Good News - May 2019

Historically, people stacked stones as a kind of monument to help them remember the time and place where God moved in their lives. For example, Moses built an altar of stones at the base of Mount Sinai to com- memorate God's covenant with the Israelites. And after crossing the Jordan River, Joshua was prompted by God to have 12 men carry stones from the middle of the river and set them up as a memorial, so that when their children asked about the stones they would tell how God brought them into the Prom- ised Land. GOOD NEWS WANTS TO KNOW... If we still held to that tradi- tion, where would you stack stones to remember an encounter you had with God and why? I feel that my stones were gath- ered early on as God moved into my life when I accepted the Lord in a beautiful Pennsylvania church where our family of my youth and I attended. Through increased Bible Study and a journey of attending great churches, these stones were stacked and laid for a more inten- tional declaration of my faith as finally our Foundation Center for a Christ-centered giving ministry was planted. In 2003 I traveled with my husband, Doug, and our eldest son, Sean, for 5 weeks, 19 flights and over 4 continents to visit the numerous ministries we supported or were to support as the Lord drew us in. God spoke to us at every turn as His work and presence was illuminated to us in so many ways. It was truly a “monumental” experience as our younger son, Brett, and family have experienced on other mission trips and the alter of stones has been heightened. Now we stand at the alter Jesus built with resources He provided to serve God’s ministries as best we can. We are ever thankful for the gifts each precious ministry is giving to spread God’s Word and help His people locally and worldwide. “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Virlee “Vee” S. Stepelton , Ministry Advocate Jane and I have been blessed by several divine interventions in our lives where we would set up a memorial. One very clear moment where “God spoke” was in August of 1986 in a hotel in Rome. We had prayed for a child. God spoke to both of us: adopt. We listened and applied on October 1. December 17, 1986 we brought Jenny home and four years later, Will. William “Bill” C. Davell , Director, Tripp Scott Attorneys at Law My stones would be stacked high in the south parking lot of Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno, California, to represent the very night that I pleaded to a God (who I didn't really know) to save the life of my then-dying infant son. I promised in return to give my life to Him. God delivered a well-documented miracle that night; that same son is now 29 years old and raising a family of his own. Blake Silverstrom , Executive Director, Heart2Heart Outreach of South Florida Probably my shower. Not only do I visit there every day, but it's also the place I seem to get the best ideas and pray the most. Bob Denison , President, Denison Yachting If I were to stack stones to remember when God came into my life, it would be at the altar in the old church (now the school) at St. Coleman Catholic Church in Pompano Beach. The moment was when I received my Sacrament of Confirmation with my grandfather, John Joseph Mericantante, as my sponsor and this was the time when I connected with God, the church and life as a Christian man. My grand- father was my role model after losing my father and he spoke often of walking with God. Chip LaMarca , State Representative, Florida House District 93 I was 16 years old and I was with my youth group at Christmas Challenge, a Youth Camp at Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, and I felt God call me into full-time ministry, and from that day I set out to answer that call. I remember going forward after the message and saying YES to the call! Chris Lane , President First Priority of South Florida My stones of remembrance would be stacked in Denali Park (Mt. McKinley), Alaska where three times God showed Himself mighty as He saved my life in the face of a charging male grizzly bear, in an avalanche and while hiking through an area of resting mother grizzlies. It's where I realized God was real as I experienced Him answering the prayers of the pastor who took me on this radical expedition and where I received Him as Savior and Lord. Deborah Cusick , FAUCampus Volunteer, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Where would I stack stones to remember an encounter I had with God and why? I would stack them in my living room next to the place I read my devotional every morning while kids and wife get up and start their day ... I'm always on the right hand corner of the couch near the sliding glass doors. Second, would be at the Jacksonville Jaguars football stadium where I volunteered for my first evangel- ism team at a Promise Keepers event. Third, would be the church I was baptized in, proposed to my wife in, married her in, and was ordained in and sent out. And Forth, would be the hospital that my children were born in. So, a living room couch, a football stadium, a church, and a hospital. Dennis DeMarois , Executive Director, Gathering Palm Beach Wants to Know… Virlee “Vee” S. Stepelton William “Bill” C. Davell Blake Silverstrom Bob Denison Chip LaMarca Chris Lane DeborahCusick