Engaged & Planning February Wedding!

Stephen Wynn
Karissa Copas

For those who may not have heard yet, I proposed to Karissa Sue Copas on Friday, July 1.  She said "Yes."  Of course, what else did you expect?  :-)

Karissa came to Columbus in the Summer of 2004, for the purpose of attending Columbus Baptist College.  CBC is a ministry of my sending church, the Lighthouse Baptist Church.  She came with a passion for missions, and her course of study was missions.  She graduated and continued working in the ministry at Lighthouse.  She became the Media Ministry Director in 2009, and has been responsible for the printing and audio/visual portion of that ministry.

Her heart for serving God, and her passion for world-evangelism is a real blessing.  Over the past seven years, the Lord has knit our hearts together.  After much prayer and seeking the will of God, we both believe that our lives are meant to be together in serving the Lord on the mission field of Brazil.  I am so grateful for the sovereignty of God in bringing us together.

Pray for us as we plan to be married February 25, 2012.  Of course, I will still be on the deputation trail until then.  I sure look forward to having a traveling companion later!

Pray for the remaining support to come in.  Karissa and I hope to be in Brazil sometime in 2012.  Pray for the Lord's will to be done.

Back Home for a Brief Vacation

Well, after 18 months on the road, I believe it is time to take a brief vacation.  So, the next week is some much-needed recuperation time.  I thank the Lord for the churches I have been in.  Last week, it was my pleasure to be in some churches in North Georgia and North Carolina.  Praise the Lord for a new supporting church!

The past eight weeks have taken me to Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Kentucky.  Keep me in your prayers.  Pray for the Lord to provide the remainder of the needed support before the end of the year.

Great Meetings in Missouri

Last week, I was in the St. Louis, MO area at the Southside Baptist Church.  The pastor and the people were a great blessing.

Here are some photos of that visit.

Totaled my Van & Bought a Crossover

I was leaving Missouri on Sunday night, May 1, to return to Georgia for a mission meeting.  After traveling for several hours, I pulled of at an exit to get a hotel for the night.  I was stopped at a red light and proceeded through when it turned green.  All of a sudden, there was a truck that ran the light and "T-Boned" me.  My 2001 Honda Odyssey was totaled.  However, I thank the Lord that I was not harmed.  Just a little sore.

The GOOD NEWS is that I was able to lead one of the policmen to the Lord!  I thank the Lord for the great opportunity to share the gospel.

To replace my totaled Odyssey, the Lord provided a great deal on a 2003 Honda Element.  This is a different car.  Hey, I look cool now! :-)

Pray for me as I hit the deputation trail again with a new vehicle.  Pray that it will be a good vehicle and will last me through the remainder of deputation.

Louisiana Conference & Cajun Cooking

Last week was a great conference with the pastor and people of Lighthouse  Baptist Church in New Iberia, Louisiana.  The church has a great fervor for reaching the world.  The people understand what it means to give by faith.   Praise the Lord for another mission-minded church!

After leaving there, I had a spare day.  So, since it was close, I visited the Tabasco factory on Tabasco Island.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming conferences in Mississippi.  Pray for the Lord to provide more churches who will partner in the effort to reach Brazil.

Tennessee Hills

This past weekend, it was a pleasure to be in two fine churches in Lawrenceburg, TN.  On Sunday morning, I was at Lawrenceburg Baptist Temple.  Pastor Smith and the people were a blessing.  Then, on Sunday night, I was at Faith Baptist Church, where Jeff Burkhart is the pastor.  They also were a blessing.  It was a joy to share the burden for Brazil with both churches.  Pray for these churches as they continue to reach the world with the gospel.

Lawrenceburg brings back many memories for me.  My grandmother was born and raised there in that town, which is also the home of Davy Crockett.  While there, I got to visit a great aunt, who is in a nursing home, and had a country lunch with a great uncle and his family.  My grandmother's maiden name was "Beck," and there are a lot of them around Lawrenceburg and Columbia, TN.

I am in Columbus, Georgia this week for a doctor's appointment.  Then, next week, it is on to Mississippi for a month of meetings.  Pray that the Lord will continue to provide for all needs, and will raise up the rest of the needed support this year.

Thank you all for your prayers, e-mails and encouragement.   To get all the latest updates, be sure to follow me on Twitter at @wynnbrazil.

Back to the Sunny South!

My Snow Covered Van
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS

Wow!  What a week it has been!  I am very grateful to have been in two wonderful churches in Maryland. However, the snowy weather was more than this southern boy is used to.  I have never seen so much snow.  Of course, the friendly folk laughed at my concern.  It was something they are used to.

After leaving Hunt Valley, I had the privilege of being with the wonderful people at Emmorton Baptist Church in Bel Air, MD.  Pastor Clay McNeese and his family were a blessing.  Brother McNeese used to paster my home church in Columbus, GA.  He laid a solid foundation for the work there.  The Lord has greatly used him in the past years in Maryland.  The church is a church that has a heart for the Lord.  I am grateful for the opportunity to have been there.

I am also grateful to be headed South again!  The cold and snow is not my kind of weather.  Thank the Lord that He has called me to the hot climate of Brazil!  No snow there, and that is fine with me. :-)

Thank the Lord for a new supporting church.  Pastor Stephen Curry of Oakside Baptist in LaGrange, Georgia called me a couple days ago.  Thank the Lord for this fine church and their support.

The upcoming weeks will be spent in Mississippi.  Pray for me as I travel.  Pray that this will be a great trip of increased support.

Great Visit with Hunt Valley Baptist Church

Spent a few days at the Hunt Valley Baptist Church, just outside of Baltimore.  It was wonderful to meet the people and the pastor.  Pastor David Bottrell started the church in the Spring of 2004.  Under his leadership, it has grown and has a genuine mission passion.  It is always a blessing to meet other like-minded believers.

One of the joys of deputation is being able to see the many works that God has established across our great nation.  However, it will be a great joy to arrive on the field of Brazil.  Please pray that the Lord will provide the remainder of the needed support by the end of this year.

On the Road Again!

Peter & Titus Slavy
My Twin Nephews

Well, praise the Lord, it's 2011!  I have been at home for the past three weeks for a minor medical issue and the Christmas holidays.  It was a great time to be there for my twin nephew's first Christmas.  Peter and Titus Slavy were born on July 27, 2010 so they did not comprehend how much joy it was at Christmas :), but just wait 'till next year!  Of course, I bought them noise-making toys for Christmas.  I knew that would thrill my sister and brother-in-law.  By the way, you can see all about them on their website by clicking HERE!

Today, it is back on the deputation trail.  I'm on the road for a meeting with Dr. Clay McNeese at Emmorton Baptist Church in Bel Air, MD.  That is a long drive!  Then, it is on to other meetings in Virginia, Mississippi and Tennessee during the month of January.

Pray for some great meetings, and that churches will feel led to invest in the ministry of reaching Brazil for the cause of Jesus Christ.  It is 2011 and the world is still lost.  We must give ourselves to reaching the world before He comes!