What State Are We In Again?

In the past ten days we have been in six different states: GA, NC, SC, VA, TN & AL. Sunday, we had the privilege of sharing our burden for Brazil at Victory Baptist in Virginia. The church was very hospitable and caring. What a wonderful three days of fellowship and encouragement! Monday, we traveled to Faith Baptist Church in TN. The preacher felt lead to give us the service. I preached on seeing the needs of others, the same way Jesus did in Matthew 9; and Karissa interpreted a missions song in sign language.

Thursday, we spent a few days with my grandmother and had a wonderful time of catching up and relaxation. Saturday, we headed for our next stop at Calvary Independent Baptist Church in north AL.

Your prayers are coveted as we continue on deputation trying to raise the remainder of our support this year. The Lord has been faithful in His promises and provision; our support is currently at 40%. Praise the Lord!

Also, a dear friend passed away this week. Please pray for the family of Donald Maddox. He was a faithful member of our home church and a great friend to us. Six years ago, I was on visitation in one of the project areas in town with my brother-in-law, Daniel Slavy. He went up to Donald to invite him to church, and Donald signed to him that he was deaf. In fact, he was born deaf. Because Daniel and I had begun learning sign language, we were able to communicate, and you should have seen the look of excitement when he realized that we could speak his language!! He started riding the bus faithfully and gave his life to Christ soon afterward. His life changed forever because of our church bus program. His funeral was on Saturday and was more of a victory service than a time of mourning. God was uplifted; and because of Donald's testimony, the Spirit showed up and 14 were saved…Hallelujah!!! He may have spent 53 years of his life never hearing the simple sounds of this world that we all take for granted, but Donald is standing in the presence of our Savior hearing his first sounds…the sounds of Heaven! Praise God for the bus ministry.

Relax and Recovery

This past week has been a wonderful time of relaxation and recovery for Karissa and me. After spending  three weeks traveling from D.C. to GA, GA to MS and back home again, this week of being home has been refreshing. It’s hard to believe that we have been married one month! The Lord has truly supplied our needs and blessed us with some great meetings. Sunday morning, we had the privilege of visiting Living Waters Baptist Church in Lagrange, GA, with Pastor Richard Clinard. Then Sunday night, we traveled to Buford, GA, where I had the honor of preaching at Rest Haven Baptist Church with Pastor Landy McDaniel and hearing their children's choir sing for the glory of God. Both services were very exciting and soul stirring. 

  Spending time with family and friends is always a great way to recharge after a very busy schedule.  It was a blast taking our nephews, Peter and Titus, out for a fun day at Chuck-E-Cheese.  It seems like every time we come home to visit that they have grown at least another six inches, and it was wonderful getting to spend time with them before hitting on the road again.

Please continue to pray for us as we leave for Tennessee and Virginia on Saturday.  We thank the Lord everyday for His guidance and provision!

Wedding...Honeymoon...Deputation!

Thank you everyone for your constant prayers and consideration. Also, we would like to extend an extra special thank you to all those who were able to make the trip to Columbus for the wedding. Your presence was a blessing as we began our lives as husband and wife. God has truly blessed! Marriage is wonderful, especially since I now have a traveling companion. Trips are not boring any more!!

Our honeymoon was packed with amazing things to do and see. Since we both love history, we decided Washington, D.C., would be the perfect destination. It was definitely full of color and characters. It was breathtaking to stand in the presents of the very flag that flew overhead as Francis Scott Keys wrote our National Anthem. Also, to see the monuments that were erected in honor of the untold men and women that died for our freedom was truly humbling. God has truly blessed our country, and being able to share that with Karissa made the trip that much more memorable.

Immediately after landing in Atlanta, Karissa and I hit the deputation trail to Eatonton, GA. We met Pastor Jeff Hegwood, his family and the wonderful people of Calvary Baptist Church. What sweet fellowship with everyone as we helped celebrate the Pastor’s birthday! Afterwards, the church voted to help us get the Gospel to the dying people of Brazil. Praise the Lord that puts our support level at 39%!!

 

This past Saturday, we continued our deputation endeavors and traveled to southern Mississippi. The Lord blessed us with a series of wonderful meetings in which we were able to share our burden that God has given us for Brazil. The first stop was Gospel Light Baptist Church in Laurel,
MS. Pastor Weems and the church family of Gospel Light were very welcoming. We just left Bay St. Louis, MS. Pastor Stahl and his beautiful family of seven have been so gracious to take care of us for three days. Southern Mississippi is a tremendous mission field, and Pastor Stahl shared with us the great need of good Independent Fundamental Churches. He explained how alcoholism is a continual plague among families in this town. Please keep these churches in your prayers as they continue to try and reach their local areas with the gospel.

We are currently in Thaxton, MS and will be heading back to Columbus, GA, in the morning. Please continue to pray for safe travels.

       









We both look forward to seeing how the Lord will provide and keeping you updated as we continue to share the need for reaching Brazil with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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.