Pastor's Blog

Stacey & Gayla Dyess are presently taking orders for seafood gumbo.  The order deadline is this Friday, 12/19.  The gumbo will be delivered on Tuesday, 12/23.  Cost is twenty dollars ($20) a quart.  It can be frozen and served eaten later.

The members of the Friendship family are well aware of the fact that Stacey & Gayla can cook!  They did not ask me to share this information or to solicit orders but it may be just what you want for the Christmas season.

This is a fundraiser to help one of their granddaughter’s cheer team go to nationals.  Contact Stacey or Gayla to place an order.  I can give you their number if you so desire.

The Lord blessed us with a good Sunday.  Our morning attendance was strong, not SRO strong but very good.  Our evening attendance was good.  I am thankful for folks who are faithful.

Clinton Stringfellow is home but still needs our prayers.  Please join me in continuing to pray for Clinton!

Bonnie Smiley is having some difficulties health wise.  I do not know all of the details but do ask that you join me in praying for her too.

Daisy, in Guatemala, is facing surgery at some point this week or Sunday.  She will have her gallbladder removed.  Pray for Daisy!  Yes, we did receive an offering for her yesterday and “may” do the same this Sunday, 12/21.

Pastor Shirlon & Jennifer Davis became grandparents yesterday afternoon as their daughter gave birth to a set of twin boys.  I think the birth took place at thirty-four weeks.  I have just told you all that I know but I do ask that you pray for this family.  Congratulations to the entire family!

Regular schedule on our campus this Wednesday, 12/17.

The Inspirations will be in concert at Friendship on Friday, January 2, 2026, beginning at 6:00PM.  A love offering will be received.  Everyone invited!  Pass the word!

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.  Enjoy these cooler (cold?) temperatures while they last.  Blessings!

Two things that were on my mind yesterday, 12/7, were the attack on Pearl Harbor (12/7/41) and Craig Kirschenman’s birthday (12/7/53).

Bro. Abel tells me that our attendance was down in our services due largely in part to the colder and wet weather.  However, Bro. Abel said the spirit in the services was excellent.  Thank you to those who attended.

Pastor Ben Nobles did a great job of preaching the Word at Iglesia JET.  Tim Knighten did an equally great job of sharing during a men’s breakfast before the morning service with forty-six Guatemalan men in attendance.  The building was packed for the service.  Thank you Jesus.

Today, the team here will have the unique opportunity of worshipping by observing a young lady from the team follow Jesus in believer’s baptism.  Right here on GRACE Mountain in the parking lot of the L.G. Camp, Jr. mission house.  How about that!

Keep praying for Clinton Stringfellow, Bonnie Smiley, Rachel Walton and the others on our prayer list.

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

Happy ninetieth birthday to Lisa’s father, Charles Clark.  I know it forecast to be a rainy morning but I do hope it will be a bright day for Charles.  I am very grateful that he allowed me to marry his youngest daughter a few years back.  Happy birthday, Charles.

Bro. Jacob left GRACE Mountain at 3:00AM today.  Pray for him to have safe travels.  He looks forward to joining the Friendship family worship tomorrow.  I think he enjoyed his few days in Guatemala.

Our 2025-26 basketball leagues began play Thursday night and that continues today beginning at 8:00AM.  Pray for Bro. Abel and all those involved in this ministry.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  Bro. Abel will be preaching in both services.  Friendship family, I pray you will be faithful to attend.

Keep praying for those on our prayer list especially Clinton Stringfellow.

Things on GRACE Mountain are going well.  Deidra and the workers here have done a nice job of having things ready, coordinating things, et cetera.  The team the Lord has assembled has been superb.  I am grateful!

Praying for a local church here whose pastor passed away this week and for First Baptist Opelika, AL as their pastor also passed from this life Thursday night.  Pray for these families as well as for their respective church families.

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

Happy birthday to our daughter, Daphne.  I hope that she will have a great day and I am sure that Brad will make sure that happens.  We love Daphne and are thankful for her service to the Lord through the Friendship family.  Happy birthday, Daphne!

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.

I received some heartbreaking news late yesterday afternoon.  Katie Tillman sent me a message sharing that a young family whose three sons ride the bus to Friendship on Sundays had their only daughter, three months old, pass from this life on Thanksgiving morning.  Obviously, the family is devastated.  I am confident that Grant & Katie, Carl Ray, Bro. Abel, Jason & Laura and our other deacons will minister to this family as they walk through this very dark valley.  I am intentionally not sharing their name but do ask that you join me in praying.  Honestly, I did not sleep well last night as I could not get them off of my mind.  May the God of all peace come alongside them in a special way.

Clinton Stringfellow remains in ICU.  Pray for him to recover.

Miss Bonnie Smiley remains in rehab and has around two more weeks there.  Keep praying for Miss Bonnie.

Rachel Walton continues to recover at home and is doing well from the reports I have received.  Keep praying for Rachel & Gary.

All of the GRACE Ministries team, minus one, arrived on the mountain safe and sound yesterday afternoon.  The last person will arrive today, Lord willing.  Pray for this team as they minister today and beyond.  The good news is that Betty Creech will not be cooking breakfast this morning!  LOL!

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

Clinton Stringfellow had emergency surgery yesterday.  The surgery went better than expected.  Clinton will be in ICU for three days or so.  Pray for Clinton, the medical personnel and Clinton’s family.  I appreciate Rita B keeping Bro. Able updated and for Bro. Abel passing those updates along to me.

Bro. Abel tells me that the Lord blessed us with a good day this past Sunday morning.  I am thankful.  I appreciate Bro. Abel, Bro. Jacob and the deacons always ministering but especially so in my absence.

I was blessed with the opportunity to preach at Iglesia JET this past Sunday morning.  The preaching was not much but the Lord blessed in spite of me.  Thank you Pastor Adan for the opportunity.

Today sees twenty-eight folks from four states (Alabama, Florida, Michigan and South Carolina) traveling to GRACE Mountain.  Five others are already in Guatemala.  Pray for traveling mercies, on time flights, et cetera.

Are you too old to be a participant on a mission trip?  Well, we have one first timer coming today who is eighty-two years old.  Just saying.  And then there is Sandra Wilson who is almost one hundred years old!  LOL!

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

Happy Thanksgiving!  I have so much for which to be thankful and one of things close to the top is my church family!  I love the Friendship family and am very thankful to serve as their pastor.  (I am not a big fan of the deacons but. . .  LOL!)

It was a planned surprise and it worked!  I felt the Lord tell me a month or so ago to travel to Guatemala in order to be with Deidra, Lizzi, Sydney & Audrey for Thanksgiving.  So, I arrived in Guatemala yesterday afternoon and to say they were surprised would be a huge understatement!  Lisa sent me with a turkey, Ann’s dressing and all of the other fixings.  The bonus is that Jennifer Davis cooked chicken & dumplings that I brought along as well.  Talk about a good meal!  We are going to enjoy it!  The food will be great, the fellowship even greater!

I pray that you will have a great Thanksgiving Day with Jesus.

Friendship family, our campus is closed today meaning there will be no services, classes, Bible studies, et cetera this morning or tonight.  Obviously, the church office is closed today and will not open again until Monday, 12/1.  The church staff is available in the event of an emergency.

The day before Thanksgiving Day is usually a very busy travel.  Safe travels to those traveling today.

Clinton Stringfellow was sleeping pretty soundly when I visited him in the hospital yesterday.  I am not a medical person but I do not think he will be discharged today.  I hope I am wrong as Clinton would like to go home.  Keep praying.

My plan was to get information from Clinton about Miss Bonnie Smiley.  That did not happen.  So, maybe today I can get an update on Miss Bonnie’s whereabouts, how she is doing, et cetera.  If anyone reading this entry has an update on Miss Bonnie, please send me an email with that information.  Pray for Miss Bonnie.

Rachel Walton remains at home recovering from her surgery.  She is not supposed to be doing any thing but those of us who know Rachel know how that is going.  Rachel is one of the hardest working women I have ever known.  She does not slow down!  Keep praying for Rachel.

I have a full day in front of me today but I hope to pump the proverbial brakes tomorrow and spend some time enjoying family while eating some of my mother-in-law’s dressing which is the best ever!  No doubt!  Our oldest daughter, Deidra, will be in Guatemala tomorrow but she is better off than our second daughter, Daphne, as she will be in Lawrence County – oh my!  Dr. Rex understands what I am saying!  LOL!

We get back on a regular schedule this Sunday morning, 11/30.  No services on Sunday evening.

Not sure if I will post tomorrow so let me go ahead and wish all thirteen of our readers a very Happy Thanksgiving!  I pray that your today and tomorrow will be great with Jesus!

Happy sixteenth birthday to our oldest grandchild, Titus.  Hard to believe, but true.  The crazy thing is that he simply prints out his drivers license today.  Anyway, I hope he has a great day.  We love Titus!  Happy birthday, Titus!

Clinton Stringfellow is an amazing man.  I visited with him late yesterday and he was basically ready to get up and get out of the hospital.  If he is correct (Clinton speaking and not the surgeon), he will be discharged tomorrow so that will be a hospital visit I will not get to make.  Pray for Clinton.

I do not have an update on Miss Bonnie Smiley.  I do ask that you continue to pray for her.

Friendship family, this is basically a “quiet” week on our campus.  I spent a couple of hours in the office yesterday and hope to do the same at some point today.  My plan is to visit Clinton again.  The office will be empty for the rest of the week but our staff is available in the event of an emergency.

I pray those traveling today, tomorrow and back after Thanksgiving Day will have safe travels.

No services on our campus tomorrow.  Regular schedule this Sunday morning, 11/30, but then no evening service.  (Simply giving the Friendship family a break from my preaching – something like that!)

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

Clinton Stringfellow as in surgery for seven hours yesterday – wow!  It now appears that he will be hospitalized for more than the anticipated five days.  Pray for Clinton as he has a rough recovery time in front of him.

Miss Bonnie remains in the hospital.  Keep praying.

Rachel Walton continues to recover at home.  Continue to pray for all to go well.

Gary Walton and four of his workers (Dixie Pools) joined at least seven men from the Friendship family to lay the sod yesterday.  Five pallets laid in about twenty-five minutes.  Are you kidding me?  Nope!  Great job, guys!  Thank you to each man who helped and especially to Gary & crew for delaying their work day in order to help.  “Many hands make. . .”

Regular schedule this Sunday morning and evening.  Join us!

The church campus will basically be closed Monday, 11/24, through Saturday, 11/29.  Regular schedule on Sunday morning, 11/30, but no service on Sunday evening, 11/30.  Our ministerial church staff will be available in the event of an emergency.

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