Pastor's Blog

Several folks have asked about how to join the online Bible study that begins tonight at 6:30PM.  You can send me an e-mail requesting information and I will forward you what you need.  Or you can e-mail Daphne (daphnehutto@gmail.com) and she can do the same.  It is a really easy process.  I hope you will be able to join us.

Again, please identify yourself so Daphne knows who is trying to join the meeting.  Just listing it as your electronic device i.e. “iPhone”, et cetera is not sufficient.

Hope to be joined by a good number of folks tonight.

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 (NASB)

Will Reynolds sent me this passage yesterday morning after I had posted. “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his hands toward this house; then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.”
(1 Kings 8:37-40 NASB)

The church office will be open today from 8:00AM straight through until 3:00PM.  Once again, I am reminding folks of the “stay at home” order given by our governor.  If you have to be out for essential purposes and want to bring your offering by the office then that is fine.  Please do not get out just to bring your offering!

As has been the case for the past several weeks, you can mail your offering to Friendship Baptist Church P.O. Box 756 Grand Bay, Alabama 36541.  Or, if you are out for an essential purpose, you can drop your church made payable to Friendship Baptist in the payment slot in Lisa’s office.  Obviously, the easiest way is to simply give online by going to friendshipfamily.net and clicking on the giving tab in the upper right hand side.

We will have the auditorium open this morning from 10:00AM until 11:00AM and then again from 6:30PM until 7:30PM in order for folks to come and pray.  You can bring your offering during one of these times too.  Wait, is this essential?  Personally, I think so!  Please enter the West side door and exit the front door so as to maintain social distancing in case someone else is coming or going simultaneously.

I will also be teaching our Wednesday night Bible study tonight from 6:30PM until around 7:15PM.  It would work best if you would send me your prayer requests via e-mail no later than 5:30PM today.  Daphne will host the meeting via Zoom and she will have to allow you entrance.  Therefore, we need you to sign up with your name and not just as “iPhone”, “iPad”, et cetera.  Each participant will have their audio and video disabled by the host during the actual teaching portion tonight.

The expectation is that we will receive the necessary equipment today in order to do some different things for Easter Sunday.  If so, I will begin to give instructions via this blog tomorrow.  I can tell you that we will have three times of musical worship and preaching – 6:00AM, 8:00AM & 9:15AM.  It appears that this Sunday is going to be a rainy day.  I am planning accordingly.  Stay tuned!

Mary Jackson has been diagnosed with pneumonia.  Pray for her.

Terrell Brooks has a really good friend who is in the hospital battling COVID-19.  He is on a ventilator.  He was in Terrell’s wedding and Terrell was in his wedding.  Their friendship goes back many years.  Pray for Terrell’s friend.

My dad is having some tough days.  Prayers appreciated.

Spoke to Sammy yesterday and he said that Myrtle had a bit of tough day on Monday but yesterday was better.  Keep praying for Myrtle.

Keep praying for Andy Hamil.

Keep praying for Tim Knighten.

Soy, Deidra and the staff of Colegio JET have scurried the past two days to purchase food for the families of the Colegio JET students.  It has become increasingly difficult to purchase in bulk but they were able to secure enough food for this week and next week too.  Basically everything in Guatemala shuts down today through Sunday for Easter week so they had to get everything purchased Monday and Tuesday.  Great job by those folks!  Yes, you can still give to the “lunch bags” by going to shininglightabroad.com.  (I have had folks asking me this question)

Speaking of Colegio JET, if you sponsor a student would you be so kind as to make sure your sponsorship is up to date?  It is very important that our sponsors give on time as this is a major lifeline in keeping the school up and running.  You should have given at least one hundred and twenty dollars this calendar year through March 31.  Just a very friendly reminder.  Thank you for supporting our students!

I sure do miss gathering with the Friendship family in person.  Pastor Jim Cymbala says he pastors the best people which means that he has obviously never met the Friendship family.  Pastor Cymbala is biased and so am I!

For the older folks like me – do you remember watching as Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record on this date in 1974? I do very vividly.

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

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 (NASB)

The church office is open today from 8:00AM until 3:00PM.  Bro. Abel and I will be manning the fort.  However, I am asking folks to stay at home unless it is an emergency.  I would love to sit and chat with you but this is not the time.  You did well yesterday and I know you will do likewise the rest of the week.  Lord willing, we will go back to regular office hours beginning Monday, 4/13.

I really do not have any updates on those folks I listed in yesterday’s blog.  God knows each one and their particular situation so please keep praying.

Pray for the medical folks who are on the frontlines in the battle against this virus.  Pray for our President and our Vice-President.  Pray for our Surgeon General.  Pray for those presently infected and for those who have lost loved ones to this virus.  Pray without ceasing.

Our Easter Sunday is set – drive in worship at 6:00AM with the message being delivered by Pastor Wes Bates.  Another drive in service at 8:00AM with the message being delivered by the pastor.  An online streaming service at 9:15AM with the message being delivered by Bro. Abel Garcia.  I need to actually get the necessary equipment in hand before I get too elaborate with the details of these services.  Hopefully, that will happen no later than Wednesday.

I am even praying about the possibility of having a late Saturday afternoon drive in service.  Just something in the early stages of prayer right now.  Trying to involve as many folks as possible in our Easter weekend.  Join me in praying for direction concerning this Saturday service.

We will not have our Easter musical this Sunday but I am totally committed to having it eventually.  When is eventually?  Great question!  I am thinking at some point in May or it could be June.

Same scenario for our children’s choir program.  If possible, we will just go back to back Sundays for these programs.  Pray for this to become a reality.

I am going to ask that the folks attending the various drive in services this Sunday bring a sacrificial offering with them.  We will have offering envelopes available and a designated drop off point to receive this offering.  You have done well over these past three Sundays and I am grateful.  We need to have a hallelujah offering this Easter Sunday!

I did not mention in my Sunday night blog entry that not only did we exceed the $11,000 mark in the bag lunch gifts but we also had another one thousand dollars given to be used at Deidra’s discretion.  Plus, someone signed up to sponsor a teacher for the entire school year.  What a strong forty eight hours!  Thank you Jesus!

Will & Amy Reynolds gave me some garden plants yesterday.  I am not sure of all that they gave me but some looked like Mary Jane plants.  I will let you know!  LOL!  I hope to get these plants in the ground this Friday.

If the weather forecasters are correct then we are going to get some much needed rain this Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  How will that affect our drive in services?  I am thinking not at all as everyone will be confined to their vehicles.  We just have to figure out something for the musicians, messenger and the electronics.

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

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 (NASB)

The church office is open today from 8:00AM until 3:00PM.  However, I strongly encourage folks to not get out for any reason as the medical folks think this is going to be the worst week yet for the virus.  How about our offering?  My suggestion is either mailing it (P.O. Box 756) or giving online this week.  This would be a good week to not go to the grocery store or any where.

I am still rejoicing over God’s blessings and the wonderful job the “terrific thirteen” did for forty eight hours this weekend.  Just amazing!

Mary Jackson was taken to a local hospital last night.  Not sure of any of the details but do ask that you join me in praying for Miss Mary.

Belvin McDonald remains at his daughter’s, Karen, house in Mobile.  He is thought to have some pneumonia and was placed on medication for it.  Keep praying for Belvin.

Tim Knighten is awaiting the results of his PET scan.  Keep praying for Tim.

Keep praying for Myrtle Bowden.  Likewise for Andy Hamil.

We were blessed with a good day in our ministry efforts yesterday.  I still do not like the concept but I understand the need for it right now. I appreciate all who are helping make getting the Word out possible.

This Wednesday, 4/8, I will lead our regular Bible study through Zoom beginning at 6:30PM.  I will ask Daphne to host the meeting and participants will have to be granted permission to enter in order to help us know who is joining.  We need for you to sign in using your name and not just “iPhone”, “iPad”, et cetera.  Also, I think it is best that once the teaching begins that all participants turn off their video portion so as to not distract others who are watching.  Living and learning.

Here are our plans for Easter Sunday 2020.  We will have a drive in sunrise service beginning at 6:00AM featuring the preaching ministry of Pastor Wes Bates.  We will then have another drive in service which will begin at 8:00AM.  We will then live stream a service beginning at 9:15AM.  This is a fluid situation as we will have to watch the weather and make some definitive calls maybe as late as Saturday afternoon.  Stayed tuned!

John Milton Ladnier’s garden is looking very good.  He is about one month ahead of me.  Mine is not fairing so well at this point as it needs rain.  I can honestly say that the garden has not been on the top of list priority wise as other things have weighed on my mind.  However, I hope to have something to pick come late May and then in June.  We shall see.

Lisa and I made the decision around 9:00PM this past Friday night to drive to Rocky Ford, Alabama to visit my parents on Saturday.  So, we left at 3:30AM and arrived back in Grand Bay at 7:00PM.  We drove around twelve hours for a three and one half hours visit but it was worth it.  Dad was very quiet but seemed to be doing ok.  Mama was not quiet – enough said!

Want to hear a really good interview?  The U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, did one with Focus On The Family last week.  Kendall Falana sent it to me via e-mail.  You can go online and Google it.  It is like twenty something minutes long but you need to listen to all of it.  Really good stuff.  Thank you Kendall for sharing with me.

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

God showed up and He showed out!  Hallelujah!  Praise His holy name!  To God be the glory!

God used the “terrific thirteen” to lead the way in raising the finances to help feed the poorest of the poor in Guatemala.  Our initial goal was to provide bag lunches for one hundred twenty five families.  Those families represent the one hundred forty three students who attend Colegio JET.  That meant we needed $1,875 to reach this goal.

I was very optimistic that we could reach this goal because I know our blog readers.  The donations began to come in immediately and I then began to think we could do two weeks which would be $3,750.  That would be nice!

As the donations continued to come in I began to think that maybe $5,000 was possible.  Then that changed to me thinking about the “what if” we could get to $10,000 in only forty eight hours?

Well, we did not get $10,000!  The people gave, the Lord blessed and the final total given was $11,355!  Did I just hear a Baptist shout?  This one did!

We had folks from six states give to this challenge.  I am very proud of the Friendship family for the way they responded.  We had senior adults, widows, college students, unemployed folks, company owners, et cetera give.  We had siblings, Billie & Willie to give!  Ross, Tom & Nic all three came through as challenged!

The financial pressure is now completely off Soy & Deidra as they deal with the quarantine in Guatemala.  As a matter of fact, they are now in a position to help other ministries.  Every cent given will be used to feed folks in need with with the primary focus being on our Colegio JET students and their families.

Folks, thank you!  That seems woefully inadequate but what else can you say.  My brother, Eddie, is always a good one to have in your corner when you are raising funds for a worthwhile cause.  He just knows some stuff!

So, maybe now Deidra will be a little less critical of her dad and his daily blogs!  Probably not but at least she will sleep good tonight and will go to sleep with a smile on her face and a song of thanksgiving in her heart.  I know I will!  To God be the glory!

Ok, folks!  We are soooooooooo (I know that is not a word) close to reaching an unbelievable hallelujah goal in the 48 hours challenge.  How close?  Only twenty dollars away!  We have one hour remaining!  Let’s go!

We have just over six hours left until we reach the conclusion of our forty eight hours challenge.  Basically at this point we need one thousand dollars to reach an incredible figure that is probably going to make a Baptist or two shout!

So, I need our “terrific thirteen” to spread the word quickly and let’s finish strong!  If only ten folks would each give one hundred dollars then this shouting figure would be reached!  If twenty folks would each give fifty dollars.  If one person would just go ahead and give the one thousand dollars needed.  You get the point.

Thank you to each person who has given thus far!  The poorest of the poor in Guatemala are saying “thank you” even though they are not even aware of your gifts at this point.

Deidra and I are both amazed at the goodness of God and the generosity of His people.

The clock is ticking!  Let’s go!

P.S. – Final update at 8:00PM tonight.

Let’s just begin calling our blog readers “the terrific thirteen!”  You stepped up big time and we have been so blessed in the initial twenty four hours of this challenge.  I am sure that there have been others do the same but I know that my wife, Lisa, my sister-in-law, Sue, my niece, Jamie, and my friend, Pam Baker have all shared the blog with their friends on FB.  (Of course that was only twenty one friends total between those four but each one counts!).

So, how much has been received?  Well, I am not going to give you a total but I will tell you that we have reached our goal of providing a sack lunch for the one hundred and twenty five families of our Colegio JET students.  We have actually exceeded that goal.  Hallelujah!  To God be the glory!

Does this mean the challenge is over?  No way!  Someone sent me a message today asking if we had met the need?  Great question and I appreciate it.  My reply to that kind person was, “we will never ‘meet’ the need as there are an untold number of hungry people just in the El Tejar region of Guatemala.”

I am asking you to join me in pressing on as we hope to not only provide for our students and their families but also for our teachers/staff who have food needs as well as other ministries that have not been as financially blessed as we have at this point.  How much we will be able to do that totally depends on the next twenty four hours.  Please “share” this need with your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, fellow church members, whomever!  Folks, we can do this by the grace of God!

Please know that GRACE Ministries pays zero salaries in the States and has zero overhead expenses in the States.  Translated – every cent given to GRACE Ministries goes directly to Guatemala.  One hundred percent!  We are blessed in this regard.  The gifts given in the last twenty four hours have been designated to feed the hungry and every cent given through this challenge will go to that purpose exclusively.  Just wanted to make sure you know this.

In the original blog entry last night I called out Tom Compagner, Ross Genzink & Nic Gray.  Two of those three have responded in a beautiful way!  Which one did not respond?  Come on now!  I will just say that the two who did respond are “above” the one who did not and leave it at that.  Just saying!

Tomorrow night, 4/5, at 8:00PM I will give a final update.  I so want to post an amount given that will cause all of us to simply say “that is so God!  To Him be all of the glory!”

One closing word – the very first person to contact me last night after the entry posted was someone who is going through a really tough patch right now in her life.  She and her husband graciously became the first to give as they bought six of the bags of food.  Man, was I ever humbled and blessed!  Absolutely awesome!  That is the spirit of this thing!

Folks, let’s go!

Ok, I need all thirteen of our blog readers to listen up and hopefully respond to the challenge I am about to put before you.  As you know, the entire world is suffering in many ways because of COVID-19.  I know you share my concern for all who are affected especially those in the hospital because of the virus, those who have lost loved ones due to the virus, those on the front lines (health care workers) in this battle against this virus, and our government officials, beginning with President Trump, who are trying to navigate through this most difficult situation.

I think daily of the people in Guatemala.  Obviously, Soy, Deidra, Lizzi, Sydney & Audrey are in my thoughts continually.  (Ok, not Soy but it sounds so spiritual when I write it!).  I think of the teachers and staff at Colegio JET along with the staff and families of Iglesia JET.  I also think often of one hundred and forty three students from Colegio JET who represent approximately one hundred and twenty five families.  So many of these students come from very impoverished situations.  This world wide “shut down” means that they are struggling just to put food on the table for the next meal.  They truly have to pray “give us this day our daily bread” as they have no other options.

Soy, Deidra, the staff at Colegio JET and the pastors from Iglesia JET have been delivering food bags to the families of the Colegio JET students and to others in dire need.  Each bag contains beans, rice, honey, pasta, butter, oil, nutrient drink, salt, sugar, pancake mix, oatmeal, and flour for tortillas.  It is designed to last an average family for like seven to ten days.  The cost is only fifteen dollars per bag.  Therein is the problem for most of our students and their families – they literally do not have fifteen dollars even though it could provide food for their entire family for ten days.  Mama always told me that “you cannot squeeze blood out of a turnip!”  

Some folks have already graciously given and over one hundred bags of food were delivered this past Wednesday.  Praise the Lord!  Thank you as it is more blessed to give than to receive!

So, I am asking our thirteen readers of this blog to step up and join Lisa & me in providing enough money to purchase another one hundred and twenty five bags of food for these families.  I say join because before I started writing this entry I went online and donated enough money to cover sixteen families.  Trying to lead by example.

I am asking you to join Lisa and me by going online at www.shininglightabroad.com, clicking on the support now tab, and then enter an amount you will give.  To the right you will see a drop down menu that allows you to choose “bag lunches!”  You do not have to log in.  You can just give.  You can give in memory or honor of someone.  We gave in honor of Soy!  (Is that sweet or what!)

My goal is that by 8:00PM (48 hours) this Sunday night there will be enough money given online to reach this goal of one hundred and twenty five bags of food.  Will you join this effort?  Give enough for one bag, two bags, twenty bags?  Give five dollars, ten dollars, et cetera?  No gift is too small and obviously no gift is too large (Ross Genzink, Tom Compagner, Nic Gray)!

In the notes section of the giving area, please include this the following, “Deidra, I read your dad’s blog!”  She will say two things in her mind with the first being “why?”  The second will be “thank you and thank Jesus for providing food for the hungry!”

One final thing – would you give and then challenge others to join you?  To match or exceed your gift?  Remember, our goal is one hundred and twenty five bags paid for online at shininglightabroad.com by 8:00PM Sunday night, April 5, 2020.  We can do this and we can give God the glory!  Let’s go!

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 (NASB)

Tim Knighten will have a PET scan today.  Pray for Tim and those performing this scan.  Pray that the results are good!

Eddie’s dad remains in the hospital.  He is seemingly “some” better but still needs our prayer support.

Karla Bosarge’s biopsy will take place on Monday.  Keep praying for Karla.

Bob Evans’ biopsy has been postponed until April 20.  Pray this will not be anything serious.

Our schedule for this Sunday is live stream of music/worship at 8:00AM; Sunday School at 9:00AM and Power Up at 9:30AM.  We have to keep the number of folks in the auditorium at nine or less so we cannot have any extras.  Our Preschool Building is set up to handle nine folks who can see/hear the live stream on the video monitor.  This is really designed for those who do not have the means to watch the live stream at home.  Interested?  Please contact me so we can control the numbers.

Bro. Abel will host an online Discipleship Training class at 5:00PM on Sunday.  I plan on us having a Bible study hosted at 6:00PM Sunday too.

The Friendship family has done pretty good thus far in getting e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers to me at pastor@friendshipfamily.net.  However, we have tons more who need to do that like right now, please!  We are moving to a paperless office and we need this information.  Will you ask your family, friends, et cetera if they have done this yet?

I will most likely not post a regular blog tomorrow or Sunday.  At some point this weekend I am going to post one with a challenge to all thirteen of our readers.

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