SHOW ME WHAT YOU DID The Dad of one of our staff members used to tell him, "Don't tell me what you are going to do, SHOW ME WHAT YOU DID." ...
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P. O . B o x 1 1 2 5 4 , B i r m i n g h a m , A L 3 5 2 0 2 • b b m i s s i o n . c o m • J u n e 2 0 1 9
SHOW ME WHAT YOU DID The Dad of one of our staff members used to tell him,
“Don’t tell me what you are going to do, SHOW ME WHAT YOU DID.”
It is an experience of overwhelming joy to see men restored to their families, becoming the fathers they always
wanted to be. The last verse of the Old Testament says, “And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their
children” (Malachi 4:6). I would like to share the following short summaries of three men in an effort to SHOW ME
WHAT God DID and continues to do at Brother Bryan Mission.
Chap Womack – In April 2017 our newsletter featured Chap Womack who was returning to
Auburn after graduating BBM’s New Life Fellowship Program. This week (May 2019) he writes,
“I’m doing really well. I finally feel like I’m the spiritual head of the family. I’m a youth leader at
our church. I don’t take these things lightly and don’t tell you this as any sort of bragging. Just to
say God has been blessing me and my family. I still pray every day for my sobriety and remember
how very low I was. I think about the mission often and how it changed my life. Thank you for
showing me the love of Christ and it’s immeasurable power.”
Stanley Dodd – The last time Stanley had talked with his son was when his son was 2 years
old. His son was now 15. Through the New Life Fellowship Program at BBM, Stanley came to
know Christ and in Christ was given hope for his life and even hope for the possibility of being
restored with his son.
A letter to his son’s grandmother, who was raising his son, planted a seed that ultimately bore
the fruit of a reunion that was thought to be impossible before Stanley came to Christ. After a
recent fishing trip with his son, Stanley reflectively said, “God has made the impossible possible,
I cannot thank Him enough.”
David Carrier – David was hired as BBM’s Kitchen Supervisor on August 9, 2013. David began
his road of sobriety and restoration 7 years ago. David has had a relationship with his son for
several years but just last night his daughter, whom he has not talked with since 2008, called
him and said she was going to be in Birmingham next month and wants to see him. David says,
“I want her to see the person I am now.”
Space does not allow us to tell about the restoration of Tom Smith, Bobby Montgomery, Gene Roberts, Marty
Dunn, Wes Bowers and many others with their children.
SHOW ME WHAT YOU DID – this is what you did through your support of BBM. You should be proud this Father’s
Day that there are fathers who are celebrating their restoration because of you.
Happy Father’s Day!
SINCE 1940
Jim Etheredge
WORDS By Kay Etheredge
Executive Director
1616 2nd Avenue North
P.O. Box 11254
Birmingham, AL 35202
(205) 322-0092 Office
(205) 322-7820 Fax
www.bbmission.com
NEW LIFE FELLOWSHIP Our granddaughter Caroline is three and youngest daughter, Jane. It was a hot pink
RECOVERY PROGRAM inherited my dislike of carwashes. Our son purse with a huge hot pink flower in the
EXODUS TRANSITIONAL and daughter-in-law sent us a video that center. It was big enough to store treasures
HOUSING PROGRAM shows Caroline, strapped in her car seat in but not too big for a three year old. The
READY TO WORK PROGRAM as they enter a car wash. Her face told the one detriment was a clasp closure at the
MEALS, CLOTHING,
story. She began to look around her as top that was hard for her three-year-old
SHOWERS the huge water hoses sprayed the outside fingers to navigate. She asked repeatedly
of the car. As the roaring noise took over, for me to open it for her.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS she began to look more frantically at her
surroundings. She then began to speak. I helped her fill the purse with treasures. We
Dean Nix President had discovered a kaleidoscope in a drawer
“I don’t like this!” she said several times. and it was a thrill to introduce Caroline to
John Bell Vice President the beautiful colors and shapes that lay
She then began to cry. like unopened treasure inside it. We held
Ed Allen Secretary
In the video we hear Chelsea, our daughter- it repeatedly up to the light and I heard
Brian George Treasurer in-law, say, “It’s fun, Caroline”. Caroline’s Caroline gasp at its beauty. Into the purse
expression relaxed somewhat, but fear still it went. She needed to take it home to
Antyne James Mississippi with her. We found other bits
gripped her little face.
Allan Causey and pieces of treasure and put them all
Our son Grant, driving the car, said simply, inside the purse. For the next two days she
Sandi Gornati “It’s okay, Caroline”. happily enjoyed toting the hot pink purse
on her arm as she modeled a Cinderella
Mike Graham She began to repeat over and over, “It’s costume and crown.
Bryan Gunn
okay”?
On the day they were leaving, she came
Jack Knight She repeated, “It’s okay, Daddy”. into the room and the purse was open…
it’s purse mouth hanging agape and her
Denny Ragland With each repetition of “it’s okay” she
treasures dangling precariously on the
sounded more confident.
edge. I spoke, not to scold her, but to remind
What had calmed her down was the voice her that if the purse wasn’t closed tightly
Keep up with the things would fall out and she would lose
of her father.
Brother Bryan Mission her new trinkets.
Recently they visited our home and Caroline
or make donations discovered our stash of ballet and princess I saw that she had perceived my words as
on our expanding webpage costumes. She delighted in dressing up a scold. She looked at me, then back at the
and we delighted more in seeing her enjoy gaping purse, and she gingerly touched
www.bbmission.com and pretend. But she wanted a purse. each item inside. She then handed me the
purse and said with great conviction, “I’ll
I rummaged around downstairs and found just leave it here”.
a purse that had been a favorite of our
Gifts to
Brother Bryan Mission
I tried to talk her into taking the purse and its contents
that she had enjoyed for days. She was adamant that it
in Honor or in
could just stay at our house. I told her I would save it for
her and whenever she comes she can play with it. But
Memory of…
something in my words had taken away the sparkle, the
delight, the joy. I wanted to retrieve them but couldn’t. In Honor of Given by
And just like that I am taught by a three year old that, as
Margery Bryan McBride Jean McMillan
author and missionary wife Elisabeth Elliot says, “There
are very few things in life that really need to be said, and Ken Traweek Tony and Elizabeth Tanner
even fewer by me”.
In Memory of Given by
Many of the men at Brother Bryan Mission have had harsh
things said to them…many from their fathers. A man told Allyson Allred Ladies Bible Study of Vestavia
me once that his dad told him daily, ever since he was a Walter Baker Sara Baker
small boy, “You will never amount to anything”. Steve M. Boswell, Sr. Jacquelyn G. Boswell
How very hard it is to picture a loving heavenly Father Peter Douglas Bunting Derry B. Bunting
who tells us we are His, we are enough, and we are loved, Bernice Feagin Drew and Wanda Frost
when we had an earthly father who pounded negative, Dan Fortenberry Carole Sanders
destructive messages into us daily. As we near Father’s Arnold Fulmer Don and Marie Hooks
day, I wish that everyone could experience and believe the
love of the only perfect Father, the only One who willingly Howard W. Geers Bryan and Suzanne Gunn
gave up everything for His own. But there are many who Wayne Guest Jere and Ruth Chandler
still bear deep wounds and scars inflicted by fathers who Charlene (Boots) Jennings Robert Jennings
didn’t know any better, or wounds from fathers who simply John L. and Virginia Martin Tom and Linda Cook
were not around. The unspoken reality in their absence
Delesia Kay Mayhew Don McDaniel
roars more loudly than the car wash cannons that terrified
our Caroline. Tony Moll Michael and Sharon Isom
Curtis Dan Outlaw Drew and Wanda Frost
The hot pink purse with the large jaunty flower sits in
Dr. John Poynor Russell and Nita Yarbrough
our guest room. I see it each time I walk in. Hours after
Caroline left our house I moved it, but not before I opened J. Kelley Robinson Jimmy Sloan
it. I had suspected that she took the things inside and Sonya Womack Baker and Martha Callahan
just left the purse. The kaleidoscope and all the other Lula York Tom and Linda Cook
contents lay inside. Somehow my words, my warnings,
my admonition to her, translated negatively to her and
she simply chose, after obvious considerations, to leave
the purse, the beautiful kaleidoscope, and all the other
trinkets. And this Poopsie has a painful reminder and Want to honor or remember your Dad this
rebuke to my spirit each time I see it perched there on
the bed when it should be swaying on a three year old Father’s Day? Make a donation in his honor
Cinderella’s arm in Mississippi…watch your words. Don’t or memory to Brother Bryan Mission
shatter the joy and maybe even the life of another because
of words that were better left unsaid. All the colors and
and we will mail a card of recognition to
patterns in a kaleidoscope couldn’t convince our sweet the Honoree(s), letting them know we
Caroline to take the purse…to risk the loss of all this joy. received a gift from you in their honor.
Even though I meant nothing by it, I can’t change it in her
little mind, and weeks have passed with the purse sitting
in the same spot in our guest room.
Sometimes the very best words to hear are the words of
a caring and kind father who quietly says above the roar,
“It’s okay”.
P.O. Box 11254
Birmingham, AL 35202
Hope Lives Here
MISSION NEEDS
Food Service Needs
• Canned Vegetables
• 8oz Styrofoam Cups
• Coffee
• Sugar
• Cereal
Other Needs
• Bleach
• Toilet Paper
• Lysol
• Deoderant
Automatic Monthly Donations to Brother Bryan Mission
To make automatic monthly donations, complete the following and mail to: Brother Bryan Mission, P.O. Box 11254, Birmingham, AL 35202
Name: ________________________________________ Amount of Monthly Donation $_______________________
Phone # _______________________________________ Card Type ❏ Visa ❏ Mastercard ❏ AmEx
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bbmission.com
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