Pastor's Blog

A couple of updates – Alisia Crawley’s mother, Mary Burkholder, remains at home but it appears she is very near passing from this life.  Pray for her four children and the other family members who wait beside her. 

Miss Audrey Brooks remains in an intensive care unit and has taken a turn for the worse.  She has been placed back on a ventilator. 

Judy Ziglar and Neal Barnes have been discharged from the hospital. 

Obviously, you have noticed that we have not been able to post a blog since last Thursday.  The company which hosts our website has been moving us to a new server and it has caused us to have some down time with the site and especially he blogs.  As I write this, the Guatemala blog is still down but hopefully that will be resolved soon.  I apologize for the inconvenience of the past few days. 

Liz Whalen’s father, Floyd Bosarge, was buried this past Saturday in Bayou La Batre.  I would ask you to continue to pray for that family. 

On Thursday night, we received word that a US soldier from Michigan, Jimmy Arnold, had been killed while serving in Iraq.  A close friend to Jimmy, Sara Millard, was on our August ’06 GRACE trip so we are obviously praying for the Arnold family along with the Millard family.  Tim & Ree Millard, Sara’s parents, have been on several GRACE trips with us.

Audrey Brooks, Judy Ziglar, and Neal Barnes continue to be hospitalized as far as I know at this moment.  Mary Burkholder remains at home and her situation has not changed.  I will update as we receive new information on any of these folks. 

Ronnie Owens is scheduled for six to eight hours of surgery this Wednesday.  My understanding is that this is basically exploratory surgery but is very extensive and serious.  Please pray for Ronnie and his family.

The Lord blessed us with a good day yesterday.  Dale Bosarge preached for the first time at Friendship during the 8:00AM service and Edwin Williams preached during the 10:30AM service.  We were happy to see Linda May make a public profession of faith during that second service.  God gives the increase and we give Him the glory.

I had the privilege of preaching for Pastor Roy Stebbins and the folks at Travis Road Baptist during their 11:00AM service yesterday as they hosted their annual missions conference.  Bro. Jerry Hovel preached there last night. 

Speaking of missions, the BCM from USA returned home from Guatemala yesterday and the folks from Capshaw Baptist  from Huntsville, AL arrived in Guatemala yesterday. 

I pray that you will have a great day in the Lord!

The Friendship family received some more sad news last night just before our evening activities began as we learned that Liz Whalen’s father, Floyd Bosarge, passed away.  Mr. Floyd and Miss Joyce live in Coden next to John, Liz, Bridget & Thea.  At the time of this writing, I do not know the arrangements but will post them once they have been set.  Please pray for this family (which includes David Bosarge and Dirk Johnson) as they go through this difficult time. 

As far as I know, Alisia’s mother, Mary Burkholder, has had no significant change in her condition.  The medical personnel with her do not feel that she will live through today but she has already proven them (and me) wrong several times.  Continue to pray for her and the family.

Audrey Brooks, Judy Ziglar, and Neal Barnes are still in the hospital so please pray for them too. 

Our ladies are asked to remember the wedding shower for Kayla Huffstutler, daughter of Kathy Wadkins, this Sunday, 3/18, from 2:00PM until 3:30PM in the fellowship hall.  Kayla is registered at Wal Mart and Target. 

Remember, Hope is alive!  Invite someone to join you for our services on Easter Sunday, April 8th. 

As always, today will be another busy day around Friendship with our morning service at 10:00AM, senior high Bible study and children’s choir at 6:00PM, junior high Bible study, mission friends, RA’s, GA’s, and prayer meeting at 7:00PM, and college/young professionals Bible study at 8:00PM.  As you can see, there is an opportunity for every member of the family to join us in a Bible study/worship experience. 

Audrey Brooks, Judy Ziglar, and Neal Barnes remained hospitalized.  I am not for certain if Mickey Howard is still in the hospital.  Alisia Crawley’s mother, Mary Burkholder, is very near passing from this life.  I spent several hours with Alisia last night and really didn’t expect Mrs. Burkholder to live through the night.  However, it is now a little after 8:00AM and I just spoke to Alisia via the phone and the situation remains unchanged.  Pray for Mrs. Burkholder and the family during this time. 

Our printed newsletter will be mailed today via the U.S. postal service.  We are attempting to move interested folks to an e-newsletter.  If you would like to receive the newsletter electronically, please contact the church office at 445-5412 or kittie@friendshipfamily.net. 

Jerrod Brown, campus minister at the University of South Alabama, and a group of students who are a part of the Baptist Campus Ministries are presently in Guatemala doing ministry/missions.  They have been joined by one school teacher from Canada who is also on Spring break.  He was connected through our missionary friend, Mark Mast.  Pray for this group as they finish the week. 

Please pray about what the Lord would have you to give to our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for home missions.  Our goal is $10,000. 

The Lord blessed and we had a good day yesterday in our three worship services, Sunday School, and Discipleship Training.  Yes, a look at the figures shows that the time change did negatively affect our attendance in the morning services (especially the second service).  The good news is that we will not have to deal with that on the first Sunday in April! 

Our ladies are asked to remember that there will be a wedding shower for Kayla Huffstutler, daughter of Kathy Wadkins, this Sunday, 3/18, from 2:00PM until 3:30PM in the fellowship hall. 

A big thank you goes to each person who participated in our work day this past Saturday morning.  Much was done and we even had folks working around the church buildings and grounds today. 

Plans call for us to host one more Spring work day on Saturday, 3/31, from 8:00AM until noon as we ready for Easter weekend.  We will have our classes, children’s church, and an eggstravaganza on Saturday, 4/7.  So, we need to make certain the area for the egg hunt, et cetera is ready plus we need to do some clean up on the west property now that the house has been removed.  Please put this on your calendar and make plans to join us! 

Please note that our Easter Sunday morning will consist of three worship services – 7:30AM, 9:00AM, and 10:30AM.  We will also have an evening worship service featuring the music ministry of our adult choir at 6:00PM.  Please make plans to attend one of the morning services, the evening service, and to bring others with you. 

Presently, we have one member of the Friendship family in the hospital – Miss Audrey Brooks.  We have three others associated with the Friendship family hospitalized – Neal Barnes (Burney & Jeannine’s son); Judy Ziglar (Jodi Johnson’s mother); and Mickey Howard (Jennifer Jackson’s father).  Neal & Judy are battling cancer while Mickey is battling diabetes.  Pray for all four of these folks and their families. 

Also, I learned from a secret source yesterday that our own Ronnie Owens will have exploratory surgery performed next Wednesday, 3/21.  I don’t know all of the details but do ask you to pray for Ronnie as he awaits this procedure. 

We have received a little over $2,300 toward our $10,000 goal for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for home missions.  Please pray and give as the Lord leads to help us reach our own country with the Gospel.

Jerrod Brown, campus minister at USA, is presently leading a group of BCM students and one high school teacher from Canada on a mission trip in Guatemala.  They are staying in the L.G. Camp, Jr. house in Chimaltenango.  Pray for them. 

SPRING FORWARD is the theme for the day as time changes tonight.  Please remember to set your clock forward one hour before going to bed tonight! 

In a few hours we will have a work day at the church as we get the buildings/grounds ready for Spring.  If you are reading this entry in the morning, please come join us. 

As I mentioned yesterday, Bobby Crawley & Deidra Ramires will be married tonight.  Keep them in your prayers. 

I learned from Bro. Kerry yesterday afternoon that Mrs. Audrey Brooks has been admitted to a local hospital.  She is averaging losing about one pound of weight per week which is not a good thing for her.  Also, Frank (Mickey) Howard, Jennifer Jackson’s dad, has also been admitted to a local hospital.  His is related to his heart.  Please pray for these folks!

I saw Alisia Crawley last night and her mother’s physical condition is seemingly growing worse daily.  Please continue to pray for Mrs. Burkholder, Alisia, and the entire family.

I hope to see you in our services tomorrow. 

The Lord has blessed and we have had a good week.  Thankfully, we have no one from the Friendship family in the hospital right now and that is a good thing.  We are still praying for several folks battling cancer with the most serious of those seemingly being Alisia Crawley’s mother, Mary Burkholder.  Mrs. Burkholder is under hospice care and certainly needs our continued prayers.  Also, please continue to pray for Carla Kyser, Judy Ziglar, and Mike Blaylock as they go through their respective treatments. 

Our interim missionaries in residence, Derrick & Jodie Wilkerson, have begun a blog which includes updates and pictures.  You can see this at www.derrickandjodie.blogspot.com.  This will be a good way to keep up with them until their assignment with us ends on August 21, 2007.  Please continue to pray for them too.

Speaking of Guatemala, Jerrod Brown, campus minister at the University of South Alabama, leaves tomorrow, 3/10, with a team of USA students to spend a week doing ministry in Guatemala.  Their home base will be the L.G. Camp, Jr. mission house and they will be working alongside Derrick & Jodie.  Pray for them!

We will have a work day tomorrow, 3/10, beginning at 8:00AM and ending at noon.  We need to do much in getting our buildings/grounds ready for the Spring.  All available members of the Friendship family are encouraged to help us in this effort.  Bring your tools and equipment!

Bobby Crawley & Deidra Ramires will become one as they will be united in marriage tomorrow night, 3/10.  Pray for them as they begin their new life together. 

Spring forward is the theme for this weekend as time changes.  This is my least favorite Sunday of the year as folks tend to forget to set their clocks forward on Saturday night thus missing church the next day.  Please don’t forget and I hope to see you this Sunday.  Remember, hope is alive!

Are you dead, sick, missing, et cetera?  These are the questions that have been asked of me in recent days via e-mail or phone as I have not written a post since last Friday.  Rest assured that all is well with my family and me.  I traveled to Birmingham for the AHSAA final four on Friday & Saturday and then was out of town on a personal matter Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon.  I did not even turn a computer on from Saturday night until last night which is pretty amazing for me!  Thanks for your interest and for your prayers and I apologize for my slothfulness in blogging!  (I am not doing so well in my jogging either!)

Dave Childress was discharged from the hospital yesterday and for this we are grateful.  Presently, we do not have any member of the Friendship family hospitalized – PTL!

Our caretakers in Guatemala, Paul & Cristy Leytham, have had some trials in recent weeks.  Cristy broke her ankle which will sideline her for about three months.  Paul was literally run over by a tuc tuc (one of those taxi vehicles) in Chimaltenango and was bruised and battered pretty good.  Please pray for Paul & Cristy as they go through this time in their lives. 

We will have a work day, Lord willing and weather permitting, this Saturday, 3/10, from 8:00AM until noon.  My hope is that a large number of folks from the Friendship family will assist us in getting the buildings and grounds ready for the Spring.

Time changes this Sunday, 3/11, as we SPRING FORWARD one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.  Please do not forget this important fact!

Today is a regular Wednesday for us and it begins with our prayer meeting/worship service at 10:00AM.  I hope that you will join us!  Pray for us!

Thank you to each person who prayed yesterday as we had the funeral service for Ken Ford.  The weather was not favorable but the service went well as we remembered the life Ken lived on this earth and looked forward to joining him in heaven. 

Again, a special thanks to those who helped provide the food for the Ford family.  You did a great job of ministering to this family during their hour of sorrow. 

Lynda Sims did give birth to Brianna Michelle on Wednesday night.  Brianna checked into this world weighing 8 lbs 9 oz and was 21 inches long.  Mother and daughter are doing fine and we are grateful to God for a safe delivery. 

Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with the families who lost loved ones yesterday in the severe weather that hit our state.  We also want to pray for those who were injured. 

I probably will not blog tomorrow unless something happens to necessitate it.  So, I hope to see you in church this Sunday as we worship the risen Savior!

Please pray for the Ken Ford family this morning as the funeral service for Ken will take place beginning at 10:00AM.  Pray that the weather will be favorable too.

Thank you to each member of the Friendship family who helped last night as we had a regular schedule plus the visitation.  I especially want to thank Nate Blaylock for leading our senior high students so I can be with the Ford family. 

I also want to thank those who served as hostesses last night, those who baked cakes, and those who will bring food and/or serve as hostesses today for the meal for the Ford family.  The Friendship family has done an exceptional job of ministering to another family going through a time of sorrow. 

Dave Childress was moved into a regular hospital room yesterday.  The doctors are scheduled to make a decision tomorrow as to whether or not skin grafts are necessary.  Please continue to pray for him.

Lynda Broome Sims was very near giving birth to her first child last night.  I will update this news on my next entry.