Pastor's Blog

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Miss Annette Williams did well through her surgery.  It is believed she will be discharged from the hospital today.

Winston Gulley is in the hospital and they are running tests to determine the source of his problems.

As far as I know, things are about the same for Matt Everett’s father.

Pray for Miss Annette, Winston & Mr. Everett.

A small plane crashed just in front of the mission house late yesterday morning.  The two men on board were both pilots with one working for Paradise Bound Ministries which is located very near GRACE Mountain.  It is my understanding that these men were twenty seven and thirty two years old respectively.  Both men are in ICU in a Guatemala City hospital and their condition is described as “stable.”  Folks, if you could see the remains of the plane then you would simply not believe anyone survived that crash landing.  Pray for these two men and their families.

As I write this update, it pleases me to write that all members of our mission team have at least now landed in the States.  Some of them are still driving home but at least they have landed.  The folks flying into Pensacola were delayed over an hour in Atlanta and landed shortly after midnight.  (It is the Pastor Jordan Lollar effect!)  We thank God for traveling mercies.

Lord willing, I will leave GRACE Mountain around 3:45AM today and begin my journey home.  Looking forward to seeing my grandchildren – all eight of them.  I will be honest in saying that I will miss this weather as it has been almost perfect!

Regular schedule for the Friendship family this Sunday.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Miss Annette Williams will have a surgical procedure this morning.  Pray that all goes well.

Matt Everett and family remain optimistic that Matt’s father is getting better day by day.  Keep praying.

It is my understanding that yesterday’s services went well at Friendship.  I appreciate Bro. Jerry teaching in my absence.

This Sunday, 6/30, the Friendship family will be back on a regular schedule with all three worship services and Sunday School.  I pray that we will be found faithful.

Lisa, Deidra and the girls arrived in Grand Bay safe and sound on Tuesday.  The girls are happy campers.  Pray for Deidra as she has to travel to Montgomery today to take care of some legal stuff related to gaining residency in Guatemala.

The team in Guatemala had a really strong Tuesday as they finished two houses, built six more and put concrete in eleven houses. All twenty four houses were finished when the team walked away around 5:00PM.  Good stuff!

Yesterday saw eight team members depart for home.  They had arrived a day early and got the week started by building two houses that were in addition to the twenty four so the team built twenty six total houses.

The teams who remained yesterday ministered to the people working in the El Tejar dump and those working in the Chimaltenango dump.  What an experience!  The team fed those folks spiritually with the Word and then provided a meal.

As I write this update, eight more of the team members have already left for the airport.  All of the remaining team members will leave the mountain later this morning.  Pray for safety in travel.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Have not heard any news from home so I am going with the “no news is good news” theory.

The team in Guatemala had a good day.  They built houses in the morning and then went to Antigua in the afternoon and evening.

Today is a big day in the Taylor household as Deidra and the girls are flying to Alabama for a week.  The girls have been counting down the days/hours.  They are excited.  Lisa and I are excited for them.  Pray for their safety in travel.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Jerry Hovel sent me an update last night saying that our morning service yesterday was well attended while our evening service was poorly attended.  Honestly, it is about what I expected.  I am very grateful to those members of the Friendship family who were faithful to attend the services.

Bro. Jerry also told me that Jonny Gaston did a very nice job of sharing the Word.

Matt Everett’s dad continues to have some issues but the medical folks think they are getting a handle on things.  Keep praying.

The team in Guatemala had a really long day.  They left the mission house at 6:00AM headed to a town near El Rodeo to distribute food to two hundred families.  They arrived shortly after 8:00AM and the folks were waiting.  Pastor Max preached and then the families received the food.  This is in a very poor area that is still feeling the negative effects of the volcano eruption last year.  It is a very hot place too.

The team then went to Antigua for lunch and some down time before returning back to GRACE Mountain in order to attend the service at the GRACE Community Church.  Jeff Holified did a very nice job of sharing the Word.  Lana, Darin & Rebekah shared a couple of musical specials too.  Good service.

The team then fed the church family.  Nicely done!

After supper a meeting was held to talk about the school and the need for sponsors beginning in January of 2020.

Tomorrow will be a morning of building followed by an afternoon off before having supper in Antigua.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

A final reminder to the Friendship family – there will be no 8:00AM service today.  Our day begins with Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by worship at 10:30AM.  We will then have our evening worship service beginning at 6:00PM.  I pray that the members who are in town will be faithful to attend the services.

I was wrong!  (What else is new?)  Nanette Fontenot did not have surgery on her hand.  That could possibly come later.  My apologies for my mistake.

The team in Guatemala had a good Saturday.  Pastor Jordan Lollar is coordinating the house building side of this team and he told me that twelve houses have been built, nine have received the concrete and seven are completely finished.  This team is having to build some custom homes but their attitude has been wonderful.

Another group of children from our feeding center ministry went to a local water park Saturday morning.  Deidra will post about that but I am told it went well.

Early and long day is planned today.  Details later.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

There will be no early service on our campus tomorrow.  Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by worship at 10:30AM.  The evening service will begin at 6:00PM.

The team in Guatemala built six houses yesterday with three of those receiving concrete and having the fronts put on.  Around half of the team went to the water park with sixty of the children from our feeding center.  Deidra is blogging about that on shininglightabroad.com.

All is well in Guatemala.  Thank you for praying.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Good morning from GRACE Mountain.  Bro. Jerry sent me an update last night with not much to report which is a good thing.  Nanette Fontenot recently broke her hand and had to have surgery.  Matt’s dad remains in the hospital.  Pray for these folks.

Our Sunday morning at Friendship this Sunday, 6/23, will begin with Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by worship at 10:30AM. There will be no early worship service.  Regular schedule in the evening.

All forty four team members are now present and accounted for in Guatemala.  The Ethelsville Baptist and Thelma Baptist folks arrived yesterday afternoon and then the remaining team members arrived at 11:00PM last night.  We thank God for traveling mercies.

Yesterday two houses were completely built and a ton of food was cooked.  The house locations were close by GRACE Mountain and the food is for ministry today.  It was a good day for the team.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

I “thought” I posted an entry yesterday but if I did it is not on my computer this morning.  I have “thought” things before and been wrong!

I really do not have any updates from home so let’s go with the “no news is good news” scenario.  I do know we need to keep praying for Matt Everett’s father.

I appreciate Bro. Jerry Hovel teaching in the two services yesterday.

Nine folks from the States arrived in two waves yesterday – three around 3:00PM and six others around 11:00PM.  Twenty two folks have already arrived in Atlanta this morning and will soon be headed South.  Thirteen folks will leave from Pensacola this afternoon while two others will do the same from Mobile.

Friendship family, please note that we will not have our 8:00AM service this Sunday, June 23.  Otherwise we are on a regular schedule.  Please pass the word.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Matt Everett’s father continues to be hospitalized.  Please keep praying for him, the family and the medical folks in charge of his care.

Edwina Perkins had a surgical procedure done yesterday morning.  Pray for Edwina.

Pastor Jordan Lollar’s father-in-law has been in the hospital recently.  He was admitted again yesterday and placed in ICU.  Pray for him, Lana, and the rest of the family, please.

Very important – the Friendship family will only have one morning worship service this Sunday, June 23, and that will be our 10:30AM service.  Yes, we will have Sunday School at 9:15AM and our evening service at 6:00PM.  Please pass the word that we will not be having our early service this Sunday!

I took off yesterday afternoon because the corn patch was calling my name.  Thankfully, it was also calling Luke Green’s name as he came to help me.  Thank you Luke!  We pulled six of eight rows and then Lisa, Dana, Daphne & Ann put it up.  It was a very full afternoon of work but I enjoy it.

John Milton Ladnier showed up with a boat load of garden goods late yesterday afternoon.  The man is amazing when it comes to his garden and his generosity.  Thank you John!

Lisa and I are scheduled to fly out today heading to Guatemala.  We will be joined by nine others tomorrow and then thirty something more folks on Thursday.  Pray that all of our travels go well.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

We were blessed with a really good day in our services yesterday.  The group from Kansas was a blessing in the morning and evening.  Thank you to Dale & Zach for handling all of the details for this team.  Thank you Randall for your flexibility in arranging the worship schedules.

Aninha’s sister, Lucy, did a very nice job of sharing in our evening service about her missionary experiences in Brazil.  Pray for Lucy.

Miss Lillian Brinkman was in our early service yesterday.  The lady is amazing!  Keep praying for her.

Martin Brinkman was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  He is going to have some ups and downs during his recovery largely in part because he is only eleven years old.  Totally understandable.  Pray for him.

Matt Everett’s father has been losing more blood.  It is possible that he will be having surgery today.  Pray for Mr. Everett.

Tough loss for the Auburn baseball team last night.  Not sure if their pitching depth can hold up to get through the tournament now.  However, that is why they play the game.

Leslie Hacker’s Braves just keep on keeping on.

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