luke 2: 19 and 51 about how Mary treasured Jesus' birth and his adolecent years and those moments. I want to slow down and treasure each moment that God gives me this year with my family and friends. I wish I had my notes from Saturday so I can give you the six points she gave us Saturday. Maybe I will post them another day.
I'm sure I've missed something but I'll catch it another day...
I love you all and I treasure you!
Julie

LOL

Well, it's another Monday and many wonder "what is there to laugh about?" (The title...LOL{Laugh Out Loud}) Well, I was just looking on Facebook and saw the lastest post on Anita Renfroe's wall. For those who don't know who Anita Renfroe is, she was the HILARIOUS comedienne who was at the Women of Joy conference some of us went to last April. I've even looked into having her come to First Baptist. Anyway, she posted some new clips she has done lately for Kraft Recipes; they are called, "You Gotta LOL." I watched them and thought I would share them with you. There are 5 short videos in all. LOVE THEM!
www.kraft recipes.com/yougottalol.aspx
I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and get a good laugh - exactly what we all need on a Monday.
If you were able to be at church yesterday, I hope you picked up the latest Women's Ministry brochure. It has lots of information in it that you will want to know!!! If you didn't get one there should have been some in your Sunday School boxes or you can see me and hopefully I'll have some extras with me. :)
Okay...we're about to hit the busiest time of the year. I won't ruin your day and tell you how many shopping days are left until Christmas; because honestly, I don't want to know either. But put some things on your calendar:
Awakening - October 24-27
Joash Project commitment day - October 31
Fall Festival of Fun - October 31
FOLD lunch - November 1 at Niki's West (noon)
Craft Fair - November 19 & 20
An Evening with Larnell Harris - November 28
Deeper Still - December 3 & 4
FOLD dinner - December 6 at Dale's Southern Grill in Vestavia (6pm)
Journey Through Bethlehem - December 8-12
Ladies Weekend 2011 - March 5
I'm sure I've forgotten something so make sure you get a ministry brochure.
Love you all and we'll see ya Sunday!! Julie

Ladies Weekend 2011

Okay...it is official. We have the full line-up of speakers for Ladies Weekend 2011. All of the music will be led by Babbie Mason and she will speak in one of the sessions. The other two sessions will be led by Brenda Ladun and Corrie Adamson. If you are a fan of the ABC television show The Bachelor or The Bachelorette you might know who Corrie is. Corrie was on The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love season with Jake. She is a sweet young lady that lives here in Birmingham and is a fashion/wardrobe consultant. She has a wonderful testimony about being on the TV show, what life has been like since, and how God is using her. She talks about her decision to remain a virgin until marriage and dressing fashionably with modesty. I am very excited about the wonderful speakers for this year.
A little more insight regarding Ladies Weekend: due to tight, economic times for everyone we have decided to make a few changes in order to save money. We will not be serving a breakfast prior to the first session; everyone will be coming from home anyway. We will still have a lunch but it will not be a "Tablescapes" lunch. All the tables will be decorated alike built around the theme and color scheme of Ladies Weekend. We will be providing a "favor"/gift to all attendees and they will be on the lunch tables in the CFLC. The ticket price has not changed; tickets are $25 until February 1 and will be $35 after until March 5th. The committee decided to make the tablescape changes based on several reasons; 1)we want to make this as stress-free as possible 2)we don't want people to have to purchase items that they wouldn't need already 3)it is difficult to find enough people to decorate all of the tables. I hope you understand our decision; we feel like this is a positive change. We want the focus of Ladies Weekend to be on God and how He can bless all that will attend through the guest speakers and the songs.
Tickets will go on sale the first of December in time for Christmas presents. I hope you begin now telling your family and friends about Ladies Weekend. Don't wait until February!
Other announcements:
Don't forget our Discipleship Training on Sundays at 4:30pm in the Fellowship Hall. We started this past Sunday but it is not too late to join us. Debbie Jones is teaching this class. Child care is provided beginning at 4:30pm! Don't forget Children's Choir starts at 5:00pm too.
FOLD is October 4th at 6pm at The Olive Garden in front of the Galleria. The bus will leave the church at 5:30pm. Hope you can join us - it is always so fun!!
Debbie Jones is hosting a Ladies Prayer Group on the Third Thursday of every month at her house at 7:00pm.
If you are interested in attending Deeper Still with Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, and Priscilla Shirer at the BJCC here in Birmingham December 3 & 4 you can purchase the tickets online at www.lifeway.com/event/150/. If you have any questions about that, let me know.
Well, I think that is it for now. Whew...
I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to Sunday. Don't forget there is no 8:00am service!! See you then, sista!

Hello again!

Sorry it has been so long since I posted anything. Wow, it has been hectic these last couple of weeks! I hope everyone is doing well. Can you believe we are HALFWAY through September??? Yikes! I thought about posting how many "shopping days" we have left till Christmas but I figured I better not if I didn't want people mad at me. :)
Don't forget to put these items on your calendar:
This Sunday we begin our new Bible Study by Priscilla Shirer, One in a Million. We made a change from previously published information - we will begin at 4:30pm in the Fellowship Hall NOT 5:00pm. This will allow us time to watch the video and have discussions. We have arranged for child care to be available at that time also! Spread the word. Hope to see you there.
Next Month, October 4th will be our first F.O.L.D. dinner at the Olive Garden at the Galleria location. We plan to meet there at 6pm but if you want to ride with the group from the church let me know and we'll know to watch for you. We will LEAVE the church parking lot at 5:30pm.
Lastly, the Women's Ministry Committee is meeting tomorrow night and we are working on Ladies Weekend 2011! I'm telling you now - mark my words... you will NOT want to miss Ladies Weekend this next March 5th! Babbie Mason will be leading us in music and will speak during one of the sessions. If you are not familiar with her, check out her website, www.babbie.com. She is fantastic!! Brenda Ladun will also be with us and sharing her testimony about how God has used her and shown His mighty power through her while dealing with breast cancer. We have one more speaker that I can't name yet and I hope to post that soon!! Please start spreading the word now in your Sunday School classes, at your workplace, and all the ladies you come in contact with!! You are our best publicity - people are more likely to attend when they are PERSONALLY invited than by seeing a poster or a note in The Informer. I challenge you all to invite at least 5 people to come with you March 5, 2011. There will be something for everyone from ages 15 to 105; those that have faced physical pain; those that have made "unpopular" decisions; and those that need to hear that God loves them and will be with them through the storms of their life. I also ask that you begin praying now for this to be an opportunity for God's love, God's light, and God's grace to be revealed to someone.
I love you all! See you Sunday! Julie

What a blessing!

Happy Monday everyone! I want to start off by saying how much of a blessing I received this weekend spending Friday evening and Saturday morning with some wonderful friends and my Savior. We laughed, we cried, and we talked and talked and talked. I had the added blessing of delivering the cinnamon pancake mixes to the Ronald McDonald House and the First Light Shelter. They both appreciated the mixes.
I hope you all have marked your calendar for the FOLD dates and times. We begin with lunch at Habenaros in Hueytown. Also, the Ladies Bible Study begins on Sunday, September 19th at 4:30 in the Fellowship Hall. We will be doing Priscilla Shirer's study "One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land."
Last but NOT least, go ahead and put it on your calendar!!!! March 5th - Ladies Weekend with Babbie Mason! Tell all your friends and make plans now to be there!
I want you all to know how much I love you and appreciate you. You are truly a blessing to me.
Hope to see you at PGHS for the Brock Gill event Wednesday night. Don't miss it.
In His service,
Julie

Grace

Last night's service was so worshipful. If you were able to be a part of the service last night you know what I am talking about. Every note played and every word spoken or sung was amazing. "Evidence of Grace" was exactly that; all through the service there was evidence of God's amazing grace! If any of you are ever looking for a really good book to read pick up the Dr. David Jeremiah book Captured by Grace. I read it a couple of years ago and it shed some light on just how far-reaching God's amazing grace really is. Last night when we got to the song "Your Grace Still Amazes Me" with Susan and Jerry singing it, oh man, I barely made it through the song. This was the clincher for me:
(Speaking of God's grace) "It's deeper, it's wider, it's stronger, it's higher, than anything my eyes can see. Your grace still amazes me, Your love is still a mystery. Each day I fall on my knees because Your grace still amazes me." We all have experienced His amazing grace in different ways. Many times we tend to use "grace" and "mercy" interchangeably. But they aren't - MERCY is not getting what you do deserve. GRACE is getting what you do not deserve. I encourage you to think of all the things you do not deserve but received (grace) and all the punishments you do deserved but did not receive (mercy). That makes me fall to my knees because His grace amazes me.
On a different note, I want to say a big "THANK YOU" to all of you who brought school supplies to help Jefferson County Board of Education supply some families that were in need. I have a trunk full of supplies!! This was sent to me by way of Kim Tyra: "Mrs. Linda Hurt, wanted me to make sure I shared with you and the church how much of a blessing the supplies have been. She has had a 'steady stream' of families needing help. She said several times how much of a blessing the supplies are and have been. She showed me the supplies that were left on the shelves…..not too many."
I hope you all have a wonderfully blessed week and I hope to see you at the retreat this weekend. It's not too late to register!!! I cannot wait! Love you all and see you soon.

Comfort

When you hear or read the word "comfort" what comes to mind? Comfort from this heat? Comfort when you are struggling? Comfort when you are hurting? Comfort when all bills are paid and there might be a little left over? Comfort from some high heels that are just too adorable to not wear? Comfort after a long day with all that life has thrown at you? That is one word that God has been echoing back at me for a few weeks now. What is true comfort? I believe it is what God gives us when we release everything we hold in our hands, in our hearts, and in our minds that we want to control. We, as women, love security and too often we think we need to control situations in order to feel secure and feel comfortable. Two weeks ago Bro. Daven preached on the Church at Smyrna and how God knew their struggles; an intimate knowledge of their struggles. They were told there was an expiration date for those struggles and there IS an expiration date for OUR struggles. Then yesterday Russell taught on II Corintians 1 about comfort; how we are comforted and we are to comfort others. THEN Billy preached yesterday about the disciples trying to ride out a storm in the boat. Jesus was there with them through the entire storm; he walked on the water in the midst of the storm. When Peter stepped out to walk on the water (IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM) it wasn't until he took his eyes off Jesus that he began to sink in the storm. The Bible is full of symbolism (my favorite part of English Lit) and these are all wonderful examples of how we need to let go of everything in our hands, our hearts, and in our minds and let God handle it. He knows what He is doing. Let Go and Let God! He will be right there with you and will give you comfort during those trials and storms. I just finished another book by Karen Kingsbury "Take One" and it kept referring to a verse that I have come to hold onto lately. James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Count it all joy, my sisters.
One last reminder - Sweet Life Cafe'...don't forget to sign up. I have got to have a head count prior to the 20th!! Spread the word! I hope you can come.
I won't be at church Sunday; I will be in Minneapolis visiting my sister!!! I am flying up there this Thursday (pray for me, I haven't flown in a long time) and we will drive back to Bham next Monday and Tuesday. My sister has lived there for about 3 years and I've not had a chance to visit. I am looking forward to the time with her and the cooler temps! The highs have been around 80 degrees. :)
Love you all. See you soon!

Remember

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday. Lots of things happening this week: Camp Baldwin, the group gone to Buffalo, NY, and registration at most of the schools; I'm tired just thinking about it. Whew...
I don't have anything new to share this morning. I really just want to remind you of a few things.

1. Remember to bring your School Supplies by the church for us to donate to the Jefferson County Board of Education. You can drop them off at the church office or the CFLC. You have until next Tuesday, August 3rd. See the list in last week's blog entry.
2. Remember to make plans to attend the retreat August 20 & 21 and bring a friend. Sweet Life Cafe is going to be wonderful. It is a retreat where you will get to know others, you will have fun, you will have a quiet time with your Father, you will sing, you will make things and taste things. Please spread the word about this and please REGISTER!! I need to have a firm number of attendees by August 15th. One way to register is to make a comment below the blog entry (don't forget to put your first and last name for me). I have lots of supplies to purchase and I want to make sure I have enough for everyone. Thanks
3. Remember to sign up for Fall Discipleship Training. Debbie Jones has agreed to lead our Discipleship Training Bible Study in the fall. It is a Priscilla Shirer study called "One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land." All Discipleship Training classes will begin on September 19th. Plan to join us!

"Therefore, my dear brothers [sisters], stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." I Corinthians 15:58 NIV

Have a great week and I'll see you Sunday!

Mission Project - Back to School Supplies

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you are off to a good start today.
I hope you have heard about the latest mission project the Women's Ministry has put together. We are collecting school supplies to donate to the Jefferson County Board of Education. All year long they have families stop by the Central Office asking for help with getting their child(ren) the supplies they need to have a successful year at school. So between now and August 3rd, stop by Walmart, Staples, Walgreens, etc. and pick up some supplies from the list below and drop them off at the church at either the CFLC or the church office. Every little bit helps. If you have any questions, let me know. I appreciate all that you do to help!
Here is the list that JefCoEd gave me:
*filler paper (wide and college ruled)
*clear backpacks
*handheld pencil sharpeners
*composition notebooks (black marble cover)
*ink pens (black and blue)
*pencils
*colored pencils
*markers
*3x5 index cards
*pencil pouch
*3 ring binders (1" and 1-1/2")
*compass

One more item: Sweet Life Cafe'!!!
I cannot tell you how excited I am about our retreat on August 20 & 21! Please don't miss this. Tell all your friends about it. We need everyone to start registering for it now. My goal is to have 60 signed up by August 13th. Registration fee is $12 - you can give it to me anytime.
Love ya! See you Sunday - if not before.

Ah, yes, another Monday. Grateful for another day in His beautiful creation but, I'll be honest, I'm already counting the days till the weekend.
Okay, get your calendars out! First, look at next Monday, July 19th... I'll wait till you find it. Okay, if you are available at 6:00pm plan to meet me and others at Chuy's at The Summit. This is just a casual night out with the sistas (girlfriends). Spread the word!! Chuy's is the new Mexican restaurant at The Summit that just opened to the public less than a week ago. I have already tried it - it is FABULOUS!!! My husband describes it as a Rainforest Cafe gone Mexican. Or as I describe it, a Mexican restaurant on steroids. It will be lots of fun so tell all your girlfriends and be there! If you are familiar with The Summit, it is on the upper side of The Summit between Flip Burger and Charming Charlie. Turn left at the second traffic light and turn left at the top of the hill and go as far as you can. The restaurant is in the left corner overlooking the bottom of The Summit. The view is wonderful. If you can join us, post a comment and let me know you will be there.
Now, the next date, flip your calendar to August 20 & 21. I'll wait... okay. You have got to make plans to attend our Women's Ministry Retreat held at the church in the Student Bldg. It will be called Sweet Life Cafe. The schedule will be Friday night from 7pm-9pm and Saturday 8am-noon. The cost will be $12. I am so excited about this retreat!! Don't miss this opportunity to grow individually and as a Women's Ministry. If you have any questions, let me know.
Okay, you can put your calendars up now and I hope to see you Sunday and next Monday night at Chuy's!! Love you all!!

F.O.L.D.

Friends Out to Lunch and Dinner - If you heard about it last year but never had the chance to join us, I hope you can sometime in the fall. F.O.L.D. is a time where we can get together, have a meal, and a short devotion. Every month (the first Monday) we swap between lunch and dinner. Lunch is at noon and dinners are at 6pm. We offer transportation from the church for the dinners; we leave the church at 5:30 and it would be great if you could let us know if you plan to ride the bus. Here is our schedule:
September 13 - Lunch at Habenaros in Hueytown
October 3 - Dinner at Olive Garden at the Galleria
November 1 - Lunch at Niki's West
December 6 - Dinner at Dale's Southern Grill in Vestavia
January 10 - Lunch at Mellow Mushroom
February 7 - Dinner at PF Chang's at The Summit
March 7 - Lunch at Taziki's (Mtn. Brook Office Park on Hwy 280)
April 4 - Dinner at The Club
May 2 - Lunch at All Star Diner in Sylvan Springs
*If locations need to change we will notify you as soon as possible.

Welcome!

Well, I've taken the plunge into the uncharted territory (for me anyway) of blogging. I have been considering this for a while now. I felt like this would be a fast and inexpensive way of getting news and information to everyone. So tell all your friends to check the blog occasionally for information on Bible Studies, events, and news about the Women's Ministry at First Baptist Pleasant Grove!
First bit of news - SAVE THE DATE - August 20 and 21. We will host another "in-house" retreat at FBCPG in the student bldg on Friday evening and Saturday until mid afternoon. More details to come.
Second - Our fall Bible Study will begin in September at 4:30pm in the Fellowship Hall. Our study will be "One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land" by Priscilla Shirer. You will want to be a part of this wonderful study.
Third - We are working on Ladies Weekend 2011!! Can you believe it?? I can't. Whew. I'll give you a little "inside" information on who is coming next March...Babbie Mason!!!! That's all I can tell you right now. Make sure you put March 5, 2011 on your calendar. You will not want to miss this wonderful day. I cannot wait!!
Fourth - It's not too late to purchase tickets for Deeper Still 2010 here in Birmingham. That's right, Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, and Priscilla Shirer will be here in Birmingham at the BJCC December 3rd and 4th. Tickets are $79.00; so if you are interested in going please see Julie Bates or Donna Wilson with your ticket money and we'll purchase your ticket and add you to the list. We have arranged to have lunch together that Saturday during Deeper Still across the street at the Sheraton. That lunch will be an additional $15 paid that day.
The Women's Ministry Committee has been discussing a few ideas for mission projects for the fall so check back soon and see what is happening and how you can help.
If you would like to get involved but not sure how, please contact me and let me know.
Thanks everyone! See you Sunday!! - Julie Bates