Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller
A Word from Curt
Thank you for praying for us.
I have been well all week with only one day of sickness.
I am so grateful.
My sweet wife DeDe is the most spiritual person I know. I envy her steady intimate walk with Jesus. I am sharing this with her permission:
On Prayer
It was the first Sunday of a new initiative in our children’s ministry, Children’s Church.
To begin this special time the leader called on one of the children, a seven-year-old boy to pray:
Dear God, please take care of all of us children while we are here loving You.
Ever since that day I have made that prayer my own.
There are many reasons for me to pray:
• I am sinful. These sins weigh me down until expressed and forgiven. Often I do not even know these sins are present until a time of prayer.
• I know that I will sin. I can ask our Lord before to free me. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:13.
• I am dependent. In the very purpose of creation I was not designed to be on my own in my strength. For in him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
• Jesus prays for me. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:34
• I do not know how to influence my children and grandchildren for purposeful living now and prepare them for eternity. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:11
• I want to pray for the Nations. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—[b] so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1-2
I love the working, loving relationship of Lottie Moon and Jesus in this quote: As I wander from village to village. I feel it is no idle fancy that the Master walks beside me and I hear His voice saying gently, ‘I am with you always, even to the end.’
I feel that these are some of the many reasons to pray.
But in the end, the reason I pray is very simple: I love Jesus.
DeDe Iles
Curt, thank you for posting about DeDe’s prayer…..DeDe has always, from day one of meeting her, has in her gently ways and actions shown that she loves the Lord…..your children are blessed to be able to call her mom and you are blessed to be able to call her your wife and your helpmate……..she is loved by everyone…..I thank God for you both and feel blessed to be called your friend.
Carolyn Simmons
Thanks Carolyn.
DeDe is a special woman and I’m so grateful God put us together.
Tell all of your clan hello.
Sure enjoy what you two write. Never met an American President on the beach but last winter my husband gave me a gift of something I had had on my “bucket list” for many years. To hear Former President Jimmy Carter teach his Bible lesson in Plains, GA. What wonderful, honest, kind man who had such a great Bible Study. Recent news of his health has made me so thankful that I got to have such a blessing. We even got to shake hands with him and have our photo made with he and his wife.
Barbara,
That’s a good bucket list item!
Wow! To sit in that Plains Bible study class.
I’ve really been touched by President Carter’s grace in the past week. What a witness to the difference that personal faith makes in a person undergoing adversity.
Ijust wanted to let you know that out of all the people I’ve ever met, I’ve never met a couple quite like Curt & De De Iles. The impact that the both of you have had on my life and countless other young people who you saw potential in is immeasurable. In 1998 you gave me a chance to become a staffer at dry creek baptist camp; little did I know at the time, but that summer would change life forever! That summer I met Mike & Pat Paxton an amazing couple who took me in after I graduated, Tony & Ryan Bourque two bothered who I would eventually start a church with, and many other Jesus freaks who showed kindness to this poor white boy from Lecompte. Mrs De De always knew how to make me feel special. Back then I was terrified of you bro Curt not just because you were my boss but in my mind I didn’t belong there’s. I had this fear that if I let you down it would all go away. Looking back I know it must have been a hard decision to hire me. I was the student applicant who didn’t have transportation to or from camp, and I remember butchering the personal questions on the application. But it never failed if you walked in the room with Mrs De De that fear went away, she had this ability of making me feel as if I was family. What I wanted most in life back then was a family that loved me and that what the two of you gave me. Thank You!
Wow.
Josh, you have honored us with your kind words.
What thrills me is that you’re passing this legacy onward to another generation.
Blessings,
Bro. Curt