Page Title

Ministries to Encourage Joyous and Purposeful Living

Vol. V, 2

December 2006

Colossians 3:17

Thank You Notes

The Newsletter of Giving Thanks Ministries

Norma McMurry, President 15 W. Xenia Drive Fairborn, Ohio 45324

PH: 937-879-0618 Fax 937-233-1851

on the web at: www.givingthanksministries.com

email: norma@givingthanksministries.com or normamcmurry@sbcglobal.net

Giving Thanks From My Heart

At Christmas

I don’t understand how 2006 slipped away so quickly. Many of my goals for the year have gone unreached while I praise God for what He has allowed me to do.

Don’s book Forever Seventeen: Proud to be a Jay kept us busy this year. It has arrived and we are excited. Both of our books, Happily Ever After and Forever Seventeen will make great gifts for your loved ones. They both contain the plan of salvation. Contact me for purchase of either of them.

Thinking about Christmas brings to my mind much about our Savior. Three churches have invited me to speak to their women’s Christmas events in December . God has laid on my heart the thoughts of Christmas Peace. So many people feel the stress of family tensions, financial strains, emotional memories or even what to buy. The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) keeps His promise of perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3) when we stay focused on Him. Let’s show others that in all the hubbub of the blessed season that we know Peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)

Giving Thanks for Your Comments

I appreciate each email, note, phone call, or comment in person that you send or give:

“The evaluations of the retreat were glowing! One woman wrote ‘I will look at the possibilities of what God can develop me into, rather than dwell on what I am or what I have been.’ Thank you.”

“...thank you for helping us have a special afternoon at our church. They’re saying we need to do it again.”

“I was blessed more than I can say by the conference and concert. Last Sunday morning as I was preparing my breakfast, I got so distracted thinking about the blessings of the week-end that I let my oatmeal boil over in the microwave. Then I thought about your Merry Heart class and laughed that I was so blessed that I forgot about my oatmeal. I have decided that next time we have such a wonderful week-end, I will eat cold cereal the next morning!!

This note came to Don as encouragement to me.

“Be sure to greet Miss Norma for me and remind her how much her Women's Ministry work means to the Lord. Tell her to fan into flame that fire within her soul.”

Aren’t you looking forward to what God will do in 2007? Oh, how I appreciate your prayers and support for Giving Thanks Ministries. You encourage me in myriad ways. These scheduled events keep me excited:

Dec. 3, 06 Youth Sunday School,

FBC, Fairborn, OH

Dec. 5, 06 Friendship Baptist Church, Harveysburg, OH

Dec. 9, 06 Albany Baptist Church, Albany, OH

Dec. 12, 06 Morningstar Baptist Church, Centerville, OH

April 10: East Dayton Baptist Church, OH

April 28: Beaver Baptist Church, KY

May 5: First Baptist Church, Waynesville, OH

May 8: First Baptist Church, Kettering, OH

May 12: West Union Baptist Church, OH

May 19: Calvary Baptist Church, Wilmington, OH

Giving Thanks For Ministry Opportunities

Cindy Ehrlich

Women’s Echumenical Retreat

Lafayette, IN

Dana Allen

Union City Baptist Church

Union City, OH

Ann Tidwell

First Baptist Church

Fairborn, OH

Matt Fleck                                                                           First Baptist Church                            Kettering, OH

Since the last newsletter, I have had the privilege of keeping each of our three sets of grandchildren. Caroline and Scott attended an education seminar in August. Donald and Heather and twenty others from their church attended a marriage conference at Ridgecrest in October. Don and I took Walker (Joseph’s) for the weekend and in addition to enjoying the five grandchildren, Don supplied the pulpit in Donald’s absence. In November, Joseph and Lisa attended a youth workers conference in Cincinnati. They took Fletcher but we kept Walker the four days. What a joy these three occasions were!

We traveled to Caroline’s for Thanksgiving together. What a wonderful hostess! Eight adults and eight children made memories for a lifetime!

The fall brought a variety of speaking engagements. At Georgetown, Ohio, we studied missions in a morning worship service. Ladies came to Lafayette, Indiana for a worshipful, meaningful retreat. Angela Pace from the Greater Dayton Association of Baptists office went to lead in worship and music. She did an outstanding job. Report of a salvation came back to us from that event. Praise the Lord!!

In the last newsletter, I recounted that Don and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii. The North American Mission Board asked me to speak at an On Mission Celebration in Hawaii in October. What a variety of audiences attended—preschoolers one day, youth the next, as well as entire congregations on three occasions.

Union City, Ohio, hosted a lovely afternoon tea for encouragement to women. And First Baptist Fairborn, along with GTM and GDAB, hosted Janet Paschal in concert with me as speaker for a weekend of learning to lean on Jesus “Through Every Storm.”

Giving Thanks For Family

Giving Thanks For 2006 Events

Christ is the light of the world! We, as Christians, are commanded to set the example for others.

This new year can be the year that you let your light shine so that others may know Him. May you and your family remember the true meaning of Christmas this year and celebrate the birthday of the newborn, buried and risen Christ.

May we all share with others the

Love and Light Jesus came to bring.

Have a bright and joy-filled Christmas!

In His Love,

Norma and Don