Welcome to our BLOG!

Until we get a website....we shall have a blog.

Because I can actually do this. ha

So that we can use this in the future for historical purposes, I will summarize the last few months.

For as long as Larry or myself can remember, we have had a burden to work in the city of Tuscaloosa. Always there, in the back our minds, a gentle knowledge that one day Tuscaloosa would be our home. Five years ago, the burden became more urgent and we began to make plans and pray. Everytime we made it a matter of prayer, the answer was 'Wait'. We had no idea what life was going to bring us in these next five years, but as each event unfolded we were reassured that our Father knew exactly what He meant by "Wait". During this time, we were sent gentle reminders that we hadn't been forgotten. Once, when Larry decided that it was time, a dear brother in Christ called us with a word from the Lord. He, with trembling voice, gave us a scripture that the Lord had given him in a dream.

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habbakkuk 2:2&3

He admonished us to wait on what we were about to do. Amazing. So we waited.

Casey began dating the daughter of our precious friend, Becky Jackson. During these years, Becky became weaker and weaker in her fight with cancer. Christiane became our daughter, long before their engagement and we were so thankful God allowed us to be near them during all the grief and joy they experienced. We began planning a wedding! During the wedding process, God told us over and over to trust Him. He provided everything we needed and He allowed us to walk away from the most beautiful wedding ever completely DEBT FREE!

What we didn't know, was that God was moving in the lives of dear friends in Tuscaloosa. He was calling them to do a work, different from what they were used to. Would they? They answered, Yes! And began praying for a Pastor.

When Larry & I were first married, I moved to his home. My arrival there was awkward, to say the least. I was received skeptically by some and with a guarded welcome at best by others. There were, however, a few families who acted like they had just been waiting on me to get there. They treated my kindly and welcomed me into their world. I imagine they had no idea how special they became to my heart, or how dear I hold those memories. Isn't it just wonderful that those families happen to be the ones who began praying for a Pastor? God does all things well!

So in January of 2011, we took the plunge! We are honored to work with every single person God has sent our way. I can only dream about what He is going to do for us in the future. And even that gets me excited because He promised to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think!

*I pray that all of you at Refuge Holiness Tabernacle believe with all your hearts that God is right in the center of our Church. We love you!

April 27, 2011, our world was totally changed. I sat in horror as the meteorologists warned of the tornadoes that were headed to Tuscaloosa. Larry was there, as were so many of our dear friends. I prayed, cried, sat in shock as each time a new city was named as being in the path of this horrible storm...because each city held someone dear to our hearts. We had family or church members in every single town. Miraculously, God spared all of them! I give Him the praise and honor for His mercy. On Friday evening, I headed to Tuscaloosa to view the damage for myself and to bring some relief supplies from my wonderful Chatom friends and family. The devastation is unreal. So many people were left homeless and the landmarks of Tuscaloosa have surely changed forever with hundreds of businesses left to rubble. Larry and I drove up an down familiar streets and couldn't recognize where we were. In the midst of all the chaos, a gentle peace appeared in our hearts. A calm reassurance that God was definitely in control. Over the past 4 months, we have looked at dozens of buildings to house our church, and yet could not settle on one. Each time we found what we thought could be 'the one', an obstacle arose, or we would feel God say, "No". We could not understand why we were called to a town and yet could not find a place to worship God and minister to the community. But on Sunday, May 1, as our church members passed out Gator Ade, water and sandwiches to survivors and clean up crews, the answer became clear.

God knew a tornado was coming.

God knew our finances would be emptied and we would lose all our church belongings in a few short minutes on a Wednesday evening.

God knew that we were better off meeting in the Best Western than remodeling a building on this particular day.

And God knows exactly where we will eventually be.

We have counted 8 potential buildings that are completely gone or heavily damaged. We are overwhelmed by how gracious God has been to us. We are not discouraged at all. We are looking toward the vision that God has put in each of our hearts. As bro Brandon Breland so wonderfully said this morning while preaching, "Our greatest days are ahead!"

I believe!

I believe!

I believe!