About thirty years ago, as I researched the location for a story that began in the schools where I worked. To be exact, it started in the 4th grade hallways where the “Wall” begins. In this search, I fell in love with North Carolina… Wilmington… Thailian Hall… the Cape Fear River… and the “bridge.” Not the structure made of steel and concrete, the God-created, flesh and blood bridges. I want to take you on that journey and share what I discovered. I have often wondered why North Carolina found a place in my heart. Recently, I discovered the DNA connection. But that’s for the end of the story. In the next few weeks, I hope to show you.
Since its construction in 1855-1858, the City Hall/Thalian Hall building has had the unusual distinction of serving as both the area’s political and cultural center. Listed on the National Register for Historic Places, Thalian Hall is the only surviving theatre designed by John Montague Trimble, one of America’s foremost 19th-century theatre architects. It was built at a time when Wilmington was the largest city in the state. The new building housed the town government, the library, as well as an “Opera House”, seating 1,000 people, which was 10% of the population of the Town.
Wilmington had been a center of theatrical activity since the end of the 18th century. With the building of Thalian Hall, Wilmington became a major stop for national touring artists. During the Civil War, Thalian Hall was in almost constant use as a place of amusement. The theatre was under the control of the 4th Thalian Association for the first two years of its operation until financial difficulties forced their dissolution.
I needed a location for the story I wanted to tell. The place had to have survived the War Between the States. Some people call it the Civil War. Others call it the War of Northern Aggression. I call it the War Congress Could Have Stopped–if they would have done their job. The location had to be somewhat unchanged. Thailian Hall for me was one of those “magical spots” in life where I felt at home and had skills of excitement at the same time. It not only survived… it thrived. It entertained, educated, and helped people block the fear of a war raging around them. Wilmington 1861, the largest city in North Carolina, a city of commerce, a port deep enough for cargo ships, and in the middle of a war it remained untouched until almost the end.
You will want to if you haven’t seen this architectural treasure, Thailain Hall.
Do you need a miracle? When crises come crashing into our lives, leaving us hopeless, we all long for divine intervention. We cry, beg, and negotiate.
Do you need a miracle? When crises come crashing into our lives, leaving us hopeless, we all long for divine intervention. We cry, beg, and negotiate.
Dr. Mark Forrest brings his down-to-earth teaching style, sprinkled with a touch of Louisiana humor to reveal a powerful picture of who Jesus is, and how He answers our prayers of desperation.
What do people do to receive a miracle? Who has the power and the authority to grant miracles? Who can we trust and rely on to save us? Didn’t God perform miracles and wondrous signs? God certainly can and will answer our needs, however He yearns for us to look beyond.
The book Miracles highlights stories of real people in crises from the Old and New Testaments to show examples of how God used miraculous events throughout time. Using the eyewitness testimony found in the Book of John, Dr. Forrest shares the signs behind seven of the thirty-seven miracles recorded in all four Gospels.
From the big picture of God seeking a relationship with us to the detailed promises of a “zoe” life, abundant and eternal, Dr. Forrest weaves a tapestry of God’s love. This study takes the reader beyond the miracle to discover the Miracle Maker and the greatest miracle—healing for the soul, and the “life” we desire.
About the Author Mark Forrest grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, with little exposure to Christianity. But when he was a teenager, a friend told him about Jesus and he trusted in Christ. In college, he sensed a call to vocational ministry and pursued a degree at Southwestern Seminary. He and his wife Gina began their ministry in Malawi, Africa. Returning to Texas, he served at three churches and is Pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury, Texas. Mark and Gina spend their spare time enjoying their six children and three grandchildren.
“It’s my prayer as you read and think about Jesus’ miracles in the Gospel of John, you will discover The Jesus, The I AM, Miracle Maker, who hears your cry and gives life abundantly.” – Mark Forrest
Endorsement “Mark Forrest has gifted the Church with yet another excellent work of theological interpretation crafted for the edification of every believer. Forrest argues the miracles worked by Jesus point us beyond those truly amazing events considered merely on their own. Instead, they function as signs calling us to have faith in the One who is truly God come in human flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, take up and read, then believe and be blessed!” – Malcolm B. Yarnell III, Research Professor of Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Author of Theology for Every Person, Special Revelation and Scripture, and The Formation of Christian Doctrine.
In this miracle where Jesus walks on water, we discover thatJesus gets into the boat with us.
In this miracle where Jesus walks on water, we discover thatJesus gets into the boat with us.
Miracles by Mark Forrest Do you need a miracle? When crises come crashing into our lives, leaving us hopeless, we all long for divine intervention. We cry, beg, and negotiate.
What do people do to receive a miracle? Who has the power and the authority to grant miracles? Who can we trust and rely on to save us? Didn’t God perform miracles and wondrous signs? God certainly can and will answer our needs, however He yearns for us to look beyond.
Dr. Mark Forrest brings his down-to-earth teaching style, sprinkled with a touch of Louisiana humor to reveal a powerful picture of who Jesus is, and how He answers our prayers of desperation.
The book Miracles highlights stories of real people in crises from the Old and New Testaments to show examples of how God used miraculous events throughout time. Using the eyewitness testimony found in the Book of John, Dr. Forrest shares the signs behind seven of the thirty-seven miracles recorded in all four Gospels.
From the big picture of God seeking a relationship with us to the detailed promises of a “zoe” life, abundant and eternal, Dr. Forrest weaves a tapestry of God’s love. This study takes the reader beyond the miracle to discover the Miracle Maker and the greatest miracle—healing for the soul, and the “life” we desire.
About the Author Mark Forrest grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, with little exposure to Christianity. But when he was a teenager, a friend told him about Jesus and he trusted in Christ. In college, he sensed a call to vocational ministry and pursued a degree at Southwestern Seminary. He and his wife Gina began their ministry in Malawi, Africa. Returning to Texas, he served at three churches and is Pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury, Texas. Mark and Gina spend their spare time enjoying their six children and three grandchildren.
“It’s my prayer as you read and think about Jesus’ miracles in the Gospel of John, you will discover The Jesus, The I AM, Miracle Maker, who hears your cry and gives life abundantly.” – Mark Forrest
Endorsement “Mark Forrest has gifted the Church with yet another excellent work of theological interpretation crafted for the edification of every believer. Forrest argues the miracles worked by Jesus point us beyond those truly amazing events considered merely on their own. Instead, they function as signs calling us to have faith in the One who is truly God come in human flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, take up and read, then believe and be blessed!” – Malcolm B. Yarnell III, Research Professor of Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Author of Theology for Every Person, Special Revelation and Scripture, and The Formation of Christian Doctrine.
