Pastor's Blog

Shawn Grant messaged me yesterday to let me know that her surgery was a success and that she made the decision to go home rather than to remain in the hospital (which is what the doctor wanted to do).  She is experiencing a great deal of pain but is happy to be home.  She is grateful for the prayer support from the Friendship family.  Keep praying for Shawn.

Scott Fontenot sent me an update on Tina Sprinkle.  The MRI revealed nothing new so Tina was scheduled to see the doctor and then be discharged.  The tremendous pain is apparently just surgery related as her body has gone through so much lately.  Keep praying for Tina and Kevin.

All of the GRACE Ministries team members arrived home safe and sound yesterday/last night as far as I know.  Robert Wiley saw the surgeon and will have surgery on Monday.  Pray that all goes well.

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

I do not have an update on the outcome of Shawn Grant’s surgery but do ask that you continue to pray for her.

Tina Sprinkle was taken to the emergency room early last night due to major pain.  Tests will be performed to try and find the source of her pain.  Pray for Tina and Kevin.

Charlotte Brown and the girls will be flying/driving home from Canada today.  Pray for traveling mercies.

Bro. Abel says we had a strong attendance in our morning service yesterday but not so much in our evening service.  I appreciate Bro. Abel filling in during my absence.

Eleven folks (First Baptist Hartselle and Friendship Baptist) left GRACE Mountain at 3:30AM heading to the airport.  Twenty-four others (First Wetumpka and First Tanner) will do the same at 6:30AM.  Pray for these folks to have traveling mercies.

Robert Wiley arrived home safely last night and will meet with a surgeon this morning at 8:00AM.  Pray for Robert as they schedule the surgery on his ankle.

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

Shawn Grant will be having surgery this morning.  This is another surgery because of her automobile accident a year or so ago.  Pray for this surgery to go well and for Shawn to be healed from this injury.

The service for Charlotte Brown’s father, Bill Rademaker, takes place today in Canada.  Pray for the family during this time.  Charlotte and the girls are scheduled to fly home tomorrow.  Pray for traveling mercies.

Robert Wiley is scheduled to fly home from Guatemala today.  This was the plan all along.  Pray for an easy travel day for him.  Pray as he will be having surgery on his ankle soon.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and evening.  Bro. Abel will be teaching in both services.

The GRACE Ministries team finished all twenty houses and had the dedications yesterday.  They have done well.  Today, they will minister at the My Special Treasure School and also at the dump.  Pray for a good last day of this trip’s ministry.

If my memory serves me correctly, today is Paul Leytham’s ninetieth birthday!  Happy birthday, Paul!

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

Please join me in continuing to pray for Tina Sprinkle as she recovers from surgery at home.  Tina is a trooper.  Pray for Kevin as her caregiver.

Otherwise, I am going with the “no news is good news” philosophy as it relates to things back home.

Yesterday, one of the members, Robert Wiley, of our GRACE Ministries team suffered a pretty significant injury as he broke an ankle.  He was unloading tools from the truck, was holding a ladder and somehow tripped and fell.  I received the call and my first thought was “where is Kayla Hatcher when you need her?”

I drove Robert the almost two hours back to Chimaltenango and we met Daisy at a local hospital.  An x-ray was taken which showed that he will need surgery which will most likely involve a plate and screws.  The doctor placed a temporary boot/cast on his ankle/foot and Robert will have surgery once he gets home.  Pray for Robert!

Robert Wiley has been on many trips to Guatemala with his church, Lakeside Baptist, and with teams I lead.  He has sponsored a child through GRACE Ministries for years.  He is a huge believer and supporter of this ministry.  Robert is simply one of the finest men I have ever known.  His attitude, like Cindy Stokes in June, has been amazing!

The team will finish two houses today, dedicate twenty and then be finished with the building portion of this trip.  Pray for them.

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

Tina Sprinkle sent me a message yesterday saying she was heading home.  Pain free?  Nope but happy to be home.  Keep praying for Tina & Kevin.

Thank you to each person who has helped Zach & Charlotte Brown during this time of bereavement.  If I understand correctly, the girls are now in Canada with Charlotte while Zach & the boys are at home.  I do not know the details on the service but I do ask that you keep praying for the Rademaker family during this time.

I am told that our numbers were down in our services but I also am told that the weather was stormy yesterday morning.  I appreciate each person who attended and I am thankful to Bro. Abel for sharing the Word.

The team in Guatemala is doing well.  They built fifteen houses Friday & Saturday with ten of those being finished – concrete and all.  Sunday was church, Antigua, a visit to Casa Aleluya and hosting the teachers at the mission house in the evening.  A good day.  Thank you to those who have prayed.

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

Word came yesterday morning that Charlotte Brown’s father, Bill Rademaker, passed from this life.  So, Charlotte is boarding a plane in New Orleans at 7:00AM today flying to Canada.  Pray for Charlotte and her family during this valley experience in their lives.

Bro. Abel visited with Tina Sprinkle yesterday and she was doing better.  So much so that she told him she “might” be discharged from the hospital today.  Tina is a very sweet lady but I think she may be tougher than she is sweet and that is saying a lot! Keep praying for Tina and Kevin.

The Lord blessed and all thirty-eight mission team members arrived safe and sound to GRACE Mountain yesterday afternoon.  What a good group.  I am very thankful to Dr. Clint Landry and Dr. Rex Looney for their continuing to bring members from their respective church to be involved in missions/ministries here.  Pray for this team as they will hit the ground running this morning.

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

Scott Fontenot wrote to share that Tina Sprinkle had a bad night.  A nurse made the decision to withhold her pain medicine due to low blood pressure.  It was 6:00AM today before Tina went to sleep.  Tina has been walking “some” which is a good thing.  Keep praying!

Scott Fontenot sent word yesterday that Tina Sprinkle continues to have pain in her leg but that she was able to get up for a short period of time.  So, Scott describes Tina as being “some” better.  Keep praying for Tina & Kevin.

As far as I know, everything else on the home front is quiet.  They say “no news is good news” and I going with that thought process.

Today will be an active day as far as GRACE Ministries is concerned.  A team of thirty-six folks will be traveling from Atlanta, Pensacola, and Huntsville on two different airlines heading to Guatemala.  Everyone should land by 1:00PM.  Pray for traveling mercies for all involved.

It was originally thought that this would be an all Alabama team.  Not so fast my friend!  Yesterday, we learned that one of our team members is from Mississippi!  Oh no!  I immediately thought about cancelling the trip but then was reminded by Dr. Rex Looney that we do not have any Yankees so it is not all bad!

Deidra and I were able to spend some quality father/daughter time yesterday morning.  That was good for me.  Probably drove her crazy!

Scott Fontenot came to GRACE Mountain in June and came up with this “marvelous” idea of planting a garden for Deidra.  Great plan, Scott.  Only one problem – the garden needs to be made into a Santa Claus (hoe, hoe, hoe) garden and needs fertilizer.  Guess who Deidra has charged with that task?  Yep!  I will be a happy camper whenever Deacon Albritton arrives this afternoon!  Thank you, Scott – for nothing!  Killing me!  (Where are John Milton Ladnier and Stacey Dyess when you need them?  Asking for a friend!)

Speaking of deacons, the Friendship family is blessed with the best!  I am grateful.

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

I ask that you continue to pray for Tina Sprinkle.  While I do not have an update this morning I do know that continues to need our prayer support.  Pray for Tina and Kevin.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and evening.  Bro. Abel (aka Charles Stanley) will be teaching in both services.  Pray for those services.  Attend one of them.

I arrived safe and sound on GRACE Mountain yesterday afternoon.  Had a mechanical problem with my truck which meant I got to ride in an Uber vehicle for the first time.  Traffic was horrible.  Nothing like listening to opera music in Spanish for two hours or so.  LOL!

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

Tina Sprinkle’s surgery went well per the surgeon.  The actual surgery was short but the doctor examined all that has been done and seemed satisfied with what he saw.  I appreciate Scott & Nanette Fontenot being there with Kevin during this procedure.  Bro. Abel visited Tina yesterday morning, I did so in the afternoon and then Scott pulled the third shift.  Prayerfully, Tina will be discharged in a few days.  Praise the Lord!

Happy 90th birthday to Andy Hamil!  I hope his day will be extremely blessed.  I love and appreciate Bro. Andy and Miss Betty.

I am sitting in the Mobile airport waiting to board a flight to Atlanta and then switching planes in order to fly to Guatemala.  I am very comfortable and confident having Bro. Abel, Bro. Chris and our deacons filling during my absence.  The Friendship family is blessed to have these men serving God through the church family.  I am thankful!

One of the highlights for me in going to Guatemala is to enjoy some cooler temperatures.  That is even more so this time as one of the air conditioners in our house has apparently decided to call it quits.  Talk about a hot night!  All I know is that Lisa had best have everything up and running before I return home!  Just saying!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

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