Today on Facebook, one of my friends posted this portion from the devotional book she is reading, and it was the first thing that showed up in my newsfeed when I signed on:
"Patience is like a muscle we have to flex, to build. We instinctively cry out to God in bewilderment when tribulation comes knocking. We blame, resist, complain. What we don't say is, "Thank You, Father--time for me to grow patience!" According to the Bible, that's exactly how we're to respond. Humanly speaking, praising Him for tribulation is unnatural. But it begins to make sense when we cling to God's promise that good comes from hardship (Rom. 8:28). We don't wait on Him in vain. We praise Him for the solution He will bring, the lives He will change, and the spiritual fruit He'll develop in us. Accepting hardship as a means of growth is a radical concept in this world. Even more extreme is the Believer who praises God for the storm." --Dr. Charles Stanley (edited)
Posted on a sticky note at the bottom of my computer screen I have these words:
"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act." Psalm 37:7.
Patience is a virtue, you know. It is also a fruit of the Spirit. "Peace, love joy, patience..." It is so hard to be still, isn't it? Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." That is hard to DO, isn't it, and there is really nothing to be done but simply to be? And yet the Lord has prompted me to continue to take this nugget as my lifeline right now, as it seems like so many things are up in the air.
As I write this, Hannah is in the last class of her freshman year in college! Exams start next week. Because she is seeking to transfer to Clemson University next semester, transfer students are not told of their acceptance until they finish their entire freshman year, submit their final grades, and THEN are notified. We are told that will not be til the end of May, and so there is nothing we can do but wait. Patiently. Neither of those words are my forte, but the Lord sure is working on me in those areas. What about you?
April at a Glance:
I had a great month in ministry, and was so thankful to finally be well after being sick for 2 straight months! The Thursday before flying to Texas I was in the Dr.'s office for the 4th time in 5 weeks,  being diagnosed with bronchitis. Thankfully he prescribed a higher dose of antibiotics, and I have so enjoyed not being sick this month! I was in Texas at First Baptist Church of Jefferson, TX, then Forest Home Baptist Church in Kilgore, then back to First Baptist Church of Tyler, TX the first weekend of the month. I reconnected with Jeff Taylor, pastor of FBC Jefferson, and enjoyed also getting to meet his wife Debbie and their daughter Samantha. While in concert in Kilgore, I asked if anyone had been to SC, and a young man waved his hand and I noticed he had on a Carolina Gamecocks t-shirt! He was originally from Columbia. It truly is a small world. Then I was able to visit with my good friends, Billy Bob and Cindy Dempsey, as Billy Bob is the Minister of Music at Tyler FBC. I was blessed to be a part of the ladies ministry of Siloam Baptist Church in Easley, SC, reconnecting with the pastor and his wife, Wayne & Anita Dickard, and even having my buddy Julie Caldwell come over to bring me a birthday present, as she lives in Easley. Then I headed to Murrells Inlet, SC to be a part of the women's conference at Belin United Methodist Church, sing in their Sunday morning worship service, and close out the month in ministry at Kingstree United Methodist Church.
May in Ministry:
The month of May will be my busiest month yet with 8 different events in 3 weeks. Would you join me in prayer for health, stamina & energy, but especially for the precious people that I have the privilege of ministering to? I will be in Anderson, Clearwater, Darlington, Mullins, Lexington, Lancaster and Columbia (all in South Carolina) as well as Orange Park, FL. I will be sharing with my friend Debbi Dunlap at the event in Florida and am looking forward to seeing her again. For more specifics on all the events, please see the bottom of this email or my website. I am especially excited to sing the song I wrote for my children, "A  Love That Leads To You," in my home church (1st Baptist Columbia) on Mother's Day.
On the Home Front:
I have some special memories from this month as Ross invited me out to dinner for my birthday - taking me to Carrabba's (my favorite restaurant). He drove us and paid for our meal. That is a memory I will cherish forever. Hannah put the icing on the cake by making made-from scratch cupcakes. It was a very special birthday indeed.
May is always a busy month, and this one is especially full. Hannah finishes her freshman year in college, and Ross finishes his sophomore year in high school. I am so proud of them both for working so hard and finishing strong with excellent grades. Ross will be singing in the Dutch Fork High School Chorus Concert on May 17th, and on the 24th I will hold my piano/voice students' end-of-the-year recital. I teach 15 students per week, and am so grateful for the joy of seeing them grow as musicians and wonderful people. I continue to sing for Kid Music as the "lullaby lady" and have now made it up to over 2,500 names on their "No One Like You" project. (http://www.dawnsmithjordan.com/no_one_like_you_np.php) Hannah will be getting her wisdom teeth extracted (all 4) on May 14th, so your prayers for her would be greatly appreciated. It's going to be a very busy month, and then we will look forward to taking a much-needed, greatly anticipated week of vacation with my brother, Robert, his girlfriend and her son at one of our favorite places on earth the first week of June, Garden City Beach, SC. I can hardly wait! 
Prayer Request:
Would you please pray specifically for Jennifer and her family? They have now been in Colordao for almost a year and a half, and have not been able to sell their home here. Many are in this predicament, and we are well aware that they are not alone. They are open to renting as well. It is an adorable home in the Denny Terrace area in Columbia, SC, if you happen to know of anyone looking for a place to live, being very near to Columbia International University. Their housing in Colorado is also unstable as they are currently renting a house that is going into foreclosure. They love the location (close the Bibleschool/retreat center where they work - www.timberlinelodge.org) as they are able to host students in their home regularly, and would love to be able to stay if God would open up a way for them to remain in the house they are in.
Is there something you are waiting on the Lord for during this season? Keep on trusting Him....He is worthy of our trust and in due time He will answer.
Waiting on the Lord,
Dawn
www.dawnsmithjordan.com
scheduling@dawnsmithjordan.com
803.873.1192 |
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Spotlight of the Month
 I'd like to feature my mother's book this month in honor of her and Mother's Day. My mother endured many hardships in her life...losing her precious daughter to a tragic kidnapping and murder, having a brain aneurysm, brain surgery, and having to learn how to do almost everything all over again after that. She was a miracle in recovering, and it was after that difficulty that she wrote her book, The Rose of Shari. She bravely fought ovarian cancer for 2 years, but then her Father welcomed her home in 2003 with the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." |
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5/4
Mt. Tabor Baptist Church
Anderson, SC
5/5
Midland Valley Church of the Nazarene
Clearwater, SC
5/6
First Baptist Church
Darlington, SC
5/9
Mullins Prebyterian Church
Mullins, SC
5/11
Willow Ridge Church
Lexington, SC
5/12
Springdell Baptist Church
Lancaster, SC
5/13
First Baptist Church
Columbia, SC
5/19
Watermark Church
Orange Park, FL
Follow Dawn on Facebook where we post regular updates and prayer requests.
Love-Offering Announcement
At this time Dawn is opening up her summer concert calendar to churches within driving distance of Columbia, SC on a love-offering basis during the months of June/July/August, asking only that her expenses be covered. We would love to hear from you if you would be interested in hosting Dawn as a part of your summer concert series! |
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Little Dale Tales
A few years ago my father-in-law was in town visiting and sitting in the living room talking to his grandkids when I heard him laughing. He was having a conversation with Jenna, our youngest, who was about four at the time. Apparently she had been sitting still when out of the blue she looked at him and said very seriously: "I can kill aliens with my bare hands." (I should note that she did not watch any kinds of movies like that so this is something she came up with purely on her own!). My father-in-law laughed and asked what she did with them after that, to which she replied: "I eat them. They taste kinda like peppermint you know?" |
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