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Dear friends,
As I tuned into my local news channel this past Saturday evening, the devastating news of a beautiful 21-year-old USC student whose life was tragically snuffed out took my breath. As I watched the story unfold, of this young woman about to graduate from college with plans to attend graduate school, my tears fell. My heart continues to ache from somewhere deep within. Daily her radiant smiling picture flashes across my TV screen. I remember being that family on the news, when it was mine and my brother’s sister, my parents’ daughter. Our lives were forever changed from that moment on, just as this broken-hearted family’s will be. However, I also have known the grace of God in the depths of grief, horror, and despair. As our community continues lifting this family up to the only One who can bring them peace, hope and a future, I'm grateful for all those that did the very same thing for my family. Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted and bind up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3) Oh Jesus, we come together and ask You to wrap Your arms around them.
Dr. Billy Graham said, "God doesn't comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters."
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort."
In the last month alone, I have heard countless stories of tragedy, just within the churches I have served. I am astounded at the depth of suffering. stress, physical illness, cancer, death of loved ones, murder, abuse, suicide, legal troubles, Parkinson's, betrayal...on and on the heartache goes. Just this week a precious woman I met, thoroughly enjoyed and laughed with sent me a Facebook message the very next day, asking me to pray for her family. Her nephew's 40-year-old wife and mother to their 7-year-old son unexpectedly died from a blood clot in her heart. And these are just a few of the many, many messages I receive every week from people all over the country asking me to pray for them. They are desperate. For hope. Prayer. Comfort.
The needs are great, and I often feel helpless to know what to do other than write a prayer back, lifting them to the Father. Just today I was simply dropping off my dry cleaning and asked the woman behind the counter how she was. "Oh, I'm doing ok, I guess," was her reply. I asked her if she was having a bad day, and she wearily said that she was. I happened to have a card my church handed out on Sunday as a tangible invitation to join us over the Easter weekend. After I asked her if she had a home church and she said she did not, I told her I'd love to invite her to mine and handed her the card. When I go back to pick up my clothes, I'm going to leave her a copy of my book. She needs hope. Comfort. As I left today, I told her how sorry I was for her bad day, and that I would be praying for her. And I did.
Brothers and sisters, God is the God of all  comfort. In these desperate times, we must cry out to Him. On behalf of this broken world. My prayer for you tonight as I write these words in this late night/early morning hour is this, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
We are the people of God. We are a people of hope. May the hope within us overflow to the world around us as we seek to be His Hands. His Heart. Oh God, you have given us all we need to give the same comfort you have so graciously given us. Jesus, pour Yourself in and through us.
Blessings,
Dawn |
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Fox Nation show update:
Dawn Smith Jordan’s story will be featured on an episode of “The Fuhrman Diaries" airing on the Fox Nation platform, on which she shares her personal journey as a part of the program. This program features LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman as he analyzes cases from his perspective. Dawn's episode aired on March 27th, and will be available to watch for as long as it lives on the platform.
Follow this link to the FoxNews site to watch: https://nation.foxnews.com
**NOW BOOKING: Summer concert series
During the summer months Dawn offers a FREE family friendly concert, simply asking for a love offering and travel. Right now almost every Sunday in June, July and August are open. These dates will start filling up fast, so if you are interested in hosting Dawn please email mail.dawnsmithjordan@gmail.com to schedule your date today!
* Please note we have already booked June 23rd, and August 18th
Piggy-Back Date Opportunities!!
Sunday, May 5th p.m. (Mullins, SC a.m.)
Sunday, May 19th p.m. (Heath Springs, SC a.m.)
Saturday, September 14th and Sunday, September 15th a.m. (Gillsville, GA Sunday p.m.)
Saturday, December 7th - Sunday, December 8th (Smithtown, NY Friday)
If you are interested in inviting Dawn to your event on any of these dates, please let me know by emailing mail.dawnsmithjordan@gmail.com.
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Ministry at a Glance
The month of March kicked off with a wonderful weekend in Kennett, MO with Kennett First Baptist Church. I had the pleasure of spending Friday and Saturday with their ladies, and then staying over to share in their worship service on Sunday morning. Then headed to Swansea, SC for a ladies event at Swansea First Baptist. Thank you to Trinity at Laurens in Aiken, SC for coordinating such a wonderful lunch and to St. John's United Methodist Church for hosting the event at your church. And finally, to Bethlehem United Methodist and Harmony United Methodist Church in Johnston, SC for having me come share a concert with your churches and community last Sunday night. I loved having so many friends, and even a few of my music students join me at some of my ministry events last month.
  
  
  
  
 
Funnies from the Road
At a recent women’s event, at lunch I asked a few of the ladies seated around my table, “Who did you have as your speaker last year?” as I wondered if it might have been one of my fellow speaker chick friends. They couldn't remember her name, as we shared a laugh between us while they continued to try and recall her name. What a sobering thought that their next year's speaker could possibly ask them the same question. My name is forgettable, as am I, and that is okay. It is not my name or even what I have said that people need to remember. None of us are really "Unforgettable" as Nat King Cole sang. However, my prayer is that the name of Jesus is lifted up, so that long after I have come and gone, His is the one name never to be forgotten. “At the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Philippians 2:10)
On the Homefront
My friend recently posted this on her social media:  "I'm not in the music ministry. I'm in the people ministry. It just so happens to involve music." Oh how I love this, and her. How delighted I was to be able to attend the lovely surprise birthday party her husband had planned for her last month as she joined me in the 50's. Melodie Griffin is one of my sisterfriends, and I thank God for the way she always points others (me included) to the love of her life, the Lord Jesus.
 So many of you have been asking me lately how Sammy and Zoey are doing. I believe these pictures speak for themselves. Clearly Zoey has decided he can stay. While you never know where you might find Zoey, she is never far from her big brother.
  
    
A few days ago I decided to cash in my frequent flyer miles and head out to Denver over my music students' spring break to visit Ross and Brianna. We are going to take in some spring skiing to celebrate my (55th) birthday. It's a BIG one and I can hardly wait. As my college roommate Julie said, "Most people want warm on spring break! Crazy snow woman." She knows me well. I. Am. So. Excited. This SC woman did not see a single snowflake this winter, and from the weather forecast, I will definitely be seeing some! |
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On the Road Again
Friday-Saturday, April 5th - 6th
Cornerstone Ministries @ FBC Shallotte
Shallotte, NC
Ladies' Retreat
Thursday-Friday, April 11th - 12th
Columbus Baptist Association
Tocooa, GA
GA Baptist Ministry Assistant Association
Saturday, April 13th
Galilee Christian Church
Jefferson, GA
Women's Tea
12:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 14th
Galilee Christian Church
Jefferson, GA
Morning Service Testimonial
9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, April 16th
Pacolet Mills Baptist Church
Pacolet Mills, SC
Senior Adult Luncheon
11:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 27th
Lakewood Baptist Church
Sumter, SC
Ladies' Praise Conference
11:00 a.m. |
Hodge-Podge
Allison Hodge, Administrative Assistant
Dawn Smith Jordan Ministries
Randy and Allison Hodge
Abby (7), Hannah (5), Ryan (2)
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