Pastor's Blog

Jeanette Bates is scheduled to have outpatient surgery today.  Please pray that all goes well as they repair her shoulder.

Our students arrived safe and sound at camp yesterday.  They were blessed with a really good number of folks including family, church leaders and others seeing them off from our campus.  Special thanks to Bro. Abel and Jerry Poiroux for driving them to Birmingham.  Pray for our students and chaperones to have a time of spiritual renewal this week.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening.  If we have students present they will go into the auditorium.

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

Today is the day!  Our students and chaperones leave this morning heading to youth camp at Samford University.  Bro. Abel will drive the bus.  Pray for traveling mercies and for a great spiritual week for our students and chaperones.

Tomorrow, 7/21, Jeanette Bates is scheduled to have surgery to repair her rotator cuff.  This will be outpatient surgery.  Pray that all goes well.

Elizabeth Sessions is asking for prayer as she is scheduled to have a biopsy on Thursday.  Join me in praying for Elizabeth.

Thank you to each person who attended our services yesterday.  Lisa tells me the services were very good.  Praise the Lord!

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

As far as I know, Bobby Jack Felps remains in the hospital.  Keep praying.

Here are the arrangements for the Barbara Kelley family:  visitation tonight from First Baptist Church of Grand Bay from 5:00PM until 7:00PM.  Another visitation tomorrow morning, 7/18, from 10:00AM until the 11:00AM service time.  Interment at Mobile Memorial Gardens.  Keep praying for Bro. Kerry and family.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday.

Our students leave for camp Monday morning, 7/20.  Pray for them!

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

Nanette Fontenot, Carol Lucky and Veronica Hatcher have all been discharged from the hospital.  Pray for each of them as they continue their respective recoveries at home.

Bobby Jack Felps remains in the hospital.  It appears his issues are heart related.  Pray for Bobby Jack.

I spoke to Edna Pearl yesterday.  She had a very tough Tuesday with a doctor’s appointment and therapists.  The road she and Phil are traveling is a tough one right now but they are trusting Jesus.

The arrangements for Barbara Kelley have not yet been posted online.  I will share them once they are posted by the funeral home.  Pray for Bro. Kerry and the family.

Keep praying for our students as they prepare to leave for camp on Monday morning, 7/20.  Praying for it to be a great week spiritually for our students and the chaperones.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday, 7/19.

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

Nanette Fontenot’s surgery was a success.  The surgeon decided to keep her in the hospital at least overnight.  Keep praying for Nanette and Scott.  Scott is a good caregiver.

Veronica Hatcher’s surgery was a success per the word that came to me from Neely.  Keep praying for Veronica and Neely.

Howard Brinkman’s surgery took around four hours to complete but was successful.  Obviously, Howard remains in the hospital.  Pray for Howard and Vicki.

I found out yesterday afternoon that Bobby Jack Felps is in the hospital.  I “think” he was admitted this past Saturday.  Pray for Bobby Jack.

Carol Lucky remains in the hospital.  I know she wants to be discharged.  Pray for Carol & Terry.

Keep praying for Edna Pearl Morgan.

Continue to pray for Miss Joyce Cherry.  She is living with Eddie & Lisa Brinkman as she recuperates.

Pray for Bro. Kerry Kelley, Jennifer, Steven and the entire Kelley family in the passing of Miss Barbara.  I do not know any of the details but do ask you to join me in praying for this family.

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  Grant Tillman will host a meeting tonight for the parents of the students attending camp next week.  Grant is the point man if you have questions regarding camp.

I appreciate Daphne & Kayla taking Sabrina to Prattville, AL yesterday where Sabrina hooked up with Eddie & Sue.  I appreciate Eddie & Sue driving down to get Sabrina and she now hosting her in their home.   Sabrina will be in the Danville area for the next couple of days before heading to the Wetumpka, AL area.

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

Surgery is the word for today.  As I mentioned yesterday, Nanette Fontenot is having surgery this morning.  Pray that all goes well.  Pray for Scott – enough said!

Veronica Hatcher is also having surgery this morning.  Pray that the doctors can correct her problem.

Howard Brinkman will have quadruple by-pass surgery this morning.  Pray that the doctors will be able to do what they plan on doing during this procedure and that Howard will do well.

Had a nice visit with Carol & Terry Lucky yesterday.  Carol is as sweet as they come.  Such an encourager.  What a great couple.  Keep praying for Terry & Carol.

Spoke to Edna Pearl via the phone yesterday.  Her recovery time is expected to be six months.  I guess she figures if you are going to do it – do it to the extreme!

Grant Tillman will be hosting a meeting for the parents of our students tomorrow night following Bible study.  Important!  Keep praying for youth camp.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening.

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

We were blessed in our service yesterday morning as one young lady came forward during the invitation accepting Jesus as her personal Savior.  Praise the Lord!  God is good!  The Spirit in our service as excellent!

Nanette Fontenot will have surgery in the morning.  This relates to a hiatal hernia.  It should be outpatient if all goes as planned.  Pray for Nanette.

Howard Brinkman, Katie’s Tillman’s maternal uncle, will have quadruple by-pass surgery in the morning.  Pray for Howard.

Carol Lucky remains in the hospital.  Lord willing, I will visit with her today.  Keep praying!

I also plan to see Andy & Betty at some point today.  Continue to pray for Andy & Betty.

Early tomorrow morning, 7/14, I am scheduled to board a plane heading to Guatemala to lead a mission trip.  Oddly enough, I will fly to Guatemala and then Deidra and the girls will fly to Alabama.  Different for sure.  Bro. Abel will be on call in my absence, will preach in my place and will be assisted by our deacons.

The annual cake auction went well.  It seems the heavy rains hurt our attendance some but it was a good afternoon.  I will not list names for fear of missing someone but suffice it to say that I am very grateful to each person who helped in any way which includes attending, providing items to be auctioned and working in any capacity.  How much was raised for the emergency food fund?  Too early to know for certain but it will be North of fifty thousand dollars.  Eventually, hopefully this week, I will have an exact figure to share.  These funds will provide food for hungry children and adults.

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

Looking forward to this morning’s worship service.  Sabrina from Guatemala will be our special guest as she will sing one song and share some words about GRACE Ministries.  Jackie Davidson will be sharing the message in song.  Pray for it to be an awesome day in the Lord!

Carol Lucky remains in the hospital.  She has such a sweet spirit!  Keep praying for Carol & Terry!

The 2026 GRACE Ministries cake auction begins today at 4:00PM.  The meal (cooked by Stacey & Gayle Dyess) will be served beginning at 3:30PM.  All cakes should be in the CAB no later than 3:00PM today.  Praying for this auction to raise thousands of dollars to help feed the hungry in Guatemala.

It is not about the cake but rather about the cause!

It is not about the cow but rather about the cause!

It is not about the condo but rather about the cause!

It is not about the corn beef hash but rather about the cause!

It is not about the cost but rather about the cause!

I am told that at least one person from another church gave online yesterday.  You can do the same if the Lord so leads you.  Simply go to aglimpseofgrace.com, click on donate, and then choose “cake auction” from the pull down menu of categories (under purpose).  Each cent raised through the auction goes directly to an emergency food fund helping feed the poor.

You can mail a check made payable to GRACE Ministries and send it to P.O. Box 223 Grand Bay, AL 36541.

A quick shout out to Henry & Sue Wyse, Paul & Denise Davila, Eddie Albritton and Logan Hatcher for their help setting up the tables & chairs yesterday morning.  Likewise, a shout out to Bro. Abel for cleaning the CAB floor.

Read Matthew 25:35-40.  Jesus is the one primarily speaking in those verses.

We respectfully ask that there be no video or audio of the auction today.  Thank you for understanding and cooperating.

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

Major problems connecting this morning.  Sorry!

First, we are going to set up some of the tables this morning at 9:00AM for tomorrow night’s auction.  Any available folks are asked to meet us at 9:00AM today!  Thank you in advance for any, and all, help.

Carol Lucky remains in the hospital.  Pray for Carol & Terry.

Keep praying for Bro. Andy.

Pastor Alfredo Garcia attended the service for V.R. Broome yesterday.  How nice is that!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning.

Auction meal (cooked by Stacey & Gayla Dyess) will be served beginning at 3:30PM tomorrow.  Actual auction begins at 4:00PM.

Cakes not needing refrigeration can be brought to the CAB before Sunday School or the morning service.  All cakes should be in the CAB no later than 3:00PM, please.

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

I am biased but he blog entry Deidra posted today is, in my opinion, spot on.  You can find it on shininglightabroad.com.  Just FYI.  Blessings!