Looking Back at 2020… Moving forward in 2021

Dear friends,

Christmas morning met us with many reasons to celebrate. We were incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas with Steve’s family in Chattanooga.

As we opened our gifts for the first time in our new home on Christmas morning and had our own Christmas breakfast and birthday cake for Jesus (I finally ditched the frosted cake and made breakfast-friendly coffee-cake), we spent time sharing the many reasons we are so grateful to be Children of God, and prayed together as a family, thanking God for the greatest Gift of all, our Savior.

While contemplating the dawn of a most unusual and trying year, my heart does not find it hard to be thankful.  I want to take a moment and share some of what happened in our personal and ministry life in 2020, amidst the many difficulties this year presented.

Personally this year, we were blessed to find our forever home and moved in the midst of a pandemic. Moving 20 years’ worth of stuff was no small feat, but we did it!

Our youngest daughter started high school and (praise Jesus) continues to defy teenage stereotypes by being a loving, caring friend, sister and daughter who still loves spending time with her family.  It’s a good thing too because this year I accepted the position at her school, as the head JV and Varsity volleyball coach, which means I am her mom and coach!  So needless to say…I am highly involved in her life. 

Our first-born started college at Kennesaw State University, where she is pursuing a degree in nursing. She’s also involved in Campus Crusade for Christ and has made some great new friends.  Adulthood has also come with independence and a social life that this momma was not quite ready for, but I’m getting there.  Letting go is tough!  

In October, the Lord opened an opportunity for me to start working part-time with She Is Safe, a ministry focused on freeing and equipping women who are victims of sex-trafficking and slavery in India, Nepal, South Sudan and Indonesia. Ladies who have attended the She Soars conference will remember Michele Rickett, who is president of She Is Safe. It’s been a true blessing being involved with this ministry and helping my good friend, Michele. 

As far as Soaring with Him is concerned, many of our plans were stalled by the pandemic,  including our conference, but by God’s power, we were still able to do many important things for the Kingdom.  Here are the highlights for our year:

• I have continued to write Christ-centered columns for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution which is one of my greatest joys.  I can’t believe I’ve been there for nine years! 
• We have continued to provide encouragement to our followers through blog posts written by myself and other Christian leaders in the on-line community. I am so thankful for my friends and writers Karen Friday, Debbie W. Wilson and Bethany McIlrath, who contribute with their beautiful voices for the Recharge Wednesday LINKUP party!
• We launched the online “Twelve Inches” Bible Study, in March, with almost 200 registrations! It was also a huge blessing to be able to do Facebook Live videos with several friends in ministry, as part of the bible study discussions. 

• My dear friend and the ministry’s Marketing Director, Stephanie Wilkins helped me develop a marketing plan to provide books, bibles and the Twelve Inches bible study for women in need, who would later attend She Soars in the Fall. Needless to say, COVID changed our plans, but God opened the door again to partner with Gilgal – a shelter for women in South Atlanta and we sent them Twelve Inches books and Bible studies to do with their women.  
• Through a partnership with Moving and Shaking 4U, a ministry devoted to helping the Venezuelan population during their current political and economic crisis, during the pandemic, we were able to donate 112 Spanish bibles, which were later distributed to inmates who became believers while in prison, and later a large group of women who had just accepted Christ as their Savior. To God be the glory!

• I started English and Portuguese Vlogs (video blogs) and our YouTube channel has reached 447 subscribers!
• I started writing my new bible study on the book of Proverbs.
• Under the leadership of our new Prayer Director, Ardel James, we started a prayer warrior team and weekly prayer meetings to lift up readers, ministries, our churches and the country in prayer.

What is in store for 2021?

“Soaring with Him” is a discipleship ministry that provides women, especially those in need, with tools to discover the truth of God’s word, apply it to their lives, and reap the benefits of a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Christ as friend, Father and Lord of their lives.  This is accomplished through outreach events, devotionals, free Bible studies, and our annual She Soars Women’s conference.

As the New Year starts, our commitment to focus on our mission remains the same. We will:

• Continue to provide free Bibles, books, and bible study materials to shelters, and pregnancy centers
• Continue to partner with Moving and Shaking 4U to send more bibles to Venezuela, or other countries where the Lord leads us.
• Plan and execute our women’s conference in the Fall of 2021. 
• Continue to encourage people in their faith through my column and Soaring with Him blog posts.
• Encourage people in their faith through continued vlogs in English and Portuguese.
• Finish writing my bible study on the book of Proverbs and release it to the public.

How can you help?

If you are blessed by this ministry in any way, please consider helping us accomplish our goals!

• We need volunteers!!   Our most pressing need is to find a Social Media coordinator, but we have other important volunteer positions open. Click  to find out more:  

• We need your financial support!

Would you consider partnering with us? Your financial help will allow us to fulfill our God-given mission and reach many hurting women for Christ.  With your tax-deductible donations, we will be able to accomplish every goal in 2021!  

From our Homes to yours, we wish you a blessed New Year, filled with God’s favor and joy!

In His Great Love,

Patricia, Steve and Stephanie