Sandy and Me
Gatlinburg, 2013
Welcome!
You may be wondering: Why ‘Pasture’?
Cute story.
I served for seventeen wonderful years as a senior pastor in the metropolitan Atlanta area. It was during my pastoral years I earned the treasured nickname “Pasture”.
When the young children of our fellowship called me ‘Pastor Scott’, it came out more like “Pasture Scott” from the precious drawl of the tykes, and it just stuck. Fitting for shepherding, don’t you think?
So…Pasture it is.
I have been a paraplegic since 1981 (My Story) and desire more than anything to encourage the Body of Christ – particularly the hurting remnant – in the sovereignty of God in our suffering and how His aim is to bring us into the fullness of His purposes in Christ, all the while sustaining us with overcoming grace..
I’ve been in active ministry since 1983 and alongside me every ‘step’ of the way has been my bride and intimate companion, Sandy. That’s her, above right. Thirty-one deeply satisfying years (and counting!).
We adopted a newborn boy, Graham, and enjoyed his adored place in our lives for twenty-four years. Graham is now feasting at Jesus’ table (See Good Grief and subsequent posts).
Thanks for parking here with me a bit. I truly hope you’ll find, through my posts, some green pastures to lie down in and some quiet streams for reflection and meditation. Such places where you can exchange your parch-ness for His plenty and your aches for His adequacy. And may goodness and mercy follow you on your journey!
Warmly,
Scott Mitchell
(The Pasture)
Green P@stures 
Pasture, This looks great!! What changes a day can bring :-). I check often. The picture of the family looks great. Love to all, KaKa
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greatings from denmark.
i was just checking some of the other wordpress sites and came across yours. i thought this was just a ‘usual’ blog but then i sawyou writing about missionaries.
it put a smile to my face.
i wish you the best in your life with christ.
Christian Sofussen.
P.S. if you check my site you will not find much yet, and i also want you to know that my band is a christian vikingmetalband.
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Pastor Scott
Just read about your “laptop into the pool”, sorry to hear about that. I like reading your blog….
u say I encourage U, well, u must know that u encourage me. Sometime (years) ago u gave me a book title something like “why bad things happen to good people” or God’s people. By Jona EricksonTodda SP?-or something like that> I think I still have a copy here in the house somewhere. Was just thinking onetime years ago after i had read the book,& it was just riding around in the car with me. I went into Atlanta for court because of a traffic accident & I met a homeless lady whom I took to lunch, and I gave her that book. I later bought myself another copy. Just reflecting on sometimes when life gets difficult & i feel down, I try to reflect somewhere, someone is in a much worse place than I & that I should just praise God & pray that he’ll get me through.
Also to give you an update if you ever read an email I sent a couple of weeks ago about my sister & the whole “Goth” thing, maybe I did say soemthing right or let me rephrase that God gave me some words to say that hit home with her. She came home from school the other day & told me that she no longer cared to be somebody that she is not. So praise GOD, we no longer have to worry about her wanting to dress in all black & seem depressed!
Again Sunday’s sermon was a good one! U GO Pastor Scott…Good for u for not sugar coating the word :0) SMILE….God LOVES U!!
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Hello,
I did a google search, word “encouragement” and your site came up. Wow, God bless you! He blessed me through you today. I am so touched to see God working in wonderful ways in people that we don’t even know exist. Sometimes our limited view makes us think our world is so small. Amazing! May He keep you in His loving arms and may His peace be within you today and forever more.
With His Hope and Peace,
Mary
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Hey, Pastor!
Appreciate your site.
I was searching Google for references and links to my site when I found your page with the same name. Great minds… well, you know. 🙂
I’ve been adding material to SheepLaughs.com since I started it in 2000. The latest addition is a humor podcast. Please check it out for some more heavenly humor you can listen to.
God bless!
-Fred Passmore, Sheep Laughs Records
podcast: http://www.SheepLaughsComedyShow.com
site: http://www.SheepLaughs.com
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Dear Scott & Family,
My love and greetings to you all. Great website! Have a wonderful Christmas.
Love,
Brett & Bonnie
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Scott,
You don’t know me, but we were at Temple together. Glad to see you and your family are doing well.
Beth
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May God bless you, Mary! Thank you for reading. I am grateful you “stumbled” on my blog, as it has helped me find the wonderful writings on “The Rooftop”. The pursuit of God…that’s the journey I’m on. Thank you for taking the time to graciously share into my life. Bless you!
In His LIFE,
Scott
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May God bless you, Fred, for taking the time to write and encourage. I have already been to your site and must say was glad for the connection. The things you are offering to the church are wonderful! I will keep in touch…in the meantime, thanks again. It was an honor to hear from you…
In His LIFE,
Scott
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How great to hear from you, my friend, my “Fort Bluff” pal! Thank you for your visit(s) and I wish you and yours a blessed holy-days. And for taking the time to write, Brett, I thank you. Glad you are out there still being a blessing!
In His LIFE and love,
Scott
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Thank you, Beth! I so appreciate your visiting the site and trust that Christ will be real and wonderful to you and yours in these glorious days.
Glad we shared the years at Temple, they will never be forgotten to me and I thank God for His grace in letting me experience it.
In His LIFE,
Scott
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Found you while doing some Barna article research. Your ‘More dying’ article excites, and saddens me. Excited to know others are talking/writing about this central truth of the christian life. Saddened that it is such a negelected, hidden, message.
No wonder His body is so weak.
Might I possbily have permission to reprint and pass-on this entry (dec 5th, 2006.)
You might like to visit my pastor friend’s site: http://www.dyingchurch.com
Just as we are called to die, perhaps the church needs to take up her cross and learn to die, also.
Blessings — N Craig Johnson
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With my blessings, Mr. Johnson, please, please feel free to use the article(s) at your discretion. You will never know how encouraged I am by a brother with whom this dying truth resonates and through whom it lives on! I am humbled, truly, and am honored by your interest. Please write anytime. Thank you for taking the time to spur me on to love and good deeds–and to die a greater death for His glory!
Bless you!
Scott
P.S. I will look forward to seeing your pastor friend’s site. Thank you for sharing it with me and for the others who read here.
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Thanks for your willingness to freely share, that which He so freely gives.
I’ve reformatted your article into pamphlet form. If you’d like a copy (for easy printing and hand-out, which I’d strongly encourage you in, as this is a central truth that is badly neglected here in the west, to His church’s great detriment) feel free to email me at my personal mail (you have it on your log I assume.)
I’ve pamphlet formatted a couple of my friend Darryl’s articles (www.dyingchurch.com) that also might interest you.
Blessings in this fight for death, that we might show His life — NcJ
Toronto, Canada
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Hello my friend, N Craig!
Absolutely I would love to get a copy of the hand-out(s)! You are most kind! I will be emailing you shortly!
With you in this arena, for the cause and sake of Christ,
Scott
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Hi “Pasture” Scott,
I came across your website while hunting for the quote from the martyred African pastor. (I did find it, thank you!) I was so blessed by the things about Whitefield you wrote on that same page. I noticed on your “about me” page that you mentioned you are a paraplegic. I am blessed to have the opportunity to be involved with our local chapter of Joni & Friends. They put on a luncheon every year for the mothers of special needs children. Being a hostess at that event has been such a blessing in my life! They always have an inspirational speaker at the event as well. We are four hours south of Portland (but still in Oregon!), so if you ever decide to travel this way, do it in March, and I know the JAF chapter would love to have you speak at our luncheon! (if you’d be willing!) Until then, you can count on me to check in on your site now and then.
Blessings,
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Kerrie, my Sister in Christ!
How kind of you to write. Glad we got that quote thing taken care of :-). I am very familiar with JAF–I have even spoken at a number of their functions and conferences through the years, though it has been quite a while. I recall speaking at Cannon Beach in Oregon about 12-15 years ago…wonderful memories!
May the Lord continue to extend His hands and voice through you as you serve Him in this most noble work! I really do hope to see you in your beautiful country some March. Thank you for encouraging me today, and thanks for checking in from time to time.
Blessings,
Scott
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Hey Pastor scott, Just saying hi
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Hi Jessica, my beautiful young friend! You don’t know what it means to have you “drop in” and say hello. Hope you return…if not, hey, I’ll see you at the River!
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Scott –
Can you back up your assertion about the origin of the Fellowship of the Unashamed” as 1966 and the FCA?
I’m researching a malignant variant of it used within the sales force of Mary Kay Cosmetics … significantly, one part they omit is “I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.”
And cheap giving changes to “cheap LIVING”.
It’s a totally prosperity theology oriented creed by the time they are through with it.
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Lazy Gardens, I see your point and that is just plain awful! I can tell you I found its alleged background in the comments section at this link: http://advancinghiskingdom.wordpress.com/2005/10/25/fellowship-of-the-unashamed/
The commenter’s father was (again, allegedly) one of the signees of the document.
I’ll be praying for the matter to be set straight and this malignancy to be carved out at its root.
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Hello
I just wanted to say HELLOOOOOOOO!
and i will see you at the river!
I LOVE YOU MY PASTOR!
LOVE, JESSICA OBERMEYER
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And hellooooo back you you, my dear Jessica!
I love you, too!
And you made my day!
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Aloha from Hawaii–
It’s great to read your blog and see what God is doing in you and through you. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…” (Phil. 1:3)
I wish you well, my friend.
Jeff Maguire
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Aloha, Jeff! Hawaii?!? Oh, I’m jealous…
Glad you’re still alive, kicking, and making waves!
Hang ten, dude (just for me)
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Hey Scotty–
Let me know if you guys will be coming out this way sometime. Would love to be your most gracious host.
Take care and God bless.
Jeff
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HAWAII???
Are you kidding? We’re there, man…
Hmmm, next year is our 25th…
(Thanks Jeff!)
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Hey, that would be a great anniversary gift.
Prayer request–Funds needed for Israel trip for October.
Mahalo!
Jeff
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Say, I noticed that your favorite book was “God’s smuggler” by Brother Andrew. What a book, it is one of my favorites. Years ago, we were blessed to be able to take a trip through there ministry.
Grace to you,
Richard
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And yet something else we have in common, Richard! I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read it. I actually saw Brother Andrew minister at a recent conference via GodTV. It was such a blessing!
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Praise God !
Also that book “Hard to believe” is really good.
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59. I’ve made three albums and have had a couple songs on the radio (you don’t know them)
Really?!?
Come on now…
Send me a link or sumthin’!
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J. Thomas
#59 It’s true !! I have all three Albums. One of mine is a signed copy. Although, I never heard them on the radio.
And from what I understand they are all sold out.
Scott
#5 Poor Graham, I can’t read the subtitles and listen.
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Pastor,
I wanted to send the love I’m feeling this Christmas to my daughter, so I was searching the web tonight for a jpg to match my feeling. I searched jpg’s of the nativity…the Christ child…ah ha…”Shepherd.” And, thus I found your site.
And, I am grateful. Your insight on the “Invasion” of Christmas was wonderful. Bottom line is I feel better after reading your site. I needed the correction and the ministry tonight more than I realized. Also, when you truly do love the Lord, it’s hard to find people who will listen to you talk about Him. They listen and then tune you out. But, you, it seems, are always tuned in. So, when I need another dose of God’s love, I’ll return to your site. Thanks. And, although I DID pay attention to the fact that you are paralyzed, it was strength you gave to me tonight. May you and your family have a Blessed Christmas.
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where you been? everything ok?
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Hey Nancy!
How nice of you to come over to my neck of the woods! And your words have inspired this writer to get back to the business of writing! I have been completely uninspired for several weeks but I think the Lord just used you to encourage me. Bless you! Leff? Leff? I knew a Leff family in Winston-Salem once upon a…might you be of the NC Leffs?
Blessings!
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Kris,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel your concern all over those words. Bless you! I am very well, thank you, mostly busy with ministry, but completely uninspired to write. Guess this wall I’ve hit is just a winter season…not a lot on top but a lot going on underneath…
Thank you again for your kindness and being a part of my family!
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Scott, I heard you in chapel back in my TTU days (late eighties) and you spoke on II Corinthians 4:8-18 (5 Reasons Not To Quit). It made quite an impact on a young college student. I know this is crazy, but do you keep your sermon notes that you’ve preached? I wrote some cryptic notes in the margin of my Bible, but I would love to get any notes you might have from that message (20 years later – I’m not holding my breath or anything).
It’s good to see that you are still going strong for the Lord.
In Him,
Mark Benson
Chattanooga, TN
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Hey and Greetings, Mark! I remember that chapel service well and it still holds some of my fondest memories! Imagine: a grad of TTU being able to go back and preach the back to school revival at his alma mater! Can you imagine anything more special? As to the notes, I will search and get them to you…I’m sure I have them somewhere, might even have the notes in an old Bible. May God bless you. You were so kind to write and you blessed me in the Lord today. Yes, by God’s grace alone, I am still in the fight until the Day!
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First of all I greet you in Jesus name. I visited your website and be pleased with it. Now if it can be possible we can have a Partnership with you. This will be a blessing to our Nations and even to you. I hope the Holy spirit will explain more to you as you continue to think about it. God bless you.
Pastor Ruramutswa john from Rwanda kigali.
Phon. +250 08739653
Grneral secretary Birori clement
phon. +25008453840
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Scott,
Loved this 100 things. So fun to learn more about friends and remember other things. Blessings to you and your family.
Lesa
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Thanks Lesa! I hope you’ll stop in again. It is great getting reconnected with F/B…you and the family look great. Such cute boys! Many blessings to you and yours…
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Fred,
Your pictures are incredible, especially the one with the starving baby with the vulture behind him. How can we contact you about possibly using the shot for our site?
Best,
Sagi
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hai…have to say great work…I am also looking for the permission of the same picture…pls get back to me if you got any message..
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Hi,
If you want to add Facebook or email sharing buttons to your blog posts, there’s a plugin that does it for you: http://tinyurl.com/sharebuttons
Hope you find it helpful!
Cheers,
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Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!
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Thank you, Andrew! I count it a high privilege when anyone stops by and lingers a while. Bless you for encouraging me here. Come again!
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They called your name on Romper Room? Oh, I wanted them to call my name. I loved that show. I know you thought you were so lucky
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Well the change on the about me page was not as hard to read as I thought.
Love you Pasture !!! And the Mrs. Pasture too
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I like the new pictures on this page, Pasture.
And, I don’t like my cereal soggy either,
But Nathan and Micah do, YUCK
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Smileys to you, KaKa. Guess you know they’re YOUR pics. If it weren’t for you, my dear, my life would be a pictureless void of anonymity.
Keep doing more than a snapshot of me and my lovely. We are faceless without you.
🙂
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You are not faceless anymore. You have had more pictures taken of you in the last few months than in the last few year. I love it. Thanks for posting them on your facebook
I love that it is snowing on Green Pastures too
Praying for you !!!
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You are so very welcome, my sweet sis in Christ. Of course my photoraphy (where applicable) cannot hold a candle to yours–but you inspire, KaKa!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow (just overnight and maybe one weekend, then clear up and be 72 degrees and overcast, no rain, just a cloudy, cozy day)…
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[…] Peace, according to God’s Word, is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the life of every Christian. Unbelievers cannot understand the peace that believers have in the midst of the trials of life. Scott Mitchell is a pastor from Atlanta, GA. In 1981 Scott was seriously injured and has been helping others understand ‘the sovereignty of God in suffering’ ever since. Scott’s song is testimony to the peace that is available from God through His Holy Spirit. “He gives me peace in the midst of my storm-tossed life.” In the midst of trouble, pain and paralysis, Scott is able to rest in the “…peace of God which transcends all understanding.” (Philippians 4:7 NIV) (Read ‘Pasture’ Scott’s story at: http://pasturescott.org/about/) […]
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Just read about your “laptop into the pool”, sorry to hear about that. I like reading your blog….u say I encourage U, well, u must know that u encourage me. Sometime (years) ago u gave me a book title something like “why bad things happen to good people” or God’s people. By Jona EricksonTodda SP?-or something like that> I think I still have a copy here in the house somewhere. Was just thinking onetime years ago after i had read the book,& it was just riding around in the car with me. I went into Atlanta for court because of a traffic accident & I met a homeless lady whom I took to lunch, and I gave her that book. I later bought myself another copy. Just reflecting on sometimes when life gets difficult & i feel down, I try to reflect somewhere, someone is in a much worse place than I & that I should just praise God & pray that he’ll get me through.
+1
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Scott,
Glad I found you on facebook. I love your blog. Interesting that your first LP was the Monkees (mine too). I loved Hammering Hank the homerun king. Not that cheater. Now did you play on the student basketball team in 78 against the faculty at Temple? Thanks for sharing your heart. May the Lord continue to bless you and your family.
Richard
Psalm 126:3
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My dear Richard, brother! This has been so fun to catch up on F/B and here!
I do not remember being on the student team. Guys like you and David Snow were too good for even my talents! 🙂
I love your verse. It says it all. Praise Him forever!
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Scott, you and I have had this conversation before on your 100 Things. I recently read them again and I can honestly say I share about 90% of them. That just cracks me up. Maybe it’s because our birthday’s are only a day apart, eh?
Have a jolly good day!!
Blessings,
Janine
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Jolly good on you, mate! (couldn’t resist it…love your reference–I, too, am an anglophile!)
Guess we can share that too, eh?
Have a blast and be blessed on your day, Janine! September people walk in greater favor and anointing than the rest, doncha think?
🙂
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Scott, So glad to find you (thanks to my brother-in-law who sent the link to me today). I first met you when you spoke at Cohutta First Baptist. I had you come speak to our BSU at Dalton College and while at Shorter I made a visit to your church. May God continue to bless you and I hope we can sit down for lunch or coffee one day soon! Richard Williams
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I was just in one of my “wonder what they’re up to now” moods, and I happen upon this great website. What a blessing and encouragement. God bless you, your family and your ministry. I’ll definitely be a regular reader. Kinda scarey how many of the 100+ are mine too (Not the Steve Garvey one, praise the Lord)
In His Grip,
Mark Stiles
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My dear friend, Mark! What a blessing and honor to have your eyes find these meager, but nonetheless heartfelt words of my journey. Oh, the many miles since we last fellowshipped! I would love to stay in touch with you! Thank you for your encouragement here. I trust you and all are well.I was trying to think how far back we go…then it hit me: as far back as the Forrest Hills days? Man, that’s a lifetime ago! You be blessed, brother. Thank you for touching base with me. Means a lot.
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[…] ‘Sheep’ LaughsMy StoryQuick Intro and “100 (plus) Things…” […]
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Oh my stars, Scott!!! I’ve been searching for you and Sandy for years!!! I remember your ministry, Overcomers through Faith (I think it was called that!) and you both impacted my life with your amazing testimony!!!
I don’t know if you remember me, but you probably remember my ex youth pastor and his wife, Jeff & Sherry Vick (formerly of Turnpike Baptist Church in Shrewsbury, PA but now in Spartanburg, SC). We were all wondering where you and Sandy ended up. It sounds like you’re both doing great!!!
Friend me on FB :o)
Blessings & Love,
Susan Choy Lee
Jer 29:11
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Just stopping to see if you added anything to your list. Yes, you did. And with that I smile at the the twenty something comments and cry when reading about Gra Gra. The Hurt and the Healer Colliding…thankful for His grace !
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