Today is June 27th, and Dave and I will be leaving in one week. Last night I found myself sitting in my family room staring at the painting we bought last year from Bill. The feelings and emotions began to rush through my body and mind; along with feelings of the unknown.

All I know for certain is that I am sent there to help, in what capacity I will not know until I get there. I am a servant of God and therefore, I will serve willing for any task I am given. Some think of what we are doing as servant work, I can’t think like that myself. I truly feel that each person, whom I come in contact with, is teaching me. Last year I learned so much about myself and my faith, which I honestly believe I needed the Gulf Coast more than they needed me. Did I know a year ago that my life would be changed forever? Did I know how strong my faith was? The answer to these questions was NO! I did not realize how differently I would look at life on a daily basis, until I spent a week on the Gulf Coast. Had the wind storm in December hit this area a year ago, I would have been belly aching for months. This year I could not help but think that it was just a sample of what the Gulf Coast went through. Not only did these people have not power, most had no homes, bathroom facilities, clothing, food, water and the water damage was beyond anything you could imagine. Not to mention the health issues that came along with the storms. The area was virtually paralyzed; I just shook my head in December and said “we are so lucky”. I always knew that I had faith, however on until June 22, 2006 when I discovered how strong my faith was. I know that sounds crazy, but sometimes it takes extreme situations to really test your faith, for one to see how strong their faith is.

According to Romans 12: 6-8
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him lead diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. I believe that the group of people traveling from Cross and Crown all have these gifts given to us by grace. Each one of us has a purpose and there is a reason that God called us to go.

I thank God for the opportunity to return the Gulf Coast, and to travel with an amazing group of people. We will be tested daily, but I know that our gifts and our faith will see us through whatever test we are given.

God Bless you all,
Stacey B.