(From my
column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, January,
1987. Bracketed information has been
added.)
I returned
from the Christian Drama Conference in Houston with many convictions, two of
which I’ll relate: 1) That I, not someone else, must provide spiritual
leadership and not just artistic and business leadership. 2) That we needed a
new home, a place where we could have our own identity. (We had been in the
basement of Springfield Family Restaurant. Then we were inside ShowBiz Pizza.)
We prayed that God would show us when and where. The answer to when came within
the next two weeks—just as we began rehearsals for the first show of our third
season. ShowBiz Pizza informed us that they were closing. Wow! A few weeks
earlier and that news would have been the final blow of defeat, but now we
welcomed the news as God’s answer to our prayer of when. The answer to where
also came within a few weeks when God led Pat to a little corner building at
200 E. Commercial. The building, though small, seemed just right for our
present needs, and it was affordable. We signed a one-year lease with an option
for two additional years.
Time was
short. We had just over a month to be out of ShowBiz. Even before the actual
lease agreement could be prepared, we began the monumental task of turning a
shell of a building into a theatre in four weeks. Besides this, we were keeping
the first show of the season going at ShowBiz while beginning rehearsals for
the second show which had to be ready for the opening of this new theatre.
Needless to say, those who were involved with Stained Glass Theatre didn’t sleep much that month. The work load was tremendous, but spirits were
high. We could almost daily see God’s mighty hand at work.
As we began to
face the reality of the cost involved in turning a long-empty building into a
theatre with lobby, ticket booth, office space, light and sound booth,
auditorium, stage, and dressing rooms, we began to walk in faith. This time,
instead of borrowing $2,000 to meet moving expenses, we prayed and trusted God
to meet our needs. It was indeed at this time that our wonderful God moved in
such a miraculous way that even now, over a year and a half later, tears of
joy, amazement, and gratitude fill my eyes as I write this, for God answered
our prayers and provided for our needs in a way we could not have imagined. We
had to get started on constructing the theatre immediately. This meant lumber,
nails, paint, wall board, etc.; and that meant great cost. We didn’t have the
money or the time to raise the money, so how could we do it? God knew. It was
at this financially crucial time that God reached down and touched the heart of
a Christian roofing contractor who came to us and said, “Order whatever you
need, and put it on my account.” We couldn’t believe it. Can you imagine how
incredible and beautiful those words were to us, “whatever you need”? It was
truly a miracle. Not only had God used this wonderful man to meet some of our construction needs, but all of them. Thank you, God! And we
sincerely thank the man that God used to bless us. That which I’ve related is
enough of a miracle, but that’s not all, for the miracle goes on. You see, God
has continued to use this same contractor to provide material for every show we
have staged since that time plus some for new renovations on the stage and
auditorium areas that are presently in progress. Praise God! And thank you, Mr.
H----! [Thank You, Father! Praise Your Holy Name! Jehovah!]
COMING
NEXT: A GIDEON MIRACLE
An incredible
incident that blessed and strengthened the faith of many.
No comments:
Post a Comment