Newsletter - FULL GOSPEL MISSION

 FULL GOSPEL MISSION

 887 W. Spruce Ave., Ravenna, OH 44266

 Rev. Barbara A. Davis, Pastor

 Pastors Pen, August 11, 2013....On July 22nd I was in route to Washington , DC , for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change. As I collected my belongings from the overhead locker, an announcement was made for Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately.

 I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane and I heard a gentleman asking every male if he were Mr. Glenn. At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk. When I got off the plane, a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, "Mr.Glenn, there is an emergency at your home I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital." My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over.

 Woodenly, I followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital. My call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes and that when my wife had found him he was dead. CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital. By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness.

 The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down. When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere. He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if his brain received any damage.

 Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before. Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken.. He said, "Daddy hold me" and he reached for me with his little arms.

 By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine, when we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely. In the days that followed, there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older children were much closer to their little brother. My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace. Perspective seemed to be more focused and balance much easier to gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound.

 The story is not over (smile)! Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, "Sit down Mommy.. I have something to tell you." At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story. "Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you but you couldn't hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad. And then the ' birdies ' came."

 "The birdies?" my wife asked puzzled. "Yes," he replied. "The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me." "They did?" "Yes," he said. "One of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you "I got stuck under the door." A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air. My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies" because they were up in the air like birds that fly. "What did the birdies look like?" she asked.

 Brian answered, "They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of them had on just white." "Did they say anything?" "Yes," he answered. "They told me the baby would be all right." "The baby?" my wife asked confused. Brian answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went on, "You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave."

 My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can." As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left his body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form. "Then what happened?" she asked.

 "We went on a trip," he said, "far, far away." He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words for. My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult.

 "We flew so fast up in the air. They're so pretty Mommy," he added. "And there are lots and lots of birdies." My wife was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known. Brian went on to tell her that the "birdies" had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the "birdies." He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay. The story went on for an hour.

 He taught us that "birdies" were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much. Brian continued, stating, "I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan.. Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they love us so much."

 In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order. A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies. 

Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the "birdies." Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this. Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled. Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be. ! Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present! Live and enjoy every moment...this is not a dress rehearsal!

 PRAYER LIST:

 Mr. Myers Shower project

 Sister Bishop

 Jenny/Dennis–recovery

 Hazen Ministries

 ALL OUR MILITARY

 Bro. Mark-pancreites

 Hank W.-Cancer /Carol

 Devria St.Aubin—health

 RC & Esther—health

 Don & Sue Duncan

 Sister Rachael/ Euel

 Bro. & Sis. Ballew

 Arthur Wilson—health

 Connie-brain surgery/recovery

 Center of Hope---SOULS

 Dale/Charlie-jobs

 Bill, Susan & Cody

 Rev. Donnie Turner, Health/Miracle

 Rev. Mack Turner—health

 Rev. Charles & Sue Herron

 Rev. Barb Davis & the church leadership Workers in the church

 Calvary Crusade

 Zack, Courtney & Ella

 Gene & Debbie--G-child

 Karen–health

 Libby-health problems

 Grieving families

 THE CHURCH

 Steve Sabo-therapy & Surgery

 Grieving Families

 John Weber-cancer

 Pastor Jimmy Russell WVA-cancer

 Anne C--Cancer

 Colton Clities

 Marie-cancer The Whaleys and church Sharon P–colon surgery.

 Kenny S.—recovery from surgery

 Devria–grief/surgery recovery Eric, Terri, Barbie and the babies. Bradley and his broken Arm

 FYI: The famous American actor SYLVESTER STALLONE has made a very important decision in his life. Did he film another movie? NO. He has surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus Christ, and announced it to the public several days ago. However, there's hardly been any information about it. If he had announced he was GAY, the TV shows and all the media and newspapers would have given it full coverage. Why hasn't this announcement -accepting Jesus as Saviour- not hit the news? Because it has no rating, it pays no publicity and it is politically dangerous. I have therefore decided to announce it here, in Facebook, because there was a great celebration that took place in Heaven. Let's all celebrate. PRAY IT IS TRUE, SO SAD MAINSTREAM MEDIA DID NOT COVER.

 WORK MEETING: Tuesday thanks Bill and Susan for painting and staining the trim. On Wednesday Bro Jack, Bro Vic, Bill, Pauline, Juanita, and Dale showed up and finished the trim install, and the chalking of the ceiling,(good job Vic), thanks for all you do to make God’s house look good. Thursday pm, Sister Grace, Pastor Barb, Becky, Sheila, Becca, Sis Susan, Pauline, Juanita, Cody and Bill showed up to clean the fellowship hall, and the church. Due to the rain the lawn was not mowed.

 CANCER WALK AUGUST 17....Granny, Cara, Sis Sue, and other are walking. Be sure to sponsor someone, and let’s defeat cancer once and for all!!!!!

 FYI: Breakfast fund raiser August 31, $5.00 invite a friend and come help us raise a few bucks and have some fun at the same time.

 Rummage Sale: We have the stuff, can you donate some time to set Up and or set with sale, or tear down and SALE!!!!

 JOKES!!When his taxi passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question.Dale screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the footpath, and stopped centimeters from a shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the Dale said, "Look mate, don't ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me!"

 The passenger apologized and said, "I didn't realize that a little tap would scare you so much."

 Then Dale replied, "Sorry, it's not really your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver  I've been driving a funeral van for the last 15 years".

 This one is for Susan, when I retire....An elderly pastor was searching his closet for his tie before church one Sunday morning. In the back of the closet, he found a small box containing 3 eggs and 100 $1 bills. He called his wife into the closet to ask her about the box and its contents. Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the box there for their entire 25 years of marriage. Disappointed and hurt, the pastor asked her, "WHY?" The wife replied that she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. He asked her how the box could have hurt his feelings.

 She said that every time during their marriage that he had delivered a poor sermon, she had placed an egg in the box. The pastor felt that 3 poor sermons in 25 years was certainly nothing to feel bad about, so he asked her what the $100 was for. She replied, "Each time I got a dozen eggs, I sold them to the neighbors for $1."