Mackey family update

Dear friends and family,

I am sorry it’s been so long since we’ve updated our blog. Keller and Kyndall are both doing fantastic and we are enjoying Portland Christian School. Keller will begin 3rd and 4th grade basketball at the school and Kyndall has been invited to read with the 1st graders beginning next week. (She is bright and takes after her momma.) Amanda continues to LOVE her job! My three classes (Algebra 1, Biology, and Bible) have been challenging and fun.

The best part is being together. We all leave about 7:00 each morning, drive to the seminary to drop Amanda off for work, then the kids and I go on to school. After I teach, I drive back to the seminary to study and go to class. When Amanda gets off, we go back to pick up the kids and head home together. It is great being home each night. I am so grateful for my job tutoring over the past year, but I am even more grateful for the opportunity to work AND be home in the evenings.

Thank you for you continued prayers for us. Though life is busy, God has been so gracious to help us not overcommit. We will be heading to Alabama this weekend to celebrate Kyndall’s birthday late with family and I’ll be preaching at Washington Park Baptist in Muscle Shoals. Pray for safety, good fellowship with family and friends, and God’s Spirit to move in the service. Below are some other ways you can continue to pray for us. Please let us know how we can pray for you!

Other Prayer Requests:
Family—Please continue to pray for my mom and her husband, Tony. He is continuing chemo treatments and is receiving nourishment through a feeding tube but rarely feels good.
House—We listed it with a new company this week. Our insurance company has dropped us effective Oct. 14 because the house is vacant and we are no longer TN residents. Pray that it will sell quickly or that we will know what to do about the insurance.
Seminary—I finished a large and difficult paper yesterday. It has been my biggest academic challenge to this point. I will be defending the conclusions of that paper on Thursday at 11:30 am (10:30 CST). I would appreciate your prayers for that. Also, my advisor suggested I pray about a minor in Preaching. This would require one extra semester but I would also be able to teach preaching classes at the college and seminary levels. I think I would really enjoy that. Pray that we’ll have wisdom to see what God wants me to do.
Ministry—My teaching responsibilities in our SS class have increased and we continue to love our class and church. Pray for God to use this ministry to further equip the saints and grow them in His grace.
FBC Savannah—The church I left last August has a man coming to preach in view of a call on October 11. Pray for all to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.

For His glory,
Jason

P.S. I’ve attached a couple pictures. Notice the sunflower birthday cake Amanda made for Kyndall’s birthday! Isn’t it great!

School is Starting

Dear friends and family,

Thanks again for all your prayers. God has been answering them right and left. Since our last update, God has given Amanda a job, and not just any job, but the job she wanted. She had interviewed for a part-time job (30 hours) as Accounts Payable Assistant at the seminary and thought she would really like the position. After a few weeks of not hearing anything, she got a call, offering her that job. She started this past Tuesday and really enjoys it. Thank you for praying.

I go tomorrow night (Monday) to meet with the Board of Directors at Portland Christian School (PCS) for final approval. Assuming all goes well, I’ll start next Monday with teacher in-service and Thursday (8/20) with classes.

We believe we have decided that both our kids will attend the north campus of PCS, where I’ll be teaching 8-11

am each day. This means that we will be able to all ride together to and from work/school each day and also that the kids will not have to be in before- and after-care supervision nearly so often. The down side of this decision is that Keller will be changing schools. He went to the East campus for the Spring 2009 semester and made friends well there. He will be “the new kid” again at the North campus. Pray for him to adjust well and that God would give him a good Christian pal.

Kyndall begins Kindergarten next week! I cannot believe she is that old. Pray for Amanda on Thursday morning, Aug. 20, as she sends her youngest off to school.

Also on Thursday, Aug. 20, please pray for me. My Ph.D. classes begin and in my class on 1 Peter, I’ll be taking a Greek test. I will have to pass this test to even be allowed to continue in the course and my score on the test will count for 40% of my final grade.

Continue to pray for my mother, Pat (Mackey) Cook and her husband, Tony Cook. He has finished his first round of radiation and continues his chemo treatments. He goes for a body scan this Tuesday. They should hear on Thursday how effective the radiation/chemo has been and what the state of his cancer is now.

First Baptist Church, Savannah, TN, you are still on our hearts as you continue to search for a pastor. We are praying that God would shepherd you and would send a wonderful undershepherd to you to love and lead you. We love you and want God’s best for you.

I know it seems all the update has been “pray for us about this and pray for us about that,” but that is where we are . . . totally dependent on God to work through us and in us for His glory through your prayers. Thanks for being up to the task. I’ll leave you with a great quote from Theodore Epp. “Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.”

For His glory,

Bro. Jason

Long Time . . . . Long Update

(I pasted this from another document and can't get the font the same. Sorry.)

Dear friends and family,

I am sorry it’s been so long since my last blog update. There is much to tell, so please forgive the length of this email. I’ve tried to put headings so you can hit the high points if you don’t have time to read it all.

Jason’s Mom and New Step-Dad

My mom, Pat, was scheduled to get married last weekend to a great guy, Tony Cook. About five weeks before their wedding, doctors found a golf-ball-sized tumor on his esophagus. It was inoperable and serious. Since then, the cancer has been found in other places as well. Because of where the tumor is, he is unable to swallow and is on a feeding tube. He is currently undergoing chemo and radiation but the outlook isn’t too good. He is home and has his fair days and bad days. The week the tumor was found, they decided to go ahead and marry so that mom could help take care of him. They had a beautiful wedding and are now living in their new house in Tuscumbia, AL. Pray for their marriage and for his health.

Jason’s School

The semester finished well. There are no seminars offered for me in the summer so I have begun to study for the fall. I’m taking a 1^st Peter class, an Acts class in the Greek language, a class on the interpretation of the Bible, and Latin. It will be an extremely full load, so pray that I will be disciplined to do much work this summer to get ahead before the semester begins. This full load will also affect how much I’m able to work in the fall. Ask God to give us wisdom about that.

The Kids

Both children are doing great. They are staying up too late since school is out: Keller wakes as early as ever and Kyndall sleeps late like her momma likes to! She will be starting Kindergarten in August and is excited about that. Her vocabulary is expanding by leaps and bounds; she is such a verbal little girl. She speaks like a young lady and not like a 5 year old. Keller won 5^th place in the regional Math Olympics! He’s grown taller and more handsome. They have enjoyed using family passes to Six Flags, the Science Museum, and the zoo. (Thanks again, Mimi, Papaw, and Nana!) Continue to pray for good friends for them.

Amanda

With both kids in school, Amanda and I are praying about her re-entering the workforce. She applied at the seminary today and took a clerical test and did fantastic. We should hear something within a couple of weeks about any secretarial positions that she may be able to interview for. This is a big step for her and for our family. Pray that we would not jump ahead of God, but that He would open doors and we would have a clear sense of His leading—where, when, and full-time vs. part-time.

The House in Savannah

. . . . . There is nothing to tell. We haven’t heard from our realtor in about a month. There is no activity. And yet, somehow, we continue to make the monthly payment and cover expenses. I can’t explain how it happens except to say that God continues to provide.

Work opportunities

We both continue to work for a sweet lady on a weekly basis. I cut grass, weed, do small fix-it jobs, etc., and Amanda cleans for her. We’ll be able to paint the inside of her house this summer as well. I am teaching Summer School this summer. So far it has only been one student per class so it is more like one-on-one tutoring, but I have enjoyed it. I get to work during the day and that’s the best part of all. I have also been asked to serve as a graduate assistant to my advisor, grading tests for him. I’m not sure how much income will come from it, but it is an honor to be asked and it will be a great experience for me.

Ministry

Amanda has gotten involved in the Sunday-morning “greeter” ministry at our church and also continues to meet weekly with other ladies in our church for Bible study or a book study. I have gotten the opportunity to co-teach our Sunday School class and I love it. I look forward to further opportunities to minister in our class.

Prayer Requests

*Our house to sell

*Job situations for Jason and Amanda in the Fall

*All of us as Kyndall begins Kindergarten

*Faithfulness to spend time daily in God’s Word

We would love to know how you are doing and how we can pray for you as well.

For His glory,
Jason, Amanda, Keller, and Kyndall

mackeyfamily@hotmail.com

sogreatasalvation.blogspot.com

Worth Reading

In reading for a book review due Wednesday (note implicit prayer request!), I came across a great Easter story! It's short so enjoy. Happy Resurrection Day!

An atheist, a committed disciple of the "truth" of Communism, once gave a speech to an enormous crowd in the former Soviet Union. He mocked the Christian faith, saying it was all mere fantasy. It was not Jesus but the program of Marx and Lenin that was destined to bring history to its appointed purpose. The atheist was eloquent and withering in his scorn for Christianity. When he finished, an Orthodox priest asked if he could say just two worlds in reply (his two Russian words are translated by three words in English). The priest shouted, "Christ is risen!" and the crowd roared back the response carried with them from their childhood: "He is risen indeed!" For a world so twisted by evil and enslaved by sin, what other message could there be? Christ is risen.

Bartholomew, Craig G. and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding our Place in the Biblical Story. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004, p. 165.

Praises and Prayers

Hey friends,

Life is busy (as it is for everyone), but especially for us at this time of year. Let me share some praises and prayer requests with you.

Praises
1. Since my last post some great friends from Tennessee came to visit Louisville and allowed us to spend an entire day with them. It was so good to be with them.
2. We were blessed to be able to return to North Alabama during spring break. I preached at Washington Park Baptist Church's homecoming service and had a great time sharing and fellowshipping with those dear people.
3. WPBC continues to support us on a monthly basis. What a blessing that is! But more, they gave us another pounding with some much needed supplies and canned goods. Individuals from FBC, Savannah regularly bless us as well, some anonymously. Thank you so much, WPBC and FBC for your generosity. God is using you to bless us, increase our faith in our mighty God, and meet our needs.
4. The last half of spring break we traveled to Savannah, TN and were able to stay with dear friends. It was a blessing to fellowship with them as well.
5. While in Savannah, we were able to (partially) clean out our attic and had a huge yard sale. We expected to make $400-$500. We had one $60 item, a few $20-$30 items and the rest small stuff. At the end of the day on Saturday, God had blessed us with $1,051! It was a real loaves and fishes thing. After tithe, we'll net about $900! Wow! Praise God!
6. Another $900 was given to us through various sources recently. We are amazed at how God supplies our needs.

Prayer Requests
1. Jason and Keller are winding down their school years. Keller has SATs soon. Pray that he will be relaxed but take them somewhat seriously.
2. Jason's school projects are piling up. He has a set of discussion questions due Monday, a 15-page book review due Wednesday, a 15-page paper due in two weeks and a Greek final exam in a month. Pray that God would multiply his time, make him efficient, and help him to stay dependent on God.
3. We are still waiting on God to sell our house. We say this because we know we can't sell it ourselves. Pray that we'll have wisdom on what to do about a realtor, the price, possibly renting, etc. Most of all pray that it will sell to the right person, at the right time, for the right price.
4. Both Amanda and Jason are looking at other/additional employment opportunities. Pray for wisdom in this.
5. Jason will be doing two weddings this summer (Heath/Starla and Jeremy/Alyssa). Pray for these couples and for Jason as he does pre-marital counseling with them. Also pray for Jason's mom as she's getting married this summer as well (Tony/Pat).

Thank you so much for your support and prayers. We continue to want to give back to you through prayer. How can we pray for you.

For His glory,
The Mackeys

Thank you to those who prayed for me last week while I was teaching for Dr. Cook. It went great and I loved it! I look forward to another opportunity soon, I hope. This has been a particularly busy week with more-than-usual reading to do but so far, so good. Below is a cartoon I saw on a friend's blog and wanted to share it with you. God bless and have a great week!

For His glory,

Jason

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/3/9/

I'm working tonight and not able to attend church. That's a bummer and I miss Wednesday night bible study. I only have a couple of minutes so this will be a short update.

House--not selling, no prospects. Pray for us to continue to trust God and for Him to continue to provide for us.

School--real good. Very fun learning from super-smart men who are so down-to-earth. Way busy though. I stay one have step from being behind.

Family--Today's Keller's birthday. He's NINE! I'm not old enough to have a nine-year-old.

Pray for me--I'll be teaching Dr. Cook's New Testament class tomorrow. I taught it Tuesday and (by God's grace) it went well. Pray that I'll continue to be totally dependent on Him and he'll teach through me.

Blessings to all!

Jason

Blessing, not a burden

I have officially begun seminars at SBTS for a Ph.D. in New Testament . . . and boy are my eyes tired! I have a substantial reading and translating (from German and from Greek) load but am taking it a day at a time. In the opening prayer of our colloquium, our professor prayed that we students would see our time of study as a blessing and not a burden; for there are many all around our world who would give anything to have the opportunity to learn and read and write what we are learning, reading, and writing. Though my studies may at times be burdensome, pray that I will accept that as part of the sanctification process and refuse to view them as burdens, but always as blessings and opportunities graciously given to me by a gracious God.

I had the blessing of attending a lecture today on Adoniram Judson, missionary to Burma. In the course of the lecture, the professor shared the letter Adoniram wrote to John Hasseltine, his future father-in-law, asking for his consent to marry his daughter Ann. Both Adoniram and Ann knew they would leave about 2 weeks after their marrige for India for missionary service. He wrote,

… I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world? Whether you can consent to see her departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the sake of perishing immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?

What boldness and what faith, both of him and of Ann! May God raise up
many more.

The following graph is from http://www.gallup.com/poll/114022/State-States-Importance-Religion.aspx and shows the importance of religion for the population by state. This confirms what has always been said about the "Bible belt." However, I wonder what percentage of those who consider "religion important" have been changed by the gospel and are followers of Christ?

Snow Days

How blessed we have been this week! God has shown Himself powerful and beautiful through nature. We never lost power and didn't have any major accidents. Thanks to all who were praying for us. Classes were cancelled last week and the seminary is without power. At this point, my first class will be Wednesday. Thanks for continuing to pray. Here's some pictures of the snow!

For His glory,

The Mackeys

Good Day!

It has been a good day worshipping the Lord today. Some dear friends watched our kids this afternoon and Amanda and I were able to talk and make some plans for the week, syncronize our schedules, and talk about what we needed to be praying about. What a blessing! Two great messages from Dr. Bill Cook at church today as well. My memory verse this week is James 1:21:

"Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls."

What a great verse to turn into a prayer before we begin our quiet times. Maybe something like this:

"Lord, as I sit down to read Your word you have graciously given to me and to fellowship with you. Show me what remains of my wickedness. Convict me of any sin that stands between us. Give me the grace to put it all aside. And during this time, as I read and pray, may You reveal more to me. Then, may I continue to have the grace to choose You over it, to put it aside. In humility, I bow before you. Your word has authority over me. I humbly submit to it. I humbly acknowledge that I am nothing without You. May your word be given to me in this hour; may I receive it as a treasured, noble gift. May it be implanted deep in my heart, mind, and soul so that it may bear fruit, even in times of drought. It is this that will save my soul. I come today to receive from You, the Giver of all good things."

Wow! That sounds like a pretty good way to start a quiet time! Why don't you memorize it with me?

This week I will get the privilege of teaching Dr. Cook's New Testament II class (he's out of town); I'm really looking forward to it. I also begin my first seminars this week. I would appreciate your prayers for both of these. Finally our contract with our realtor to sell our house runs out this week. We have to decide if we are going to relist with the same realtor, change realtors, try to rent it, lower the price, etc. Pray wisdom for us for this as well, please. How can we pray for you?

For His glory,
Jason

Today's Morning Devotional by Spurgeon

“Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?”
— Ezekiel 15:2
These words are for the humbling of God’s people; they are called God’s vine, but what are they by nature more than others? They, by God’s goodness, have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soil; the Lord hath trained them upon the walls of the sanctuary, and they bring forth fruit to his glory; but what are they without their God? What are they without the continual influence of the Spirit, begetting fruitfulness in them? O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that thou hast no ground for it. Whatever thou art, thou hast nothing to make thee proud. The more thou hast, the more thou art in debt to God; and thou shouldst not be proud of that which renders thee a debtor. Consider thine origin; look back to what thou wast. Consider what thou wouldst have been but for divine grace. Look upon thyself as thou art now. Doth not thy conscience reproach thee? Do not thy thousand wanderings stand before thee, and tell thee that thou art unworthy to be called his son? And if he hath made thee anything, art thou not taught thereby that it is grace which hath made thee to differ? Great believer, thou wouldst have been a great sinner if God had not made thee to differ. O thou who art valiant for truth, thou wouldst have been as valiant for error if grace had not laid hold upon thee. Therefore, be not proud, though thou hast a large estate—a wide domain of grace, thou hadst not once a single thing to call thine own except thy sin and misery. Oh! strange infatuation, that thou, who hast borrowed everything, shouldst think of exalting thyself; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of thy Saviour, one who hath a life which dies without fresh streams of life from Jesus, and yet proud! Fie on thee, O silly heart!
Spurgeon, C. H.: Morning and Evening : Daily Readings. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. January 22 AM (emphasis in bold mine)

Good stuff, huh?

From one "who hast borrowed everything,"

Jason

Musing on Worship

We heard a great sermon this evening on worship. The main point was, "Biblical truth is the basis for and fuel for real worship." The text was Romans 11:33-36.

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."

I'm going to memorize these verses this week (and next). What are you memorizing? Share with me.

Holiday Update

Friends,

It has been too long since I've last posted and much has happened. We were able to travel to Alabama the weekend before Thanksgiving to visit with family. What a good time we had! We were also able to visit FBC Savannah, TN and see so many of our friends.

In addition to time with family and friends, we were so surprised to find that the church I grew up in--Washington Park Baptist Church in Muscle Shoals, AL--had done a pounding for us! Hundreds of dollars worth of food, paper products, and cleaning supplies! Here's a picture of each of us holding some of our favorite items. In addition to that, we have since found out that they have put our family in their budget and will support us monthly in 2009! Their support will pay for almost half of my tuition this year. As expenses increase, God's provision through His people increases as well. He is so faithful!



The end of November found us moving again. We now reside in a community of Louisville called Jeffersontown, living in a beautiful, spacious home for half the rent of our small apartment. What a blessing this has been! We've got extra room now and are looking for guests to come visit us!



Academically, my semester has ended. Thank you for praying for me and my studies. God has given me grace to complete all the assignments on time. The German and Graduate Research classes I took were pass/fail classes and I passed both. I learned some things that will be helpful as I begin my seminars the end of this month.



We were also able to travel back to Alabama for a week at Christmas. Again we had time with both sets of families and with friends at FBC Savannah and Washington Park Baptist Church. So many of our dear friends and Sunday School classes from both FBC and WPBC blessed us with Christmas gifts and money. We were overwhelmed by their generosity and how God is meeting our needs in such special ways. Unexpected expenses (increasing medical insurance costs, having to put tires on the truck, and our house still not selling) have proven to be no match for God and His people! Praise the Lord, our Provider!



We continue to have several things we're praying about and ask you to join us in:
1. Our house to sell in Savannah
2. Our children's adjustments and finding new friends
3. Our personal spiritual growth
4. Jason's time management (between tutoring, classes, class work, time with kids, time with Amanda, etc.)
5. A close friend whose husband is deciding to abandon their marriage (and four small children)
6. FBC Savannah as they continue to search for a pastor

God bless you and thanks for partnering with us in prayer!