Pastor's Blog

All is well with the team in Guatemala – praise the Lord!  Saturday was a good day.  Musical worship and then a time in the Word with Tico Vargas.

The team made their way to the building sites and worked hard until around 4:00PM when the skies opened and the torrential rains came along with major thunder, lightning and even some hail.  Pastor BJ is in charge of the building crews this week and he pulled the plug on the work which was the correct call.

Three houses received the concrete and are ready to be closed up.  One other house is ready for the concrete.  Four others are basically ready for the tin.

Deidra took a group of three or four to feed the volcano folks.  They then did the feeding center.  Holly Isom led a group getting the clothes ready for distribution.

Last night was food and fellowship.

Pray for this team.  Thank you for checking on them.

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Liz Whalen left a comment on yesterday’s entry asking for our prayers.  She had a scan that came back abnormal and will see a specialist this coming Wednesday.  Liz is one of the finest ladies I know and an extremely faithful member of the Friendship family.  Pray for her!

Steve Morris obviously remains in the hospital.  Keep praying for him, Virginia and the medical personnel.

The arrangements for Oscar Petersen remain incomplete.  Lisa has stayed in touch with the family for me and the relaying messages back and forth.  The family meets with the funeral home folks tomorrow morning.  I can tell you for certain that the service will not take place the early part of this week as one of Oscar’s grandchildren is in another country.  Pray for Oscar’s family.

Evangelist Michael Mason arrived in Grand Bay safe and sound last night.  I am so in hopes that the members of the Friendship family will be faithful this morning and evening.

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

This is going to be an entry that goes from one extreme to the other.  First, Dale & Karla Bosarge welcomed Ella Rose into this world yesterday afternoon.  She weighed 7.15 pounds and is twenty one inches long.  Mother and daughter are doing fine.  Congratulations to Dale, Karla & Harper!

Second, Oscar Petersen passed from the life somewhere around 9:00PM last night.  I visited with Oscar this past Monday and knew that he was low but not unto death.  Pray for Oscar’s family as they walk through this valley.  As those within the Friendship family know Oscar and Miss Vinnie Brewer were very special friends so I ask you to pray for Miss Vinnie too.  In my opinion, Miss Vinnie could not have been a better friend to Oscar.  And he was a good friend to her as well.

Steve Morris had to have emergency surgery yesterday afternoon.  He will be in ICU for five days and in the hospital for ten days total if all goes as the doctor expects.  He can have nothing to eat or drink for the first five days.  Pray for Steve.  Pray for Virginia.

I am in hopes that the members of the Friendship family will be very faithful in their attendance tomorrow morning and evening as we host Evangelist Michael Mason in all three services.  Pray, attend and give as the Lord leads.

Want to join us on the December 1 – 8 GRACE Ministries trip?  I need to hear from you now.

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

You do not know this about me but I am not a computer guru.  Cannot get the aglimpseofgrace website to allow me to post a blog entry.  So, I am doing one here in case anyone is interested in the happenings this trip.

Our actual first day of being in Guatemala started out typical but then went in a totally different direction.  Devotion was at 7:00AM which was early for our late night arrivals.  Lana Lollar, Darin Price and Pastor BJ Parson did an excellent job of leading our musical worship.  Juan Marcos Ruiz provided a huge assist by running the sound.  Such a nice guy.  We spent some time in the Word and then headed out.

The entire team plus went down the hill about five minutes away and hosted the students and faculty from the My Special Treasure School for a field day.  There were one hundred and forty two of them.  They were given breakfast and lunch.  I think everyone had a good day.

Seven of our guys went in the latter part of the afternoon and started on the house building.  Two of them were framed up and are basically ready for the tin.

After the field day, Deidra and others took those who sponsor a child in the feeding center to visit their child’s family in their home.  That was a neat experience.

Tonight was spent around the table enjoying a good meal and fellowship.

Tomorrow we feed folks displaced by the volcano, do the feeding center and build houses.

Pray for this team.  Thanks for checking on them.

Blessings!

P.S. – Jennifer Brinkman is the ultimate helicopter mom!  Just saying!

My brain is not working so great this morning.  Forgot to mention in my first entry that the Friendship family will host a service at the Mission of Hope tonight beginning at 7:00PM.  Everyone is invited.

Also, Evangelist Michael Mason will be filling our pulpit in all three services this Sunday, 6/24.  I am asking each member of the Friendship family to be in their rightful place for the services.  I have sent an e-mail to our deacons asking them to lead the way in this area and I feel certain they will.  Remember, we will be receiving a love offering for Bro. Michael in all three services so pray and give as the Lord leads.

We have a few openings on our December 1 – 8, 2018 GRACE Ministries trip and the airfares out of Mobile are extremely good right now.  They most likely will not stay that way for long.  So, if you have any interest in taking part in that trip then you need to contact me via e-mail like yesterday!  This is a great trip for those who sponsor a child in the feeding center program.  Pray about it!  (But do not pray long or the fares may increase!).

Blessings!

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

I am living by the “no news is good news” philosophy this morning as I have heard nothing from home so I assume all is well.

It is shortly after 1:00AM here in Guatemala and our last crew (25 in number) just arrived from the airport about thirty minutes ago.  They left New Orleans just before 4:00PM and were then delayed by an hour or so in Houston.  They are tired folks but came with really good attitudes.  They have already learned about being flexible and are doing well with it.

Pastor Jordan and Pastor BJ arrived with their folks (23 in number) around 3:00PM yesterday.  They left Huntsville at 5:30AM yesterday so they found the beds fairly quickly last night.  Some really good folks from Ethelsville Baptist and Thelma Baptist in Wetumpka.  We have ten folks staying off campus as the mission house can only sleep forty folks.  Those ten have taken it all in stride too.

I would ask you to pray for one of my maternal uncles, Bill Brown.  He lives in Paw Paw, Michigan.  I found out today that he suffered a heart attack over the weekend and had to have four stents put in place.  It is my understanding that he is a bit anxious so I would appreciate your prayers for him.

The hour is late and little Lisa (Deidra) is demanding that I be in the kitchen at 5:00AM!  As they say, the pear does not fall far from the tree!

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Dana Taylor’s father was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Not sure what the final outcome was in his situation but do know that he continues to need our prayer support.

Phil Sims continues to do well following his most recent eye surgery.  He is scheduled to have his other eye operated on next Thursday, 6/28.  Keep praying for Phil.

Bernard Suthoff is scheduled to have a heart cath next Thursday, 6/28.  Bernard is a bit anxious so pray for him.

The anonymous person I have been praying for finally got a report from the doctor.  It is not the news they wanted to hear.  I am not comfortable posting a name on the blog at this point.  Just pray.

Bro. Jerry said we had a good day in our services yesterday – morning and evening.

I cannot stress enough my desire for the members of the Friendship family to be faithful this Sunday morning and evening.  Evangelist Michael Mason will be bringing the message in all three of our services.  God is going to use him to speak to those in attendance.  Please pray.  Please attend.  Please bring others with you.

Our GRACE Ministries team members are traveling today from Huntsville and New Orleans.  The Huntsville twenty three are set to arrive in Guatemala City at 12:05AM while the New Orleans twenty five are set to arrive at 9:30PM.  Pray for safety in travel for these forty eight folks.

Pastor Terry Rainey’s team is on GRACE Mountain at the present but they are flying out this afternoon.  Pastor Terry & I had a meeting with Pastor Ben Labrill yesterday morning about the 2018 Christian worker’s conference being hosted by LifeAid Ministries.  It was productive.

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Dana Taylor’s father did not have a good day yesterday per the report I received.  She asks that we keep praying for her parents.

Phil Sims has a procedure on one of his eyes.  This is the second one on that eye and the hope is that it will show immediate improvement.  Pray for Phil!

Bernard Suthoff has had some tests in recent weeks.  Something is amiss regarding his heart so they will be doing a heart cath soon.  Pattie had told me about this earlier but wanted to wait until after the doctor’s visit yesterday to go public.

I had an uneventful day of flying yesterday.  Nic & Annie Gray were on the flight from PNS to ATL.  I spoke to them once we had gotten off the plane in ATL.  Nic tried to borrow some money – said something like he had left his wallet!  I gave Annie twenty dollars just in case!

I arrived on GRACE Mountain around 3:00PM or so and had an hour or so of visiting with Lizzi, Sydney & Audrey.  They helped me unpack.  Not that they were looking for anything – LOL!  It was then off to a meeting out West of Chimaltenango.  That meeting lasted until after 9:00PM so it was pushing 10:00PM when we got back to GRACE Mountain.  I was a tired puppy and slept well once I went to bed.

I have a meeting this morning relating the pastor’s conference this Fall.  I have some other things to do in order to get ready for the team’s arrival tomorrow.  Praying for a good day.

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Good Tuesday morning from the Pensacola Airport.  I will soon be boarding a flight to Atlanta where I will connect to a flight to Guatemala.  As usual for me, I am going a couple of days ahead of our team in order to get things ready.  Plus, I have four excellent reasons to have a couple of extra days.  I have one good reason to not go early but the four excellent trump that one.  Lord willing, I have an important meeting tonight and then at least one more before the team arrives.  Pray that all goes well.

Dana Taylor’s father remains hospitalized.  He had a test/procedure yesterday morning but I do not know the results.  Just keep praying.

We had a member of the Friendship family in the hospital over the weekend.  I was told they were being discharged yesterday morning.

I have had two prayer requests shared with me in recent days that are not ready for broadcast yet.  Pray for those involved in these situations.

We are on a regular schedule tomorrow morning and evening.  Bro. Jerry Hovel will be preaching/teaching in my absence.  I pray that the members of the Friendship family will be faithful.

Evangelist Michael Mason will be our special guest this Sunday, June 24.  He will be preaching in all three of our services.  I certainly hope and pray that the members of the Friendship family will attend these services.  We will receive a love offering for Bro. Michael in all three services.  Please pray, attend, and give as the Lord leads.

Yesterday was a marathon day for me as there was much to do before leaving today.  I packed everything on Saturday and was ahead in the game.  Not so fast my friend!  I only received like one hundred packages Sunday and yesterday.  Last night was about deciding what goes and what stays.  Lisa demanded that I mow the yard even though I had just mowed it on Friday – she is a real slave driver!

I did preside over nine funerals Sunday night and yesterday.  Rodents had taken up residence in my chicken coop so I fed them a little something.  It has worked so far.  I have passed the baton to Luke Green until I return home.  Brad killed one of my chickens while I was in London so I did not trust him this time.

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

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

We enjoyed a really good day in our services yesterday.  Our attendance was down in the second morning service but that was expected as our students were still at camp.  It was a blessing to see a good number of folks at the altar during both of our morning services.  God is faithful!

Norman Richerson (84) was our oldest father present in our first service yesterday morning and Max Peacock (82) received that honor in our second service.  I am praying for Norman to keep on living as long as I am the pastor at Friendship as I do not want to have to give that gift card to Charles – just saying!

Our VBS family night was a real blessing.  We enjoyed a really good week in our VBS.  We saw twelve salvation decisions.  Our missions offering was a little over thirty five hundred dollars which will be a tremendous help to the family in Spain.  Thank you to each person who gave.  Thank you to our VBS director, Myrtle Bowden, and our VBS pastor, Bro. Jerry Hovel, for jobs well done.  A thank you also goes to each person who helped in any way.

How about our deacons!  They did an outstanding job of grilling the burgers and dogs for the VBS picnic.  Their wives were also very involved.  What a huge blessing.  My wife, Lisa, handled buying everything on Saturday.  That was hard for her as she just does not like to shop!  That picnic cost me several hundred dollars as Lisa just had to stop by Belks, Kohls, and about three other stores since she was in town buying the food for the picnic!  I do appreciate Lisa taking care of that for me.

Dana Taylor’s father was hospitalized last Friday and remains there this morning.  The thinking is they will do a heart cath soon.  They believe he suffered a stroke Friday morning but are really having a hard time pinpointing his exact problem.  Pray for the doctors as they continue to search for answers.

I have another serious prayer request that remains confidential for the time being but do ask that you join me in praying.  God knows.

Have you noticed that Karla Teasley Bosarge is with child?  I had not paid any attention until yesterday!  Anyway, she will be induced this Friday, 6/22, if she has not gone into labor before then.  Pray for Karla in these last days of her pregnancy.

Bobby & the boys have been on the wrong end of the score for the past three games and are now three and one half games behind Les Hacker’s Braves.  The Dodgers remain one and one half game behind the Diamondbacks in the West.  The Astros are on fire having won eleven in a row!

Ok, the decision has been made regarding the blog and my possible retirement.  Lisa says I am not retiring and that ends that discussion!  I am thankful for the eleven of the thirteen readers who sent in their comments on the situation.  Six said “keep blogging” and the other five said “put us out of our misery!”  However, Lisa said “either you keep blogging or you are going to start washing daddy’s car every week!”  That was a no brainer for me!

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