Relationships

February 2024 – The Next Thing

THE NEXT THING Dear Friend in Christ: It’s hard to believe we’re already more than a full month into 2024.  You’ve been in our hearts and prayers. What I’d like to do this month is to follow up on some thoughts we were developing in last month’s Pastoral Letter, “The One. [...]

January 2024 The One Thing

Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year!  If you’re like me, it’s taking some time to get used to writing “2024” on your documents. The Latin phrase “Tempus Fugit” is often translated into English as “time flies,” but literally means, “time escapes.” The older I get, the faster time seems to. [...]

November 2023 The Lord is My Light

Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you. These blessings seem all the more precious to us in these days. There is no need for me to give a recitation of the grim news headlines, but if there was ever a time in my lifetime where we need a. [...]

October 2023 Sparty’s Last Ride

Dear Friend in Christ: This month, I want to open Scripture and my heart about unconditional love and presence. To do so, I want to talk a little bit about our family dog, Sparty, who sadly passed away a few days ago at age 13 after a wonderful life. Can. [...]

September 2023-Back to the Book

Dear Friend in Christ: Recently, I had breakfast with my good friends Ronnie Head and Pastor Terry Ragsdale (Grand Bay Community Church, Grand Bay, Alabama). Ron is the founder of Head’s Heating and Air Conditioning and is considered a “guru” of heating and air in our part of the world.. [...]

August 2023 – This is My Story

THIS IS MY STORY Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you and yours well—and staying cool! Mobile in August is like a steamy hot sauna. I try to remind myself that some folks pay good money to experience what we get for free! This month, I am. [...]

JULY 2023 – Diagnosis

Dear Friend in Christ: When facing sickness or disease, how serious is proper and early diagnosis? For many people in many cases, it is matter of life or death. My dear and beautiful wife passed away due to a faulty diagnosis. The true diagnosis came too late at stage 4. [...]

JUNE 2023 – Restoring the Generational Bridge

Dear Friend in Christ: My purpose in this letter is to share with you what the Lord has placed on my heart. I was recently sitting with four pastors and two of them were pastoring churches begun by their fathers. One of the pastors had recently lost his father. One. [...]

MAY 2023 – Turning the World Upside Down

Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!  My Grandpa Simpson used to tell a funny story about an old country veterinarian who was called out to a farm to tend to a sick horse.  He decided the horse needed a. [...]

APRIL 2023 – Hosanna to the King

Dear Friend in Christ: I trust you and your loved ones are doing well. You are often in our prayers here at CSM.  Here in Alabama, Spring has come, with all of its beauty, and also storms. It’s a good time for re-evaluating priorities, cleaning up, and preparing for the. [...]

March 2023 – When Revival Comes

Dear Friend in Christ: In recent weeks, we’ve been receiving thrilling reports of a genuine move of the Holy Spirit happening on the campus of Asbury University in Kentucky, and spreading across many other college campuses.  Our response at CSM has been to rejoice and re-commit to praying for these. [...]

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