We got back from an amazing time of camp with our High Schoolers and Middle Schoolers.  Bro. Gregg led our youth to Glorieta, New Mexico and it was an awesome time for everyone.  What is it about camp that is so special spiritually?  Why does God seem to move in great ways in the lives of those who attend?  Is there something special about the places we go for camp?  I have had people tell me they have had the greatest encounters with God at youth summer camp.  I have had people tell me they have never been closer to the Lord than when they were at youth summer camp.  Why?  Could it be that there has been a focused amount of prayer for that week?  Could it be that campers are required to leave secular music behind and there is no TV?  Could it be that there is an intense focus upon the Lord that week by individuals?  Maybe we need to learn some things from a week at camp that can help us year round with our walk with Christ.  Let’s set our spiritual eyes upon the Lord every week like we do the week of camp.  God would be so excited to minister to us and show Himself to us more than once a year.   “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

Bro. Gregg and Tamra did an amazing job with our students at camp.  Over the years I have been to dozens of camps and I can say this is truly one of the best I have ever seen or been a part of.  God did some amazing things in the lives of our students and the adults who went with them, including Darla and I.  Youth ministry is so critical and Cypress is blessed to have Bro. Gregg as our Youth Pastor.  Thank you Gregg for calling our students to a higher level!!!

The Freams are traveling to ball games and camps this summer.  God is so good to have already given us some great family time and we look forward to getting away as a family in late July.  We are counting down the days to Megan starting high school.  She has been attending basketball team camp with the high school, but that does not count.  She is still a middle school student until August or at least that is what I keep telling myself.  Brad is at camp right now with our Children’s Ministry and I am sure he is having a blast.  It is his first full camp without mom and dad, but I think the kids need to see their pastor and his wife.  Please know that I love you dear folks of Cypress Baptist Church and if you do not have a church home, please come and join us!  Love God and Love People!!!

Here is a picture of me and Bro. Philip (Minister of Music) about to go off on the zip line while at camp.  The lady is telling us everything will be ok.

Pastor John

I recently heard a message (yes, preachers listen to other preaches) about living the Word of God.  This pastor said it is obvious how a person lives what they believe about the Word of God.  That is a very interesting statement and one that I agree with.  The Word of God is active and alive according to Hebrews 4:12.  That means that if we take the words of the Bible and live them it will not only make a difference in our lives it will radically change our lives.  You want a great marriage?  You want your kids to do well?  You want to be happy?  I could go on and on with these questions with obvious answers but let me just remind you that God’s Word is not suggestions but commands.  Read your Bible, memorize your Bible, know you Bible, and live your Bible!!!  Start by reading the Proverbs for wisdom.  Today is the 10^th day of the month and I have read Proverbs 10.  Let me encourage you to do that every day.  Read the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament.  Keep a daily journal of your readings and write a little journal entry about what stood out to you in your Bible reading.  Write the verse that stood out and make it into a prayer.  Learn to hear from God and apply what he says to your life.  It will change you and change your life!  Please contact me if you need help with starting or continuing your daily Bible study.

April was an amazing time for our church and God gets all the glory!  On Easter we had over 1400 people in worship.  On April 18, High Attendance day we had almost 1100 in Sunday School and on the 25^th we fed over 750 people crawfish at our annual crawfish boil.  On the 25^th we also shared the vision for our facilities and the “Greater Things” God wants to do here in us and through us.  Praise God for the wonderful start to May and make sure you get plugged in to what is going on at Cypress Baptist Church.

Darla and the kids are doing great.  We are never home and travel from sporting event to sporting event and from school event to school event.  Oh yea and from church event to church event.  We love it and love our church.  Brad is playing baseball and about to finish the 3^rd grade.  Megan finished track and is playing AAU basketball.  I could not be more proud of my kids and the young people that God has made them.  Each of them is a leader at their school for the Lord Jesus Christ and that is what their mom and I are most proud of.  Here is a picture of Megan’s AAU team after they won the East Texas Shootout.

Well our team got back from India safe and sound.  We spent 12 days in Southern and Northern India handing out Bibles.  We started in Cochin with a Pastor’s Conference for about 200 local pastors.  Each pastor was given a new leather Bible in their language and for some it was the nicest Bible they have ever had.  For a few pastors it was the first complete Bible in their language they have had.  The next days were spent handing out the Gospel of John English readers in the public schools of Cochin.  They want to learn English and we were able to provide them with their new reader which happens to be the Gospel of John.  Later we met with Hindu and Muslim leaders in the city of Trissure.  They were each given a copy of the Word of God and they gladly received it and agreed to read it.  Our trip south was topped off with a trip to a girls school/orphanage.  That may have been one of the most difficult and yet wonderful times I have ever experienced in ministry.  After flying north to Delhi, we spent time meeting with more Hindu and Muslim leaders and providing them with God’s Word.  Our ladies had a women’s meeting to encourage Hindu and Muslim women to read the Word of God.  It was amazing to see these men and women of a different faith walk away with the one true Word of God.  The highlight was sitting in a Hindu Temple with the head priest in his personal quarters.  Stacy sang, “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” and he stated he would read the Scripture and have his 5000 priest do the same.  God is doing a great work in India.  Please join me in praying for God to bring the wonderful people of India out of darkness and into the Light of Jesus Christ.

Darla and the kids missed me but not even close to how much I missed them.  It is great to travel and do God’s work but it is tough being away from my family and church family for such a long time.  Brad is in baseball and loves it.  He likes basketball but is sure ready for baseball by time it gets here.  Megan is play AAU basketball and finishing up here 8^th grade year.  Darla and I can’t believe we will have a highschooler next year.  Man, they sure do grow up fast! 

Pastor John

I was reading in Proverbs this morning, which I do most mornings, and wanted to share this.  “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).  There is a real confidence in being right with the Lord.  Many times people find themselves in a real mess and not sure which way they should turn.  You see, sin causes confusion and it does not even have to be your sin.  In the midst of the chaos of life and situations it is important to always do what is right.  When the dust settles you will find that doing right was the absolute best thing and it is what God will bless.  Remember the standard of right and wrong is from the Lord and found in His Word.  Doing right is not always the easy way and sometimes it is not even the safe way, but it is God’s desire.  No matter what situation you face or decision that must be made, choose to do right according to the Word of God!  Think about Tim Tebow’s mom.  She was told to abort Tim by some doctors who felt her life was in danger and there was little hope for baby Tim.  She refused to abort Tim and chose to do right!  I think it paid off for her, her family, and the world.

Darla and the kids are doing great and growing like weeds, the kids that is!  Megan just turned 14 and we had a blast celebrating her birthday in Dallas.  This past weekend she played in a basketball tournament in Monroe, LA.  and they all played well.  Brad is playing basketball and is sure ready for some baseball.  He made the all A’s honor roll this 9 weeks and we are so proud of him.  He is just like his daddy!  Ok, just like his mom when it comes to grades.  My sweet wife and I will celebrate 22 years of marriage this month.  I have always said after Jesus saving me, Darla is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.

This past week I have seen God do some amazing things in the lives of people here at Cypress.  We are like every other church; we have sickness, marriages in trouble, and all kinds of crisis.  Through it all, God has proven Himself to be so faithful and good.  The church is still growing like crazy and God is blessing our services and Sunday School.

I shot this 10 point deer this past month and it is the biggest deer I have ever killed.

Pastor John

Well it is a new year and what a great blessing 2009 has been for the Fream family and Cypress family.  I am looking forward to what God brings in 2010.  The year has already started fast and we are seeing some awesome things happen at Cypress.  God seems to really be preparing us for something big and I could not be more excited.  It all starts with Sunday School.  I know some say that it is an outdated concept but I could not disagree more.  We have the finest Sunday Schools around and that is the only way to make a big church small.  It is in Sunday School that you make your lifelong friends and connect with the church.  Worship is my personal favorite time but Sunday School is where we must get folks to plug in.  

I have been blessed this year in hunting.  Brad got his first deer and he really worked hard for this animal.  I was able to harvest a gorgeous 10 point and that is the largest deer I have ever killed.  You would be hard pressed to find a hunter who does not believe in God.  I am not saying that all hunters are saved but I am saying that you would have a very hard time finding an atheistic hunter.  Romans 1:19-20 tells us that all of man knows there is a God.  So if someone says they do not believe there is a God then they are really just lying to themselves.  Hunters and most people see the existence of God in creation around them.  I have never met Thomas Kinkade but I know he exists because I have seen his paintings.  Man should see creation and know that it is the work of a Creator.  

The Freams did make it home for Christmas and we had a great time seeing our families.  The snow was great and the kids had a ball in it.  It is always nice to go see family but it is also nice to get back home here in Benton.  Please be in prayer for the team of six I will be leading to India in a couple of months.  We will be doing some Bible distribution and seeing some wonderful Christian people there in that non-Christian country.   God bless you and let’s see what God does in 2010!

Pastor John