Dearest Friends,
Tennessee Blessings
I was especially blessed to be back in Tennessee. Before Covid, it was a regular summer trip for us. I am so very grateful to God for opening these doors. We did shows in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Seymour, Kodiak, and Jefferson City. We constantly saw the Father’s blessings! Please delight in this list:
1. One day, after a show, a little red-headed girl came up to me and said,”I love your story.” Her joy was in hearing the story of Jesus. She was thanking me for telling her about Jesus. So wonderful!
2. Another day, a small blond-headed little boy told me that he loved me. I smiled, gave him a hug, and told him that I loved him. An older girl was watching us and asked me if the little boy and I had met before. When I told her “No”, she quickly told me that she also loved me and waited to see what I would do. I smiled, hugged her, and told the little girl that I loved her. She displayed the biggest smile and walked away very happy! Children are so much fun!
3. At every place that we went, so many children just wanted a hug. They were very eager to thank us. Though I will admit that the puppeteers do an awesome job and always bless the children, I believe the children were always thanking us for the story of Jesus. He was the one who truly blessed them!
4. Everyday we heard the sweetest sound, many children calling on Jesus, asking Him to rescue them. By the end of the week, we had heard hundreds of children put their trust in Jesus! There are no words for our joy.
5. At one show we did, a bunch of the kids got up and started dancing with the puppets!
6. Everywhere we went, we were allowed to hand out our children’s tracts. This means that every child went home with something that we wrote especially for them that would give them information about God’s rescue plan!
7. I love my puppet team! Danielle was not able to join us, but the four younger ones, John James, Elli, Jana, and Caleb, were all able to come. We were joined by 2 of my grandchildren, Daniel and Evangeline. They loved the week we spent in Tennessee and we have officially welcomed them as puppeteers! It was always very precious to me that Mike and I got to work with our sons, Josh and Matt, in ministry. It is equally as dear to have two of my grandchildren traveling with me. All 6 of my Tennessee team will be joining me in New York! God has wonderfully blessed me! They will bless many more children.
8. Our Tennessee adventure would not have happened without our dear friends, the Bookstaffs. They have been opening doors for us to share with children there for decades. I am humbled by their faithfulness and challenged by their deep faith to love Jesus more!!!
9. The parents of 3 of my puppeteers, Daryl and Jenn, joined us on this trip. They were such a blessing! I already loved them very much, but now I love them even more!
10. I tried my best to schedule a church show on Wednesday night, but with no success. On Tuesday, we were doing a show and a member from a church that we had shared at several years ago, saw us. She contacted her pastor and he picked us up for the next night.I was so encouraged by the kindness and help that Hills Creek Baptist Church offered us! Only the Father could arrange a show at a church in less than 24 hours!
In Jesus, Linda, Jenn, Daryl, John James, Elli, Jana, Caleb, Daniel, and Evangeline