Pastor's Blog

Our “baker’s dozen” began on 1/13/24 with the emphasis deadline being today, 1/31/24.  Folks, the Lord has shown up and He has shown out.  We are only eight thousand three hundred and thirty dollars ($8,330) away from having every worker on GRACE Mountain covered salary wise for 2024.  How about that!  Yes, God is good, God is great!

I have been asked a million times how folks can help Deidra during this time.  I cannot adequately explain how much relief will come to Deidra if she knows the salaries on GRACE Mountain have been covered for this entire year.  Obviously, you can pray for Deidra but having this lifted from her will be HUGE!

I so want to reach our goal by midnight tonight.  Can/will you help?  You can give online by going to shininglightabroad.com and use the drop down box to go to Colegio JET.

Our workers on GRACE Mountain are some of the finest folks I know.  They are deserving of our support.

What if we get too much money?  Any overage will be used on other badly needed ministry projects at Colegio JET.

At the time of this writing, we have twelve and one half hours before the deadline strikes!

Thank you to those who have given already and to those who are going to join today!  Pass the word!

tcturrentine@gmail.com

The first month of 2024 is only hours away from being gone – wow!

Regular schedule on our campus today.  Bro. Abel will be teaching in the auditorium.  Friendship family, please be faithful to attend!

Jason Husband begins his radiation treatments today.  I “think” his appointment is at 6:30PM.  Pray for Jason.

Paul Davila had his MRI on Monday.  Not sure what the results were but do pray for Paul.

Nanette is not doing a good job of keeping me updated on her mom’s situation.  Just saying!  Pray for Marie.

Last Thursday, the proprietors of Grand Bay’s newest pizza place blessed Gina & me and my wife’s office with pizzas.  Folks, they were very good!  Freshly made by Joey & Amy Switzer.  Yes, I watched as they made two or three pizzas.  The place is call MoJo’s and it is located just North of Vianna Street on Newman Road.  It is literally in Joey’s car wash building.  Soft opening next week and grand opening the week of 2/12.  Tell Joey that I sent you and he will give you an uncharge of ten percent.

Today, 1/31/24, is the self imposed deadline to reach our goal for the “baker’s dozen!”  We have made great progress but still need twenty-six thousand dollars to be completely funded for 2024.  You want to sponsor a teaching position at Colegio JET?  Join the baker’s dozen at five hundred dollars for the year?  Give some other amount? Give the entire $26,000 needed to reach our goal?  Pray for this effort!

Bro. Johnny & Miss Judy will travel home from Guatemala today.  Pray for them to have traveling mercies.

I cannot say enough about the tremendous help Heidi Butler has been to me this week – amazing!  Thank you, Heidi!  What an amazing couple Rhett & Heidi are!

Mark & Ben Mast are traveling to India the dates of February 5 – 16, 2024.  Pray for them and this tremendous ministry opportunity!

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

The visitation and celebration of life service for Gaye Broome will take place this Thursday, 2/1, from the Brewer Baptist Church in Richton, MS.  Visitation with the family will be from 10:00AM until the 11:00AM service.  Pray for V.R. and family during this time.

Jason Husband’s radiation treatments begin tomorrow, 1/31.  He will have forty-three treatments.  Brad & Daphne will take him to the first five.  Here is the schedule from that point forward:  Carl Ray & Charlotte Moulds will handle Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; Scott & Nanette Fontenot will handle Thursdays; David French will handle Fridays.  A number of us are on stand-by should these folks not be able to take a day or more.  Pray for Jason.

Keep praying for Marie Brooks.  Not sure what the doctor told her yesterday.

Well, glory!  Cecil Guidry and Edna Glover had the privilege yesterday morning of presenting Ronnie Calvert with a check in the amount of eleven thousand two hundred and seventy-one dollars!  Yes, $11,271!  That is the love offering given Sunday plus the matching four thousand dollars.  Ronnie wept and could not believe it!  He wrote me to say that he was overwhelmed with gratitude.  Friendship family, thank you for giving to the Lord!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

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

Good morning from the Mobile airport as I will soon board a flight heading to Atlanta and then connect to a flight to Guatemala City.  I appreciate prayers for traveling mercies.

One of Ann Clark’s sisters-in-law, Gaye Broome, passed from this life yesterday morning.  Arrangement pending.  Pray for the family.

Marie Brooks will have a consultation with the doctor today.  Hopefully, they can treat her soon as she is in much pain.  Pray for Marie.

What a blessing to worship with Laney Hyatt yesterday morning as she followed Jesus in believer’s baptism.

Praise the Lord!  The Friendship family gave generously yesterday to the love offering for Ronnie, Nanny & Sofi Calvert.  I am not going to list the total given until tomorrow for a couple of reasons but let me say “thank you” Friendship family for helping Ronnie & family.  I will write more tomorrow.

Brandon Baker, Joey Bosarge & Bill Kendrick rotated off as serving as deacons.  Paul Davila, Grant Tillman & John Whalen were duly selected to serve as deacons for the next three years.  We will ordain John & Paul on Sunday evening, February 11.

Our Finance Committee presented the 2024 proposed budget yesterday and it was approved by the church family.  I appreciate the work of this committee.  Pray that we will be faithful stewards of all God entrusts to us.

Thanks to Ingalls Avenue Baptist Church the Friendship family now owns a 2005 Chevrolet fifteen passenger van.  It should serve us well.

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

Katelyn Johnson sent me a message last night to let me know that Coley’s dad has been discharged from the hospital.  I know he is a happy camper!  Keep praying!

Marie Brooks has cracked her L4 vertebrae.  She sees the doctor on Monday to hopefully schedule a kyphoplasty procedure.  She is in great pain and this procedure brings immediate relief.  Pray for Marie.

Keep praying for Joey Switzer’s dad.  He is at home but is having much difficulty breathing.

Basketball leagues today.  Another Diaper Dandy emphasis!  Pray for Bro. Abel, Shawn & Kristy as they coordinate these leagues.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

Budget proposal discussion meeting at 4:00PM.

Adult choir rehearsal at 4:00PM.

Special offering for Ronnie & Nanny Calvert in our services tomorrow.  Please pray, attend and then give as the Lord leads.

Baptism in the morning service tomorrow.

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

Coley’s dad remains in the hospital but is much improved.  He “may” be discharged today or tomorrow.  Just keep praying!

Josh Miller is doing much better.  Continue to pray!

Good service with The Inspirations last night.  Rainy night but that did not dampen the spirit of those in attendance.  I want to say a huge “thank you” to each person who helped host these guys!

Also, a huge “thank you” to those folks who helped host the men from the Mission of Hope.  I think those guys were pretty much filled to the brim!  Special thanks to Carl Ray Moulds for coordinating this ministry opportunity.

Our Spring soccer league sign up is over.  Why?  The leagues are completely full!  Per Bro. Abel we have two hundred and seventy-five players.  Wow!  This is our largest number ever!  Good stuff!

Basketball tonight and tomorrow.  Diaper Dandy emphasis.  Players, bring those diapers!

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday.  Baptism in the morning service.  Budget discussion meeting at 4:00PM.  Adult choir rehearsal at 4:00PM.

Special offering for the Ronnie Calvert family this Sunday, 1/28.  Pray, attend and give as the Lord leads.

The first GRACE Ministries team of 2024 arrived in Guatemala safe and sound yesterday.  Pray for their week of ministry.

Well, the weather forecasters are calling for rain this afternoon, tonight and until noon tomorrow.  I do hope it will end before Sunday morning but God is in control so I simply trust Him.

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

Well, tonight is the night!  For the second consecutive year the Friendship family will host The Inspirations in a service which will begin at 7:00PM.  Everyone is invited!

It will be our pleasure to welcome the men from the Mission of Hope as our special guests for tonight’s service. Matt Everett and his Sunday School class are graciously providing a meal prior to the service for these men. Thank you to Carl Ray Moulds for handling all of the details.  Pray for these men to be blessed!

Coley Johnson’s dad remains in the hospital.  Still waiting for test results.  Keep praying!

Josh Miller (Arkansas) remains in the hospital.  Good day followed by a bad day.  Pray for Josh and Bro. David.

Per the weather folks the rain is coming.  They are eventually going to get it correct.

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

Happy sixth birthday to our grandson, Jayden.  I pray that he will have a great day.  Lisa and I love Jayden and are thankful to have him in our lives.  Happy birthday, Jayden!

Let’s begin with good news this morning.  The following message came from Larry Crawley yesterday afternoon – “Dr George just informed me my numbers are undetectable and I was supposed to do 2 more treatments but he said not necessary…. I give a thanks to God and my friendship prayer family for this victory.  Praise be to God!”

So far, the doctors have yet to pinpoint the exact place where Coley Johnson’s dad is losing blood.  However, he continues to lose it at a fairly rapid pace.  Keep praying for Mr. Johnson.

Please join me in continuing to pray for Gary Walton as he prepares for knee replacement surgery.  Gary is experiencing much pain!

Michael & Linda Robertson are missionaries in Russia.  The Friendship family has had them in our budget for years.  Linda’s father passed from this life the other day.  Michael & Linda were on a plane heading home when they received the news.  A funeral service will take place in Oklahoma on February 3.  Pray for Linda and her family as they walk through this valley.

Regular schedule on our campus on this rainy Wednesday.  Again, I am praying for the members of the Friendship family to become more involved in attending these services.  For the first time since September 27, 2023, we will be back in the book of II Timothy in our Bible study in the auditorium.  Join us!

The Inspirations will be ministering in our auditorium tomorrow night, 1/25, beginning at 7:00PM.  Pray, attend, and bring others with you.  A love offering will be received.

We will be joined in tomorrow night’s service by the men from the Mission of Hope.  The Sunday School class that is taught by Matt Everett will be feeding these men.  I appreciate those folks doing this.  I am also grateful to Carl Ray Moulds for leading our ministry to the Mission of Hope.

Well, three folks have contacted me regarding the love offering being received this Sunday, 1/28, for Ronnie, Nanny & Sofi Calvert.  Let me just say that at this point inviting Ronnie to join us for the service Sunday morning is not an option.  The forces of hell are having a field day with me but I am undeterred in believing we are going to reach our goal of receiving eight thousand dollars to cancel the Calvert family’s debt so Ronnie can return to Ecuador.  With God all things are possible!

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.  Stay dry!  Be safe on the roads!

Coley Johnson’s father continue to lose blood and the doctors have been mystified as to the reason.  Another test was scheduled to be done yesterday.  Mr. Johnson has received double digit units of blood over the past week or so.  Pray!

The visitation with the Snow family and the celebration of life service for Wanda Snow, Herbie’s mother, will take place today in Citronelle.  I will preaching that service so I ask that you pray for the family as they walk through this valley and for me as I share the Word.  The burial will take place in Mt. Vernon.

Josh Miller had a better day yesterday.  Edna has been faithful to keep me updated on his condition.  Continue to pray for Josh and Bro. David.

Regular schedule on campus tomorrow morning and evening.  I am praying that we, as a church family, will be faithful to our midweek services.  Invite someone to join you.

The Inspirations will be our guests on Thursday night with the service beginning at 7:00PM.  I encourage you to attend and to invite others to do the same.

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.  Stay dry and drive safely as the rains move in late afternoon or tonight.

This past Sunday, 1/21, the Friendship family was blessed to hear Missionary Ronnie Calvert share his heart about his family’s financial situation brought about largely in part due to the pandemic.  Ronnie is stateside while his wife, Nanny, and their daughter, Sofi are in Ecuador.  So, why is Ronnie not in Ecuador?  Fair question.  The Ronnie Calvert family got into debt, personally and ministry wise, during the pandemic.  This led to some problems within the family.  Ronnie came back to Alabama in August of 2023 to work in order to pay off this debt.  He has successfully paid off a little under half of it but still owes approximately eight thousand dollars.  Once that is paid, Ronnie will board a plane heading to Ecuador to be reunited with Nanny & Sofi.  By the way, the family problems have been addressed and reconciliation has taken place.  Professional counseling continues.  Keep praying for Ronnie, Nanny & Sofi.

The Friendship family unanimously voted at the close of Sunday night’s service to receive an offering this Sunday, 1/28, in our services.  Folks, I believe we can reach the eight thousand dollars needed, plus more.  I received an email Sunday night that read, “Wow! His message was awesome tonight. I am all in on getting Ronnie on that plane and back home! My wife and I will be giving $500.00 if not more.”  Amen!  That is the spirit!

Today (Monday, 1/22) someone contacted me to say that their family will match each thousand dollars given up to four thousand dollars.  Yes, you read that correctly!  Four thousand dollars given by the Friendship family will immediately become eight thousand dollars through the matching challenge.  How about that!  Can someone say, “praise the Lord!”

I would like to have Ronnie present in our morning service this Sunday, 1/28, to present him with an eight thousand dollar check if/when we reach the goal.  So, if you would be so kind as to send me an email (tcturrentine@gmail.com) by this Friday noon to tell me the amount you and your family will give to this offering.  Twenty-five dollars, five hundred dollars, two thousand dollars, whatever amount.  I will then have an idea whether we are going to reach our goal of eight thousand dollars or not and I can act accordingly as far as having Ronnie in our service.  You do not have to contact me but it would be helpful.  Obviously, I will not be sharing with anyone the names of those who contact me or the amounts given.

What if we receive more than the eight thousand dollars?  Once the debt is paid then any, and all, remaining funds will go to Ronnie and his family for living expenses.  I believe I am correct in saying that Ronnie will be a plane to Ecuador as soon as possible once the debt has been retired.

Pray, attend Sunday’s morning service and give as the Lord leads.  Pass the word as, believe it or not, not everyone reads these blog entries.