Michigan

Darlene Stilson can see how God has led her on a spiritual journey that brought her to March 28, the day she was baptized and became a new member of the Jackson Church family.

For 25 years, Darlene worked in political and governmental positions, including as a county clerk, veterans' counselor, representative for foreign exchange students and facilitator for divorced persons.

Her pathway was a rocky, winding one as she was in and out of a number of different faith groups in search for a life surrendered and devoted to God's will. Darlene was very busy searching for God, a search that included a mission trip with the Resurrection Touch Ministries of Indiana to help families of displaced steel workers.

God also blessed Darlene with four daughters and three stepdaughters, sons-in-law to go with them, three foster sons, two stepsons, a daughter-in-law and 21 grandchildren. In what she describes as the "golden years of my life," God added Stan to Darlene's life, "a wonderful, loving husband."

As she looks back at her spiritual journey, Darlene recalls, "God knocked on my door a few years ago with an Adventist prophecy seminar brochure, but I didn't have time to fit the meetings in to my very busy schedule. So, I just kept on keeping on with my life. Then last fall He sent another prophecy seminar brochure to my mailbox. By this time I had developed an interest in studying the Bible more deeply. I had been in several Bible studies, and had an interest but not a thorough understanding of the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation.

"With Stan's encouragement, I went to the prophecy seminar. It was there I learned new Bible truths and deepened my belief in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I also learned about keeping the Bible's seventh-day Sabbath from a different perspective."

As Darlene reflects on her past experiences, she observes that her journey has been a walk by faith in varying degrees as God led her through blessings and adversities. "I believe I experienced being a born again Christian at the age of four," Darlene recalls.

She is grateful for God's faithfulness to her through her spiritual journey and rejoices that she can now see more clearly in her walk with her Lord Jesus. "I continue to grow in grace, and await His soon coming."

Darlene Stilson and Madlyn Hamblin, Jackson Church members, as shared with Bruce Babienco, volunteer correspondent, Lake Union Herald