“…GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN THAT NOTHING BE LOST.”
JOHN 6:12

Greetings in the Name above all names – Jesus Christ. It is our pleasure to share our story and we sincerely pray the Lord will encourage you through this web site. It is always exciting to see how the Lord works in the lives of others.

WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED (ROMANS 10:13)

Thirty minutes into the new day of Friday, March 24, 1989, a fellow Coast Guardsman voluntarily embarked upon a most critical search and rescue mission. That night my Coasty friend sought me, threw out the lifeline, and led me to Jesus Christ. I was rescued from the lake of fire awaiting me, born again, eternally rescued, and secure. Immediately upon trusting Jesus Christ, I was consciously aware something had been missing. The burden 36 years of accumulated sin debt and its consequences had been lifted; in its place were peace and calm.

My first trial: How do I explain all that has just happened to me to my wife, Laura Jean, and our daughter, Danielle. I feared their reactions but knew I must tell them. I was panic stricken when I considered them rejecting Jesus Christ and going to hell. As best as I knew how, I immediately began to witness to them but more importantly, I PRAYED for them! We also began attending church with my friend who had led me to the Lord. The church, Victory Bible Baptist Church in Ledyard, Connecticut was a one-hour drive from our home in Coventry, Rhode Island. Through prayer and the preaching of the God’s Word, on May 1, 1989, Laura and Danielle bowed their heads in prayer as I led them to the Lord Jesus Christ and they were wonderfully saved in our living room!! At the time of our salvation, I was 36, Laura Jean was 27, and Danielle was 7. How often it has been observed that the only regret with salvation is that one did not come to the Lord earlier in life and not have to bring Him a lifetime of avoidable sin! Certainly, Laura and I keenly felt that remorse. But, praise His Holy Name that Danielle was spared that sorrow of heart.

FOR IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE HEART BE ESTABLISHED WITH GRACE (HEBREWS 13:9)

While still on active duty in the Coast Guard, we also became very “active duty” members at VBBC. Almost immediately after being saved, it was my desire to go to Bible school. However, my pastor wisely advised, “Steve, bloom where you’re planted.” Heeding that advice, we, as a family, became involved in as many ministry opportunities as possible and were at church every time the doors were open. Desiring to be more useful to the Lord in the church where we believed He wanted us, we eventually moved to Connecticut.

In 1993, upon returning from almost two years of duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Laura and Danielle having remained in Connecticut) we began to pray for a family ministry. In answer to that prayer, the Lord opened a door at Fairview Nursing Home in Groton, Connecticut. Thus, in May 1993, the Saturday Hymn Sing-Along was born which we, along with other members of our church, faithfully brought to the Fairview residents for the next 12 years. In that time, we saw 44 souls marvelously SAVED, the youngest of which was 69, the oldest, 105! All Glory to God! Additionally, in 1994, we became foster parents and began providing care through our state Department of Children and Families. Over a period of nearly five years, we ministered to 12 children, four of whom were born again while in our care. As part of our family, these needy children participated in many of our church outreach opportunities. Community parades, tract distribution, door-to-door visitation, and especially the nursing home are some of the experiences our church and family provided for these children. This inter-generational ministering brought much growth to our family as well as to the church. These were rich and fruitful years.

But life is filled with change. In 1997, after years of declining health, my bride experienced a physical break down. Many tests and doctors later, it was determined that she required surgery to alleviate the symptoms caused by a birth defect at the base of her brain. The surgery itself was a success but the rehabilitation was prolonged by exacerbated neurological dysfunction. Years of incapacitating pain were a daily up-hill battle. This “change in plans” necessitated that we discontinue foster care. Medical expenses required us to sell our house and purchase a small mobile home. The only thing which remained basically unaffected was the nursing home ministry.

Danielle and I continued in the nursing home outreach work. In 2000, Danielle graduated from home school and moved to Florida to attend Pensacola Christian College. Now our family ministry was down to a solo along with the assistance of some faithful brethren from church. Through God’s unfailing mercies, Laura has recovered much of her health though she still lives with debilitating pain and fatigue. But the Lord is faithful, and our dedication was still to family ministry.

THE FORMER THINGS ARE COME TO PASS, AND NEW THINGS DO I DECLARE (ISAIAH 42:9)

In the winter of 2003, both Laura and I – though individually at first – began to sense that the Lord was redirecting the focus of our walk. Our daughter was now married to a wonderful young man. They were established in their own walk with the Lord and serving faithfully. The mortgage on our church building had been retired – seven years to the day. We were just weeks away from signing our own mortgage intending to build a small retirement home on three and one half acres near the church where we had faithfully labored for 15 years. Outwardly, life seemed to be falling into lock step with the typical and even expected empty-nest, middle-class American picture. Why, then, did we both feel so unsettled?

Each of us praying and even fasting separately (yet unbeknownst to the other) we sought the Lord’s wisdom. Separately, we surrendered the property and house plans to the Lord. Individually, we yielded to whatever His will and desire was for us. Finally, the silence was broken on February 14, 2004. That night, after hours of walking with the dog in the woods, sitting in the snow, just talking with the Lord, I knew I had to talk to Laura Jean. It was not a complete surprise to us that we each had been thinking and praying in the same direction. As one flesh and best friends, this often happened. We did not yet realize though, the major changes that our life and service were about to undergo.

HE SHALL GIVE THEE THE DESIRES OF THINE HEART. (PSALM 37:4)
“Remember your desire for Bible school 15 years ago; why not go now?” were the encouraging words from my helpmeet. It was then that we both came to a startling realization: We can do anything we want! The Lord was giving us the choice. Did we want to build a house and continue serving in Connecticut or did we want to cash it all in, go for broke and see where the Lord would lead from there? Of the choices God had gave us, each was right and yet neither was wrong; it simply came down to what did we truly want. We both already knew what we wanted, neither had to answer.

So 15 years later, at age 51, I loaded up the truck and moved to … DeLand Florida with my bride to attend DeLand School of THE BIBLE.

And it is here that we will pick up the narrative next month as we continue to bring you our story of The Road to Sierra Leone. May the Lord bless you in your service for Him.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH
There is nothing, indeed, which God will not do for a man who dares to step out upon what seems to be the mist; though as he puts down his foot he finds a rock beneath him. ~ F. B. Meyer