By David Hankins, Executive Director, Louisiana Baptists In 1957, Elvis Presley released the song “Blue Christmas” in which he crooned “You’ll be doin’ alright with your Christmas of white but I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas.” Elvis is not the only one who has experienced a blue Christmas. Counselors and researchers have long noted that the Christmas season is associated with sadness, depression, even to the point of suicide, for many, many people. Perhaps you don’t need Elvis or psychiatrists to tell you that the yuletide season can be an occasion for sadness rather than joy. You have your own tale of heartache amidst the mistletoe and madness of our most popular holiday. There is an odd conflict of axioms at Christmas. Is it the “hap, hap, happiest season of all” or a blue Christmas for you? The Apostle Paul writes some words of encouragement out of his own life experience (Philippians 3:12-14) that can provide an antidote for a blue Christmas, or, for that matter, a blue life. Follow these steps Formulate a healthy perspective Paul says, “Not that I have attained … or am already perfect.” That’s quite an admission for one who saw the risen Christ personally and specially, who had a supernatural trip to the highest … [Read more...]
David Hankins: Remembering Katrina
ALEXANDRIA – It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years since hurricane Katrina left her mark across southeast Louisiana. Who can forget how we felt when we saw the broken levees, the flooded homes and churches, the devastation at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, the Superdome refugees and the broken lives. Just a month later, approximately 200 miles to the west, Lake Charles and southwest Louisiana were coming to grips with the devastation left in the wake of hurricane Rita. As Louisiana Baptists from New Orleans returned home to the devastation, Southern Baptists were there with hot meals, prayer, counsel and their own sweat to start the processes of rebuilding. While we helped those in need, opportunity after opportunity occurred and Southern Baptists shared the transforming gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Dennis Watson, pastor of Celebration Church in New Orleans, saw first-hand the combined strength of Southern Baptists. "Two weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the Celebration Church Relief Center served over 117,000 families. This was for a period of 9 months and with the help of over 20,000 volunteers,” (most were Southern Baptists). Through all of the disaster relief, recovery and rebuilding, thousands of … [Read more...]