“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone”
I Timothy 2:1

Greetings to the Blaylock Bunch from Bob “Chili Dog” Benson. Those of you that were at the Fall Festival will understand that nickname…for those of you that missed it, you really missed a special treat seeing me in plastic restaurant gloves dipping out the chili dogs and pretending I was at a ball game calling “get your hot dogs”. I had a lot of fun and I hope everyone there enjoyed the Festival [and hopefully, I did not give too many people heartburn with those delicious chili dogs

This was another great day for our church...another packed Sunday School class, another capacity worship crowd, and a great turnout for the fellowship and fun at the fall festival. There is a certain electricity in the air being part of something new and exciting like the birth of Desoto Hills and I feel truly blessed that week after week I am seeing the Lord's hand on this church. He has already done some wonderful things in the short life of this church and I truly believe the best is yet to come. If you have not caught the fever yet, then I encourage you to get involved, find something to do, find somewhere you can serve and get swept away in the holy flood the Lord is creating through this body of believers.

We were blessed once again this week to have many visitors [and returning visitors] in our class family. If you have a chance, please take a moment to introduce yourself and welcome our new families:
Sy & Connie Williams
Michael & Lori Albers
Bill & Stacie Gill
Heather Schreiner
The Sunday School lesson this week was titled “How can I develop a faith that will endure difficult times?’ based on 2 Timothy 3:1, 10-17; 4:5-8. This week we turned back our clocks, we changed times. We do this twice a year physically but our lives are an ongoing series of changing times…and the focal passages this week tell us that as Christians, we are to expect difficult times. We fight an enemy that wants nothing more than to make our lives on earth hard…Satan cannot snatch us away from Jesus but he can certainly put things in our paths that make us want to give up on life and on the Lord. Paul was teaching Timothy –and us– that Christians will struggle with evildoers and persecutions throughout our earthly lives. The key to being a Christina is that we are to endure our storms and hardships. The Greek word for endurance says we are to bear up under pressure, to remain loyal and steadfast, to be patient and hopeful…to refuse to quit serving our Lord regardless of the difficulties. That endurance comes from building a proper foundation of biblical knowledge and understanding which only comes from burying the Word in our hearts and minds. Paul expected that the heavenly rewards for enduring his hardships were far greater than any difficulties he faced on earth and we should develop that same kind of heavenly and eternal perspective in everything we face. God told us to expect and endure the difficult times to show others that our faith is real and that we have the fullness of a real & eternal life. I hope that whatever challenges you and your family are facing today that you will read through the Scriptures & lesson and be encouraged that God keeps his promise that He is right by your side at all times and you do not have to endure or fight the evil forces of this world alone.

Brother James had a great sermon today he called “The Rod” from Exodus 17:8-13. This was the story of the Israelites battling the Amalekites where they were winning as long as Moses held the rod above his head and when he grew weary and the rod begin to fall, they would begin losing. As Brother James said, we need a “stick” to defeat Satan. We need to have a “stick to it” mindset of sticking to taking orders from God, sticking to taking the heat of battle, and sticking together to help one another when the burden gets to heavy. Moses physically could hold the rod above his head for only so long, but when he needed help, others came to help lift his arms so that he could follow the Lord’s command with the help and encouragement of others. Is there someone today you know that could use a little help “holding up their rod” as they strive to serve the Lord but their burden has just gotten a little too heavy for them? I am sure we all know someone that we can encourage by lending a hand to help them as they work to serve the Lord…remember that if God has put us on the battlefield he will not forsake or forget us and he may just send His helping hands in the form of a fellow believer….maybe this week you can be the believer he sends to help someone “hold up their rod”. Keep your eyes and ears open this week for an opportunity to be that helping hand to someone you can touch with the hands of God.

For me, the most memorable thing Brother James said in his sermon today was that “we can never follow God in obedience if we are waiting until His orders make sense. Stop asking why and just start saying yes so that God can use you to work His plan”. Are you guilty — as I am — of waiting on a burning bush or complete clarity before stepping out in faith to do what I know God wants you to do? Just as I expect my children to obey and act when I instruct them whether they understand the reason or not, God loves obedience more than anything so we need to act in faith without understanding. Only then will we be able to become all that God wants us to be and be able to enjoy all His promises for us.

Isn’t great to know that our Lord is in charge and we do not need to be in charge of anything except worshiping Him as Lord and Savior? He alone is trustworthy and worthy of our praise and He will work all things to our good and we can claim the following verse as we seek to trust Him with our everything:
Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Please keep all of the following prayer needs and requests lifted up for your Sunday School Class Family. Our God does answer our prayers so make sure you take time this week to intercede for your spiritual family. Have a blessed and Spirit filled week!

SPECIAL NOTICE!
November 5th - Blaylock Bunch Fellowship at the Adkins - immediately after 2nd Sunday School. Theme: PICNIC. Sandwiches, Chips, Dips, Deserts, tailgate snacks, drinks, etc. Call Debra if you have any questions about times or what she needs you to brings: Home/449-1966 or cell 901-289-3048. Address: 2545 Dickens Place Cove - here is a map quest link with directions from Desoto Hills:

SOCIALS & CHURCH CALENDAR
November 5 - Flu Shots - from 10:30 through and following 2nd Sunday School in church office on 2nd floor. Cost $20. Pneumonia, vitamin B12, and tetanus injections will also be available.
November 5 - RA Bike Ride for Missions at Shelby Forest - Contact Greg Dickerson at 349-0206 or 901-831-6486. Leave church after 2nd Sunday School and return by 5 pm. Parents welcome and drivers needed. Bring bike and helmet!
November 5 - Desoto Central Elementary Choir - will be singing in evening worship
November 11 & 12 - John Yates and Friends
November 19 - Dedication Service at 3:00 pm
Youth Praise and Worship - 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall for 7-12th graders
Youth Choir - 5 pm Wednesday’s
6th Grade Choir - 5:15 pm Wednesday’s
GA’s & RA’s & Mission Friends - 6 pm Wednesday’s
Prayer Time - for adults with the pastor at 6 pm Wednesday’s in the Prayer Tower
Children’s Choir [1st to 5th grades] - 6:30 pm Wednesday’s
Pre-School Choir [4 & 5 year olds] - 6:30 pm Wednesday’s
BOOST - Mid Week Youth Service 6:30 pm Wednesday’s in the Attic
Power-Aide - 6:30 pm Wednesday’s - a mid-week spiritual boost for adults with curriculum based classes for equipping the saints for the work of the ministry through spiritual maturity

PRAISES [Our God is good....ALL THE TIME!!!!]
Bill & Debra Adkins - praise that the whole family was able to attend church together for the first time in a long time and praise that Joseph is doing so well and will hopefully be walking soon
Lori Gilbert - praise that meeting with Cody’s teacher went well this week and that the Lord had worked out everything in advance of the meeting
Kelley Benson/brother Kevin Gunn - Lord has kept Kevin in Baptist East with a low grade fever which, once he is well again, should allow him to be discharged to the Southaven Nursing Home near Baptist Desoto. God worked everything out to get Kevin closer to his family without any additional hardship or financial burden to the family. To God be all the Glory!!!
HEALTH CARE PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES
Heather Schreiner/Mom - her Mom has been diagnosed with cancer and doctors are concerned that it may be more serious than what they had first suspected. Pray that the Lord will comfort the family and that the next series of tests will help the doctors with the right diagnosis and God given course of treatment that will lead to healing.
Jay Hasselman - Mom is having pain in her hip that has kept her in bed for 3 weeks, doctors cannot find out what is wrong. She is a teacher and is trying to decide if she should retire or not.
Debra Adkins for Tim Vickers- Tim’s test show that there is nothing wrong with his liver [Praise!] but they still are not sure what is causing his illness and there is still the possibility that it is a hereditary problem that may require that he be put on the liver transplant list at some point.
Dee Church/Blac - doctors have found a thyroid problem and will have to monitor closely
Gwen Cain - her cousin Phyllis is on dialysis and has been placed on the Kidney & Pancreas transplant list
Kelley Benson, brother Kevin Gunn - Continue to pray that God’s hands will astonish the medical professionals with a full and miraculous recovery from his coma.
Jeff Cain - Kenny Garrison, Roger Cryer, Larry Jolly [uncle], Aunt Margie Lackey, and Susan Nunn all have cancer

PRAYER NEEDS
Kevin & Dianne Avent - lots of family traveling into town next weekend for Dianne’s parents 50th wedding anniversary, prayer for safe travels
Brad Dickey - gone for three weeks to North Carolina for company training. He requests prayer for his travels, for his family in his absence, and he is asking that the class call and check in on Sonja during that period.
Cathy Chandler - please continue to keep Jeri Hunter lifted up.
Dee Church - prayer for her family that is under a lot of stress with all that has been going on lately. Pray for peace over her home and family.
Dennis Rikard - his Mom is in Branson, pray for safe travels
Michael Albers - family has made a decision that he needs to seek a new position that will allow him to spend more time at home and with his kids. Pray that God will open doors for that position that will allow this family to serve the Lord by putting him at the head of their home
Sonja Dickey - seeking to change jobs, pray the Lord will open doors for her
Derek Chandler - prayer for Cathy who has been stressing about nursing school
Bill Gill - prayer for short minded people involved in little league sports who are not setting good examples of sportsmanship or team dynamics in the way they behave or treat coaches, competing players, and other parents
Kristi Rikard/her brother Chuck & his family - Chuck is a pastor and may be moving his family here to take over a church
Paul Palmer - prayer for family
Gary Blaylock - prayer for family
Bob Benson - continue to pray for guidance in my company and career, and for wholeness in my body, mind, and spirit. Struggling with several issues now and am praying for wisdom that the Lord will reveal His will to me.

SPECIAL NEEDS FOR THE CHURCH
FAITH TEAMS - includes Gary Blaylock, Deanna Gray, and Leigh Ann Baker from our class family - prayer that they will make an impact on the community and prayer for ease in the learning process

SALVATION FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY
Bob Benson - Neel Rideout/business partner
Kelley Benson - whole family + Bryan Petrich/Brother- in-law
Paul Palmer - Margaret Ann Ferrez/Sister
Susan Palmer - too many to narrow to one name
Aimee Blaylock - too many to narrow to one name
Gary Blaylock - Mike Mullins/Step Dad
Leigh Ann Baker - extended family/in laws
Dewayne Eddington - close friends, family, & co-workers
Dee Church - Jeff/husband
Kristi Rikard - Dennis/Brother in Law
Lori Gilbert - Bud’s family
Cathy Chandler - Candice & Joey/her sister & brother
Norma Morreale - Russ & Joanna/Dominick’ s Dad and his girlfriend