Pastor's Blog

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Scott & Megan Older welcomed their third child into the world yesterday morning.  She checked in at eight pounds and five ounces and is twenty two and one half inches long.  (I “think” her name is Theodora but I could be wrong!)  Congratulations to Scott & Bo!

Edwina Perkins “may” have a heart cath this morning.  This depends on some other factors.  Pray for Edwina.

It appears that the celebration of life service for Miss Ica Walley will take place on Saturday, 12/9.  This is not in concrete at this time but those are the plans.  Betty will fly back home tomorrow.  Pray for Miss Ica’s family.

Regular schedule today and tonight at Friendship.

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

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Received news last night that Miss Ica Walley passed from this life earlier in the night.  Of course, one of her daughters, Betty Creech, is in Guatemala with this GRACE Ministries team.  So, pray for Betty and her siblings as they walk through this valley.

Received word yesterday afternoon that Edwina Perkins suffered a heart attack.  She is in ICU.  The plan is to do a heart cath today if they did not have to do an emergency one last night.  Pray for Edwina.

Bo Older is set to have a c-section this morning at 8:30AM.  She and Scott will be welcoming their third child into their family.  Pray that all goes well.

Larry Whitehurst’s doctor is referring him to another doctor as his present doctor no longer does the type procedure Larry could need.  Pray for Larry to have wisdom in which direction to proceed.

Pastor Jordan & Lana Lollar and I arrived on GRACE Mountain safe and sound around 4:00PM yesterday.  The team had built houses, worked at the feeding center, and then fed eighteen families last night.  Dale Bosarge did an excellent job of sharing the Gospel with those families.  Bryan Drake is coming tonight as another eighteen families will attend, be fed, and be blessed.

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

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Good morning from the ATL.  My intent was to post while waiting on my flight in Mobile.  You know that saying about plans, rats, and people?  Applies to me today.  It is what happens when you have three bags packed only to be told you can only check two.  Major shuffling!  However, all is well that ends well.

The Lord certainly blessed our services yesterday.  We saw two folks join the Friendship family on statement in our second morning service, two professions of faith in our evening service and then those same two followed Jesus in believers’ baptism.  Yes, God gives the increase and we give Him the glory.

Larry Whitehurst is having a MRI this morning.  He will then meet with the doctor to discuss the findings.  I am praying all will be well.

Miss Ica Walley remains in the hospital and will be there for around three weeks.  Keep praying for Miss Ica.

Sonny Hanson’s stepdaughter’s celebration of life service takes place today, 12/4, at 10:00AM from the chapel of Mobile Memorial Funeral Home.  Pray for the family.

Scott & Megan “Bo” Older will welcome their third child into the world tomorrow morning.  A section is scheduled for 8:30AM.  Pray that all goes well.

The team in Guatemala will be building houses today and will then host around one hundred people (18 families) for a Christmas meal tonight.

Bro. Jerry and the deacons stand ready and willing to minister in my absence.  Lord willing, I will return home on Saturday night and will have the Taylor clan with me.  O happy day!

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

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Happy birthday to our daughter, Daphne.  She is definitely having a different birthday as she is in Guatemala!  She gets to spend her birthday with Soy – does it get any better?

Our GRACE Ministries team arrived safe and sound on GRACE Mountain yesterday/last night.  All but three of the team arrived between 12:30 – 1:00PM yesterday and it took them until 3:30PM to get out of the airport.  It then took an additional two hours to drive to the L.G. Camp, Jr.  Mission House in El Tejar.  Willard & Haley Rae arrived on GRACE Mountain just before 10:00PM having landed in Guatemala at 8:00PM.  We are thankful for the safety in travel for these twenty six folks.

Our basketball leagues seemed to go well yesterday.  There were two or three really close games and the attendance was strong all day long.  Thanks to Phillip Turner, Coley & Katelyn Johnson, Raymond & Jace Wilkinson, James & Justin Mareno and anyone else who helped make yesterday go smoothly.  It was a good day.

Miss Ica Walley was moved to another room in the hospital for physical rehab.  Pray that she does well.

Regular schedule this morning and evening.  Baptism as a part of this evening’s service.  Baptismal candidates should meet with me at 5:30PM in the 20-29 SS room.

Baby shower for Ethan & Brittney Nelson today from 1:00 – 3:00PM in the fellowship hall.  First of three girls for them.

Deacons meet today at 4:00PM.  Security committee meets at 5:00PM.

I was correct on the college football picks that I made on Friday with one exception.  The only drama left is to see if the committee selects Ohio State or Alabama.  I suspect they will go with OSU.  Time will tell.

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

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

I visited with Ted Ezell yesterday.  Not sure if he knew me or not.  Ted has really declined physically and needs our prayer support.  His boys have been good to him.

Ginny was sitting on the side of the bed wanting to go home when I visited yesterday.  Not sure if that happened or not.  Her oxygen levels were dipping and that was reason enough to keep her.  Today is supposed to be the discharge day so we shall see.

Tommy Watson is making improvement.  He will be discharged at some point this month if all goes as planned.

Bro. Jerry visited Miss Ica yesterday and I have not talked to him to get an update.

Caroline Ford is still struggling emotionally with the loss of her three children.  Pray for Caroline.

John King was told by the doctor that he has been having TIA’s.  They have placed him on medicines and his wife, Laurie, has him under house arrest!

As far as I know, Kirk & Michelle arrived back to GRACE Mountain yesterday afternoon.

Twenty six of our twenty nine GRACE Ministries mission team leave tomorrow heading to Guatemala.  The Pensacola folks will leave Grand Bay at 2:15AM.  Willard & Haley Rae will bring up the rear as they will not arrive in Guatemala City until 8:00PM.  Pray for this team as they travel.  Lord willing, Pastor Jordan & Lana Lollar and I will join them on Monday, 12/4.

An odd request – do any of our five or six readers living in Grand Bay have a large (or fairly large) suitcase that is in good shape that you would part with?  Yesterday, you found yourself  thinking, “why do I not get rid of that suitcase?”  Well, we could use it to pack school supplies and gifts in to send to Guatemala.  It would be a one way trip and you would not get it back.  If you do, will you contact me before noon today?  (Wives, give your suitcase to us and then tell your husband you need a new one!)

Baby shower for Ethan & Brittney Nelson on Sunday, 12/3, from 1:00 – 3:00PM in our fellowship hall.

Baptism Sunday night.

Ok, I am going with USC over Stanford, Oklahoma over TCU, Clemson over Miami, Auburn over Georgia and Ohio State over Wisconsin.  Your final four will be Clemson, Auburn, Oklahoma & Ohio State.  Folks, you heard it here (maybe not first but you heard it here)!

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