Pastor's Blog

This entry is being written a little earlier than normal as I will soon be leaving to drive to Biloxi, MS to pray with Belinda Skelton before her surgery.  She will have a kidney removed.  Pray that it goes well and that the cancer is limited to that one kidney.

Tony Hacker’s surgery went well and he came home yesterday afternoon.  The doctor “shaved” some bone that was pressing on a nerve.  They actually started his surgery at 11:15AM.  Thanks to Bro. Chris for covering for me.

Leasa Salter has another staff infection and will have surgery today.  Pray that will go well.

Amy Huhn’s mother got her scan results back yesterday and the cancer has returned.  I do not know the next step for her but do ask that you pray for Miss Gloria Morrison.

Tena Hovel’s dad, Mr. Alford, is in the hospital.  Larry Whitehurst will not see the doctor today but will do so on Monday.  Anna Carol Bosarge will see a neurologist today related to a problem with a tooth.

We had a really good day in our services yesterday.  It was capped with about 35 young adults gathered for our 8:00PM Bible study.  Lisa & Deidra did their usual good job of feeding that crew.  My wife is awesome!

By the way, the sign up for our third Summer ’12 GRACE trip (young adults) is going very well!  We will definitely reach capacity on that trip so, if you plan on joining us, you had better sign up quickly.  Deb is even letting Caryn go!

Soy joins Will Reynolds in the 30 club today as it is Soy’s birthday!  Wow, Soy could have married my niece, Jamie, as she just turned 33!  I really thought that was pretty old until I realized that Kay Fore Collins turns 40 today!  Now that is old!  (Lee knows some stuff!)  Anyway, happy birthday Soy!  You should take the day off and do nothing – wait, that is what you do everyday!

Gotta go!  Hope you have a great Thursday with Jesus!

Tony Hacker is scheduled to have surgery on his back today.  I suspect it will be an afternoon surgery.  Pray that it will go well and will relieve the pain.

I had a nice visit with Louise Morris yesterday morning.  She was awake and alert and only got seemingly confused on a couple of details.  (Personally, I think that is from hanging out with Sharon Jardee for all of these years – LOL!)  Bro. Kerry will see her this morning and give an update during our morning service.

Belinda Skelton is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow.  Bro. Jerry is going to get the details.  Lane Lofton is scheduled to have surgery on Friday.  Pray for these folks.

Brenda Timberlake’s sister, Lisa, receives another chemo treatment today.  Carla Kyser is recovering from her latest treatment.  Pray for these folks.

Larry Whitehurst has another consultation with the doctor tomorrow.

Slowly, but surely, members of the Friendship family are signing up for the Summer 2012 GRACE trips.  Remember, they will fill once they open to folks outside the Friendship family.  Secure your spot today!

The guys on the ad hoc committee working on plans for the proposed feeding center in Guatemala are asked to meet in my office at 6:15PM tonight.

Regular Wednesday for the Friendship family.  I hope to see you either this morning or tonight.

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

P.S. – Only 17 days until the kickoff of another season of Bama football.  Kim French and I are wanting this to be another NC year for the Tide!

Louise Morris made a significant turn for the better yesterday afternoon.  I visited her yesterday morning and she was sound asleep.  Judy called later to say that Louise was awake, was talking, and was moving her right side.  Amazing!  To God be the glory!  I will see her again this morning.

Lisa & I visited Bro. Robbie late yesterday afternoon.  He had a stent placed inside a stent and was doing well.  He should come home today.  Bro. Jerry visited him yesterday morning as I was in Mobile for a funeral service as well as hospital visitation – thanks to Bro. Jerry for covering for me.

Miss Vinnie Brewer’s brother, J.W. Nowell, was to have a surgical procedure done yesterday in Hattiesburg, MS.  I will get an update today.  Pray for him.

Our granddaughter, Emmy, got a favorable report from the doctor last Friday.  Her count was down and the doctor wants to wait two months before checking her again.  We are grateful to God for His mercies and to you for your prayer support.

Tony Hacker is still scheduled for surgery tomorrow.  Belinda Skelton is scheduled for surgery on Thursday.  Pray for these folks as they go through these procedures.

Carla Kyser continues to recover from her latest chemo treatment.  Brenda Timberlake’s sister, Lisa, receives another chemo treatment tomorrow.  Belvin McDonald is better.  Pray for these folks and all others who are battling cancer.

Amy Huhn’s mother had a scan last week as she has some enlarged lymph nodes.  They are awaiting the results of the scan.  Pray for her.

Jim Thome of the Minnesota Twins hit his 600th major league home run last night.  That puts him in an exclusive club by becoming only the eighth person to ever reach that mark.  I have seen seven of the eight members of the 600 club play via television.  The only member I never got to see play was Babe Ruth but Les Hacker has told me much about watching the Babe play.

Enough about baseball – I am so ready for college football that I watched a NFL preseason game last night between the Texans and the Jets.  I stayed with it because Greg McElroy was playing for the Jets.  (I do not care for the coach of the Jets.)  Joe David Bailey is so wrong when he says the NFL is superior to the college game!  Kent State versus Bama aka clash of the titans in week one – cannot wait!

Interesting read about the body found in the bank chimney in Abbeville, LA.  It was determined that the body has been there since 1984.  No one reported the guy missing, no one heard any cries for help, and no one ever detected an odor.  Wow!

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

We had a wonderful day in our services yesterday.  We give God the glory for the salvation decision in the 10:30AM service and another one took place following that service.  We serve a great God!

Justin Chinners did a very nice job of sharing the message in song last night and it was a joy to have folks from New Life Baptist and New Day Ministries with us for that service.

Louise Morris was taken to the hospital yesterday afternoon and is in ICU.  Word is that she had three seizures.  She recognizes family members but cannot respond to them.  Pray for her!

Bro. Robbie Howard is scheduled for a heart cath this morning.  Pray for him.

Belinda Skelton has been diagnosed with kidney cancer and will have the affected kidney removed this Thursday.  Pray for her as she prepares for this surgery.

Tony Hacker will have surgery on his back this Wednesday.  Pray that the pain will be minimal until he can get into surgery.

Carla Kyser is having a great deal of pain as a result of her chemo.  Pray for her.

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

Bro. Benny McGath gave some more time to working on the CAB ceiling last night and I appreciate his efforts/help in this area.

I asked Carl Ray Moulds to build a ramp in order for a wheelchair to get into the adult Sunday School building much easier.  He finished that job this week and this is going to allow Louise Morris to attend SS.  I appreciate Carl Ray and his efforts/help too.

Kenny Lingle is leading a group of our folks to the Mission of Hope’s 40th anniversary celebration tonight.  Pray that will be a blessed evening.

Got an e-mail from Teresa Ladnier.  She is still having some problems but the doctor thinks they will go away in time.  She is grateful for the prayers.

Bro. Chris visited Summer yesterday and he said she was much improved.  It is possible that she could go home today.

Carla Kyser received her treatment yesterday.  Pray for her

Dean Kapenga & Ryan Elenbaas are leaving Chicago this morning with a team of 32 folks from the Central Wesleyan Church of Holland, MI headed to the L.G. Camp, Jr. Mission House in El Tejar.  This will be the final team of this Summer which has been busy!  Pray that they will have a great week!

I pray that you will have a great weekend with Jesus and I look forward to joining you for Bible study and worship on Sunday morning/evening.

The Lord blessed and we had a great Wednesday in our respective services yesterday morning/evening.  The morning attendance was strong as was the evening.  Bro. Chris told me that had 120 something in the student Bible study and we had a house full for the 8:00PM Bible study.  That inspires me!  Praise the Lord!

Carla Kyser receives a chemo treatment today.  This one takes about six hours so pray for her.  Summer McGriff remains hospitalized.  Bro. Chris will visit her today.

Alisha Vice told us in the 8:00PM Bible study last night that she has applied to work with Samaritan’s Purse and may find out within a few days if she has been accepted and where she will be serving.  Her hope is Sudan but she has basically told them she will go wherever.  Pray for her acceptance and appointment.

If you have a Facebook account, you might want to check to make sure your phone numbers are not being put out there for anyone to see.  This would be especially true if your child has an account (which is against Facebook’s policy) as there is an uproar about the numbers from smart phones, et cetera being posted openly.  I do not know anything about FB but have read this is considered a problem.  (BTW, the hacking group is going to close FB on 11/5/11 anyway)

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

Summer McGriff was in a great deal of pain when I visited her yesterday morning.  One of the words she used to describe her pain was “intense” and she seemed fairly miserable.  Pray that she will soon feel much less pain.

Amanda O’Bannon was doing better and expected to go home yesterday afternoon.  I do not know if that happened or not but she does need our prayers.

Did not get an update on John Meredith’s visit to the doctor.  Carla Kyser gets a chemo treatment tomorrow.  Pray for these folks.

Talked to Tony Hacker last night and it appears he may be having surgery on his back unless something changes pretty quickly.  Pray for him.

Bro. Chris did a nice job of cleaning up in the CAB yesterday as a part of the renovation process.  Bro. Benny began the process of repairing the ceiling last night.  I appreciate these guys and their efforts.

Hooray for Supreme Court in Guatemala!  They ruled that the president’s ex-wife cannot seek the office of president in the September 11 election.  She and her husband divorced this past Spring to get around a law that prohibits a close relative from seeking the office.  She was probably going to win the election.  If I had a vote, I would vote for Tico!

A team from Georgetown CRC will wrap up their final day of ministry in Guatemala today.  This is their second consecutive year to use the mission house.  They are under the leadership of Eric DeYoung.  Pray that they will have a great final day and trip home tomorrow.

Dean Kapenga & Ryan Elenbaas will lead the final team of the summer to Guatemala this Friday, 8/12.  This team will consist of 32 folks and will be from the Central Wesleyan Church in Holland, Michigan.  It will be their first trip to Guatemala.

We are on a regular schedule today.  One significant change for tonight – only 6th – 12th grade students will be allowed in the CAB.  The Royal Ambassadors and Girls In Action will meet in the adult building.  This will become the norm from this point forward as our high school and middle school students meet from 7:00 – 8:00PM for their respective Bible studies.

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

I have not gotten to see/speak to Bro. Chris but I was told that Summer’s surgery went well.  It was an all day affair and Bro. Chris was with Mac & Karen for the duration.  She will be in the hospital for several more days.  Keep praying for her.

Also learned yesterday that Amanda O’Bannon is in the hospital with an infection.  Do not know all of the details but do ask that you pray for her.

John Meredith sees the doctor today regarding his problems with kidney stones.  Pray they can resolve his continued problems.

We are at the point for members of the Friendship family to sign up for next summer’s GRACE trips.  We will open the trips to others after September.  Forms are in the foyer of the auditorium so sign up now.

Plans call for some work to take place in the CAB tonight which means there can be no other activity i.e. basketball, volleyball, et cetera.  Thanks for understanding as we try to finish the renovation.

I was amazed to read about the pastor who was tazed by the staff member this past Sunday and the woman who was stabbed with a knife in the same church service.  Wow!  (This took place in South Mobile County)  As I thought about it, I realized that sometimes worse than that takes place within our churches even without tazers and knives.  Obviously, that goes against the Word of God.

Are you serious?  A seven year old boy was signed to a contract by the Real Madrid soccer team!  Wow!

Speaking of soccer, this past Saturday the folks from our Spanish ministry absolutely destroyed the guys from our church who have been practicing for the past month!  It was ugly!  They should have gotten Logan Wainwright to be on their team as they were handed a big goose egg for their final score!  The good news is that they did get one shot at the goal!

School started for Faith Academy yesterday with the first full day being today.  What happened to the Summer of 2011?

We have had three “might” be interested in going to Guatemala to work on the mission house.  We would need more than that to make it a wise trip.  Let me know.

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

Summer McGriff is having surgery today.  Pray that it will go well.  She will be in the hospital for most of this week.  Pray for Mac & Karen too.  Bro. Chris is covering that surgery for us.

Mitchel Fox was in Sunday School and the second service yesterday.  It was good to see him but Tiff told me last night that he over did it by attending both.  (I think it was my preaching that caused the pain – LOL!)

John Meredith will see a doctor in South Carolina tomorrow in regard to his continuing problem with a kidney stone.  Pray for him.

Gary Walton’s brother remains in the hospital but is better.

Carla Kyser will have another chemotherapy treatment this Thursday.  Pray for her.

There were a couple of private prayer requests shared with me yesterday.  Those needs are for today so just ask God to help in those respective situations.

Officers for this church year (8/1 – 7/31) within our deacon body are Chairman – Jerry Whitmore; Vice Chairman – Larry Whitehurst, and recording secretary – Herbert Benefield.  I thank God for our deacons.

Wow, we had a really good day in our services yesterday.  The attendance was great!  We give God the glory!

Lisa and I were blessed to make it back from Michigan.  God is good!  Pastor Ron and Tom did a nice job of sharing during Mr. Mil’s service.  It was great to see so many of our friends from Michigan even though I would rather the circumstances had been different.  Thanks for your prayers.

The folks from Danville Baptist had a great block party in Hackleburg this past Saturday.  (I do not know what each person’s responsibilities were but I can tell you what Jason Bowling did – nothing!)  They will now host their annul BP on their church property this Saturday.

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

Gary “Cooter” Walton called yesterday afternoon to tell me that his brother had suffered an apparent heat stroke and was in the hospital.  That is all of the information that I have at this time.  Pray for Gary’s brother.

Lord willing, Lisa and I will leave Michigan this afternoon and fly into New Orleans shortly before midnight.  We will attend Mr. Compagner’s funeral service this morning.

Today is my mother-in-law’s birthday.  I think she is 64 or something like that.  The Lord has blessed me with an absolutely wonderful mother-in-law and I am thankful.  Happy birthday Ann!

Lisa and I look forward to joining the members of the Friendship family in Bible study and worship tomorrow.

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