HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY SAMUEL!!!

ITS MY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!!!

(Check out that belly!)

I don't know about you, but I cannot believe our little Samuel is one year old already! It simply doesn't seem possible! Just this morning, it was almost like he knew it was his birthday, he jumped up and started walking all over the place. He has been walking, but crawling has still been his preferred mode of travel. Not today! He got up, and Carrie and I just looked at one another as he walked from one side of the office to the other and back again. Yep, things are changing!!!

We won't have an official birthday party till our next trip to Arkansas. That way the Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles can all come. We did bake a cake for Samuel's birthday though, and let him have a big piece all by himself! It was hilarious. The boy loves to eat, and he LOVES cake!

It goes without saying, that I am one blessed man. I have a wonderful wife of almost eighteen years. I have a terrific 14 year old son, who I couldn't be prouder of. Now God has given me this little bundle of life and joy we call Samuel. I sure don't deserve any of it, but I am thankful for all of it.

God continues to faithfully answer your prayers for us as well.

1. We prayed for a job for me, and I have one. I'll start real soon. It doesn't pay a lot, but the benefits are great. I'm very thankful to have it and am looking forward to getting started.

2. We prayed for a home for us in Texarkana, and we made an offer on one today. It is an older house on two acres out in Rondo. The property is beautiful! The house needs a little TLC, but most of you know we have done this before, so we are looking forward to getting our hands dirty again and making this house a home. We don't have it just yet, but the realtor feels like our offer is reasonable, and I think we can come to a final agreement. If all goes well, we should close in less than four weeks. Keep praying a little more on this one. We need/ want them to accept our offer and for the closing process to move along quickly and without a hitch.

3. We still need a renter / buyer for our home in Denton. That is our most pressing prayer need. The house is ready, all of the touch ups and minor repairs are made. The sign is in the yard, now we just need the phone to ring! Pray, pray, pray! :-)

4. Just keep praying for our ministry. We continue to press forward with the church plant. I haven't heard anything from the one church with my resume, so we will keep working towards the door God certainly seems to have opened. As always, we are open to and seeking God's perfect will. The number of people committed to or at least expressing strong interest in a church plant is now about 25 + and seems very likely to grow. God has brought together some GREAT people, with lots of gifts and talents, and great hearts for serving God. We are so excited about what God is doing. We cannot wait to get to Texarkana and get started. So, please just keep us in your prayers, pray for those who have come on board, who are praying about coming on board, and for the Lord's perfect will to be done in all of this.

Love you all and thanks once again for being our prayer warriors. We could not do what we do or make it through what life hits us with sometimes without your constant prayer support! Thanks!

In His Service,

Micah

Oh Yeah! This is gonna rock!

Momma, you da bomb!!!

Yep, learned my eating skills from my Daddy!

What? Have I got something on my face?

Must eat faster!!!! Daddy is eyeing my cake!

I believe this is what they call CHOCOLATE NIRVANA!!!

Is it possible to pick ALL the chocolate off a cake?

Hey Bubba! You want some of this?

I LOVE THIS BIRTHDAY THING!!!!!!

If you can't eat it all, try snorting it! :-)
(Click on this picture and check out that right nostril!)
(NOW THAT IS FUNNY!)

Oh no! I'm running out! or HELP! I can't lick my elbow!

These next pictures are either from Samuel's birthday morning or a few days back.

Yep! Emptied my bed, just like everyday!.

Do you see something just behind the baby bed ruffle?

Yep! Its baby Sam and Piggie, crashed out asleep
(He crawled under there to play with his Bubba,
and fell fast asleep. Bubba snuck out and Dad
got the picture!)

Bubba had to go potty while he was baby sitting,
so this acted as a temporary holding cell!

Hey Pop, check out me walking!

Video 1 of Samuel eating cake!!!!

Video 2 of Samuel eating cake!!!!

Video 3 of Samuel eating cake!!!!

2,000 Visits and Updates!

Hello Everyone,

Today marks the 2,000th visit we have had to this weblog. I can hardly believe that! Your continued love and support for our family continues to bless and amaze us. Thank you so much for being there for our family. May the Lord bless each and everyone of you. We love you!

We have been burning up the roads between here and Texarkana. I think I could drive it in my sleep, I'm not so sure I haven't! ;-) Things continue to progress for us. I have a secular job offer and we have a house we would like to purchase. We are still trying to work out the logistical hurdles of purchasing another house while still having / renting our house here. We will have our house in Denton ready to rent / sell within the week. If all goes well, and we don't anticipate any trouble renting it, the rental market is strong here, we hope to be moved within the next few weeks. Hopefully, we will be there by the end of April at the latest. If we are able to try and buy this house we want, then that might delay us a couple more weeks.

I still have one resume out there with an existing church. We have heard nothing back on it yet. If we do, we will give every opportunity for the Lord to show us He is in it. Barring that, we are pressing forward with what we believe is the Lord's will for us. We are going to start / plant a church in Texarkana.

The number of those committed to a church plant continues to grow. We are somewhere between 15 and 20, with many more expressing interest, asking us to keep them posted, etc., etc. We already have a talented music minister, a talented pianist, and a great person committed to run our children's ministry. We are praying for someone with a heart to reach the youth to come on board, a person with a heart for senior adults, and of course, we could always use more folks with musical talents. Who am I kidding, we need people of all all talents and backgrounds! I am believing God for about 40 committed workers / members for our launch service. This seems to be the number I have in my heart. If half of the people who have given strong indication they are interested come to the first service, we will easily meet or exceed that. For those in larger churches, that may not seem like many, but trust me, great churches have been started with FAR less than what God has already provided us. We are thrilled and excited at what God is doing.

I continue to tweak a simple blog / website. I hope to have it up later this week. I'll send out a link to it when it is ready. The church will be called New Beginnings Baptist Church. For us, the name tells it all. There is a new beginning found only in Christ. There is a new beginning found in His church. There is a new beginning for us in this ministry. There is a new beginning for anyone who has been searching for a church home, who wants a place where they will be loved, accepted, nourished, and welcomed. The Word of God will reign supreme, we will operate on the principle of keeping it simple! We won't try to do everything or be everything to everyone. We are going to keep our eye on the Savior, worship and serve Him with our whole hearts, preach and teach His word in Spirit and in truth, love those God brings us, and serve one another in humility and grace. Anything that deviates from these simple principles, gets the axe! I don't know how to put it any simpler than that!!! :-)

As always, your prayers are coveted greatly! God has already answered so many, but here are a few more for you to keep in mind:

1. We need a home / place to live. We would love to buy this little house on the edge of town, but we have hurdles to overcome. Our personal credit is excellent, but with still owning the home in Denton, we have to be creative to make it happen. If we cannot make that happen, we need a clean, affordable, safe home for a family of four. It doesn't have to be fancy, just meet the criteria set above. We have been beating the bushes, but the rental market in Texarkana is insane right now, the price for a dump is outrageous! God is on His throne, we are just trying to be patient and prayerful.

2. Carrie is still looking for kids to keep. She hopes to keep 2 to 4 kids in our home as a supplement to our income. So, if you know of anyone needing childcare, please refer them to us. If you don't have our new number, please just email us. Thanks in advance on this one!

3. We are still praying and searching for a place to meet. A couple of our committed members have offered up there home for a midweek Bible study, and that is super! I would like to have a place, either in a hotel meeting room, or a business that is closed on Sundays, in which to meet on Sunday mornings, in the near future. That will be our primary focus to start, midweek service and morning worship.
Please pray for us on this!

4. We need God to lay a burden on the heart of people for this ministry. We will need those who will be our prayer partners. We will need churches / individuals with a heart to support the ministry financially. We will need those with a burden to join together with us and serve the Lord as a part of New Beginnings.
Will you pray for us hard on this one?

Most all of you know me. What you see is what you get. I don't put on aires and pretend to be something I'm not. I don't preach constantly or focus on money, and I'm not about to start. I don't proseletyze other church members, never have, never will. I am a simple man, with a simple yet life changing faith. I believe God would have me share that faith with the people of Texarkana and beyond. This is my life's calling. Everything I have done, experienced, suffered, and survived, has prepared me for this task. I have been a part of many victories, I have suffered my share of failures. I am an imperfect, fallen man. My weaknesses are many, my Savior is great! I don't pretend that I can be all things to all people, I can only be what God has made me. I give all that I am to my Lord, my family, my calling, and my church. I guess you might say that is my pledge to the Lord and the people of New Beginnings.

My family has survived its share of storms, some we brought on ourselves, others we had no choice, and certainly would not have chosen. Regardless, I can say this. Our God is faithful. He never, ever fails! His grace IS sufficient for any trial, any storm, and any journey. There is a New Beginning found only in Him. We long to share this great hope, life's only hope with as many as God allows. Will you be joining us? Has God laid it on your heart? Pray about it. Seek His will. If it is not God's will for you to join us, stay right where you are or keep searching till you find His place for you. If God IS speaking to you about New Beginnings, call us, write us an email, drop a note in the mail. We will begin sending out weekly updates starting next week, to all those who have either already committed or asked to be kept informed.

Please pray that all we do will glorify the name of Christ. If we accomplish that, everything else will take care of itself! To God be all the glory!

In His Service,

Micah Mauldin, Pastor
New Beginnings Baptist Church
Texarkana, USA

PS SAMUEL'S FIRST BIRTHDAY IS A WEEK FROM TODAY, APRIL 16TH! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT????? WE SURE CAN'T!!!!! :-)

Here are a few new family pictures:

Bubba, you crack me up!!!!

Hey Pop! You got anything to eat???

COME ON!!! I KNOW YOU DO!!!

I love this belt, but I sure hope Daddy never spanks me with it!

You guys don't REALLY think this will hold me do ya?