Pastor's Blog

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Happy 13th wedding anniversary to Brad & Daphne Hutto!  I pray their special day will be blessed!

The initial pathology report from Tim Knighten’s surgery showed the margins were clear which leads the doctor to believe they got all of the tumor.  Peggy finally heard from Tim late yesterday and he was not a happy camper due to the care, or lack thereof, he was receiving in the hospital.  Keep praying for Tim.  He will get the official pathology report on Monday.

Larry Crawley will have a scan done today (I think I am right in saying that).  He will then have a test next Tuesday, 7/7.  Keep praying for Larry!

Belvin McDonald was admitted to the hospital Sunday.  I “think” he remains in ICU.  Pray for Belvin.  As far as I know, he is also not allowed to have anyone i.e. family members with him.

Andy Hamil meets with the medical folks next Tuesday, 7/7, to set his radiation schedule.  Pray for Andy.

I cannot begin to tell you how much positive communication I received Sunday night and yesterday regarding me being off in July and Pastor Mack Morris being our messenger on Sunday mornings during July.  I am equally grateful that Bro. Jerry & Bro. Abel will be filling in for me on Wednesdays and Sunday evenings respectively.  I am thankful that they will be handling the day to day pastoral duties as well.  One thing that I know for absolute certain is that God put all of this together and it is His will for us at this time.  When God moves then the forces of hell do all they can to stop Him.  However, greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!  Hallelujah!  Church, pray for a mighty move of God in our midst during these days.

I am not sure what this blog is going to look like during the month of July.  It is very possible that it will lie silent.  Still mulling that one over.  Just so you know.

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

I ask that you join me this morning in praying for Tim Knighten as he undergoes the surgery to remove the tumor in one of his kidneys.  Pray that all goes well.  Unfortunately, no one can be with him during this time which makes it tough on Peggy and the family.  Tim is a man of faith and he is trusting God to see him through this ordeal.  Pray!

Larry Crawley will have a scan this week and a test next week.  Keep praying for Larry!

I very much appreciate the deacons, Bro. Jerry, Bro. Abel and the members of the Friendship family who voted last night to allow me to be off for the month of July.  I realize that there were those who did not vote in favor of this move but I feel it is going to be best for me and ultimately for the church family.  I love the Friendship family and am available to minister to everyone regardless of their position.  I appreciate your prayer support.

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

The visitation with Jonny Gaston and family will take place today from 10:00AM until noon at Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  A memorial service will begin at noon.  Pray for Jonny as he shares at his brother’s service.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow.

Deacons meet at 4:00PM tomorrow.

Finance Committee meets at 5:00PM tomorrow.

“Gift card” wedding shower for Josh & Kristi tomorrow in all three services.

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

The wedding “gift card” shower for Josh & Kristi (Bradley) Nelson takes place this Sunday, 6/28.  A basket will be placed in the foyer to receive the cards.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.

The deacons will bring a motion to the Friendship family as a part of our evening service this Sunday, 6/28, as it relates to me.  I will be preaching a message titled “Up On The Mountain” Sunday morning and then one titled “Down In The Valley” on Sunday evening.  I encourage each member of the Friendship family to be present in our services this Sunday.

I am excited about what God is going to do in the midst of the Friendship family in the coming days/weeks/months.  Folks, God does not need me or you to do what He is going to do.  However, how refreshing to know He uses us!

I read last night where a guy in Canada (I think) set the world record for being the oldest heli-skier in the world.  He was just short of his 95th birthday when he did this.  Are you serious!  I am thinking that Scott Fontenot will break that record in about forty years.  Just my thoughts!

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Friendship family, please remember the “gift card” wedding shower for Josh & Kristi (Bradley) Nelson that will take place this Sunday, June 28.  A basket will be placed in the foyer of the auditorium and you simply place your gift card in that basket.  You can do this Sunday morning or Sunday evening.  This is a fine young couple and they are worthy of our support!

Please keep praying for Larry Crawley as he determines the best course of action for him in his battle against this malignancy.  Pray for wisdom for Larry and those who will be making treatment decisions.

Tim Knighten’s surgery is scheduled to take place this Monday, 6/29.  Pray for Tim as he prepares for this procedure and pray that all goes well.

Andy Hamil will begin his radiation treatments in July.  Pray for Andy.

Please go read Deidra’s latest blog entry for a very special prayer request.  It will break your heart.

The Friendship family has approved the following folks to serve on the Personnel Committee:  Marisa Felps, Andy Hamil, Jeff Holifield, Wendy Johnston & Joey Switzer.  These folks will serve until the end of the calendar year of their respective term.

The Friendship family has approved the following folks to serve on the Finance Committee:  Eddie Albritton, Joey Bosarge, Beth Bradley, Bill Kendrick, Brenda Poiroux, Grant Tillman & Larry Whitehurst.  Heidi Butler & TJ Vice are ex officio members.  These folks will also serve until the end of the calendar year of their respective term.

Our deacons are Sonny Bates, Rick Bradley, Jeff Holifield, Brad Hutto, Carl Ray Moulds, Jimmy Tagert, Grant Tillman, TJ Vice, & Raymond Wilkinson.  These men will present a motion to the Friendship family as a part of our evening service this Sunday, 6/28.  This motion will relate to the pastor and his present situation.  I encourage the Friendship family to attend this service.  I encourage you to pray.

Let me say again how much I appreciate the support being given to me by our nine deacons.  A pastor could not ask for better support.  I am humbled and blessed beyond measure.  The deacons presented me with a letter of support last night following our service that was signed by all nine deacons.

My wife has also been most supportive of me during this time.  I have been tough on her at times but she remains strong in her love and support.

I am very thankful for friends too – “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother”  (Proverbs 18:24)  So thank you to each person who has contacted me with words of encouragement and prayer.  I am grateful.

Clinton Stringfellow planted pea eye purple hull peas this year.  He gave us some Tuesday.  Ok?  His sister, Rita Boutwell, brought them to us already shelled, washed and ready to eat.  How nice is that!  Thank you Clinton & Rita!

Stan Hatcher & John Milton Ladnier both gave us tomatoes over the weekend.  I gave most of them to my brother and his wife and they put up tomato juice.  Thank you Stan & John!

The combination of the humidity and the rain showers is making our grass grow rather rapidly.  Charles has done more than his fair share of the mowing for the past month.  I appreciate it.  Just think, after this month we only have five more months of grass cutting before we get a six week break before the 2021 season begins.  Just saying!

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

Josh Nelson & Kristi Bradley were recently married.  They did the legal stuff at the courthouse and then had a private religious service.  Congratulations to Josh & Kristi.

This Sunday, June 28, there will be a “gift card” shower for this couple.  The gift cards can basically be to the store of the giver’s choosing – Walmart, Lowes, a restaurant, et cetera.  A basket will be in auditorium foyer for these cards.

Friendship family, please respond and bless this couple.  Thank you.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

My heart and mind have been on Larry Crawley and his situation all night.  Pray for Larry to have wisdom as he seeks direction in his life regarding this malignancy.

Mary Jackson has been discharged from the hospital.  Praise the Lord!  Keep praying for Miss Mary.

I received this message from one of our members yesterday:  “You know how some days you go to church and then some days you go to CHURCH?! Well yesterday was a great day in a thousand ways.”  What an encouraging word!

I also received an email on Sunday evening that was personal about a previous experience.  One of the most powerful emails I have ever received.  Again, very encouraging!

Regular schedule in our services tomorrow – morning and evening.  Lord willing, I will be preaching/teaching in both services.

If all goes as planned, I will be preaching a message titled “On The Mountain” this Sunday morning and then one titled “In The Valley” this Sunday evening.  Pray for me as I prepare these messages.

I have a meeting this morning but then will have to use a vacation day as my corn has decided it is ready to be pulled.  Yes, I am about a month behind John Milton Ladnier, Jason Taylor & Norman Richerson but I cannot change that fact now.  (I plan to plant on 1/1/21 next year – just saying!). I will be pulling, shucking and silking and then Lisa, Ann & Daphne will put it up.

The rumor is that the airport in Guatemala “could” open to US citizens in mid to late August.  Do I think that will happen?  Probably not but at least it gives a little hope.  I pray that it will soon open.  God knows.

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

The doctor confirmed that Larry Crawley has advanced prostate cancer that is also in his hip bones.  Larry is doing some research on potential treatment options.  Keep praying!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Well, praise the Lord!  God blessed and the Friendship family enjoyed an awesome Sunday!  Bro. Abel led Martin Brinkman to Jesus last Wednesday night and Martin made that decision public yesterday morning.  Rita Broome led Danielle Morrison to the Lord last Friday night and Danielle made that decision public yesterday morning too.  Angie Oakwood came forward during our 10:30AM service yesterday to share that she had just confessed her sin and ask Jesus into her heart.  Many folks made altar decisions!  God gives the increase and we give Him all of the glory!

I do not know if I have ever heard Evangelist Michael Mason preach any better than I heard him preach yesterday morning and last night.  I am absolutely serious!  His message on wrestling with God was spot on.  The statement “it is easier to run than it is to wrestle” resonated with me big time.  Then his call for folks to empty themselves in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit was so Biblical.  Dr. Michael can preach and seems to be getting better with each passing year.  Thank you Friendship family for blessing him with a financial love gift too!

Al Stokes and the six others from the Grand Bay Ministries Church of God did their usual great job of leading our musical worship last night.  I am very thankful to Al for his spirit of “how can we serve/help” when it comes to ministry.  Great stuff!

This pastor also was blessed by the piano duet played by Jeanette Bates and Becky Hatcher in yesterday morning’s services.  Great job ladies!

Let me give a very well deserved shout out to Rhett Butler and James Mareno for a job well done with our audio/video yesterday.  They were on our campus before 7:00AM yesterday morning and back again at 3:00PM yesterday afternoon.

I am calling all twelve of our blog readers to prayer this morning.  Larry Crawley is scheduled to meet with the doctor at 9:30AM today to get the results of his biopsy and test.  Will you stop and pray right now and then again at 9:30AM?  I will blog what I can when I can.

Thank you to each member of the Friendship family who was involved in our bereavement ministry last week.  You did well!

Tim Knighten’s surgery is scheduled for one week from today.  Pray without ceasing!

Lord willing, I will be teaching in both of our services this Wednesday.  I plan on that being true for this Wednesday and the next one, 7/1.  I will be asking the church to take action on a couple of matters this Wednesday if all goes as planned.

I cannot say enough about the support that has been given to me by our deacons over this past week.  They are giving me great freedom in regard to my own physical, emotional and spiritual well being.  I am working through this process and they are helping me formulate a plan.  Bro. Michael met with them yesterday afternoon too.  I am very grateful!

By the way, please note that the church office will be closed on Thursday, July 2, in observance of the Fourth of July holiday.

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Regular schedule (except for evening service starting time) on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening!

Evangelist Michael Mason will preach in our 8:00AM service.

Sunday School classes at 9:15AM.

I will preach in our 10:30AM service.

Evangelist Michael Mason will preach in our 5:00PM service.

Al Stokes and the praise team from the Grand Bay Ministries Church of God will be our musical worship leaders in our 5:00PM worship service.

We will receive a love offering for Bro. Michael Mason in all three of our worship services.  I am asking the Friendship family to attend, pray, and then give graciously to the love offering.

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