Pastor's Blog

Word came via e-mail last night that Sueanna Bryant has been admitted into a local hospital.  I do not know the details but do ask that you pray for her.

Also learned that Art Elliott possibly had surgery yesterday.  If so, that would be his second one this week as he had surgery on Tuesday.  Again, I do not know the details but ask that you pray for Art.

Finally, I learned that Pastor Harold McInnis suffered a stroke and is in a local hospital.  Do not know the severity or details.  Pray for Pastor Harold and the Cloverdale Baptist family.

We are on a regular schedule tomorrow.  I hope to be joined by many members of the Friendship family.

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

Gloria Whitmore e-mailed me yesterday to say that Reb remains in North Dakota helping her brother take care of things.  He will be coming home with Reb to live for a while.  Pray for Larry and Reb.

As far as I know, every thing else is good.  I spent all day yesterday inside talking on the phone (one of my least favorite things to do) and working on the computer (one of the things I need to do less of).  I still sound some what horrible.

We are on a regular schedule this Sunday.  Lord willing, I will be preaching all three services.  Hope to see many members of the Friendship family in attendance.  By the way, we will observe the ordinance of baptism as a part of our evening service.

Hope you have a great Friday with Jesus.

I would ask you to keep praying for Reb Nevin’s family in the loss of her sister-in-law.  I do not know the arrangements but I do know the family needs our prayers.

Carla Kyser received a chemo treatment yesterday.  She is one tough young lady!

Edna’s brother, Henry, continues to linger seemingly near death’s door.  Honestly, I thought he would pass while Jeff & Nadine were on the June Guatemala trip.  Pretty amazing!  Keep praying for Henry and his family.

Sharon Jardee will have surgery next Monday morning.

We may have been slightly off in attendance in the auditorium for the two services yesterday.  However, we were anything but “off” in our 8:00PM Bible study as we had around 40 in attendance.  Good group!

My throat began bothering me during the night on Tuesday.  I sounded like the proverbial frog while preaching/teaching yesterday.  I am going to stay in today and do some e-mails and study so I will not have to do any talking.  However, I am available if needed.

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

We are on a regular schedule today/tonight.  I pray that we will have a good number of folks show up for the various Bible studies/classes.  I  am very grateful to each person who teaches/serves in any way on Wednesdays.

Suffering “writers’ block” today.  Sorry!

We have had Reb Nevin’s sister-in-law, Cathy Medchill, on our prayer list for a long time.  Word came yesterday that she passed from this life.  Reb is flying out to North Dakota today to be with her brother, Larry, during this difficult time.  Pray for Reb as she travels and for the Medchill family.

Call me stupid with a capital “S”!  I wrote in yesterday’s post that Carla Kyser was supposed to get a new port.  She did and it went well.  However, dummy me was thinking that it would be done in the doctor’s office.  Carla was put to sleep in a local hospital and had surgery to get this port put in place.  Marisa called afterwards to give me an update and I felt horrible for not being there with Carla and Marisa.  My deepest apologies to Carla and Marisa!

We need for the members of the Friendship family to take seriously the sign up for the various GRACE trips next Summer.  We will open the trips to others after 8/29 and we expect they will reach capacity fairly quickly.  The apartment will no longer be available to us so our number will be limited to 40 per trip.  Forms are in the foyer for Bro. Jerry’s trips and I ask that folks wishing to go on one my trips send me an e-mail.  Remember the 8/29 deadline.

Faith Academy begins full days today so that means I get to take Dana & Gina to school every morning at least until early October when they turn 16.  We will see after that point.

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

God gives the increase!  Leslie Messer prayed to receive Jesus as her personal Savior last Thursday morning in my office as she and Lisa prayed together.  She made that decision public in our first service yesterday.  Ryan Sessions accepted Jesus as his personal Savior at Wild Week and he made that decision public in our second service yesterday.  Ricky Henderson came forward in our second service to accept Jesus as his personal Savior.  Glory!  Yes, God gives the increase and we give Him the glory!

Pastor Travis Northcutt did a very good job of preaching to us last night.  His wife, Amy, also did a very good job of sharing the message in song.  Travis and Amy are good friends and it was good to have them with us.

Our first service almost matched our second service in numbers yesterday.  We were down a bit and I am thinking that folks decided to use the next to last weekend before school starts to spend some time away.  We have five school teachers in our Sunday School class and they all “jumped ship” on us yesterday!  What is up with that?

Rita Vice is on her way home after spending the last month in Uganda with his daughter, Alisha.  That noise you heard during the night was the front end loader on Zanzibar as Kevin & Mark cleaned house before Rita’s arrival.  I “think” she gets back to Mobile at 7:00PM but Mark is my source so that could be off ten hours one way or the other!  LOL!

Carla Kyser goes back to the doctor today.  They could not replace her port and will try a different spot today.  Keep praying for Carla.  Pray for Marisa too!

Faith Academy begins a new school year today.  Where did the Summer go?  We were starting VBS yesterday!  Wow!

Danville Baptist had a good Block Party this past Saturday night.  Lisa, the girls, and I would have stayed but then I heard that Michael Mason was going to be singing – that sealed the deal for me!

Rusty Suthoff asked prayers for Tyrann Mathieu in our Sunday School class yesterday – please!

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

The funeral service for Diane Bryant’s cousin will take place tomorrow night at 7:00PM in Chelsea.  It will be preceded by three hours of visitation.  Pray for the Barger family.

Carla Kyser should have received a chemo treatment yesterday.

Lisa, the girls, and I had safe travels to Hartselle yesterday and spent some time with my parents before spending some time with my nephew, Josh, and his family,  along with my niece, Jamie, and her family.  Also got to see Spencer Cole who is just like family.  We are about to go spend more time with my parents.

The kid from LSU obviously messed up big time.  When will these guys learn?  Never.

Dwight Howard is officially a Laker – wow!  I have been very disappointed in Dwight as he has not lived up to what he said he was going to do in the NBA i.e. use his status as a platform to witness for Jesus.  I do not think being in Hollywood will help.

Lord willing, I will be in the pulpit for all three services tomorrow.  Hope to see many members of the Friendship family in attendance.

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

The funeral service for Mr. Smyly will take place this morning at 11:30AM from the chapel of O’Bryant Funeral Chapel in Thomasville, Alabama.  Pray for the family and pray for Bro. Robbie Howard as he preaches the service.

Leslie Williams posted a comment on yesterday’s entry to say that Caleb Mosley passed away on Wednesday night.  He had been battling cancer since he was ten years of age and was sixteen years old at the time of his passing.  Pray for the family.

My plans changed yesterday and I did not get to the hospital to check on Miss Jackie Goff.  I will get an update today, hopefully.

Members of the Friendship family wishing to be a part of the Summer 2013 GRACE trips need to sign up by August 29.  We anticipate full trips so get on board first!

Lisa, Dana, Gina and I plan on driving to Hartselle this afternoon to visit with my parents.  We had to rearrange some things to make this happen which meant that Lisa had to miss the women’s meeting last night.  I have not seen my folks since May and really feel the need to visit with them.  Lord willing, we will be back in Grand Bay tomorrow night.

I mentioned that “deacon speak” in yesterday’s post.  I still do not understand it.  Did find out yesterday that Larry W calls Bernard S “Pooh” so I decided I did not want to know any more!  LOL!

It is a little after midnight as I write this post and ESPN is reporting the the Dwight Howard to the Lakers trade is a done deal.  Wow!  Kobe, Dwight, Nash & Gasol on the same team?  They will be good on paper at least!

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

Diane Bryant’s second cousin, Tristan Barger, passed away early last night.  His biological father arrived from Afghanistan and the decision was made to remove Tristan from life support.  Pray for the Barger family.

Marie Brooks sent an e-mail last night saying that Miss Carolyn Kittles did well through her procedure yesterday.  Praise the Lord!

Visited with Miss Jackie Goff yesterday morning and plan on doing the same this morning.  If it is left up to her she will come home yesterday!  She was doing some better but still has several health issues.  Pray for her.

My dad will have another kidney stone blasted this morning.  He has battled kidney stones several times over the years and I do not want to inherit that trait!

Last night was a bit unusual for me as Bro. Jerry was preaching.  I went into the senior high Bible study for a few minutes and basically got to hear Bro. Chris’ report on camp and the band play one song.  I then slipped into the middle school Bible study and listened to Bro. Jim Chinners teach for a few minutes – one of the best messages on tithing I have ever heard!  I then slipped into the auditorium to hear Bro. Jerry’s message.

Our 8:00PM Bible study attendance was way up last night as our new crop of freshmen joined us.  I think we had 33 in attendance.  It was good to have them with us.  Even the future Mr. Parath was present as were two guys from the Tuscaloosa area who are going to school at USA and UM.  We “may” be about to (or fixin to if you are from the deep South) begin a new Bible study for “older” young adults.  We will see.

I do not speak “deacon” language.  They nominated men as officers in that language this past Sunday.  I thought Bernard Suthoff has been nominated/elected as vice-chairman.  Instead, it was Herbert Benefield who was elected.  Totally my mistake/misunderstanding and I apologize!

Today will be a tough day for me as it was six years ago today that Bruce Gill passed from this life.  Seems so unreal!

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

Diane Bryant’s second cousin, Tristan Barger, 14 years of age, was struck by lightning while walking on a Florida beach on Monday.  He is in critical condition in a Pensacola hospital.

Tristan’s stepfather, Keith Brown, was also struck by lightning and pronounced dead at the scene.

The family lives in Chelsea, Alabama and were on vacation.

Pray for the Barger family.  Diane’s cousin, Ronnie, father of Tristan, was in Afghanistan and is scheduled to arrive in Pensacola tonight.