Pastor's Blog

Lindsey Vice just sent me the following:  “Dr. Douglas’ words today were, “This must have been the power of prayer because these types of injuries do not heal on their own.” He even called another doctor into the room to see Tucker’s progress. Best of all, Tucker is now cleared to be a normal, active 12-year-old boy again!  Thank you for your prayers. We are so grateful and give God all the glory!” 🙏💜

On top of my prayer list this morning is Tucker Vice.  Tomorrow he, and his parents, will meet with the eye specialist.  We are praying for a miracle which would mean no surgery.  Pray fervently!

The Lord blessed us with a good day in our services yesterday.  We saw another baptism in the morning service.  Have at least one more scheduled for this Sunday.  God is good and we praise Him.

Bro. Jacob Hall submitted his resignation as our student pastor this past Friday, 6/5.  I am thankful for the time Bro. Jacob spent with us.  Pray for him and his family as they move in a different direction.

Pray for our students and the adults working with them during this time of transition.  God has a plan and we trust Him.

We received a “seed” offering for our student camp in last night’s service.  More to come so give as the Lord leads.

I am sitting in the Mobile airport waiting on my flight to ATL and ultimately to Guatemala.  I have meetings tomorrow and Wednesday and then the team arrives Thursday.  I will have the privilege of sharing the morning devotion with the South Carolina team tomorrow morning and Wednesday morning.  Pray all goes well.

Our auditorium will be closed this Friday and Saturday in order for some painting to be done.  Just FYI.

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus!

Happy forty-fourth birthday to our oldest daughter, Deidra.  Yes, forty-four!  Wow!  One of the tough things about her living in a another country is not being able to be with her for special days like today!  However, Sydney has everything under control!  LOL!  Happy birthday, Deidra, your Mama and I love you!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  Lord willing, I will be in the pulpit both services.

One member of the Friendship family got a great report from the doctor.  This has been an “under the radar” situation but Lisa and I have been praying big time.  Thank you Jesus!

Deacons meeting in the morning.  Regular time and place.

I pray that you will have a great rest of your Saturday with Jesus!

I “think” I wrote this entry early this morning but obviously not as it is not on the website.  Unless someone stole it?  Stranger things have happened!

Jeanette sent me a message last night saying she had talked to Jeff via the phone and he sounded much better.  Translated – he was not confused.  Keep praying for Jeff & Kathy!  (Yes, Jeanette remains confused but what else is new?  LOL!)

Peggy Knighten messaged me yesterday afternoon to share that Tim’s brother, Mark.  He was taken to the hospital last Saturday and discharged Wednesday.  The medical folks have diagnosed him with a malignancy.  He needs to regain some strength, then will see a cardiologist and will then be scheduled for surgery.  Pray for Mark.

Andy Hamil called me last night to share that he has been undergoing tests with at least one more to go.  New flash – Andy is not the most patient person in the world!  So, this waiting is not doing him a world of good.  Pray for Andy & Betty.

Tucker Vice has his next appointment with the specialist this Tuesday, 6/9.  Praying for a miracle!

The visitation with the Jimmy Bosarge family takes place today from Oddfellows in the bayou beginning at 11:00AM.  A graveside service begins at 1:00PM.  Pray for Jimmy’s family.  I can truthfully say this, Jimmy’s brother, Junior, is one of the finest men I have ever known.  Jimmy has put up with Ravan Miller Webster as a daughter-in-law for twenty-six years so that speaks volumes too!  Just saying!

Today is the last day of our 2026 VBS.  Pray for today to go well.  One of our VBS directors is having a birthday today but I do not remember which one.  I do know she is now forty-three years old!  Wow, that is old!  Real old!

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.  Lord willing, I will be in the pulpit for both services.  We will observe the ordinance of baptism in our morning service.  Praying for a great attendance and an even greater spirit.  Consider Jesus!

One more Sunday for “Chloe’s Challenge!”  This week an anonymous donor gave money for four houses – how about that!  Do not let that stop you from begin obedient to God or from receiving the blessing God has for you.  Yes, it is more blessed to give than to receive!

I pray that the rest of your Friday will go well with Jesus!

P.S. – Leslee H had a good Thursday!

Jeanette Bates learned today that her brother, Jeff, was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Montgomery, AL.  Several of our church family members including Bro. Abel, Bro. Jacob and Cecil Guidry prayed with Jeanette at our VBS this morning.  I am sending this now just in case someone reads it before morning and can get a head start on praying for Jeff, Kathy, their girls and Jeff’s siblings.  Jeanette is “Miss Kittie, Jr” in her concern for her family.  Join us in praying!

Why was there no blog entry yesterday?  Fair question.  Lisa and I went out of town for a couple of reasons.  First, I had an early morning meeting with one of the most important, and influential, men I have ever known.  It was like being around Nick Saban on steroids!  Can you say, “E.F. Hutton?”  Then Lisa & I had one business item to which we had to attend.  That took longer than expected but we got home safe and sound.

Happy belated (one day) late wedding anniversary to my niece, Jamie, and her husband, Adam.  How many years?  No clue.  Also, yesterday marked Bro. Robbie’s & Miss Peggy’s wedding anniversary.  Number of years?  Again, clueless.

Bro. Abel tells me that the third day of our 2026 VBS went very well.  Praise the Lord!  Bro. Abel will be sharing the Gospel today.  Pray!

Pray for the Jimmy Bosarge family.  I will be preaching a graveside service for the family tomorrow afternoon at 1:00PM.  This is Chris Webster’s (Ravan) father, Jennifer Everette’s maternal uncle and Junior Bosarge’s brother.  I looked at the obit picture and was surprised how much Jimmy & Junior look alike.  Pray for the Bosarge family.

One more Sunday for “Chloe’s Challenge!”  Give as the Lord leads!  Thank you!

By the way, let me just ago ahead and confess that the frying pan won!  As Dub Ladnier often said, “my wife, my firewood, my business!”

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.

Happy birthday to my father in the ministry, Bro. Johnny Tucker.  I “think” he turns seventy-nine years old today.  (Miss Judy looks forty-nine).  I owe so much to Bro. Johnny & Miss Judy as they have blessed me many times over for the past sixty-five years.  I pray that today will be a special day for Bro. Johnny.

Our first day of VBS 2026 went well.  I am sure there was a hiccup or two along the way but for the first day it was all good.  Pray for day two.  Pray that Jason will relieve me of my bus driving responsibilities.  Just saying!

Remember, no church services tomorrow morning or evening.

Keep praying for Tucker Vice as they meet with the eye specialist again one week from today, June 9.  Praying for a complete healing.  (And for the doctor to tell Lindsey she needs to remain in the States for the entire month of June!).

Andy & Betty Hamil’s doctor daughter should arrive in Grand Bay today.  They will then proceed with the “what is next” in Andy’s situation.  Keep praying!

I continue to pray for Dr. Rex Looney.  Pray for a quick and complete recovery.

Deidra posted a very good blog entry on Shining Light Abroad Ministries yesterday.  Congratulations to Colegio JET.  First, glory to God!  Second, thank you to the administration and staff for investing in the lives of our students.  Deidra has always said that just because you are poor does not mean you are dumb.  So true!  Third, thank you to each person who has prayed, given and gone to Guatemala to pour into the lives of these students.  Folks, we have just witnessed a miracle!  From the beginning our goal was to have the best school academically in Guatemala.  The first test results are in and God has blessed in helping this goal become a reality.  I cannot say it enough, or loud enough, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY!”  Great things HE has done!

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.

First, a huge “thank you” to our nine deacons and their graciously encouraging me to go visit my Mama and attend a church service with her.  Yesterday was such a good day for me being in the morning service at Danville Baptist with Mama, my wife, my three siblings and two sisters-in-law.  Pastor Joe David did an excellent job of sharing the Word!  I also got to attend Sunday School with my older brother.  They have an all men’s class and it is always good!  How can it not be good with Bill & Sammy there?  By the way, Mama once again confirmed that I am her fifth favorite child!  Two side notes – Mama is doing well physically.  any images of me on FB are AI.  Just saying!

I have not gotten to speak to Bro. Abel personally but I “think” we had a good morning service here at Friendship. I think we had two baptisms.  I know we are scheduled to have at least one more this coming Sunday, 6/7.

Praise the Lord!  Lisa and I got back in time to hear to attend the evening service.  Good stuff.  Thank you Dede, Ian, Sienna, Charlotte, Chelsea and anyone else who helped with the choirs.

I sat in on the opening ceremony for our 2026 VBS this morning.  Bro. Abel and Tiffany are doing a nice job of leading this ministry.  Thank you to each person who is helping in any way.  Jason Fosmore obviously does not know that I was fired as a bus driver during last year’s VBS so he has me scheduled to drive tomorrow.  Maybe I will have to get the bus “stuck” tomorrow.  Worked last year!

Are you joining me in praying for Tucker Vice?  I ask you to please do!  Here is my prayer, “Lord, completely heal Tucker with no surgery required.  Also, have the specialist say it would be best if Tucker’s mother remains in the USA through the month of June!”  Just saying!

We have one more Sunday in “Chloe’s Challenge” so give as the Lord leads, please.

I think the Auburn baseball team will win today and get to host a super regional this weekend.

I pray that you will have a great rest of your Monday with Jesus.

P.S. – No services/classes on our campus this Wednesday, 6/3.  Our focus is solely on VBS!

First, happy birthday to my wife, Lisa.  She has had a good day.  She is a much better pastor’s wife than I am a pastor.  I am blessed!  Yes, she looks young enough to be my daughter.  Just glad I got her to say “yes” before she wised up!  (Spencer Bell – take note!).

I am mainly writing tonight as I am now in a place where I take a sabbatical from all personal electronic devices on Sunday.  It has worked well for me and I pray that God is being glorified.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow, Sunday, 5/31.  Sunday School begins at 9:00AM.  The praise team will rehearse, get sound checks, et cetera in the auditorium beginning at 9:10AM.  Worship service begins at 10:00AM.

Bro. Abel will be preaching in my absence in the morning and our children’s choir will minister during the evening service.  Pray for these two services.

Where am I?  Hartselle, Alabama.  Several weeks ago I talked to the deacons individually through email about taking one Sunday morning in order to attend a church service with my Mama.  They unanimously (individually) endorsed the idea.  So, Lisa and I drove up today (Saturday, 5/30).  It has been a good day.  Saw Mama for a very quick visit, visited with Pastor Jack & Miss June Bailey, had a meal with Eddie & Sue (Big Bob’s), visited Kent & Kandy in Athens and then visited Pastor Joe, Lori and Ty in their home.  Long day.  Hard day.  Good day.  Thankful!

Lord willing, I will be on the church campus Monday morning for the start of our 2026 VBS.  Pray for this ministry.

Keep praying for Tucker Vice.  Pray for a miracle.

Attend our services tomorrow!

It was nice being back in the auditorium for the services yesterday.

Still praying for Tucker Vice.  June 9 is the date for the appointment with the specialist.  Praying for a miracle.

Keep praying for Annette Williams.  She is recovering at her daughter’s house.

Maxine Dupont went through a rough patch but the Lord blessed and she is now doing much better.  Maxine was such a great part of the Friendship family until she moved to Texas.  She is an absolute sweetheart.  Pray for Maxine!

Andy Hamil continues to need our prayers as he awaits the “next” in his situation.  Keep praying for Andy & Betty.

Keep praying for Bonnie Smiley.  Pray for no more infections.

Pray for Mark Mast & Rex Looney.

Pastor Joe David Bailey’s mother-in-law, Jennifer Breedlove, passed from this life earlier this morning.  Pray for Joe David, Lori and the family.  I have known Jennifer all of my life.

“Chloe’s Challenge” continues until Sunday, 6/7.  Who is next on the “I will finance the building of a house in Guatemala” list?  You can contact me for more information or to make a pledge.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday, 5/31.  Praying for a great attendance!

Our 2026 VBS begins this Monday, 6/1, through Friday, 6/5.  Pray for VBS.  Please note that we will not have our regular services next Wednesday, 6/3.  Thank you Bro. Abel for reminding me of this important detail.

It is not too early for you to begin praying for our GRACE Ministries mission trip to Guatemala the dates of June 11 – 18.  Thirty-nine team members representing four states and several churches.  The largest number of team members will be from the Friendship family.

I pray that you will have a great rest of your Thursday with Jesus.