I JUST READ THAT JANUARY IS USUALLY THE COLDEST MONTH OF THE YEAR …. PERHAPS THAT IS WHY IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS “NATIONAL SOUP MONTH” 🙂 …. PERHAPS IT CAME TO BE BECAUSE IT IS SOOOOO COLD IN MANY PLACES THAT MORE TIME IS SPENT INDOORS …. AND THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE A HOT BOWL OF SOUP ON A COLD DAY …. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS CHICKEN SOUP 🙂
JANUARY 6 IS WHEN HISTORY INDICATES …. OR 12 DAYS AFTER HIS BIRTH …. WHENEVER IT WAS 🙂 THE WISE MEN VISITED JESUS …. SEEMS JESUS WAS AT LEAST 2 YEARS OLD …. I LOVE IT WHEN IN THE LARGE CHRISTMAS PRODUCTIONS …. NOW …. THE WISE MEN COME TO A HOUSE IN NAZARETH TO VISIT THE CUTE LITTLE BOY, JESUS …. AND ARE NOT AT THE MANGER WHERE HE WAS LAID WHEN HE WAS BORN …. SO NOW YOU KNOW! 🙂
JANUARY IS ALSO THE MONTH IN AMERICAN HISTORY WHEN BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WAS BORN AND THEODORE ROOSEVELT DIED.
WELL, HAPPY NEW YEAR …. 2019 IS HERE …. ANOTHER YEAR CLOSER TO THE RETURN OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. AND MY PRAYER IS THAT GOD WILL GIVE YOU A MOST BLESSED, HEALTHY NEW YEAR.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP …. WE HAD SOMETHING CALLED “WATCHNITE SERVICE” …. WHICH MEANS …. WE WATCHED THE OLD YEAR GO OUT AND THE NEW ONE ENTER 🙂 …. I LOVED THOSE SERVICES! …. WE USUALLY GATHERED AT 8 OR 8:30PM …. HAD LOTS OF SINGING, TESTIMONIES TIL ABOUT 10PM …. TOOK A BREAK FOR “FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP” …. THEN RETURNED FOR MORE GOOD SINGING AND PREACHING …. THEN AT ABOUT 11:45 PM WE WERE ASKED TO GET ON OUR KNEES AND BEGIN PRAYING …. OUR PASTOR WANTED FERVENT PRAYER TO BE ASCENDING WHEN THE NEW YEAR BEGAN. I WONDER IF ANY CHURCHES HAVE THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES NOW? I WOULD CERTAINLY LOVE TO ATTEND ONE 🙂
WHEN I WAS A PART OF A WONDERFUL CHURCH IN SAN JOSE, CA …. OUR NEW YEARS SERVICES WERE AWESOME ALSO! …. AS WE HAD PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICE …. AFTER THE NEW YEAR PRAYER TIME WE WOULD HEAR OUR PASTOR KENNY FOREMAN SAY …. “GO HUG SOMEONE AND SAY TO THEM …. “HAPPY NEW YOU” …. BECAUSE HE SAID WE COULD NOT HAVE A NEW YEAR …. UNLESS WE WERE MADE NEW …. AND MY, ISN’T THAT TRUE? …. AND I DID JUST SEE A T-SHIRT THAT HAD THIS WRITTEN ON IT .”HAPPY NEW YEAR …. HAPPY NEW ME!” …. JUST ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING ALL MY LIFE. 🙂
AND IF YOU ARE LIKE ME …. YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING GOD TO DO JUST THAT …. I WANT HIM TO MAKE ME READY AND OPEN FOR CHANGES IN MY LIFE …. WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DELETE, REARRANGE, AND ADD IS FINE WITH ME …. IN OTHER WORDS, I WANT HIM TO MOLD ME AND MAKE ME TO CONFORM TO HIS WILL IN EVERY WAY.
PSALM 51:10 ~ CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD, AND RENEW A RIGHT AND STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME.
FOR MANY YEARS, MY PASTOR KENNY FOREMAN HAD CANCER …. BUT CONTINUED TO LIVE …. EVEN WHEN THE DOCTORS WOULD GIVE HIM ONLY 3 MONTHS …. 8 MONTHS …. 1 YEAR TO LIVE …. GOD KEPT HIM ALIVE! …. I WOULD OFTEN TELL HIM …. “IT AIN’T OVER TIL GOD SAYS IT’S OVER! 🙂 …. AND BEFORE CHRISTMAS, 2018, GOD CHOSE TO CALL HIM HOME TO HIS REWARD.
Pastor Kenny Foreman’s Memorial Service
A FEW YEARS, PASTOR KENNY STEPPED ASIDE AND LET HIS 2 SONS CARRY ON WITH THE CHURCH …. AND OH MY, HAVE THEY! …. THERE ARE SERVICES ON SATURDAY NITES 5PM …. AND 3 SERVICES ON SUNDAY MORNINGS …. THE CHURCH SEATS 3400 …. PLUS THERE ARE 7 OTHER CAMPUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE AREA …. WITH THEIR OWN OFFICES …. THEY HAVE WEEKLY SERVICES AND OF COURSE CHURCH SERVICES ON SUNDAYS …. EACH OF THEM GROWING.
WHEN I BEGAN ATTENDING CATHEDRAL, PASTOR FOREMAN HAD A TELECAST AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE THE SOLOIST FOR IT …. SO FOR YEARS, I WAS THERE TO HEAR THE INTRODUCTION “AND NOW HERE SHE IS …. MY SOUL SISTER LILLIE KNAULS TO SING FOR US” …. IT WAS WONDERFUL …. THEN IN LATER YEARS, WE BEGAN SINGING “THROUGH IT ALL” AS A DUET …. AND MY, WAS THAT WELL RECEIVED! …. SO AFTER I MOVED AWAY, I WOULD SING THAT WHEN I CAME TO VISIT THE CHURCH. AND THRU THE WONDERFUL MEANS OF TECHNOLOGY, AT THE MEMORIAL SERVICE, THEY PLAYED A CLIP OF HE AND I SINGING IT. I MUST SAY, IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO WATCH THRU THE TEARS …. I LOVED PASTOR FOREMAN AND HIS SWEET WIFE MS. SHIRLEY VERY MUCH …. MY PRAYERS ARE DAILY WITH HER (THEY WERE MARRIED 61 YEARS) …. AND THE 2 BOYS KEN JR. AND KURT …. FOR THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SURROUND THEM EACH DAY AND NITE. WHAT A WAY TO BEGAN THE NEW YEAR AND MONTH OF JANUARY!
Ms. Lillie with Pastor Kenny & Shirley Foreman and Ken Foreman Jr.
ROMANS 14:8 ~ FOR IF WE LIVE, WE LIVE TO THE LORD; AND IF WE DIE, WE DIE TO THE LORD. THEREFORE, WHETHER WE LIVE OR DIE, WE ARE THE LORD’S.
I MUST SAY IT WAS A SPECIAL TIME TO SEE SOOOO MANY OLD FRIENDS WHO RETURNED FOR THE SERVICE …. IT WAS A GREAT REUNION! …. THEN I BEGAN THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN AND THE “GRAND REUNION” WE SHALL HAVE …. “WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN” 🙂 WE WILL HAVE THE JOY OF ETERNITY AND JESUS AHEAD OF US.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:17 ~ THEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. AND THUS WE SHALL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD.
WHEN I MOVED FROM ORLANDO FL TO RANCHO CUCAMONGA IN 1998, IT WASN’T VERY LONG TIL I WAS DOING WHAT I HAD BEEN DOING FOR YEARS …. (GOING TO MINISTER IN PRISONS) …. BOTH MEN AND WOMEN’S …. SO FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS NOW, I HAVE BEEN DOING JUST THAT …. AND WHAT A BLESSING FOR ME IT IS …. TO BRING HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE WHO ARE THERE PAYING THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY …. I HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED EACH TIME I GO IN …. BECAUSE JESUS CAN USE EACH OF US TO BE HIS HANDS EXTENDED.
THE CHAPLAIN AT CHINO PRISON FOR WOMEN I HAVE MINISTERED FOR …. NEARLY 20 YEARS RETIRED THIS MONTH, WHAT A CELEBRATION SHE HAD …. OVER 200 FOLK GATHERED TO HONOR HER …. INCLUDING OVER 50 WHO HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE PRISON WHILE SHE WAS CHAPLAIN …. THEY CAME TO THANK HER FOR HER KINDNESS TO THEM THRU THE YEARS …. SHE IS A VERY SPECIAL LADY AND HAS BECOME A DEAR FRIEND …. A POWERFUL WOMAN OF GOD WHO IS AN EXCITING PREACHER ALSO 🙂 …. MAY GOD OPEN NEW DOORS FOR HER GIFTS …. (AND SHE DOES HAVE MANY) I WAS SOOO EXCITED THAT SHE TOOK TIME TO ATTEND MY 80TH B’DAY LUAU AND OFFER A PRAYER! I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN HER FINAL SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE AT THE PRISON …. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! …. MUCH HONOR WAS BESTOWED ON HER BY THE INMATES, TESTIMONIES GIVEN ABOUT HER ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR THEM …. WAS WONDERFUL!
Ms. Lillie with Chaplain Lois Woodard
MATTHEW 25:43 ~ I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU DID NOT TAKE ME IN, NAKED AND YOU DID NOT CLOTHE ME, SICK AND IN PRISON AND YOU DID NOT VISIT ME.
I SPENT AN EXCITING WEEK IN SAN DIEGO AREA …. WHAT A GORGEOUS CITY! I WAS RITE ON THE WATER …. I COULD SEE MANY BOATS.
THE WEATHER WAS LOVELY! 🙂 I USUALLY SING IN A CHURCH THE SUNDAY BEFORE AND THE SUNDAY AFTER THAT INCREDIBLE PASTORS CONFERENCE I ATTEND EACH YEAR, GOD DOES OPEN DOORS FOR ME …. AND AT THE PASTORS CONFERENCE, I SANG ONE SONG IN EACH SERVICE …. AND JUST LISTENED TO THE SPEAKERS WITH A HEART TO RECEIVE FROM EACH OF THEM …. EACH ONE WAS A GOD-SEND …. FOR ME, I WAS CHALLENGED AS THEY DEPOSITED SUCH POWERFUL NUGGETS INTO MY SPIRIT …. AND I WILL NOT FORGET THEM! THE THEME FOR THE CONFERENCE WAS …. “ARISE, SHINE FOR THE LIGHT HAS COME” …. WHAT A BLESSING TO HEAR FROM THE SPECIAL SPEAKER, DAVID SHIBLEY WHO CHALLENGED US TO CONTINUE TO FAITHFULLY SPREAD THE GOSPEL …. TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION. AND REMEMBER, WHEN WE SHARE OUR FAITH AND THE GOOD NEWS, WE SHARE THE GREATEST TREASURE OF ALL …. AMEN!
MARK 16:15 ~ AND HE SAID TO THEM, “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATION.”
PROVERBS 17:22 TELLS US THAT “LAUGHTER DOES GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE” …. AND ONE GOOD THING ABOUT ME …. IS I LOVE TO LAFF 🙂 …. I READ THAT CHILDREN CAN LAFF UP TO 300 TIMES A DAY …. WHEREAS, WE ADULTS WILL LAFF ONLY 15-20 TIMES A DAY …. HOW SAD …. I WILL TELL YOU THE REASON WE SHOULD FIND SOMETHING TO LAFF ABOUT EACH DAY …. (I KNOW I CERTAINLY DO) 🙂 MY DOCTOR SAYS THAT WHEN WE LAUGH, OUR INSIDES ARE BEING MASSAGED …. (NOW YOU KNOW HOW GREAT IT FEELS TO BE ON A TABLE …. GETTING A MASSAGE) RITE? WELL, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE OUR BODIES WHEN WE LAFF …. IT REDUCES THE STRESS RESPONSE …. SO I PRAY THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY FIND SOMETHING TO LAFF ABOUT …. YOU WILL FEEL BETTER FOR IT. A SMILE IS A GIFT FROM GOD. DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THIS? …. THE ONE THING YOU NEVER WILL HAVE TO DO …. IS TEACH A BABY TO SMILE, …. IT JUST HAPPENS …. CAUSE GOD GAVE IT TO THEM …. AND WE HAVE IT! 🙂
NEHEMIAH 8:10 ~ …FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!
RECENTLY, THE INCREDIBLE CHRISTIAN COMEDIAN MICHAEL JR. WAS IN MY AREA …. WHAT A NITE! …. HE HAS A WONDERFUL GIFT TO MAKE YOU LAFF WITH CLEAN HUMOR …. SO, IF HE IS EVER IN YOUR AREA, TRY TO GO SEE HIM …. YOU WILL LAFF AND LAFF AND LAFF 🙂
Ms. Lillie with Comedian Michael Jr.
IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LAFF ABOUT IN YOUR LIFE……THAT THINGS ARE NOT HAPPY, PERHAPS YOU JUST RECEIVED BAD NEWS FROM THE DOCTOR …. A PENDING DIVORCE …. WAYWARD CHILDREN …EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE FALLING APART AROUND YOU? I DO HAVE A WORD FOR YOU FROM GOD’S WORD …. WHICH IS A COVENANT HE HAS MADE WITH US. IT CANNOT CHANGE! …. IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN …. LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU! WHERE THERE IS A PROBLEM …. HERE IS A PROMISE! …. THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH THEM FOR WHATEVER YOU ARE FACING …. AS YOU READ HIS WORD EACH DAY, THERE WILL BE ANSWERS AND COMFORT FOR YOU…..
PSALM 119:89 ~ FOREVER OH LORD …. YOUR WORD STANDS IN HEAVEN!
I PETER 1: 24 ~ THE GRASS WITHERS, THE FLOWERS FADE, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER
EVER FEEL LIKE YOU’RE JUST NOT GONNA MAKE IT …. WELL, KEEP TRYING …. HERE’S PROOF!
SEE …. YOU CAN MAKE IT! 🙂
I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD FOR ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR ME THIS NEW YEAR, 2019 …. HE IS OPENING MANY NEW DOORS …. AND IF YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF PLANNING EVENTS FOR YOUR LADIES MEETING, SENIORS GROUP, EVEN YOUR CHURCH …. PLEASE CALL ME AT 909-948-2448 AND WE’LL TALK 🙂 …. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! AND YES, YOU CAN AFFORD ME! GOD WILL USE THE SONGS TO TOUCH HEARTS AND LIVES. AMEN!
GOD WAS FAITHFUL TO SUPPLY THE NEED OF THIS MINISTRY DURING 2018, AND I AM CERTAIN THAT THRU GIFTS OF LOVE FROM FOLK WHO DO CONTRIBUTE, SOME REGULARLY OR OCCASIONALLY TO THE MINISTRY GOD HAS CALLED ME TO, I WILL HAVE ALL I NEED IN 2019 ALSO …. 🙂 THIS MINISTRY IS “GOOD GROUND” …. AND WHEN YOU GIVE, YOU WILL RECEIVE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPT FROM ME AND A REWARD IN HEAVEN …. PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE “LABOR FORCE” WHEN YOU PRAY AND GIVE TO SUPPORT THE ASSIGNMENT GOD HAS GIVEN ME …. OF COURSE, I DO NEED LOTS OF PRAYER AS I TRAVEL WITH THE GOOD NEWS …. SO PLEASE DO THAT FOR ME …. YOU MAY GIVE BY GOING TO PAYPAL …. CLICK THE DONATE BUTTON AT MISSLILLIE.COM, YOU MAY USE YOUR CREDIT CARD …. OR YOU MAY SEND A CHECK TO P. O. BOX 994, RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91729. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING A PART OF THIS MINISTRY. I LOVE YOU!
HEBREWS 6:10 ~ FOR GOD IS NOT UNRIGHTEOUS TO FORGET YOUR WORK AND LABOR OF LOVE, WHICH YOU HAVE SHOWN TOWARD HIS SAINTS …. IN THAT YOU HAVE MINISTERED TO THE SAINTS …. AND STILL DO.
SOMETHING ELSE GREAT HAPPENS EACH JANUARY 22 …. MY ONLY BROTHER’S B’DAY …. THERE WERE SIX GIRLS AND ONE BOY IN MY FAMILY …. HE TURNED 88 YEARS OLD …. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!
Ms. Lillie’s Brother Paul 88th Birthday
PHILEMON 1:25 ~ THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT. AMEN!
UNTIL NEXT TIME!