Gospel Cruise Fest 2011The beautiful sounds of the song, "Midnight Cry" filled the air. As I sang, tears welling in my eyes, I looked around me. It hadn't hit me until that moment that I was standing on the stage with some of the most amazing artists, songwriters and legends of Gospel music, including Hearts of Grace, The Centurions, Danny Funderburk (formerly of the Cathedrals), Greg Day (writer of "Midnight Cry"), Steve Ladd (formerly of Gold City), Keith Plott (formerly of Brian Free and Assurance), The Men of Music, Rod Burton, Spoken 4 Quartet, Linda Cohen, The Epps Family and The Jay Stone Singers. Perhaps it did not sink in right away, because these folks treated me, a relative newcomer, as one of their own. These, I thought, are REAL Christians; true artists with loads of talent, yet not seeking fame and fortune. These people clearly live solely to spread the Gospel through music in their own special way. Getting to know these people was an experience I will treasure forever. A Legacy of Love and Testament to the Power of Faith in God - My Grandmother A little more than two weeks ago, my grandmother went home to be with the Lord. As I sit here to write about her, I am at a loss for words. How do you describe such an amazing woman? If God had allowed me to handpick my grandmother, I would have chosen her. I was blessed beyond measure to have her in my life.
When I was just a baby, my parents drove to New Jersey from California and for the next seven years, we lived with my “Gram.” Those were seven of the best years of my life. Gram loved to play games and we sat at the table and played board and card games for hours. She loved to color, draw, play with dolls and doll houses…all the things a little girl loves to do! After my parents moved, I spent every summer with her and every weekend until I went away to college. I loved to be with her! We would talk for hours about important issues in my life and sometimes just laugh about silly things. Gram was also an amazing cook and showed me how to make so many wonderful dishes. She helped me to make my first apple pie when I was only four years old. I remember standing on a step stool so I could reach the pot when I helped her to make her delicious potpie. I have so many wonderful memories. Everyone who knew Gram loved her. She had a wonderful life with so many adoring friends and family; however, one cannot spend 95 years on this earth without enduring their share of heartache. I watched my grandmother loose so many people she loved over the years…two of her sons, her best friend of more than 80 years, my daddy, each of her brothers, and before I was born, she lost both of her parents, her sisters and her beloved husband. Over the years, I heard many stories about my grandfather, and by all accounts, he was a wonderful, kind and loving man who loved the Lord with all of his heart. He and Gram were a perfect match. They married when Gram was just 16 and were together until the day he died in 1965. Gram never dated or remarried. She always told me, “I had the best man I could ever want. I can’t replace him, so why would I even try?” Also, before my grandfather went home to be with the Lord, my grandmother had never held a job or even driven a car! She stayed home and took care of her house and children with no need for extra work or a driver’s license. So at age 50, she was forced to start life again, and she did it all. She got her license (with some tutoring from my Mom!) and found a job at the department store, “Two Guys” where she worked for more than 10 years until she retired. Like I said, she was an amazing woman. My grandmother’s life was a testament to the power of faith. From the time my grandfather left this earth, she leaned on God as her entire source of support and strength, and He never let her down. Even though my grandmother’s income often did not meet her expenses, she was always able to pay her bills, buy food and never wanted for a thing. I often marveled at what she was able to do with so little, and she would just smile and say, “Honey, God takes care of me, and I don’t ever worry about a thing.” The day Gram went home to be with the Lord, Mom and I sat and talked most of the night. She told me a story I hadn’t heard before. She shared that although my grandfather had passed away on one of the hottest days of July, everyone who came near my grandmother felt a “cool, gentle breeze.” Some actually drew back in surprise as they neared her. That breeze was the power of the Holy Spirit comforting my grandmother, and He never left her side. The next morning God woke me with lyrics for a new song about my grandmother’s life of faith. I cried and cried as I typed them, and wondered how I could possibly share them during her funeral without collapsing on the floor in tears, yet, that same power that comforted and kept Gram through all the years until she walked through the gates of heaven on my grandfather’s arm, comforted and calmed me enough to read those words during her funeral service. I sent what I had written to Martha Goodwin Drake (writer of, “That’s My Boy”) who put the finishing touches on the song and made it even more beautiful. I cannot begin to express my thanks to her. She is a phenomenal writer, and I am so blessed to call her my friend! I am beyond excited about sharing the song with all of you, and I look forward to recording it next week for my brand new project, “Only Believe.”
Several days ago, as my mother and I were collecting some of Gram’s things, I opened a drawer and found a notepad filled with poems Gram had written. The pad was open to a poem entitled, “That Land Far Away.” It spoke of heaven and how she longed to be there, but toward the end of the poem, the words changed from longing for a land far away to the words, “I am IN that land so far away.” My mouth fell open as I read…It was as though God meant for me to find that notepad! As I leafed through the pages, suddenly two words at the top of a page caught my eye, “My Granddaughter.” Tears rolled down my face as I read: Granddaughters are for loving in a very special way They can really make you happy even on your saddest days They put their arms about you and really hug you tight And in a very special way ask, “Can I sleep with you tonight?” I have just such a granddaughter who is very special to me And when she was just a babe she came to live with me There was nothing I liked better than to hold her tight And snuggle her in bed with me every single night She had a very special charm all her very own And just between the two of us a special love has grown When in school they asked her how many parents she had She’d say, “THREE,” if they marked it wrong, she would be so mad Now that she is grown, and she is ten years old That bond of love is still with us, it never has grown cold She still comes home to be with me and I still hold her tight And she still says in her own words, “I’m sleeping with you tonight” And when she snuggles up to me, I’ll whisper in her ear How’s my little angel? I still love you dear And when she’s sleeping peacefully, to God I say this prayer Please protect her from all earthly harm and keep her in your care. -by Violet M. Bowser, 1978 I never knew Gram wrote those words, and to find them now was such a wonderful gift! I held the notepad to my chest and through my tears whispered these words:
Dearest Gram, I know you’re watching, listening and loving me until I am home again with you in that land far away. I will miss you each and every day of my life on this earth. Until I can snuggle up to you again…know I love you always, Your GranddaughterLord I pray, Take your children to that land far away… “…Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20 Looking Back at 2009 and Looking Ahead to 2010The righteous cry out and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. – Psalm 34:17-19
Many of us throughout our Christian walk have clung tightly to those verses. I have claimed them repeatedly throughout my life, and this past year has been no exception. 2009 has been a year of transition for me and for this ministry. It has been a year of loss, but yet also a year of incredible gain. Praising God for His blessings rather than wallowing in the pitfalls and trials the devil throws in our path is a choice. I could sit here and list all the ways Satan has tried to choke off, block and stop this ministry throughout 2009, but why? God is still on the throne and He has given VICTORY over all the snares of the enemy. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of THEM ALL! Praise God for the victory and for all of His blessings. I will count them one by one…I choose to focus on my wonderful family, an unending source of love and support. I choose to focus on the dear and faithful friends God has brought into my life, including Dustin and Carolynn Jenkins, Gary and Dorothy Sample and Royce Taylor, who have each blessed me beyond measure in their own very special ways. I choose to focus on the hours of work, dedication, tears, joy and love that made the dream of a music video for “Hold On To The Miracle” a reality; a work God has already used to touch so many lives with hope, encouraging them to hold on to His promise in the face of their struggle. I choose to focus on the incredible blessing of a conversion van donated to our ministry, making travel to spread the gospel so much easier! I choose to focus on the amazing radio response to the release of “Garment of Praise,” and the hard work by devoted promoters like Ken and Pauline Patterson, who have also been such an incredible blessing. So many blessings during 2009…our trip to the National Quartet Convention, the opportunity to perform on “Atlanta Live,” meeting so many wonderful people in the family of God along the way. I CHOOSE to praise God for the gifts He continually brings to my life! 2010 is a brand new opportunity to see how much we can accomplish for the kingdom of God, and I am energized! I’ve begun the year with fasting and prayer in effort to seek God’s heart for direction and guidance in this New Year. I have also begun taking several bible courses. I love learning more and more about God and His word! Learning more about Jesus every day is so important. We are most definitely in the last days, and there is no time to waste! I thank God for every day He allows me to strengthen my walk with Him and learn more and more to help those hurting and in need that I encounter in my daily life as well as on the road ministering for Him. To me, there is no greater joy.
This spring I will be completing work on the new project I began last year, and I am more excited than I can possibly express! I spoke of blessings earlier, and this project is certainly one of them. I was given the opportunity to record songs from some of the most gifted songwriters in the industry, including Marty Funderburk, Ronnie Hinson, Sheri LaFontaine, Eva Wilson and Tony Stone. Song titles include, “She’s Working On Her Testimony,” “Help Me Lord,” “Own Me,” “Wonders Never Cease,” “When It’s Impossible” and more! The project is tentatively titled, “Only Believe,” and will available for pre-order VERY soon! In the mean time, many have voted for my newest radio single and the winner is: “THAT’S MY BOY!” “That’s My Boy” is one of my favorite songs from the CD, but surprisingly, it was not one I planned to record initially. It was added to the CD at the very last minute, and I believe this song was truly “handpicked by God.” The anointing fell in the studio as soon as Dustin began to record the track. As I was singing, I could feel the presence of God so strongly that it was hard even to stand. I could almost see the dove settle on the shoulder of Jesus as God said, “This is my beloved son….that’s MY boy.” (Thus, the reason for the dove on the CD cover.) I am looking forward to seeing what God will do with this new release, and want to I sincerely thank Martha Goodwin for not only allowing me to record her amazing song, but also for helping to promote and it to radio through Pathlight Promotions! (www.pathlightpromotions.com) At this point, we are working on putting together a tour for 2010, so if you would like to book a concert, please use the contact page or call either (615) 530-2002 or (856)896-2466 to schedule your date. I would love to come to your church! We are planning a full schedule for the spring, summer and fall, so please keep us in your prayers as we travel. I am looking forward to seeing old friends while we’re on the road, as well as making lots of new ones! Within the next few days, I will be trying to put together a brief video blog. I finally have the equipment I need for that fun little project, so hopefully I can get it up and running for you all to see in the near future. Lastly, I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for your continued support of this ministry. Thank you for buying the products, enjoying the music and especially and most importantly, thank you for your prayers. I love you all and look forward to seeing you soon!  The Story Behind "Hold On To The Miracle."
"By His stripes we are healed, and that means an awful lot to me. Do you believe in miracles? Well I do, and if this testimony can help one of you, and keep you believing when the whole world is saying no, then it will have been worth it." - from the testimony of my father, Leonard Stigen, 1978
It was June 4, 1976. I was in school, my mom was working in the kitchen and my dad was working outside on the car. It was a day just like many others. We had no idea that this day would be the beginning of a very long difficult summer. Within a few short moments, our lives would be turned upside down. It was a fairly hot day, so Dad stopped working for a minute and went to the back door to ask Mom for a glass of milk. Shortly after drinking the milk, he felt very nauseated and went to the bathroom where he began to vomit blood repeatedly until he passed out on the bathroom floor. Mom immediately called an ambulance, but none were available. She called the pastor of our church who came to the house and revived Dad enough to get him in to his car and race him to the Emergency Room. At the hospital they informed Mom that Dad was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver. His liver was malfunctioning, which led to a series of problems. His condition was grave, and the chances he would survive were fairly remote. After 14 days in a local hospital, Dad's doctor picked up the phone to call Dr. Frederick Reichle, a vascular surgeon at Temple University Hospital in Pennsylvania. He simply told Dr. Reichle, "This man has cirrhosis of the liver. He has no insurance. Are you going to take him, or let him die?" Dad was transferred to an experiemental ward at Temple University Hospital where he spent three months. During that period of time, he underwent several major surgeries. The most extensive surgery lasted for 14 hours, and Dad was given a 50/50 chance to survive. Although the operation was considered a success, Dad's life still hung in the balance. Following the operation, his lungs collapsed, his heart stopped and his bile count rose to as high as 31 (0 to 1 is normal). Every day for months, my father lay in between life and death. In 1976, I was just a little girl. I cannot honestly say I have a vivid recollection of all the events that took place. My mother sheilded me from most of the painful realities. What I saw was a woman with incredible faith that rarely wavered. Mom spent a lot of time on her knees. In the face of every negative report from the doctors, Mom believed the report of the Lord. They would say, "he will die," and Mom would say, "NO! HE WILL LIVE!" In the beginning, many Christians agreed. They would pray for God to perform a miraculous healing, but as the days passed and Dad did not appear to be getting any better, many of them started to change attitudes and prayers. So many of the brothers and sisters in the Lord that once stood by Mom's side praying for a miracle began to pray, "If it's Your will Lord, then heal him...if not, then take him home." This broke Mom's heart. She KNEW deep in her heart that God had promised Dad would not die, but where were the people to stand with her and agree in prayer for a miracle? One particular evening the hospital called and said Dad would not live through the night. Completely exhausted, Mom prayed, "Lord, I just need one person to agree with me for a miracle. Please just send me someone who will stand in faith with me and truly believe Leonard is healed." Not long after praying that prayer, the telephone rang. My brother Ken picked up the phone and brought it to Mom, telling her that Brother Jim Barnett was on the phone. Mom picked it up, and Jim told her, "God told me to call you. He said hold on to your miracle, because he is healed!" Not only did Dad live through the night, but he walked out of the hospital just in time for my birthday that September. The doctors called him "a walking miracle." Indeed, that's exactly what he was. Dad went home to be with the Lord on June 4, 1986. Although the doctors were amazed at Dad's incredible recovery, they still gave him only between 1 and 5 years to live. God gave him EXACTLY TEN more years with us. I thank Him for those ten years. I also thank Him for a praying Mom with unshakable faith, and the prayers of just one man who followed God's leading and picked up the telephone, encouraging my mom to "Hold On To The Miracle." 
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