Pastor's Blog

Short and sweet this morning.  First, happy seventh birthday to our grandson, Asher!  I hope his day will be great!  We love Asher!

Yancey Hall will meet with the funeral directors today to make the arrangements for the visitation and celebration of life for Judy.  Once they are finalized, I will post another entry with the details.

Visited with Clinton Stringfellow yesterday.  I am not so sure he had open heart surgery as he looked very good.  He was telling me some of his plans for his garden (which is really more like a farm) this year.  Amazing!

Had a nice visit with Sammy & Myrtle too.  Myrtle looks better than she has in months.  Sammy?  Not so much!  Just saying!  Keep praying for Myrtle.

The women’s ministry will have their monthly diaper give away this morning.

Bro. Abel says there was a packed house last night for the soccer parents meeting.  Crazy!  Soccer fields work day this Saturday, 2/11, from 9:00AM until noon.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening.

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

Bro. Jerry just called me to share that Yancey Hall’s wife, Judy, just passed from this life.  Pray for Yancey, his children and the family during this time.

Wow, the Lord blessed us with a really good weekend.  The basketball awards night was great and was highlighted by basketball spinning artist, Robyn Slain.  Yes, I was impressed by her ball handling skills but even more impressed by the Gospel message she shared with those in attendance.  She had our service last night and perhaps did even better last night than she did the night before!  Thank you for Bro. Abel for bringing Robyn here to share with us.  Good stuff!

Also, our basketball teams did an outstanding job of bringing diapers (over eight thousand) to give to our women’s ministry.  Our women’s ministry gives away diapers to those in need within our community on the first Tuesday of each month.  Obviously, tomorrow is the first Tuesday of this month so this gift comes at just the right time.  Thank you coaches, players and parents!

While we are on our sports ministry, our soccer leagues parents meeting takes place tonight in the CAB.  Contact Bro. Abel if you need more information.

The Lord blessed our morning service yesterday.  Good attendance.  Great spirit.  It was good to see “greatness” among us.  How great is our God!

Today I plan to visit Judy Hall in the hospital, Clinton Stringfellow at home, Myrtle Bowden at home, et cetera.  Pray for these folks.

Jimmy Tagert had emergency surgery (appendectomy) Saturday morning.  He did well and came home.  Pray for his recovery.

Speaking of the Tagerts, they tell me that Dede is doing an outstanding job of teaching our ladies during the 5:00PM hour on Sundays.  Ladies, if you have not done so already, join this class!

Tim & Peggy Knighten are in Houston as Tim will have a scan today and then meet with the doctor tomorrow.  Pray that all goes well.

Jason Husband is supposed to hear on Wednesday from his test results.  It was good having him in our services yesterday.  Thank you to Jay & Angie Oakwood and Kevin & Tina Sprinkle.

Miss Vinnie Brewer as not well physically yesterday and had to miss our services.  In my opinion, no one in the Friendship family is more missed than Miss Vinnie whenever she is unable to attend (which is very rare).  Pray for Miss Vinnie!

Congratulations to Terrell & Marie Brooks as they celebrated their sixty-third wedding anniversary yesterday which also happened to be Terrell’s eighty-sixth birthday!

Lord willing, I will be taking vacation days the rest of this week beginning tomorrow.  If all goes as planned, I will be back in the pulpit this Sunday, 2/12.  With that being said, I “may” blog tomorrow but then will not plan to do so again until Monday, 2/13.

Just in case, I want to wish our grandson, Asher Hutto, a happy seventh birthday tomorrow (2/7) and our granddaughter, Sydney Taylor, a happy tenth birthday on Wednesday, 2/8.  Might as well go ahead and wish my Mama a happy eighty-fourth birthday on Saturday, 2/11, which will also mark dad’s eighty-seventh birthday.

I continue to be blessed by the many folks checking on me and praying for me.  Yes, I had to walk to the church service last night but it is what it is.  Thank you to Matt Moore for stopping to offer me a ride.

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

Regular schedule on our campus today – 9:00AM; 10:00AM, 5:00PM and 6:00PM.

Tim & Peggy Knighten will leave this afternoon heading back to M.D. Anderson for a scan and consultation with the doctor.  Pray for traveling mercies and for a good report.

Marie Brooks’ surgery went well on Thursday.

Keep praying for Clinton Stringfellow, Lee Sessions and Myrtle Bowden.

Our basketball leagues ended yesterday and, once again, they were a success.  Special thanks to Bro. Abel, Shawn & Kristie for a job well done.  Thank you to each person who helped in any other way.  Now, soccer begins!

A belated happy birthday (2/3) to my nephew, Cody Smallwood, and to our daughter, Henni Tran, (yesterday).  They both turned thirty-one.  Wow!

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

Lee Sessions had a work related accident yesterday which required surgery.  He was in Mississippi.  His wife, Elizabeth, has traveled there to be with him as he will be in the hospital for a few days.  Pray for Lee, Elizabeth and family during this time.

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  I pray the members of the Friendship family will be faithful to attend.

Continue to pray for Clinton Stringfellow as he remains hospitalized recovering from his heart surgery.

Also, continue to pray for Judy Hall as she too remains in the hospital.

Marie Brooks is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow.  Pray that all goes well.

Aninha Barrett’s Uncle Bruce passed from this life earlier this week.  Pray for the family.

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

Pastor Jack Bailey’s sister (eighty-seven years old) was tragically killed in a car accident last Friday.  The visitation took place yesterday and the celebration of life service will take place this afternoon beginning at 3:00PM.  Pray for Pastor Tim Keenum and Pastor Jack as they minister during this time.  Obviously, this is Pastor Joe David Bailey’s paternal aunt.  Pray for the family.

Clinton Stringfellow had three bypasses and the surgery went well.  If all goes as planned, Clinton will be in CCU for a couple of days then in a regular room for another four or five days.  Keep praying for Clinton.

Judy Hall remains hospitalized.  The medical folks are still working on the best plan of action for her physical condition.

Our great friend from Montgomery, Decker Terry, is in the hospital.  They are dealing with a recurring physical problem.  Please join me in praying for Decker, Sherry and the doctors treating Decker.

Marie Brooks is scheduled to have surgery later this week.  Pray that all goes well.

Tim & Peggy Knighten head back to Houston next week for a scan and an appointment with the doctor.  Pray that all goes well.  I am pretty disappointed that they did not invite me to join them for bbq!  Just saying!

Good news alert – Myrtle Bowden got positive news from the doctor yesterday.  Her cancer markers went down and she has gained a couple of pounds.  Praise the Lord!  Keep praying for Myrtle.

I continue to pray for our great friend, Kristie Potts, in Michigan as she battles a malignancy.  Please continue to pray with me for John & Kristie!

Our great friend from Millbrook, Josh Fortner, has torn something in his arm (cannot remember the specifics right now) and they have opted to not do surgery for the time being but will go another route.  Pray for Josh & Mandi.

I continue to be blessed and amazed by the number of folks checking on my physical condition.  Thank you!  I am humbled.  Pastor Joe David Bailey has been extremely faithful to check on me.  Gary Walton has contacted me multiple times to see if I am ok.  (He is concerned about the money I owe him – LOL!).  It is great to have a family in Christ at all times but especially in times like these.  I could never mention all of the folks who have contacted me.  Even though Deidra laughed at my blog entry yesterday, she has kept me “smothered” during this time.  That is why I can hardly breathe!  It would be nice to go to the bathroom just once without someone standing outside the door listening!  Just saying!

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

Clinton Stringfellow will undergo open heart surgery today.  I am not sure of all of the details but do ask that you join me in praying for Clinton.  Clinton is obviously an important member of the Friendship family plus a great friend to this pastor.  Actually, Clinton came to me during the invitation on the morning of 1/22 and prayed for me before even mentioning his own physical condition and upcoming heart cath.  Pray for Clinton!

Judy Hall has been in the hospital for several days.  I ask you to join me in praying for Judy, Yancey and the family.  Pray for the doctors to be able to find answers to her physical problems.

Multiple positive reports have come to me regarding the services at Friendship yesterday, the 4:00PM meeting and the Discipleship Training classes.  Praise the Lord!  Friendship family, thank you for being faithful!  Glory to God!

Pastor Doug Chappelle is doing a great job of spiritually leading the mission team.  Not sure who picks out his Sunday morning preaching wardrobe but his messages are scripturally solid.  Pastor Doug is a good one!  I appreciate him!

Thank you to the folks who have checked on my physical condition either by contacting me, Lisa or one of our daughters.  Have I been at my best?  No.  Have I been blessed?  Yes.  I am taking life one breath at a time and trusting God step by step as nothing takes Him by surprise.  God is good!

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

The Lord blessed us with a good day in our services yesterday.   The attendance was good and the spirit was very good.  Praise the Lord!

Brenda Timberlake, Pat Baggett and Ross Genzink all did well through their respective surgeries.  Thank you for praying.

Clinton Stringfellow will have a heart cath done today.  Pray for the doctors to get a clear picture of what is talking place in his heart.

Myrtle Bowden will have a scan done today.  Pray for a good report.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.

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

Our good friend, Ross Genzink, is having a complete knee replacement surgery this morning.  Pray that all goes well.

Brenda Timberlake will be having back surgery this morning.  It will be done as an outpatient.  Pray it will be successful and eliminate the pain.

Bubba Baggett’s mother will be having surgery on her knee today.  Pray for that surgery to go well also.

Clinton Stringfellow will be having a test done tomorrow.  Pray for the doctors to get a clear view of what they need to see.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning (10:00AM) and evening (6:30PM).  Lord willing, I am going to teach in both services.  I do not plan on bailing out on the evening service this week!

I had an appointment with my general doctor yesterday afternoon and it went well all things considered.  I would ask you to pray that my blood pressure will come down as that is my main issue right now.  How high is it?  Yes.

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