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Dear Shiloh Family,

It was a beautiful, sunny, clear, windy, Fall day. I emphasize windy because I'm usually not a fan.  Fishermen love it, hunters hate it, and most children love to chase leaves that are being blown to-and-fro by it.

However, as I sat on my back deck today, the breezy conditions helped direct my focus to what the Bible says about the wind. Genesis tells us how God used the wind to dry the land after the flood. He directed the wind to cool the Children of Isreal, and blow quail toward them in the desert. Job tells us that the wind brought devastation to his family, but he also illustrates how it drives the chaff away. The four gospels inform us that Jesus speaks and the wind obeys. One of my favorite wind passages is in Psalm, where we are told that our Heavenly Father actually walks upon the wings of the wind.

Psalm 104:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, who makes the clouds His chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind, NKJV

In our lives, the wind can be destructive and annoying, but it also can be refreshing and productive. One of the greatest attributes of the wind is spreading seeds. Potential sprouts, sprigs, and seedlings ride on the vehicle of the airstreams. We recently experienced an example of this in our benevolent ministry. I will quote a post Pastor David Brown made to your Deacons and Pastor. I must preempt the story by informing you that a request for a hospital bed was given to David from a source at Ridgeland High School. The Deacons all agreed to provide the funds required to fill the need. The following is the text from David;

"Y'all wanna hear a God shot? Sure, you do. I talked to the gentleman selling the bed. We arranged for a pick-up tomorrowend of phone call. He then calls me right back and said, "What church are you with?" (I had asked him about taking a check from the church) He then proceeds to give me the bed and said, "I know some people there and know what yall do for the community. Come get the bed and bless someone with it"."

One of your deacons replied, "Impacting the community for the Kingdom." He is exactly right! The winds of the Holy Spirit are blowing around Shiloh, and you never know where The Father is directing the seeds. Keep bending and yielding to His direction. The birth of the church began with a rushing mighty wind.

Acts 2:2-3: 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  NKJV

Acts 2:46-47: 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. NKJV

The same winds that down the trees drives the sails.

God bless you all,

Pastor Derrell

P.S. Mom, Monica, Terry, and I extend our deepest heartfelt appreciation for all those who attended Dad's homegoing celebration. A special thanks to all who took time from your busy schedules to make it possible.  The food was like manna in the wilderness journey. Thanks ladies!