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After Jason and Mary Ann had spent
a week basking in God's love and each others, hesitantly they started for
home. They enjoyed traveling together, they never got so hurried that
they couldn't stop at a souvenir shop or to visit a cavern along the way.
So much to see and they wanted to see it all.
The youth choir, along with the
rest of the church gave them a real welcome home. It was so exciting
to see how much they'd been missed. They were anxious to get back into
their work. How they loved working with the young people, they took
them to nursing homes and to hospitals, they had work projects where they
did home repairs for the sick and elderly. They wanted the kids to
learn to put their love into action and actually live their faith.
They knew that one day they would stand before God and give an account for
the ministry He had entrusted to them, they wanted to hear those words,
"Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Jason was spending hours in
prayer, he felt that God was preparing him for some kind of change but he
didn't yet know what it would be. He hadn't spoken to Mary Ann yet.
Neither had she confided in him about the spiritual un-rest she had been
feeling, but both of them were seeking God for His will to be made known to
them.
Jason was fast becoming a very
powerful preacher. On those Sundays when he had charge of the service,
people flocked to hear him preach and to hear both him and Mary Ann when
they ministered in music. One Sunday
there was a man in the congregation that no one seemed to know. After
the service was over, as they stood at the door, the man introduced himself
as Jack Taylor, owner of a Christian television station. He had been
visiting relatives in the area and decided to find a church to attend.
When he heard the sermon, he knew at once that this was what God had been
dealing with him about. He asked if he might have some time with the
both of them to discuss some things God had put in his heart and spirit.
They invited him to dinner and as they talked, each of them knew this was
God showing them His plans for them. Mr.
Taylor asked them to become a part of his television family of ministers and
singers. He explained to them that they would be ministering to
hundreds of thousands of people across the US and he had hopes that one day
they would access other countries as well. They didn't care about
being famous, they just wanted to reach souls for Jesus. To be a soul
winner was the most important thing in their lives.
They dreaded telling Pastor
Jackson and their kids, they knew they'd be broken hearted when they left.
Though they did hate to see them go, they knew they were doing what God
wanted them to do, so they gave their full support. The
transition took about a month, The format for their program had to be
decided upon. Mr. Taylor pretty much gave them a free hand to just
follow God's direction. Jason and Mary Ann sang so well
together and of course her piano playing only got better with time, so they
decided on the first few minutes for music and the rest of the hour Jason
would preach. It worked out so well, they got letters and e-mails from
across the US. Mary Ann couldn't help but remember something her mom
had told her when she was a little girl. "My baby girl, don't
ever forget that God gave you a wonderful talent, you must always use it for
Him. As long as you do that, He will bless you continually and one
day, who knows... you may even play His music for the whole world
to hear." She felt as though she was doing that now.
Time would only confirm what Nancy had told her that day so long ago.
Their popularity grew so fast, it
wasn't more than three months until they were approached by a Christian
recording company to do an album. Nancy didn't know how true her words
were when she had spoken them. Their voices became recognized the
world over but they stayed true to their calling, they always kept God first
in their lives.
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