My first experience with Stonecroft Ministries was seeing a “National Guard Couples Dinner” in the newspaper. With my husband new to the National Guard in 2006, I thought maybe he forgot to let me know we were supposed to go to the event. He said he couldn’t remember, so I called the number and reserved for us to attend, assuming it would be full of National Guard members and their spouses…When we got to the dinner, we looked around and realized we didn’t know ANYBODY! J We decided to stay anyway, and enjoyed the speaker who told about his days as an Army Ranger. We were even more surprised when he shared the gospel and what God done in his life.
After the luncheon, Diane Ippolito caught me, and invited me to join the luncheon group of ladies, known as Midday Connection. I thought, “sure why not?”
I thought it was going to be a few ladies gathered at a round table. I loved the lunch and was shocked to see the 80+ ladies gathered in the room. Diane said there was an opening on the planning team and that she hoped I would prayerfully consider helping out as a form of ministry in my life. I did enjoy being part of the planning committee.
At one point, someone suggested that it should be hard for me to promote the Stonecroft Bible study when I didn’t attend one myself…ouch! I did join the Stonecroft Bible study and started attending the Prayer Connections held in different women’s homes. God spoke into my life in the way I did not expect nor did I always know what to do with the truth I was receiving. The women were so patient with my tears and questions and took the time to show me scripture and pray with me. I will be forever grateful for the growth God brought during this time.
After serving for 5 years on the planning team, and I can say that Midday Connection along with Stonecroft Ministries is exactly what God needed to bring into my life to help me see the many benefits to reaching out and getting to know other ladies from all different backgrounds. I have found it easier to talk to new women about God. I also enjoyed having my mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, & close friends attend the luncheons with me. Some of them helped with music, and some were on the planning team as well.
I do not see this final luncheon as a negative, but as a beautiful farewell. I know these luncheons have touched many lives and I am one of those lives. I want God to get all the glory, because despite the hours of willingness and service that went into this luncheon throughout the years, the results are nothing we can claim glory for. Only God brings the harvest. We can only work in the field. I know everything has its season, and I will be forever grateful to be part of the season of the Lewisburg Midday Connection Lunch Group.
------------------------------------------------------------
For those of you who have asked me about different groups to plug into, there are two. "Brunch" begins at 8:45am & "After 5" begins at 6:30pm. You can email me for more details. arng.wife@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment