#‘Someone go get Coach I think Don broke Bobby!’

[savvylittlecoxswain]

Growing up, Bobby was accustomed to feeling pain when someone touched him. His body would ache so much from the infection running rampant in his body that he couldn’t even handle the loving touch of his parents, nevermind the doctors’ and nurses’ poking and prodding. Even now that he isn’t pain, he still carried an aversion to touch into his young adult years.

Most people don’t ask before touching him, so when Don asks he can’t help but cry.

[tnaog-blog]

Network Update 3/9/17

Greetings from Superintendent Terry Bailey:

                               When There Is NO Relief in Sight

Stress is normal for anyone in ministry today, but what do you do when there seems to be absolutely no relief in sight, and your stress is not manageable anymore? Or maybe life has completely overwhelmed you, and you feel that you are drowning emotionally. You feel as if you are down for the 10-count, the bell is about to ring, and you are about to be knocked out of the fight. What do you do?

For example, “no relief in sight” may look like this: A pastor’s wife is feeling totally overwhelmed, and her nerves are shot. Her parents’ health is failing and requiring her to care for them; her teenage children are pushing her beyond her limits; and the last straw just broke because the board has just asked her husband to resign due to conflicts within the church. Finances were already extremely tight because of their low salary. Bill collectors are starting to call, and her washing machine just died too. She does not think she can handle another crisis; there just seems to be no relief in sight. What does she do next?

Her next step, and your next step, is to seek help. Did you know that many ailments and complaints that show up at the doctor’s office are stress-related?  The good thing is that prolonged stress that begins to affect someone physically or emotionally is our body’s signal that it is time to seek help. The bad thing is that we put off getting the help we need, and it takes a toll, physically and emotionally, upon us. For some reason, we ministers seem to think that it is a sign of weakness or failure if we seek outside help.

Here are some places to seek help:

1.    Talk to your mentor, your pastor, or your coach. They will take time to listen and give you godly counsel. The Tennessee Ministry Network has a Pastoral Care Director, Glenn Burks, my amazing pastor of 48 years, who is also available to talk with you and pray with you.

2.    There are ministry resources that can provide you with systematic solutions to the problems that are beating you down. For example, there is no better financial freedom plan than implementing Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace and no better resource for marriage and family matters than Focus on the Family.

3.    For Assemblies of God ministers and their family members, there is a free “800 Help Line” through Emerge Ministries for anonymous and confidential counseling or referral that I have even called myself at times. It is 800-867-4011.

4.    Set up an appointment with a Christian counselor, or discuss what is happening with your doctor. It is not a lack of faith if you may need medication to help you.

When you think there is no relief in sight, remember the words of Matthew 11:28 where Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” You have Jesus, and you are also a part of a Ministry Network that cares about you.

Love and appreciate you much!

Terry G. Bailey

Register Today for District Council

District Council is April 3-5 at Cathedral of Praise in Cordova, TN. We are going to have incredible speakers, including John Bevere, Scott Wilson, and Eliseo Villar, the General Superintendent of Cuba. To register, click the button below.

Be sure to kick off District Council with us at the Influence Conference. The Influence Conference will be at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 3, with registration beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Influence Conference is included in your District Council registration.

Registration

Pastor's Round Table, March 13

Attention West Tennessee Pastors!!! Jackson Northside AG is hosting a Pastor's Round Table. Click the button below for more information.

Information

Leading People Where You Have Not Gone by Sam Chand

In this video, Sam Chand explains that leading people where you have not gone is very much possible, but the key is humility. To learn more, click the button below.

Video

Hoping for Happier Trails, Keith and Alicia Hall

AG U.S. Missions wrote about our very own missionaries, Keith and Alicia Hall! Click the button below to read the article.

Article

Reminding Staff - Tony Cooke's Pastors' Forum

Pastors from around the nation share things that they frequently remind their staff of. Click the button below to view the forum.

Forum

Intercessory Prayer

Please pray for Pastor Billy Elder, pastor of Conner Assembly of God in Ripley for over 50 years, whose wife passed away this week. He needs the comfort of the Holy Spirit at this time. Brother and Sister Elder were married for 40 years.

Pray for Jana Hinson, wife of Pastor Larry Hinson, who had surgery yesterday and is doing well. Pastor Larry Hinson is the lead pastor of SouthPoint Church in Hendersonville.

Please continue to pray for Loni Dobbins to experience complete healing.

Continue praying for Julie Headley, wife of Stephen Headley (lead pastor of Nashville Music City Church) and daughter-in-law of Bruce & Marsha Headley (TNAGMN CPCD Director). Julie needs surgery to remove a brain tumor.

Pray for our students and leaders who are traveling for Fine Arts this weekend.

Steve & Vada Allen, Bobby & Shirley Bowen, Don Churchwell (cancer), Doug Cruey (mother-in-law), Lynn Drumwright, Gaylon & Mary Echols, Gary Ferrell (cancer), Pastor Noble Gammon, Winnie Grimes, Sharon Hagan (lymphoma), Bud & Sue Hudspeth, Pastor Jerry and Roxie Jochem, Kathy Kelly, Esther Lee, Frank & Sue Livesay, Sherry Marlin, Rose McCullough (mother), Joy Middlebrook (cancer), Pixie Moore, Janett Ogg, Rob Ratze (cancer), Margaret Ridley, Rebecca Sample, Pastor Ronnie Sanders (mother), Wayne Simmons, Shirley Smith, Smoky Mountain Dream Center, Tom Trumbo (heart problems), Mike Tullos, Larry & Carol Vine, Jimmy Williams (nursing home), and James Wiseman (surgery recovery).