History of Jonsquill Ministries

210 Morris Drive - Bremen GA 30110 - Ministry office: 770 851 2885 - Email: jonsquillministries@yahoo.com

Michael L. Ford

Began preaching 1975, Licensed by Longbranch Baptist Church,Dalzell, South Carolina, served as Shaw AFB Protestand, Sunday School Director.

Served O'Beck Baptist Church, Osterholz Scharmbeck, Germany as Minister of Education

Above - Michael L. Ford,  Th.D and wife Kaye  

Served as Director of Detention Center Ministries number of years
Served on staff of Comfort Care Ministries

Founded Jonsquill Ministries and currently operating...
Currently serving Tallapoosa East Baptist Church as Minister of Education. Dean, W. Ga. Resident Center Covington Seminary
Attended Universities of South Carolina, Maryland, and New York among others with highest degrees from Covington Theological Seminary.

 Graduate degrees Th.D.; D.Min.(Counseling);M.R.E (Education); M.Min.(Pastoral) Have authored two books: The Exalted View of Marriage and The Critics Examined, plus numerous booklets, pamphlets and tracts. Also have worked as a ghostwriter on other projects.

Tribute to my wife

The Family

Michael and Kaye Ford

Children: Beverly Kaye Dukes, Harest L. Ford II, Beverly Michelle Ford

Below: My nephew and a friend in Afghanistan

Above - Wife Kaye at wedding reception in 2005

Above - Son Harest at work

Mr. & Mrs. Harest Ford

Tribute to Dad 

In this day and age many children grow up without a father. It is not uncommon for a Christian Counselor like myself to see many men and women whose lives are lacking for not having had someone they could know as daddy. Many of these people have seen their lives develop with serious defects because they did not know how to behave as men and women. They needed a father to teach them. Worse off still, are those who have a malformed image of what it is to be a man or a woman. The man who lived in the same house with them when they were growing up distorted and perverted their understanding because of the evil in his life. Truly in such a world as this I can say I was truly blessed by the man God gave me to be my Dad.

My Dad: what a guy he is! I remember when I was a boy he used to talk about a cinema cowboy named Hoot Gibson. He really liked Hoot Gibson. I did not know Hoot Gibson, but I did know John Wayne. To me my dad was a real John Wayne. He was a man I could watch every day and observe. He was not just a make believe hero on a cinema screen. He was a man who could teach me right from wrong, and explain the why of things. He has taught me to love my God and Savior, my family, and my country. He has given me the sense of life and death in the way of this world. He taught me there are things worth living for and worth dying for.

I remember a couple of years ago he told me he had one goal yet remaining in life. He wanted to see the fledgling church he now serves as their only deacon grow and develop men qualified to be ordained as deacons. He wanted to be able to stand before them and tell them what their job was. He wanted to tell them a deacon’s job is not to do the business of the church; it is to assist the pastor in the ministry of the church. He should know, for he has served both established and beginning churches as a deacon since my childhood. I hope he will yet get to do that.

Tonight my father was honored by the City of Bremen, and the mayor Jim Carden. He presented to dad a proclamation. It was presented a little late due to circumstances that could not be helped. I want to share it with you.

WHEREAS,     Let it be known all over this country that Bremen, GA and the people of Bremen have a special man to be proud of,

WHEREAS,     this special soldier represents numerous other soldiers no longer with us in body but very much to us in their courage,

WHEREAS,     this special soldier, Staff Sergeant Harest L. Ford has been presented the very high honor the Silver Star (note he also has four bronze stars)

WHEREAS,     he fought gallantly on September 2, 1944 in France, Sergeant Ford, Company D, 67 Armored Regiment was instrumental in helping to destroy eighty-two enemy vehicles, twenty guns and a large number of infantry,

WHEREAS,     using his initiative, he crossed an open field to an adjoining road where he set his tank up as a road block in a semi-exposed position,

WHEREAS,     Sgt. Ford, with utter disregard for his own safety destroyed a large part of the enemy force,

WHEREAS,     Sergeant Ford reflects the greatest traditions of military service and is placed on high as a Georgia son,

THEREFORE  let it be known, that February 16, 1999 be known as Sergeant Ford Day as he represents the best of Bremen and the State of Georgia.

Signed Jimmy F. Carden, mayor

The President of the Haralson County Veterans Association read the following poem:

It Is the Soldier

By Charles M. Province

IT IS THE SOLDIER, not the reporter,

            Who has given us freedom of the press.

IT IS THE SOLDIER, not the poet,

            Who has given us freedom of speech.

IT IS THE SOLDIER, not the campus organizer,

            Who has given us freedom to demonstrate.

IT IS THE SOLDIER, not the lawyer,

            Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

IT IS THE SOLDIER, who salutes the flag,

            Who serves under the flag, and

            Whose coffin is draped by the flag,

            Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

My father does not talk about the brave deeds that he did in war. They were many more in number than this one event for which he was honored. He has spoken about the deeds of others. He calls his fallen brother the bravest man he ever knew. He has mourned the many brave men he knew and remarked that it took all of them doing their jobs when they would have liked to be somewhere else. Dad fought on the battlefields of that war for over four years, and many a night since he has fought it again upon his bed. Of the victory in World War II he says, “To God be the glory.”

My dad does not talk about the war he has fought since then. A war against the world, the flesh, and the devil has been the unrelenting and unswerving campaign of his life. He has been faithful to his service in the Lord’s Army ever since I have been old enough to remember. During those years he has at times been sent hate mail, vilified, and despised by some who have owed him most. He has never let those things sway him from his duty. He did not falter even when friends fell by the way. During the years since World War Two he has been instrumental in the establishing and building of several churches located in Bremen, Macon, and Warner Robbins Georgia. He would never for a moment consider them any kind of monument to his service, but to the Lord who sent Him. I am proud of my dad, not just because he is a war hero, but because he is the man of God that he is.

Dad is now in the last stages of his life. Soon the soldier will be relieved of duty by the Great Commander who owns our very souls. Dad loves his country and is entitled to have his coffin draped with its flag on that day. But I think he would rather have the flag of his Lord on that coffin. For when he arrives in the presence of his Savior and is presented the awards won in this great battle against evil, he will return them and say, “To God be the glory.”

Click on this link for an inspirational look at our brave soldiers, past and present. www.beforeyougo.us