Greetings Allen Temple Family and Friends,
Hoping this midweek note finds you blessed by the grace of our God! Well, it's here! This Sunday we celebrate 95 years of God's faithfulness to the Allen Temple Baptist Church. Great is God's faithfulness.
This faith journey is the last one featured in our I BELIEVE Campaign. This week, we hear from Sis. Doreen Bullard. She is a faithful member of our music ministry and serves as liaison for our historic relationship with Northern Light School:
As I agonized over why I should volunteer to share my journey, I came to the conclusion, how could I not share? Every day I live is a gift from GOD and it wouldn't be possible if I didn't rely on GOD working in me and through me ! Faith has been the main and only source of my strength!
As a child I was raised Catholic and Muslim simultaneously because my parents were divorced. I didn't understand or agree with lots that I heard or experienced, but I had a Great Aunt who was head of the ushers at Union Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who told me that GOD loved me ... I Believed.
We didn't have food to eat many times, but the LORD provided. My mother got a low paying job at a meat market close to home, so we were able to eat well...I Believed. Blessings were so abundant!
We kept getting evicted from many apartments, moving in the middle of the night. We finally got into the Housing Authority Projects. I felt so blessed, I never knew we were so poor...I Believed.
My counselors at high school told me I wasn't college material and my mother couldn't afford to send me anywhere. Upward Bound, a program to help disadvantaged, ethnic minorities go to college began the year I graduated and I was able, through the Grace of GOD, to attend college and become a teacher...I Believed. Thanks be to GOD!!!
In April of 1995, I experienced the most excruciating pain ever in my head. I had a cerebral aneurysm that ruptured! After nine hours of surgery, nine days in the hospital,and two aneurysms repaired, I came to Believe that GOD was not finished with me yet. In August of 1995 two more aneurysms were repaired. I was able to return to teaching in October. I was so thankful to be a vessel used by Him, to serve the children. A fifth aneurysm was discovered, but I was not afraid! Faith had replaced my fear! I trusted that GOD's Will would be done. A third surgery was required, but I Believed that the number three was a perfect number, representing the Holy Trinity; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. I was blessed to be able to return to teaching. Praise the Lord! I retired after completing forty years of teaching.
My journey is still not over and I look forward with abundant expectancy to be used by GOD according to HIS Will. If I have an opportunity to give back, I do so without hesitating, because GOD is so good. I am glad to be able to make the " I BELIEVE " contribution!
To be able to give back is indeed a blessing from God. We've come this far by faith!
Blessings to you,
Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Assistant Pastor
