Pastor's Blog

The Ladies Helping Hands Ministry will meet tomorrow night, 1/10, beginning at 6:00PM in the fellowship hall.  All ladies of the Friendship family are invited to attend this meeting.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Andy Hamil is set to be discharged from the hospital today.  He will go to a rehab facility for an unspecified period of time.  Pray for Andy & Betty.

A member of the Friendship family had a heart cath yesterday.  The results were very good.

Another member of the Friendship family will be having surgery today.  Not sure if I have permission to list that person’s name here so I will not.

Regular schedule today – morning and evening.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Tim Knighten’s father will be buried in Quitman, MS today.  I appreciate Jeff Holifield and Grant Tillman going to Milton, FL yesterday for the visitation with the family.  The pastor did a nice job with the service and Peggy wrote a nice poem about Tim’s father which she read during the service.  Keep praying for the Knighten family.

Visited with Andy Hamil yesterday morning.  He may be discharged at some point today but will be going to a rehab facility instead of home.  Obviously, he needs some physical therapy.  Pray for Andy & Betty.

Thank you to those who asked about Jayden.  He has been diagnosed with a fever virus which is not contagious.  I had never heard of this type virus until yesterday when my niece, Jamie, told me about it.

Are you serious?  44 – 16!  Hey, I am am Alabama fan and I wish they had won last night’s game.  However, as a follower of Jesus, how can you not like Coach Dabo Swinney?  His initial interview after the game was amazing as he definitely gave God all of the glory.  The Lawrence kid was amazing and the Ross kid was even more amazing.  In my opinion, Alabama was outplayed and outcoached in last night’s game.  Congratulations to Coach Swinney and his Clemson Tigers in becoming the first 15 – 0 team in the modern era of college football.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Pray for Tim & Peggy Knighten along with the rest of the family as they will have a visitation and a celebration of life service for Mr. Leslie Knighten at the Wallace Baptist Church in Milton, Florida today from 11:00AM until the 1:00PM service time.  The burial will take place tomorrow in Quitman, MS.  Tim and Peggy are very faithful members of the Friendship family and we certainly want to support them during this time.

Andy Hamil is doing well.  It is possible he could be discharged from the hospital today.  Not sure how probable that is but it is possible.  Keep praying for Andy.

We were blessed with good services yesterday.  The highlight of the day for me was to have Brandon & Pam Baker join the Friendship family by transfer of letter – welcome home!  I hold this young couple in very high regard and believe they are a great addition to the Friendship family.

We are going to remodel our auditorium and prayerfully that will take place this year.  Financial gifts, above one’s regular offering, can be given at any time.  Simply write “renovation” on the memo line of your check or in the designated area on the offering envelope.  You can also give online.  Soon, I will be appointing an ad hoc committee to oversee this renovation.  We are basically talking about painting, carpet, seating and maybe a couple of other things.  Again, the committee will be bringing recommendations as to the particulars.

This Sunday, 1/13, we will receive a love offering in all three services for Danny & Anita Lafferty.  Pray and then give as the Lord leads.

Our deacons are going to host a “Widow’s Day” on Saturday, February 23.  This will involve a meal, a time of encouragement and a great meal.  Plans call for this to take place in the mid afternoon so these ladies can get home before dark thirty.  Widows, please call the church office to sign up for this special day.

I have heard rumor that there is going to be a game tonight.  Personally, I think it could go either way and will be close.  However, I am not the world’s greatest prognosticator – just saying!

Our landline phone rang at midnight.  Dana told me that the baby was burning up with fever.  When we got to the ER his temperature was 104.1.  Motrin followed by an antibiotic and we were back home a little after 4:00AM.  So, all is good but this preacher is somewhat tired.  I am saying that to say there is no telling the number of mistakes you will find in this entry.  My apologies!

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

Andy Hamil’s surgery was deemed a success.  Praise the Lord.  I appreciate deacon Sonny Bates covering for me as I was on the road.  I am also grateful to the other members of the Friendship family who in attendance.  Andy will be in the hospital for  another day, two or three.

Uncle Will’s service was nice.  Graveside only with absolutely beautiful weather.  Thanks to those who prayed.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Andy Hamil is scheduled to have hip surgery this morning.  He fractured his left hip in his fall yesterday morning.  Pray that all goes well.  Pray for Miss Betty as she waits beside him.

I posted the arrangements in an earlier post for Tim Knighten’s dad.  Pray for Tim and family as they walk through this valley.

Lisa and I will travel to Columbus, Georgia today for my Uncle Will’s visitation and service.  We will meet my dad, older brother and his wife in the Montgomery area and then travel together from there.

As far as I know, Danny Lafferty was sent home yesterday.  Keep praying for Danny and remember that we will receive a love offering for Danny & Anita next Sunday, 1/13.

Basketball today beginning at 8:00AM and our bus workers meet at 8:30AM.  Pray for these two ministries.

Regular schedule for the Friendship family tomorrow morning and evening.  Deacons meet at 4:00PM.  Buildings and Grounds committee meets at 5:00PM.

We have now received fifteen thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars in January toward the building of the school in Guatemala.  We have also received an additional two thousand nine hundred fifty dollars in pledges.  That totals eighteen thousand seven hundred dollars which when matched will be thirty seven thousand four hundred dollars.  Praise the Lord!

I am an Alabama fan and I am tired of seeing Monday’s night game advertised over and over and over and over!  Just play the game!

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

Leslie Elam Knighten, age 75 Native of Pascagoula, Mississippi current resident of Pace, Florida.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn Knighten; parents, Peggy Knighten and J.B. Knighten.

He is survived by two sons, Mark Knighten (Sherry) of Gautier, MS and Tim Knighten (Peggy) also of Gautier, MS; several grandchildren, Mark Knighten (Rebecca), Kyle Knighten (Jennifer), Katie Kalb (Brett), Gabby Knighten, Shelby Knighten, T.C. Phillips, Bradley Phillips and Kara Phillips; great grandchildren, Thomas Knighten, Johnathan Knighten, Skylar, Paisley and Easton Knighten, Joseph and Josie Sprinkle, Landon Wiles, Hunter Kalb and Ava and Braxton Phillips.

Leslie was a member of Wallace Baptist Church. When he was in good health, he loved to fish, camp and attend bluegrass festivals. He also enjoyed the company of his two poodles which he referred to as his babies Rosie and Prince.

Trahan Family Funeral Home of Milton is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation is on Monday, January 7, 2019, 11:00 a.m., at Wallace Baptist Church the Service is also Monday, January 7, 2019, at 1:00 p.m., at Wallace Baptist Church, Burial will be at Harmony Cemetery in Quitman, Mississippi on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

Bro. Andy fell at home this morning.  As I am typing this he is being transported by ambulance to the hospital.  It “appears” that he may have broken a hip.  Pray for Andy & Betty, please.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Pray for Tim Knighten and family today as they continue the process of making the arrangements following the passing of Tim’s father last night.

Larry Whitehurst will travel to the Mayo Clinic at the end of this month for a MRI and to meet with the various doctors.  Keep praying for Larry.

Bobby Jack called me yesterday to say that the surgeon said the pain and discomfort being experienced by Bobby Joe is pretty much common because of the severity of the surgery.  Bobby Joe meets with an oncologist on 1/10.

Danny Lafferty is set to be released from the rehab facility today.  Pray for his continued therapy.  Remember the special offering for Danny & Anita on Sunday, 1/13, in all three services.

Lord willing, Lisa and I will leave early in the morning to travel to Columbus, Georgia for my Uncle Will’s funeral service.  I have been asked by my cousin, Jamie, to preach that service.  Prayers appreciated.

Regular schedule this Sunday – morning and evening.  Deacons are asked to meet at 4:00PM.  The Buildings & Grounds Committee is asked to meet at 5:00PM.

Well, Lisa and I were so very happy to see December 12, 2018 come as that meant Deidra and the girls would arrive from Guatemala.  We are not so very happy for tomorrow to come as it means that Deidra and the girls will leave here to spend a week with Soy’s parents and will then depart from there bound for Guatemala.  Who ever knew that twenty four days could pass so quickly?  We are very thankful to each person who has loved on our daughter and her family during these twenty four days.  We are even more thankful to each person who has invested in their lives through prayer, love and finances over the past eighteen months as they have ministered in Guatemala.  Our ultimate “thank you” goes to the Lord Jesus for calling them, using them and keeping them.  Thank you Jesus for these precious days with family!  (Please note that I do not count Charles or Soy in the “family” number – just saying!)

We have twenty seven more days under the “dollar for dollar” matching program to give to the construction of the school in Guatemala.  Yes, up to one hundred thousand dollars will be matched dollar for dollar during the month of January.  Someone gave fifty dollars yesterday which became one hundred dollars because of the match.

One can purchase a ticket in the lower level end zone for Monday night’s CFB championship game for $228 with all fees included.  The scalpers are probably not going to come out on the plus side on this one.  Am I going?  No.  As I have written earlier, Eddie & Sue along with Lisa and I are going to Peru the following week so I do not want to be gone back to back weeks.  Plus, I leave for Guatemala on the last day of the month.

The forecast lows in Grand Bay for the next three nights are forty, forty one, and forty nine degrees – talk about Winter!  Folks, this old boy likes cold weather during the Winter months and we simply are not getting any cold temperatures this Winter.

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

Received word from Peggy Knighten that Tim’s father, Mr. Les Knighten, passed from this life shortly after 6:00PM tonight.  Pray for Tim, his brother, and the family as they walk through this valley.

Terry Brooks had three stents placed in his heart arteries today.  It is possible that he was discharged this afternoon but I do not know if that happened.  Pray for Terry.