Newsletters Newsletters 2011 Newsletters 2010
November 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving. I would like to reiterate some of the points of last month’s newsletter. November and December are the most challenging months of the year for Lifeline.
• Christmas Shoeboxes for Mexico, Jamaica, and American Indians need to be coordinated through Cindy at 229-228-5051 or 229-246-0089.
• Mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico delivering shoeboxes, ten sewing machines, (would appreciate more), and constructing cabinets in the Maranatha Church kitchen for the feeding program.
• Six Methodist Church projects on the Northwest Conference of Mexico.
This is a wonderful time of the year and Lifeline is thankful for having these multiple opportunities of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our supporters are the ones who afford us the privilege of doing some things that actually impact and make a difference in this world. Sometimes it is one life at a time. Other times it is one church at a time. Have you ever stopped to think about the impression that is made on a poverty stricken child when they are given a shoebox full of gifts that say: “Love in the name of Jesus”? This is all that most of these children will receive this year. Thank you for making a difference. How many lives are changed when we construct a church? I am reaching out to people who have the capacity of funding all of our projects. Whatever you may do is appreciated. Ten dollars buys three gallons of gas and puts Lifeline fifty miles closer to our destination.
May God bless you and He will multiply your kindness back to you full measure, pressed down, and overflowing. Again have a blessed Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for.
in His service,
Griff
October 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
I would like to send a personal thank you to all of the Lifeline supporters who were involved in making Pastor Daniel and Adamina Guerra’s visit such a special and enjoyable occasion.
Our Reynosa, Mexico guests were an overwhelming and tremendous blessing to Lifeline during their three week September visit. Lifeline supporters provided them with many speaking and witnessing opportunities. We shared in events from “in home” old fashioned camp meetings to preaching services in Hispanic churches. We were also involved with door to door witnessing. We were blessed to see people delivered along with people accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Daniel and Adamina were not only blessed financially, but were able to take back sewing machines, clothes, and large quantities of food for the poor. Again, thank you.
October, November, and December promises to be an eventful period for the remainder of 2011. Henry Miller and several other people will be departing for Mexico on the 8th of December. This team will also be involved with construction, witnessing, and preaching. We have six people committed. There is room for five more so why not join us for this exciting Christmas experience.
The September newsletter listed the six churches and Sunday school building projects that are on hold because of the lack of funds.
It is saddening to have all of this Kingdom work and not have the money to go forward. The fields are indeed white for harvest!
In reference to the shoeboxes, please coordinate with Cindy (229-228-5051). She has to have these gifts in her possession by November 15th.
As previously mentioned, this is Lifeline’s busiest time of the year. Our needs are great. There are fuel expenses for shoeboxes, construction supplies for building projects along with other travel associated costs. Please help us make these projects a reality. We need help. In closing, thank you to our regular monthly contributors. We appreciate your faithfulness and your prayers. You are providing the seeds and I assure you our Father will bring them into full growth, ready for harvest. Please continue to pray for Lifeline and our work in the mission fields.
in His service,
Griff
September 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
I mentioned in our last newsletter that my sister Sandra Griffin and I would be in Reynosa, Mexico by the time you received the letter. What a blessing!! Pastor Henry and the Virginia group were three days ahead of us. There were over a dozen people who accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Well…..as you read this letter, Pastor Daniel and Sister Adamina will be visiting in my home. They intend to stay approximately three weeks (Sept. 3-21). If you would be interested in hosting them in a home gathering or as speakers at your church, please contact us immediately. I am planning a bar-b-que, but can work my date around yours if you contact me immediately.
Sandra and I have been collecting sewing machines for them to take back to Mexico. Sandra discovered that for every one sewing machine, a mother could stay home with her children and the factories would actually pay her more for her work. Sister Adamina will have actual possession of the machines, but this will allow the mothers to come to the church with their children. What a blessing and wonderful opportunity to feed these children and share Jesus Christ with them in a Sunday school environment.
As Sandra and I departed for Reynosa, we contacted my cousin Wyley Murray in Pensacola, Florida. I asked Wyley to be in prayer for us and if he felt led, would he ask some of his prayer partners at the Cokesbury UM Church of Pensacola to purchase 5 lbs. of rice for us to take to Adamina. Four hours later we entered Pensacola to find 150 lbs. of rice awaiting our arrival! Praise Jesus. Cokesbury UM Church is on “fire for the Lord! Sandra and I were privileged and blessed to meet most of the staff and share Lifeline and our efforts. Wyley is the manager for their Property Facilitators and there is an awful lot of property because this ministry is growing. Wyley and his wife Jodie were such wonderful hosts and we could feel the love of Christ in their home.
Lifeline is entering our busiest time of the year and our needs are many. Please pray for us and consider assisting us to accomplish all of the following this year:
1. Shoeboxes (American Indians, Mexico, and Jamaica). We need the boxes in Bainbridge no later than the week before Thanksgiving. We plan to depart for Mexico right after Thanksgiving. We already have five people committed, but room for many more. Please contact us.
2. Build a new church in Aqua Prieta. Cost $4500.00
3. Repair a church in Cananea sliding down the hill. Cost $1300.00
4. Build a new church in Santa Clara. Cost $4000.005. Build a new Sunday school building in Agiabampo. Cost $4500.006. Repair a church roof in Obregon. Cost $2500.00
If for some reason you are not able to physically participate, you can financially assist those who can. I remain
in His service,
Griff
July 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
Thank you for last month’s response for our building project in Guaymas, Mexico.
I have enclosed pictures and as you will notice, we were short with the funds necessary to complete this project. We still need six (6) more tin sheets at the cost of sixty-five dollars ($65.00 USA) each. Reverend Lynn Hurley, Art Shoemaker, Gene Trulock and Jehu Sanchez ran out of time and money, but they did train our Mexican brothers well enough for them to be able to complete the work. We just need to raise the funds to forward to their church. I visited Guaymas last year and personally witnessed the damage that this leaking roof had created inside the parsonage. Reverend Hurley is to be commended for his solution in repairing the leaking roof. It is a concrete roof and the Mexican efforts to patch it have been futile. Lynn is a wonderful man of God with a particular passion for the poor. Art and Gene are just as committed to Lifeline and our mission efforts. They have been faithful servants for over twenty years. I refer to Art as “Mr. Hainey” (Green Acres). He can requisition anything from Packard car parts to potatoes! This team never says No to Lifeline but instead, “where”, “when”, and “how much”. The entire congregation was overwhelmed with Lifeline’s Mission Team. They shared how we were the only Americans that have not been afraid to come and assist them. Not only has Pastor Alma excited the congregation of First UMC of Guaymas, but she has also started another church. They have fifteen members and are presently meeting in one of the member’s home.
As you are reading this newsletter, I am in Reynosa, Mexico, expanding our feeding program with Daniel and Adamina Guerra. My sister, Sandra Griffin, is with me and we have joined Pastor Henry Miller and a group from Virginia. We have delivered a gas stove, a refrigerator, tables and chairs along with some staple groceries. This entire week is devoted to revival and house to house ministry. Please pray for the lost as well as our safety. As in Guaymas, Lifeline is the first American mission team to visit Reynosa this year!
In order for Lifeline to continue with our bold efforts we need money and appreciate your financial assistance, but we survive on your prayers. I would like to acknowledge Mr. E.O. “Red” Baggett. There was a memorial contribution made in his name, and this gift will be used to change lives. I remain,
in His service,
Griff
June 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
A couple of years ago I was humbled by my appointment as the Prayer Advocate for the South Georgia Conference of United Methodist Men. The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is supported and funded by UMM. The center operates from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm (CST) (800-251-2468). You can visit the website at www.upperroom.org/prayer. Lifeline’s prayer request can be made at www.lifelineministries.com. This is updated daily.
I do not know of anyone who has been a greater beneficiary of answered prayer than me and my family. I could literally write a book on the supernatural miracles God has allowed me to experience through answered prayers. Several months ago I wrote an article about Christ directing us to pray without ceasing. Luke 18:1 Christ states that “men ought always to pray, and not faint.” A literal translation would be to pray until an answer comes. Christ assures us in Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you”. I am asking you as a friend of Lifeline to pray for the ministry. We have not had the response we need for our building projects.
Gene Trulock will be leaving with a team for Guaymas, Mexico May 29th. We are currently short on funds for Gene’s mission trip. As I have stated in several newsletters, this is the first time in almost twenty years that Mexican Methodists have asked Lifeline to assist them in planting and building churches. By faith I am personally funding this project. We have postponed it twice because of lack of money. I am asking you to pray in faith that God will meet our needs.
Failure is not an option for Lifeline. There was a man in 1831 who failed in business. He was defeated in a run for the Legislature in 1832, he again failed in business in 1833, his sweetheart died in 1835, he suffered a nervous breakdown in 1836, he was defeated for Speaker in 1838, he was defeated for Elector in 1840, he was defeated for Congress in 1848, he was defeated for Senate in 1855, he was defeated for Vice President in 1856, he was again defeated for Senate in 1858, he was elected President of the United States in 1860!
Surely Abraham Lincoln prayed without ceasing, he did not give up, failure was not an option, and God’s plan for him was to become President of the United States.
We would appreciate your financial support but we need your prayers.
in His service,
Griff
May 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
As I have stated in the enclosed volume thirty-five (35) of As I See It, this is the most wonderful time of the year for Christians. All of our hope lies within the Resurrection.
After more than a month of everyone telling us that our computer was dead, a Christian man referred to us by David Parrish has completely restored it and Cindy’s nervous breakdown is now on hold! David is one of the missionaries we continue to help support. He is a man of God, evangelist, and a one-on-one mentor of many young Christians. Through his Anchor Ministries and service as president of ISTL, David literally goes all over the world proclaiming the Resurrection.
Brother Gene Trulock has set a hopeful and tentative date of May 17 for the mission trip to Guaymas, Mexico. I sadly say tentative and hopeful because we have yet to receive the funding to begin with this one of seven projects that we have been blessed with in the frontiers of Mexico. Pastor Lynn Hurley and Brother Art Shoemaker will be traveling with Gene. Gene desperately needs financial support for this project. He also would welcome more team members.
Pastor Henry Miller is going to Reynosa, Mexico with a trailer load of kitchen and other supplies for the Reynosa feeding program. This trip is established for June 17-24. Henry is driving and has room for two more people. We have two Christians from Virginia flying in for this trip. My sister, Sandra Griffin, and I will be joining this group during the week of their visit. I am extremely excited about this particular trip and the time we will share with Adamina and Daniel. Their ministry has grown from a Lifeline project and a building of $5000.00, with a seating capability of approximately fifty members, to an extremely large church serving an even larger sector of the poverty area in which it is located.
As I have stated many times, the most difficult part of my ministry is raising funds. It is difficult for all ministries and particularly in these economic times. This being said, may I clearly state: whether you can, have, or will support us financially has absolutely no bearing on our relationship with you. We fully understand the difficult times our senior supporters are experiencing. No one will ever be removed from our mailing list because of their lack of financial support. Lifeline actually operates by the faithful $15-$25 monthly supporters. If you can not assist us financially, we are more than happy and blessed to have your prayers! Prayer is our most precious resource. May God continue to bless you as I remain ……
in His service,
Griff
April 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
For those of you in South Georgia who are of the Methodist faith, you may already be aware of Bishop King’s new appointments. Lifeline would like to personally congratulate Reverend Henry Bass on his new appointment. Brother Henry has been serving as Pastor of Cairo Georgia First United Methodist Church. He has been appointed as the new District Superintendent of the Valdosta District. The Valdosta District is indeed fortunate to receive a man filled with the love of Jesus and I assure you they will realize this as soon as they meet him. Again, congratulations Henry.
Lifeline is experiencing very difficult times with our computer. Quick Books will not open. We have specialists trying to solve the problem. Please pray for Sister Cindy. It has gotten to the point where she is talking to the computer screen as the specialists go forward.
Thank you for the generous response to our last month’s plea for help in our mission work in Mexico. We have a date of June 17th through 24th or 25th for our mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico. Brother Henry Miller is leading this team. He is driving and has room for three more people (cost: $150.00 per person and equal share of traveling expense). We have two people who are flying in and Henry will pick them up at the airport in McAllen, Texas. We have four to five vacancies for those who wish to fly and set their own return dates (cost: depends on departure point, but there are some cheap roundtrip tickets to McAllen, Texas….you might consider travel points from your credit card… American airlines have been offering deals for 25,000 points or less for roundtrip fares). Brother Henry is pulling a trailer and so far we have s refrigerator, stove, and two dining room sets. This will allow us to expand Adamina and Daniel’s feeding program. We are in need of six Sunday school tables and seventy folding chairs. Brother Gene Trulock has not yet set a date for the Sonora trip. He has three people committed, but we do not have the funds to go forward.
A special thanks to those who support us on a regular basis. I am just pleading with the other recipients of this monthly newsletter to pray and seek God’s desire in reference to you assisting our efforts to spread the Gospel into third world countries.
iHs,
Griff
March 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
Each month I pray extensively before I write our newsletter. In six years this has been the most difficult one. I never want Lifeline to be politically affiliated. When people inquire about my political preference, I state that I am an “ole fashion” Christian Conservative. I believe the Bible is the complete unchanging word of God. He inspired men where and when to dot the I’s, cross the T’s and the exact word He wanted written.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 of him being beaten, 5 times he had 39 lashes, shipwrecked, stoned and imprisoned. Paul indeed went through dangerous and perilous times.
New Orleans is the most dangerous city in our country and has a population of 300.000. Last year they had 65 murders per 100,000 population. You probably did not know that. There are five other countries including the United States that are ahead of Mexico in murders. The news media has not been mentioning that! Out of the thousands of missionaries recently killed all over the world, only ONE was an American in Mexico, which is still headlining news, while we as a Christian nation, are murdering our unborn.
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you and before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you.” In Psalm 139:13-14, David states, “ For you formed my inmost being: You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Abortion is murder. Last year in the state of Kansas there were 187 “partial birth” abortions. If a baby’s head has entered into this world but not past the baby’s navel, you can legally kill the child. I believe there were over one and a half million abortions in our country last year!! Some of you probably believe I have crossed the line politically. That is not my intention. I am aware that I am walking up close to it.
Either you believe the Bible or you do not. There is no in between and we cannot pick and choose our direction. My Bible tells me to carry the gospel to all nations, feed the hungry, care for the poor and love my neighbor as myself.
Compared to the unbelievable poverty I have witnessed in Mexico, Canada does not need our help. Mexico happens to be 97% Catholic, to include the ones in control of the money and government. They resist Protestant intervention, appearing to cater only to the elite, while the poor are not only hungry for food but are starving for the gospel.
I will resign from Lifeline before I will allow the news and TV sensationalism to stop, intimidate or scare me from doing what the Bible says we are to do. For the first time in twenty years the Mexican Methodists have given Lifeline seven building projects. I have pleaded and begged for help. And I get echoes of fear from the dangers in Mexico. Thus far we have two Methodist laymen and one pastor who are willing to go. We are not receiving adequate financial help for these projects. If you or I were Mexican, we would have crossed the border 50 years ago.
Thanks to those of you who have been faithful through all the years. You have helped us build almost 100 churches, literally changing the lives of tens of thousands of Mexicans. There is not any way for us to know how many people actually read our newsletter, but we do know that over four hundred receiving this letter have not responded. You are missing the opportunity to do something that will change your life forever. Again, to the faithful, Thank You.
I remain in His service,
February 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
The month of February is a short month, but it is promising to also be an exciting month for Lifeline. Additionally, February is also a special month for me. Not only do we have Valentine’s (February 14th) but, on February the 17th, Janet and I are looking forward to celebrating our twenty-second anniversary. The twenty-sixth is Lynn Boone’s birthday. Lynn is a special Christian lady, mother, and wife. She and her husband Jim are faithful supporters of Lifeline and I am blessed to have her as my oldest daughter! Happy birthday Lynn and may God continue to bless and protect you and your family as you relocate to Fort Myers.
Lifeline is busy with preparations for all of our new projects with Bishop Carrillo. Bishop Carrillo is the appointed Methodist Bishop for the Northwestern Conference of Mexico. As I have mentioned in recent newsletters, this is a frontier area that offers a wonderful challenge for mission work.
Southwest Airlines is now flying out of Panama City, Florida with roundtrip tickets to El Paso, Texas for $273.00. This has considerably cut the cost of a mission trip. I cannot over emphasize the impact that a trip such as this can have on your Christian growth. Any mission trip is a blessing, but this frontier area will change your life. This could be a great mission trip for a Men’s Sunday school class. There is also opportunity for ladies and youth groups. If you do not make this a priority for 2011, you will be missing the opportunity of a lifetime. As I write this letter, I know some of you have been considering and praying about doing more with your Christian lives. Now is the time to do so. Lifeline is providing you a wonderful as well as inexpensive chance to take the next step!
As I ask you to consider doing something that will make a real difference in this world, I want to also thank you for what you are presently doing. May God continue His blessing upon you and your loved ones. I remain…
iHs,
Griff
January 2011
Greetings in the name of Jesus,
I hope you have already noticed the change in our letterhead. This is a one-time change in order to facilitate the message I want to convey to you as we begin a new year. My prayer is that you read this entire message. As you begin, many of you will feel that this is a solicitation for funds. May I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. Therefore please continue to read and I again pray that this will be a new years blessing to your Christian walk.
In the book of James (4:2) the scripture clearly states, “you have not because you ask not”. All the commentaries, topical concordances, and references that I use reference this scripture back to Matthew (7:7-8) “Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. In the foregoing chapter, our Savior had spoken of prayer as a commanded duty by which God is honored. Here he is speaking of it as the appointed means of obtaining what we need. He uses three words ask, seek, and knock to emphasize one word…pray, pray, and pray again. Again in Matthew (21: 21-22) Christ states that if you have faith you shall say this to the mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done, and all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
I have found over twenty different scriptures in the Bible to include both the Old and New Testament dealing with tithes. Among these is found in the last book of the Old Testament (Malachi 3:7-10). Here we find God accusing us of robbing Him. The most interesting part of these scriptures is found in verse 10. This is the only place I have ever found in the entire Bible where God actually challenges us to prove Him wrong! “Bring ye all of your tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it”!!!
In 2010 God opened so many new doors and opportunities for Lifeline. We, like other ministries, felt the sting of our nations economic crisis; however, God met our every need every month.
Toward the end of the year and specifically in November and December God challenged me to pray for our needs in faith. I prayed: “My father in heaven, I come before you unworthy, sinful, and undeserving, asking you to forgive me of my sins of commissions well as my sins of omission. Father, I also approach you boldly with the faith of Jairus whose daughter you returned to life, with the faith of Martha and Mary, with the faith two blind men who cried out “have mercy on us”, with the faith of the young lady who touched the hem of your garment. I come before you with the faith of the ten lepers and as all of these you healed, I ask in faith and through the power of your Holy Spirit, meet the needs of Lifeline as we go forward in faith and service to you…Amen.
Janet and I spent Christmas in Waynesboro, Georgia with my mother and sister. We both spent most of our time in bed with the flu, yet I continued my prayers in faith (pray, pray…. and pray again). We were not able to return to Thomasville until December 28th. Upon contacting Cindy about our financial conditions, she reported the following:
Thru the first two weeks of December our contributions for the month were at a six-year low.
· On November 30th we had a negative balance but with obligations of $2,200.00.
· On December 1st we received $2,380.00.
· On December 14th we had a balance of $196.52 with obligations of $2000.00
· On December 15th we received $2000.00
· On December 29th we had a balance of $131.52
· On December 30th we deposited $2700.00
Jimmy Keyton used to tell me of similar situations that he was confronted with on many occasions, yet he could never finish explaining the events and needs without breaking down with tears. As Cindy conveyed our situation during November, I could only weep.
We have not because we ask not and that is the way I see it as I look forward to a New Year. I will continue to pray in faith.
iHs,
Griff
Phone 229.228.5051 Fax 229.246.8007