The Son & the Sand
April 2003
Adopt-A-Missionary for the Summer
Please pray for Lacey, Tiffany, Ashley, Abby, Tara , and Amy. These young ladies, from Lousiana, Alabama, and Kentucky, will be working with us throughout the summer to share the gospel to gulf coast visitors and residents. An important aspect of their ministry is to encourage the many students and adults that will be partnering with us each week. We will be working with about 25 mission teams, and our prayer is that the summer missions’ staff will challenge students to consider a missions experience that goes beyond one week. We hope to multiply the mission’s message that God has given us to share.
You may have mentioned the phrase “suffering for the Lord” to Jeff and Thea at one time or another. Many like to joke with us about mission work at such a beautiful resort area. We have some new additions to our ministry staff that will also be “suffering” with us. “Suffering for the Lord” – all joking aside, there will be many obstacles and challenges along the way this summer. Anyone that has ever spent time on the mission field (even a beautiful beach) knows it can be tough. Pray with and for our team and many volunteers as we rely on God’s strength to overcome challenges and be all that God has called us to be.
We want to serve God, share His Love, and be available to Him to accomplish great things for His glory and not our own. We appreciate your prayers and encouragement. If you, your small group at church (Sunday school class, WMU group, RA group, Acteens group, etc…), or the church you call home would like to be a special encouragement to one of our summer missionaries respond to this email with a “tell me more” in the subject box and I will get you more information on how you and / or your small group or church can adopt-a-missionary for the summer. Thanks again for your prayers and encouragement.
What Happened to April Showers?
It’s amazing how time flies. April’s gone. I can’t believe it. We worked with teams during three different Spring Breaks (most in March). One week in April that was full of activity was Mobile County ’s Spring Break. We hope to “get the word out” now regarding Mobile ’s 2004 Spring Break. It’s a crowded beach during this spring break week, and the ministry opportunities are abundant. Pray with us that we would begin enlisting volunteers for next year…likely students from Mobile County .
Worship services at the Plantation Resort , Island Retreat RV, Luxury RV, and Gulf State Park Campground continue. Pray for us as the crowd thins out since the snowbirds have gone. We are also doing a lot of preparation regarding our summer calendar. I’ve met with many youth pastors and other leaders for pre-project visits in April. Through these visits we pray together, eat together (like good church folks), and explore the areas of ministry that are strung along the gulf coast.
Our missions housing is officially complete (well…almost, we still have some painting to do). It’s been inspected and it’s ready for use. This is where the summer missionaries will call home this summer.
April was full of opportunities to share about missions. I shared at several churches in Rome , GA and other parts of Floyd County, GA. These speaking events revolved around an “On Mission Celebration.” The folks in Georgia were very encouraging and helped refreshed me in my outlook on our ongoing ministry on the Gulf Coast .
Congratulations to my brother, Scott Ford. He was ordained on April 27th. He is the minister of education and youth at Haven Fellowship Church in Conyers , GA. He has encouraged me in great ways in my faith journey. Pray for Scott and Dixie as they minister to the people of their community.
Just on the Horizon
- School’s Out, that means a nice break for Mrs. Ford J
- Thea’s sister, Alana, graduates high school on the 23rd – she’s Bama-bound
- Our first mission team, Rick Greene & FBC Madison, MS, arrives on May 25th
- Lacey, Tiffany, Ashley, Abby, Tara , and Amy arrive on the 30th
- Olive Baptist Church, Gulf State Park Campground campout
- Seminary Finals
One Last Thing
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him. Psalm 91:1-2
In Christ,
Jeff Ford
Gulf Area Resort Ministries / PO Box 3387 / Gulf Shores , AL 36547
bbagarm@gulftel.com
We are a ministry of the Baldwin Baptist Association, and we are partners in ministry with the Alabama State Board of Missions and the North American Mission Board.
