Pastor's Blog

Matt Everett remains in the hospital and that will likely remain the case until this weekend or maybe longer.  Matt has a very good attitude about it (0pposite of what I would be in that situation) and is just following the doctor’s orders.  Just my observation – men sure make good patients!  (Eyes rolling by the ladies reading this entry!).  Keep praying for Matt & Jennifer.

Pastor Mark Mast has now had two successful surgeries (cataract & cornea transplant) on one eye and they will now proceed with the other eye beginning tomorrow (cataract).  Pastor Mark is an amazing follower of Jesus.  Pray for Mark & Tina.

Speaking of Mark & Tina, their son Ben & his wife, Ireland, are expecting their second child.  The baby has a rare health and needs our prayer support.  Join me in praying for this family!

Regular schedule on our campus today.  I mentioned in yesterday’s “blob” entry how much I enjoy our Wednesday morning services.  One of our Wednesday night attendees stopped by the office yesterday afternoon and asked me “how about the Wednesday night services?  Do you not enjoy them?”  He was playfully asking and I know that but point well made.  Yes, I enjoy both Wednesday services!  The teaching is not that great in either service that will improve after today!  Just saying!

I have one request for this Sunday morning’s service which will be my final one as the pastor of Friendship Baptist Church.  The request?  Let’s have a standing room only attendance.  How can that happen?  If you attend and bring others with you.  I want this to be a “to God be the glory” service!

FYI, I will not be in attendance for the services on Sunday, 10/25, or Wednesday, 10/21 or 10/28.  Going to give a little space but then I will be back joining my church family in corporate worship.

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

Matt Everett was admitted to the hospital last Thursday.  He had a surgical procedure which was only partly completed.  The probability is that they will complete the surgery at some point this week once the tests show it is possible. In the meanwhile, Matt remains in the hospital.  Pray for Matt & Jennifer.

Donnie Felps received another round of chemo last week.  Continue to pray for Donnie & Marisa.

Eddie Brinkman was scheduled to see his doctor yesterday but that got postponed until today.  As it stands right now, Eddie is still scheduled for major surgery one week from today – 10/20/26.  Pray for Eddie & Lisa.

More soccer games tonight.  Pray for this ministry.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  Not sure what the plan will be beginning next Wednesday, 10/21, but I have enjoyed the many years of our Wednesday morning services.

Bro. Abel did a nice job of sending the letter I wrote to the Friendship family yesterday!  LOL!  Very, very kind of him!  Was it Bro. Abel or was it AI?  My point is that our service this Sunday afternoon will begin at 4:00PM.  Please note the earlier starting time.

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

My apologies for an entire week of no blog entries.  Red truck week!

I just learned that Matt Everettt is in the hospital.  Not sure of all that is taking place but I will find out.  Pray for Matt & Jennifer.

Not sure what the status is with Eddie Brinkman but will get an update today.  I do know that he is scheduled for major surgery on Tuesday, October 20.  It is expected to be a long surgery.  Pray for Eddie & Lisa.

Good day in our services yesterday.  Our morning attendance was down some but considering the hurricane, some folks still without electricity, public schools begin closed for today & tomorrow then it was not bad.  I have gotten very positive feedback from several folks considering last night’s message.  I appreciate the kind comments.

Soccer games tonight and tomorrow night.  Pray for Bro. Abel and this ministry.

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

I was very pleasantly surprised with the attendance in our morning service yesterday.  We did not fill each chair in the auditorium but we came close.  The amazing thing to me is that the forecast was rain followed by more rain.  That did not deter the baptists from the Friendship family.  I am most thankful!

Sandra Francisco has been diagnosed with a malignancy.  More test results should come early this week.  Pray for Sandra!  By the way, she did get her cast removed so that is good news.

Well, I am now down to two Sundays and one Wednesday as the pastor of the Friendship family.  Unbelievable!  Thank you to Carl Ray Moulds for sharing some encouraging words yesterday in the morning service.  Carl Ray was on the pastor search committee that presented me to the Friendship family for their consideration as the pastor.

Cecil Guidry and an out of town guest will share in the morning service this Sunday, 10/11.

This entry is being written from Elizabethtown, KY while sitting in a hotel lobby.  It is past midnight here and almost midnight in South Mobile County.  A group of us are traveling to Holland, MI for the annual GRACE Gathering which will take place Tuesday night, 10/6.  Looking for a great time of sharing with some of the supporters in southwest Michigan.  Special thanks to Dana Taylor for helping locate the shrimp.  They look amazing!

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

Happy thirtieth birthday to our twins, Dana & Gina!  Thirty years old!  Wow, I can still see them as precious little infants and that seems so like yesterday.  Now they each have a son.  Where has the time gone?  Thank you Friendship family for loving our twins unconditionally.  We love Dana & Gina.  Girls, happy birthday!

Well, the weather forecasters are now predicting that today and tomorrow will see Grand Bay get a lot of rain.  Those of us who live South of the tracks saw very little in the way of rain yesterday.  We have seen very little for the past few months.  I have zero complaints as God knows what He is doing.  As one who enjoys the rain I do hope we will see a few buckets full today and tomorrow.  Again, let it rain!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  Lord willing, I will be preaching in the morning service and Bro. Abel will be doing so in the evening service.  Friendship family, come join us!

The record shows that I have posted six thousand five hundred and forty seven blog entries since 2/14/07.  That equals  an entry per day for just under eighteen years if they were consecutive.  Pretty amazing!  The wonder of it all is that our readership has exploded to thirteen readers per day during that time.  No other pastor in the history of the Friendship family has come close to those numbers!  Will the next pastor rival that?

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

Good morning on this Friday.  The date of October 2 will always be etched into our memories as Soy passed from this life three years ago today.  Deidra, Lisa and I were talking earlier today about how it seems like three hours ago while also feeling like it was thirty years ago.  Strange how that works.  Pray for Deidra, Lizzi, Sydney & Audrey today.  Thank you!

John Wayne Bosarge is supposed to be discharged from the hospital today.  Obviously, he has greatly improved.  Keep praying.

NO soccer games tonight or in the morning due to the forecasted rain.  How much will it rain?  Only the Lord knows but I will be thankful for any rain He sends to South Mobile County.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.  I hope you will join us for Bible study and worship.

If my math is correct then there could possibly be only sixteen more blog entries to write after today.  The first entry was written on February 14, 2007.  Wow!  I will have to check and see how many entries have been posted over the past almost twenty years.  Thirteen folks are about to have to make an adjustment to their daily schedule.

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

The soccer games scheduled for tomorrow night and Saturday morning on our campus have been postponed.  Bro. Abel is the source for more information.  Let it rain!

John Wayne Bosarge was much improved yesterday afternoon.  Seems he will be in the hospital for another day or two.  Keep praying!

Dana Snow has to go to the hospital daily for a shot.  This will continue through Monday, 10/5.  The process takes a minimum of four hours.  Her options were to to this or remain in the hospital until Monday.

Good day in our services yesterday.  Our Wednesday morning services are just so special to me.  Yes, I will miss those when I am away.  Really good and sweet spirit in our service last night.  Praise the Lord!

It is good to have Deidra and the girls with us for a few days.  Deidra is glad to spend time with Charles & Ann.

Folks are wanting to know the back story to my retirement.  Here it is:  I am sixty-six years, four months and thirteen days old.  As far as I know I am in good health.  I want to have the freedom to be involved in mission work as the Lord leads.  I love the Friendship family which is why I will continue to serve and worship here when I am in town.  I have stated this publicly for the past several years.  The Lord gave me a peace about retiring from the pastorate.  I did not resign, I retired under zero pressure.    However, Lord willing, I will still be deeply involved in doing ministry.  End of story!  (I have shared this information in strictest confidence so please keep it just between us!  LOL!)

By the way, I will still be available to do celebration of life services.  However, my fee has doubled!  Weddings?  Retired!

The soccer games scheduled for this Friday evening, 10/2, and Saturday morning, 10/3, have been postponed.  See the Friendship sports page for the details.

An even later entry.  (Strange thing is that I distinctly remember posting an entry early this morning.  Oh well!)

Tina Sprinkle’s father, John Wayne Bosarge, was admitted to the hospital yesterday.  He is better today.  Pray for John Wayne.

Our daughter, Dana, was discharged from the hospital late yesterday afternoon.  Thank you for praying for her.

Regular worship schedule on our campus today.

A nice surprise for tonight.  Beginning at 5:15PM everyone is invited to come for a hamburger and/or hotdog supper.  The respective services & classes will begin at 6:00PM.  Pass the word!

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

Late entry.  My apologies.

Keep praying for Sandra Francisco and Donnie Felps in their respective health situations.

Our daughter, Dana, was admitted to the hospital last night due to some concerns regarding her pregnancy.  We are in a “wait and see” mode right now.  She has begun dilating.  She has an infection.  She is pregnant.  It will be a boy or a girl.  I have told you all I know.  We ask for prayers.

Deidra and the girls should arrive here around noon or early afternoon today.  They will basically stop by for a cup of coffee and then head North.

Thank you to folks who have been so gracious in your calls, emails, iMessages, et cetera.  I will reply to each one although it may take me a few days to do so.  I planned on beginning the process last night but this baby thing threw the proverbial wrench in those plans.

Our grandson, Asher, is playing Fall baseball.  This is his first exposure to playing baseball and last night was his third game.  He was hitless in games one and two but got a nice single up the middle last night.  Can you say, “happy camper?”  We were happy for him.

I am now being told there will be some type of “get out of town” fellowship on Sunday afternoon, 10/18.  My preference would simply be to preach that Sunday morning and evening and then come home.  I think the deacons do not want to have to listen to me preach one more time so this fellowship was planned.  Just saying!  They are missing the opportunity for a good nap!  I guess more details will be coming.

I went to Evergreen yesterday afternoon because we needed some things from the Conecuh store.  I am in the parking lot and I hear “Bro. Teddy” and there stood Johnathan, Jamie & Jo Anna Jo Jordan.  Danni was in the vehicle fast asleep.  I left for home before them but it did not take long for lead foot to pass me like I was sitting still.  Where are the troopers when you need them?  (Asking for a friend!)

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