Pastor's Blog

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Phil Sims will have eye surgery today.  Pray that all goes well.

Nanette Fontenot will have foot surgery today.  Pray for her.

Bernard Suthoff will have a heart cath.  Pray for the doctor to get a clear view of Bernard’s heart.

Liz Whalen got a good report from the doctor yesterday.  Still some issues but it was a much better report than it could have been. Keep praying for her.

Steve Morris has begun eating some soft foods.  Slowly but surely improving.  Pray for Steve.

Laurie Chandler’s mother has already been discharged from the hospital.  Pray for her recovery.

Bobby & the boys have dropped two games in a row and remain behind the Phillies and Les Hacker’s Braves in the NL East.  The Dodgers have now hit fifty one homers in June and remain two and one half games behind the Diamondbacks.  If they get Manny Machado in a trade then they could potentially become really dangerous at the plate.

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

The arrangements for Oscar Petersen have been completed.  The visitation with the family will take place on Monday night, July 2, with the service being at noon on Tuesday, July 3.  Everything will take place at Serenity.  Pray for Oscar’s family.

Liz Whalen meets with the medical specialist today regarding her scan.  Pray for Liz.

Steve Morris remains hospitalized.  Keep praying.

Laurie Chandler’s mother got a good report following her surgery.  Keep praying.

Carl Ray Moulds will be speaking at a friend’s funeral service today.  Pray for Carl Ray as he ministers to those in attendance.

Phil Sims (eye) and Nanette Fontenot (foot) both will have surgery tomorrow.  Bernard Suthoff will have a heart cath tomorrow.  Pray for these folks.

Regular schedule on the Friendship campus today and tonight.

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

The team began the morning with their usual devotional time.  Dr Mike & Miss Dottie Clark came from the Casa Aleluya Children’s Home and Dr. Mike brought us a good word from the Word.  Dr. Mike & Miss Dottie have always been so very kind to GRACE Ministries, my family and me.  I appreciate the ministry God has given them.  Great folks!

Deidra took a group of twenty plus to the dump to feed the folks working there.  By working I mean going through the trash collecting whatever they can find to resell.  Kenny Cooper brought a word from the Word to those folks.

That group then traveled to San Pedro to minister to some of the families displaced by the volcano.  They ministered by feeding them breakfast.

They then came back and worked at the feeding center in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the building crew went back and built four more houses bringing the total built on this trip to sixteen.  Fifteen of those now have concrete.  Over half are completely finished.  What is left to be done will be done in the morning.

Everyone gathered at the feeding center at 4:00PM and about sixty of our children presented a musical program which included a few Bible verses.  Kendall Hargraves put this program together along with an assist from Tess, Daisy & Diana.  It was a really good program.  Afterwards, we celebrated June’s birthday boys and girls.  We had piñatas and all!  A good time was had by all!

Tonight’s supper was salad and pizza on a neighboring farm.  It was good.  It was a different experience.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

We hope to finish strong tomorrow.  Pray for us.  Blessings!

A good Monday was had by the team.  Deidra led a group to feed some of the folks displaced by the volcano and then they worked in the feeding center.  Those who joined her raved about how great their day was.  They were blessed.

BJ continues to drive the building teams.  Twelve houses are up and eight have received concrete.  Soy, Zach & Jonathan actually took on house down and rebuilt it – long story.  We have done some “cut twice, measure once” but it is all good.

Our afternoon devotion time was really good.  Brandon Knuckles joined Lana & Darin in the musical portion.  Flaming evangelist BJ Parson brought a good word from the Word.

All is good on GRACE Mountain.  Pray for this team.

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Laurie Chandler’s mother will have surgery this afternoon.  Pray that all goes well.

Steve Morris was moved from ICU to a regular room yesterday.  That is a move in the right direction.

Speaking of Steve, anyone from the Friendship family want to keep the back forty mowed in his absence?  If so, contact me personally.

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

The team enjoyed a good Sunday.  There was no morning devotional time as we left at 7:30AM heading to a church service which was held at a local water park.  The service was the regular one for the GRACE Community Church and they had well over one hundred of their folks in attendance.  So, when you added in our team we had a pavilion full plus some.

The church provided some musical worship in Spanish followed by Lana, Rebekah Rankin, Darin & BJ providing some in English.  Pastor Jordan Lollar then brought a timely message from the Word.  Kim, a lady from Texas who is visiting Lazaro & Glendy, served as Jordan’s translator.  They both did well.

Pastor Lazaro, Pastor Jordan, Pastor BJ, one other gentleman from the church and I then made our way into one of the “heated” pools to baptize some new believers.  What a sweet time of worship.

Jeff Holifield and Coach Collier  grilled burgers and dogs early yesterday morning.  After the baptismal service our team served lunch (at 10:00AM) to the GRACE Community Church family.  The church loved it!  Deidra had done all the purchasing of the supplies and such on Saturday.  She has been my right hand on this trip.  I am grateful.

The team then headed to Antigua.  They did lunch on their own and shopped.  At 4:00PM they met in the square and then went to a local church to distribute food and clothes.  Kirk Lightfield and Holly Isom led that ministry opportunity.

The team then gathered at Las Antorchas for a wonderful meal and fellowship.  The highlight of the night was having two of the boys from the feeding center join us for supper.  That was all Deidra’s idea on the spur of the moment while she and I were driving through El Tejar heading the the restaurant in Antigua.  Read her latest blog at shininglightabroad.com if you want to know the details and watch a video.  There is also a video of part of the baptismal service.

Today sees the team leave at 7:00AM heading to the village to build.  Pastor BJ is driving us hard!  The devotional time will take place either late this afternoon or early evening.  Deidra will lead a team back to San Pedro to minister to those displaced by the volcano.

Keep praying for this team.  Keep checking on them.  Blessings!

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

I am told that the day at Friendship was a blessed one yesterday.  Have gotten very good reports on Dr. Michael and his preaching.  (Made me wonder if I had gotten the same Dr. Michael I have heard before?)  I do not know how our attendance was but I do know that the love offering was strong.  I heard from Michael either very late last night or very early this morning and he said that he had a great liberty to preach and that is was one of the best Sundays he has had in some time.  He was also very thankful to the Friendship family for the financial gift.  So, thank you Friendship family and glory to God!  He deserves all of the praise!

Our prayer concerns are many this morning.  Steve Morris remains in ICU and has had some tough days since his surgery.  We certainly need to continue to pray Steve, Virginia and the family.

Infant Ella Rose Bosarge was not discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Hopefully that will happen today.  Pray for Dale, Karla and Ella Rose.

Oscar Petersen’s family meets with the funeral director this morning.  Pray for Oscar’s grandson who will be coming in from out of the country and is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday.  We should know the completed arrangements after this morning.  I will not be around a computer until tonight but will post them here once I know them.  Keep praying for Oscar’s family.

Laurie Chandler’s mother will have major surgery tomorrow in Mobile.  Pray that all goes well.

Liz Whalen meets with a specialist Wednesday to discuss the abnormal findings on her test.

Thursday will be a busy day – Phil Sims will be having eye surgery, Nanette Fontenot will be having foot surgery and Bernard Suthoff will be having a heart cath.  Pray for each of these folks and their respective situations.

I am thankful for our deacons as I know they led the way yesterday.  They will be actively ministering this week as well with all of these ministry opportunities in front of them.  Thank God for our deacons.  Of course, Bro. Jerry is filling his role as associate pastor too and for that I am grateful.

I am also thankful for my wife as she has been doing much in the way of ministry in my absence but she is always doing much in the way of ministry.

Bobby & the boys find themselves three games out of the divisional lead as they are looking up at the Phillies and Les Hacker’s Braves.  They had a nice come from behind win yesterday.  Meanwhile, the Dodgers have made up six games since May 16 when they were eight and one half games out of first place.  They are 25 – 9 since then and have now hit one hundred and two homer runs with seven of those coming in yesterday’s game.  The problem is that they have not made up any ground since June 2 as the Diamondbacks just keep winning too!

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

All is well with the team in Guatemala – praise the Lord!  Saturday was a good day.  Musical worship and then a time in the Word with Tico Vargas.

The team made their way to the building sites and worked hard until around 4:00PM when the skies opened and the torrential rains came along with major thunder, lightning and even some hail.  Pastor BJ is in charge of the building crews this week and he pulled the plug on the work which was the correct call.

Three houses received the concrete and are ready to be closed up.  One other house is ready for the concrete.  Four others are basically ready for the tin.

Deidra took a group of three or four to feed the volcano folks.  They then did the feeding center.  Holly Isom led a group getting the clothes ready for distribution.

Last night was food and fellowship.

Pray for this team.  Thank you for checking on them.

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Liz Whalen left a comment on yesterday’s entry asking for our prayers.  She had a scan that came back abnormal and will see a specialist this coming Wednesday.  Liz is one of the finest ladies I know and an extremely faithful member of the Friendship family.  Pray for her!

Steve Morris obviously remains in the hospital.  Keep praying for him, Virginia and the medical personnel.

The arrangements for Oscar Petersen remain incomplete.  Lisa has stayed in touch with the family for me and the relaying messages back and forth.  The family meets with the funeral home folks tomorrow morning.  I can tell you for certain that the service will not take place the early part of this week as one of Oscar’s grandchildren is in another country.  Pray for Oscar’s family.

Evangelist Michael Mason arrived in Grand Bay safe and sound last night.  I am so in hopes that the members of the Friendship family will be faithful this morning and evening.

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

This is going to be an entry that goes from one extreme to the other.  First, Dale & Karla Bosarge welcomed Ella Rose into this world yesterday afternoon.  She weighed 7.15 pounds and is twenty one inches long.  Mother and daughter are doing fine.  Congratulations to Dale, Karla & Harper!

Second, Oscar Petersen passed from the life somewhere around 9:00PM last night.  I visited with Oscar this past Monday and knew that he was low but not unto death.  Pray for Oscar’s family as they walk through this valley.  As those within the Friendship family know Oscar and Miss Vinnie Brewer were very special friends so I ask you to pray for Miss Vinnie too.  In my opinion, Miss Vinnie could not have been a better friend to Oscar.  And he was a good friend to her as well.

Steve Morris had to have emergency surgery yesterday afternoon.  He will be in ICU for five days and in the hospital for ten days total if all goes as the doctor expects.  He can have nothing to eat or drink for the first five days.  Pray for Steve.  Pray for Virginia.

I am in hopes that the members of the Friendship family will be very faithful in their attendance tomorrow morning and evening as we host Evangelist Michael Mason in all three services.  Pray, attend and give as the Lord leads.

Want to join us on the December 1 – 8 GRACE Ministries trip?  I need to hear from you now.

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