Recently our church finished a building program and had our first service in the completed sanctuary. This building program lasted about a decade. Why so long you ask? Well in 2008 our Pastor was preparing to pitch a plan to raise money for an addition to the church to expand our sanctuary. God spoke to him and said, “give to missions like never before and I will take care of the new sanctuary.” Having clearly heard God tell him what to do, Pastor obeyed and told the church what God has spoken to him.
From that day on as a church we have been intentional in giving to missions. Giving millions to missions, all the while trusting in God to make a way for our new building. Through hard work and sacrifice, the church not only gave millions to missions but we also built a $15 million building. All within 10 years.
During this time the economy crashed. People lost their jobs. Families had to declare bankruptcy. Times were hard. We did not let that discourage us though. God had promised to take care of our needs as long as we took care of His mission. And just like the Bible tells us time and time again, God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He showed us this time and time again over the last 10 years. Not only did God make a way for families financially during this time. But He also made a way for family members to reconcile. For healings to take place. And many many other things.
This time of hard works and sacrifice, taught the church to depend on God. To allow Him to meet all of our needs. By doing this, He did more for us than we could have ever dreamed. Sometimes in very unexpected ways. That being said, I’d like to share with you my letter to our Pastor on what this journey has meant to me. What God has been able to do in my life since learning to depend on Him for all my needs.
Pastor and Sister Carpenter,
When I start attending FAC just over 10 years ago, we were in the beginning stages of the Maryville Miracle. At that time I was only 16 years old and I was coming to church all on my own because my family had all stopped attending church and turned their backs on God. I had just gotten my license and FAC was the only church my mom would allow me to drive myself to since it was the closest Truth teaching church to us. Even though my family wasn’t attending church, they knew that FAC was the church to go to if one wanted to go to church.
As soon as I walked through those doors at 1723 William Blount Drive, I knew I was home.
As the we started work on our new building and were making pledges for the brick, I decided I was going to do everything I could to be a part of getting the building built. I had just started college and was only working part time so I did not have a lot to give. I was determined though to find a way and make sure I had part in this building.
Thankfully God blessed me with enough scholarship money that I was looking at receiving a check of almost $300 back after my tuition and books were paid for. To an 18 year old only working part time, that was a lot of money. Instead of spending it on myself, I’d decided I was going to invest into the Maryville Miracle. I took that money and pledged it for the bricks in honor of my family who had all turned their backs on God. In hopes that this miracle would be a way for them to make their way back home as I did.
During this last few years of this Maryville Miracle, my prayers for my family to return to God has started to be answered.
In 2016, a co-worker decided he was going to check our church since I was constantly talking about it. He’d been searching for more of God and was curious what all the commotion at FAC was about. He came the Sunday after Easter that year and hasn’t left since. He’d found what he’d been searching for.
Later that year, that co-worker and I started dating and in April of 2017 were married. Now Justin and I were our own family unit. Both of us are serving God with all that we are and constantly searching for how we can better serve Him. My answer for a Godly family was answered, just not in the way I’d thought.
As 2018 began and the end of our Maryville Miracle journey started to come into sight, God started working on my mamaw’s heart. She texted me and asked if I was going to be at church one Wednesday evening and could save her a seat. I said “Of course”. She’s not missed a service since that day. Not only that though, she’s jumped in head first and has been serving at FAC in every way she can. She has completely sold out to God and to FAC.
So to me, the Maryville Miracle means finding a Godly family. Not only in the members that attend FAC that have become my family, but in finding my partner in life who is determined to be the man that God called him to be and leading us into a deeper and closer relationship with God. Still not only that, but in my blood relatives finding their way back to God. What started out as one young lady attending church by herself after her family turned from God, is now a party of at least 10. And that’s just counting my family and friends that are like family to me at FAC.
Thank you so much for obeying God and allowing Him to take us on this journey. Through your example of obeying God and His word. You have taught a young woman what she needed to know to serve Him and follow after His will. You’ve taught that young woman all that she needed to grow into the person God called her to be. You taught her that in order to be blessed, that God requires some things of us. You have taught the blessings that tithe and offerings bring and that it doesn’t matter the size of your offering but the spirit that it is given with.
Words cannot express what you, this church, and the Maryville Miracle journey means to me. I look forward to the next season now that we’ve reached our promised land. I cannot wait to see what God does and how He uses our church to reach our community.
Sincerely,
LaBreanna Lee
Thank you so much for reading!
I hope this post blessed you. I also hope it helps you realize all the many blessings that are waiting for you. When you decide to depend solely on God for all your needs. This Maryville Miracle has taught us so much and for that I am beyond thankful to our Pastor for obeying God and taking us on this journey. If you’d like to come see this miracle for yourself, we’d love to have you as our guest. The church is located at 1331 William Blount Drive in Maryville, Tennessee.
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