Embrace Your Journey — The Journey

By Terry Brewer

From the Archives: Summer Journey 2017

Editor’s Note: Because I’m a people person, one of the things that I love about my job is the huge number of folks that I would never have met, if not for what my company does to help folks promote their businesses.

For the most part, our region is made up of honest, kind, considerate, hard-working people who give back to the communities they serve. In fact, those business owners who truly care about their communities more than just their businesses in the community, are a major contributing factor to why this region is a great place to live. The story you are about to read is written by someone who fits that description.

I’ve known of Terry and Wayne Brewer for years through their businesses and as clients who have advertised with my company. But, by doing this story, it helps me understand and respect the successful business she and her husband Wayne have built together on a deeper level than I did before. With all that in mind, let me introduce Terry’s story with the story behind the story.

As I was praying about other stories to include in this edition of The Journey, Terry Brewer’s name popped in my mind. Little did I know that she too was feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit to reach out to me to tell the story you’re about to read. It’s not a story about her personal journey as much as it is of how the Spirit of the Lord is moving her and other women together to spread the love of God.

Embrace Your Journey

This is a story of God working to strengthen the daily walk of women in Avery County. I would like to say that the Embrace story begins with seven women coming together to build the Avery Baptist Association Women’s Ministry in 2015, but that’s not the real beginning.

In 2012, I was attending a Bible study with a group of wonderful ladies that I consider my mentors. During the meeting one woman asked another if she was still going to be the WMU (Women’s Missionary Union) director for our church. She answered with a yes, unless someone else might want to have the position. Out of my mouth came, “I’ll do it.” Looking back, I would suggest that I took “One Step Forward”, our theme for the Women’s ministry last year.

I didn’t know very much about the WMU program other than our church always took up offerings for the Lottie Moon missions fund at Christmas and Annie Armstrong missions fund during Easter. I had been a part of the Baptist Young Women’s group since coming to Crossnore Baptist and had served as an Acteen Director for a couple of years. The WMU was well embedded in the church with monthly meetings which studied the state and national programs along with local missions. Boy did I have a lot to learn!

As soon as our preacher found that I had taken the position he, Lander Heafner, approached me with a new program that the NC State Convention had established. Yet, one more step for my journey. With Lander’s help, we had a church wide women’s meeting to introduce the program. A challenge was handed out that very night as I presented everyone with a spiritual gift scale. It showed the women their strength in different areas of their Christian walk, helping all to realize that each person had something to give and DO.

Programs were planned that would bring all the women of our church together, all ages united. Cooking classes with demonstrations started off the program then a devotional, Apples of Gold. From those meetings, we shared recipes and we were able to make a cookbook.

Next, we started sewing classes. Our first project was to make pillowcase dresses. Women came together with their talents and it was a huge success! It was suggested that if you didn’t sew, there would be things such as ironing and cutting fabric you could help with. The ladies came, enjoying every moment of our time together. It was a priceless time of fellowship. One of my favorite memories was seeing a grandmother teaching her granddaughter to sew. The next day our little girls put on the dresses and performed a fashion show for the whole church, but that’s not all. We were able to send the dresses to Africa and Jamaica. With members continuing to makes dresses at home, we had even more to donate. Within a few weeks a missionary from China visited our church and left with a suitcase of dresses.

The Team Comes Together

As Crossnore Baptist was enjoying the new Embrace program, I was drafted into the same leadership position for the Avery Baptist Association. At that point I already knew the WMU program was strong throughout not only our county, but all North Carolina. I felt challenged to unite the groups so I took WMU to mean Women’s Ministries United. It’s not anything official but seems to work here in Avery County.

In the beginning, the association seemed more difficult to get my foot through the door. I was struggling to spread the word past our church. Numerous calls were made trying to introduce myself to the different churches to present the new Embrace program from NC State Baptist Convention. Embrace was designed to get women more involved in ministry through evangelism, discipleship, and missions. There were a few churches that started to be interested, but it was a slow go.

There was a lot of praying and thinking going on as I tried to find the right avenues to interest other women and get them to open their doors. As I prayed for direction it was clear that our county was divided into different areas and denominational barriers. God was giving me the clarity of how to be received.

Then, I met Elaine Crain who had moved back to Avery County to help her dad with his business. Elaine shared that she missed being involved with other women and it was difficult to keep herself encouraged in her spiritual walk being all alone. As we talked I asked her to help build the women’s ministry with me, which really seemed like an answer to both of our prayers. Long story short, it was truly an answer and God was working! Next thing I knew, we were building a team of women from around the county. Elaine Crane was from the Elk Park area and Rose Gates from Crossnore, Kim Phillips from Power Mill, Tracy Parker from Minneapolis, Donna Burnop from Cranberry and Delaine Brown from Newland also joined. All these women were well known and trusted in their community. Without them I don’t think this effort would be possible.

Amazingly, we had a group of seven women, the number of completion, and we got to work. Together we would canvas the county with the new Embrace program. God was building a ministry and we had the energy and enthusiasms to get our county united.

The team started out by planning events such as a pray brunch in the Spring and then a conference in the Fall. Last year, Phyllis Elvington came to encourage everyone to read and know the Bible. It was a fantastic time as we realized directions for spiritual growth.

We were also able to get the Embrace program out to the association churches during the Spring and Fall meetings. Even though our event speakers were wonderful and our mission projects were received generously, we still weren’t reaching all the churches. The team spent a lot of time questioning how to get the word out to everyone. It was still the largest obstacle. So, we embraced our journey!

Although labor intensive, we continue to use many tools to get connected to others in the area. Our Embrace team believes that God wants us to reach out to all the women in our communities.

Sharing God’s Love with the Neighbors

One thing the women’s ministry strives to provide is the direction to strengthen other ladies in their daily walk whether it is through our language or our attitude. There are so many families that struggle daily not knowing the Lord is the answer. Scripture tells us that the closer we walk with the Lord, the more we’ll care for others. In Ephesians, we find verses that instruct us how to have happier relationships, marriages, and homes. We are called to share His sweet Spirit in our daily walk.

There is no limit to those that you can help. One day as I was talking to a friend, I found out that my neighbor had surgery on her arm. I realized then that you don’t have to go far to reach people in need, they can be right under your nose. Just stop to think of how to reach the people surrounding your home.

Remember when your neighbors used to stop in to welcome the newcomers, bring a baked good and invite them to church? Maybe, inform them about resources in the area that would be helpful to them? We can at least greet them, welcome them to the area, and invite them to church. Anything helps, just show a kind heart!

Another idea is to host a get-together for some of the families surrounding your home. Get to know people, show concern, and invite them to events that they might want to attend. All our lives are so busy these days, but I believe if we will look for simple ways to show love it can make a big difference in the communities where we live.

Sometimes we might have concerns about people that we meet, but remember GOD LOVES US ALL. A Bible verse that means a lot to me regarding all of this is found in Colossians 3 verses 12 and 14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

As I end this story, I realize how much getting out of your comfort zone truly is a blessing. From building the Embrace program to the simple act of helping my neighbors, I’ve realized how much of an impact can be made with God’s guidance. I hope this story has encouraged you, please get outside your comfort zone, just a little, and you’ll begin to see how the Lord is moving you to reach someone He thinks is special.