[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 19 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING REVEREND JOE GRIZZLE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J.C. WATTS, JR.

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2002

  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great 
American, a wonderful family man and a true servant of God: Reverend 
Joe Grizzle.
  Reverend Grizzle has recently accomplished a great feats: celebrating 
25 years in the same church, in the same town: First Free Will Baptist 
Church of Norman, Oklahoma--in the heart of the 4th district of 
Oklahoma.
  And heart is what this is all about. Churchgoers at First Free Will 
refer to their home as the Church with a heart. Many Oklahomans have 
commented that Joe Grizzle has a great big heart. A heart that cares 
for others, a heart that cares for his wife Billie and his children 
Christy and Rick and their spouses Jeff and Kim and 5 beautiful 
grandchildren, and a heart that recently was broken but thankfully God 
saw fit to mend it back together again to allow him to continue his 
ministry. More than that, Rev. Grizzle has a heart that cares for God. 
And like David, he is a man after God's own heart.
  Rev. Grizzle knows what it means to teach and be obedient. He knows 
what it is to plant seeds that will bloom well into eternity. He knows 
what is done for God will last. While we debate budgets and 
appropriations and talk of legislation, Rev. Grizzle is doing the real 
work of this great nation: healing hurts, mending brokenness and 
putting families back together and talking about the things of God.
  When it comes to keeping this nation great and strong, we need to 
look to our families and our churches. Especially right now, our 
churches have been raised for such a time as this. Rev. Grizzle is a 
credit to this nation and a testimony of God's grace as he celebrates 
25 years of ministry at the First Free Will Baptist Church in Norman, 
Oklahoma.

                          ____________________