Earnest Murphy

I was born in Pensacola, Florida on April 18, 1950 at the Pensacola Maternity Hospital on Blount Street. We lived for the first nine years of my life in Pensacola and then moved to Gulf Breeze, Florida in 1959. With my brothers we had a wonderful childhood out on Pensacola East Bay about 7 miles out of Gulf Breeze. It was a beautiful and pristine place to grow up with great fishing and always any water sport you can imagine. I attended schools in Pensacola, as Gulf Breeze in those days had no schools. After graduation from Pensacola High School in 1968 I then attended the University of Southern Mississippi. In 1970 I entered the U.S. Army as a medic and it was my honor and privilege to serve my country. Being honorably discharged in 1972 and returning home to attend Pensacola Junior College for a time. In 1974 the Louisville & Nashville Railroad was hiring trainmen and I received the blessing of being hired. I spent thirty years on the railroad working as a freight conductor and also served as Local Chairman, President, and Secretary of the L&N General Committee of Adjustment for the United Transportation Union. I have three children, April, Jay, John Gabriel, along with four grandchildren. The greatest blessing, having received in my life, is when my LORD and SAVIOR chose me in a mighty way on November 3, 1991. On that day, hearing the LORD’s voice say, “Ernest you can’t resist your FATHER’s love another day.” There is no way to express in words the blessing and gift that our LORD has given me since that Sunday morning. I was ordained as a deacon in 1992 and in that capacity have served our LORD and His Church. At Santa Rosa Shores Baptist Church there were mentors that were such a blessing to me. Reverend Henry Willett and Brother Bob Davis were two of many with which I was privileged to serve. On that day in 1991 I entered the servitude for our LORD and His Church and will continue to do so until the last breath. My loving wife, Rebecca Lee, and I will always work to spread the Gospel for our LORD JESUS CHRIST and strive for the edification, servitude, and love, whether it will be inside or outside of His Church.