It's me again...

I am terribly sorry that it has taken me so long to post. I have been incredibly busy with so many things that it just hasn't left much time for the computer. I do apologize though and I hope that you all have been leading blessed and happy lives. That being said, let's do some catching up:

First of all, I am pleased to announce that my church, Lighthouse Baptist Church, is raising money to build a new church. We are currently renting the church building that we are in and the Lord has led us to start working on building a church that we can call our own. Please remember us in prayer that God would continue to use us to minister to lost and hurting souls. If you would care to make a donation toward our building fund, please make your check or money order payable to Lighthouse Baptist Church and mail to 120 Hazel Drive, Burlington, NC, 27217. Any charitable donation is tax deductible and I know that God will bless you. You can also read more about this wonderful project by visiting our church website at http://www.geocities.com/lighthousebaptistchrch and clicking the link that says "special church announcement".

One thing that has kept me busy lately is the Piedmont Carolina Jamboree. The Majestic Theater opened in Burlington the first week of March, but we have been practicing for a couple of months for the show called the Piedmont Carolina Jamboree which is performed monthly at the theater. I do some singing and (very little) dancing in the show. It is a revue of gospel and classic country music the way they do in Branson, MO and Myrtle Beach, SC. It has been a blessing to me to be in the show (we had our opening night performance Saturday, March 19). Singing is something I love to do and this was an opportunity to do something I had never done before. I was very pleased with our performance on the 19th and look forward to our next show on April 23. But it has definitely been a lot of work. Sometimes staying over there until after 11:00 at night some nights. But I have made several new friends and got what I like to call "my fifteen minutes". I kind of feel like a small town superstar!! But I still give all credit, honor and glory to God. Without God, nothing would be possible and I know that any amount of talent I have came from Him, and Him only. But this has been an awesome opportunity to do something I love and it has led to God opening the door for me to witness to several people and plant a seed in their heart. Who knows? Maybe one day that could factor in to their deciding to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. God said His Word would not return void. So I feel this was a way God blessed me and used me at the same time. The show is supposed to run until December and I hope that I will be able to stay in it for the duration of the show. However, if at any time it starts to interfere with my work for the Lord, I will have to step aside and let someone else have the opportunity. No matter what happens, it is definitely an experience that I will remember all my life!!

Another thing that has kept me running are our Friday night Bible Studies and rest home visits. We alternate Fridays: one week we have Bible Study and the next week we visit the rest home to sing and minister to the shut-ins. I have learned so much from our Bible Study and I always get a blessing from the rest home visits. I would like to make sure I say a special thank you to our Brother Ricky Lee for heading up the Bible Study AND the rest home ministry. Brother Ricky is truly a blessing and I pray that God would continue to use him and bless him. There were a couple of Friday nights I have missed due to having the flu a few weeks back but I always look forward to Friday nights because I always get a blessing no matter which week it is!!

Speaking of the flu...there has been so much sickness going around, let's not forget to pray for each other that God would heal those among us who are sick and afflicted. We have not because we ask not, so I don't care if it's only a sniffle....I still say take it to God!!

Amidst the many blessings of the past few months, I have to say the devil is really fighting. You know he can't stand to see us blessed and happy. There have been many things that have happened in my life (some as recently as today!) that discourage me and get me down. But I take comfort in the fact that my God has the power to work it all out. He sees the big picture. We can only see one small frame at a time. So even though I may not understand why things happen as they do, God knows what's best and as long as I am serving Him to the best of my ability I can rest assured that whatever happens is what's best for ME as well. I am thankful that I serve such a loving and forgiving God. So much so that even in my times of doubt and unbelief (yes, I have those times too!) He still holds my hand and gently leads me on. He never leaves me. Even though I am so unworthy of even being loved by someone as wonderful and awesome as the one and only God Almighty. It is an overwhelming thing to think about sometimes. Especially when I stop and think back about all the times I have failed Him and been unpleasing to Him, He still loved me anyway. And He is always fighting for me and making a way when there seems to be no way.

I turned 30 years old this past Saturday (March 26) and I know some people get really hung up on turning 30 or 40 or whatever. All of those "milestone birthdays". But to me, it wasn't just another year for me to get older. There are several ways I looked at it. For one thing, God has let me live 30 years. THIRTY YEARS!! That's a pretty long time. I still consider myself young, but I can look around and see where God has called people out to meet Him that were not even half my age. I think 30 years on this earth is a blessing. On the flip side, I am one year older. But that also means I am one year closer to meeting my Maker. One year closer to leaving the pains and sorrows of this world and moving to my mansion that He has prepared specifically for me (because He LOVES me!!). Now don't get me wrong....I am not in any hurry to die. I want to see my children grow up and have a family of their own. I have loved ones I want to see saved. And there are many things I still hope to accomplish. But look at it this way: remember how when you were a child and it was the first of December and you would start counting down the days until it was Christmas. Every day you were a day closer to getting to open your presents and see what Santa had left for you. Well, that is the way I want to look at my birthdays. I have already been given the greatest gift ever given. God has given me eternal life. But every birthday is another year closer to me getting to meet the Giver of that gift. And another year closer to me being able to thank Him for all eternity. Kinda makes you wish we had birthdays more than once a year, doesn't it???

I have so many more things I would love to talk about, but I know this has gotten long enough. I hope you enjoyed reading and catching up with me and I hope to post again really soon. Please keep me in your prayers, and keep looking up. Until next time, be blessed....

Love,
Stephanie