Home Sweet Home

Howard & Thelma Summers

Home Sweet Home

We moved to Picayune from New Orleans 35 years ago when we were expecting our sixth child and had outgrown our suburban home. After looking exhaustively for a country home near New Orleans, Slidell, and finally, Picayune, the realtor took us to see “just one more” down a country road, over a “cattle gap,” and up a long driveway. A picturesque panorama unfolded before us with two giant magnolias flanking the drive framing a sprawling, white, older home surrounded by birds and flowers. It would be our home for the next 20 years.

We raised our six children there, until our son who was born there went away to college. We gave them roots grown deep in the wonderful community of Picayune, watched them graduate high school, spread their wings and go on to successful lives of their own lived for God and reflecting their upbringing, reinforced by spiritual development in church attendance and participation. Our oldest became a minister, our second-oldest, a minister’s wife, four are involved in music ministry in their churches, with one a youth pastor and band director at an outreach church for Chinese in Houston, Texas. Besides ministry, they work in education, nursing, industry and finance. My husband, Howard, became a minister himself when God stopped him in his tracks in the middle of a business career. The then-pastor at Solid Rock Church, Rev. Joseph Kiley, guided him in getting ministerial credentials and placed him on staff as Administrator/Associate Pastor. We left Picayune when Howard was called to the staff of a large church in Wichita, Kansas. We later returned to south Mississippi where he was pastor of a church on the Gulf Coast, leaving after Hurricane Katrina.

Is Jesus Lord over Picayune? That was our experience. I know the demographics of the town have changed, but God hasn’t changed. As II Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” If that is the case, then we can say, “Jesus is Lord over Picayune.”

(Check out www.thelmasummers.blogspot.com/ for more wonderful articles by this author.)

excerpt from Bubble Bath Moments compiled by Manthie Hayes

Let me give a bit of intro to this book for you.
The heart behind Bubble Bath Moments was -- to minister to a woman's heart....
devotions by everyday women.
...their stories - amazing, heart-warming, real stories of their experiences & what God has done in their lives.
Love this part.."I believe that new relationships will be built through this, that broken hearts will be healed, that the discouraged will find new hope, that the weary will find strength to persevere and most of all that you will gain a greater understanding of God's love for you."

Here is just one devotion by Manthie Hayes who compiled this book that includes several wonderful devotions from a variety of ladies from varied ages and backgrounds. A great example of Jesus Is Lord Over Picayune, MS (a publication of RLM Media)
shared with permission from Manthie Hayes:
Jennie Heberg

The Perfect Design

by Manthie Hayes

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14

My best friend started a t-ball league for special needs children. She was inspired to do this after their youngest son was diagnosed with autism. To me, this seems like such a huge responsibility and undertaking, but she just breezes through it. I got an opportunity at a fundraising event to watch her interact with the children. I watched and listened as she calmed one little girl, who no one else could get to listen, simply by the tone of her voice. I was amazed and inspired to be able to witness her with the kids. Maybe it touched me so much because that is not my element and not my gift, yet she doesn't think anything about it. It's just her being her. Seeing God's gifts in action with her increases my faith and wonder of the Lord. When she is working with these children, I can see God knitting her together in her mother's womb, putting a piece of compassion here, additional patience there, and being so specific as to make her voice a tone that would be soothing to the children she ministers to. What an amazing God! It is so exciting to see someone operating in the purposes that they were created to do. How neat it is to see God's hand in every part of their person that enables them to be effective. Somehow when I watch her with these children, God gets bigger to me, and it inspires me to use the gifts and talents He's given to me.

What are some of the things God has created you for? A mother, a teacher, a nurse, a wife, a business woman, a writer? Ask the Lord to show you what the compilation of you was designed to do. If you're still not sure, begin by looking at your passions. What motivates you? What inspires you? What drives you? You are fearfully and wonderfully made! Created in His image to do good works! Operate in your purpose! Fulfill your destiny! Discover the woman God created you to be.

Father, thank You that You have specifically equipped us with every little thing we need to do Your will for our lives on this earth. Begin to light fires in our hearts that prepare and lead us to Your purpose for us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Additional scriptures: Jeremiah 1:5; Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 139; Ephesians 2:10

*************************************************************************

This is just one example of the wonderful works God has given to a variety of ladies who reside in the Picayune, MS area and most of which attend Resurrection Life Ministries. Please continue to keep these ladies and their families in your prayers and get on over to Melinda's to get your own copy of their book; a great source of encouragement for yourself or a friend or family member. If you know someone who needs to be encouraged in their faith this would be a very great reminder of God's faithfulness. If you aren't in the area of Picayune, MS you can check out http://www.melindasfinegifts.com/ and mail order you copy/ies.
Jennie Heberg
Eph. 3:20