It is with a great sense of humility that I apologize to all of you for not communicating with you over the past year.
Because of my silence, there has been some assumptions that have taken place. So today is the day for me to tell it all and bring my friends up to date about Darlene and PowerTeam.
Some who have not seen me, think I packed up and moved back to Canada!
I did pack up, sell our home and moved
3 times in six months, however, I am now happily residing at Heritage International Ministries, in Fort Mill, SC.
Fred & I were preparing to move into a handicapped apartment here, however, Fred choose to go to his eternal home with the Lord. He looked at me in the early hours of April 6, 2011 and said, "honey, it's time for me to go home!"
RESTORATION
“How
ya doing?” The TRUTH
“Whenever
there is loss, there will be grief. But some do not grieve or mourn. Some make
a choice not to express all the feelings inside so their grief is accumulated.
Saving it won’t lessen its pain. It will only intensify it. Silence covers
wounds before the cleansing has occurred. The results will be an emotional
infection.”
Experiencing
Grief H. Norman Wright
How I wish this was not true.
I found out the hard way. I stuffed my feelings, packed, worked and carried on;
I got sicker and sicker. I changed my diet, lost weight and looked great. But
inside, my body was trying to tell me to let it out – cry, throw a fit…do
something!
At
times, I was in the worst physical pain of my life (fibromyalgia), then vertigo
started, and then shingles. I thought, “Wow, Lord! Are You trying to tell me
something?” I got so sick; I just could not go on any further.
I stopped.
Everything!
It was time to take care of
myself and walk through the emotional pain of the grief I was carrying. (I weep
as I write this.) My Canadian doctor told me that I was completely overwhelmed
and in denial about it. It hurt to hear, but he was so right.
RENEWAL
On February 1st of
this year, I resigned from a job that I really enjoyed. I put it this way: “I
have no financial strategy for this.” However, I heard the Lord say these
words, “TRUST ME!” That is what I did.
……..THEN THE LOVE POURED IN!
One day, an intercessor
stopped me and prayed for my provision. I watched as God supplied my needs. I
had forgotten a very important point.
The Lord, through His people,
lovingly took care of me. People
prayed, brought groceries, meals, prayed, gave $, medications, supplements, gift
cards, prayed, etc. God’s people did whatever they could to help me during this
season of my life. It has been amazing.
Each time I cried, the
vertigo decreased until it finally was completely gone. Praise The Lord! In
dealing with the emotions of grief, the Lord has brought healing to my body,
soul and spirit. The sum total is restoration to my life; I am doing well. From
years of Full Time Urban Ministry and full time care giving for Fred (often
throughout the nights), I still have to listen to my body and pace myself, but
I look and feel so much better.
Thank you to ALL of you who prayed me through!
TRANSITION
“We must be open to visitations and
transitions.”
Larry Randolph, December 2011
PowerTeam
Part Deux
To our supporters, prayer partners and friends, I
want you to know that we truly appreciate all of your support and giving
towards our ministry and the thousands of people we have served.
Some have thought that I quit PT or it has closed down. Neither is
true. Ministries just like people make transitions. The loss of your co-pilot
makes for a major transition.
PowerTeam Inc. was established in 1999. For 10 years Fred and I
have served this ministry together. It would be so much easier to continue
doing the same as we had in the past, but I could sense the Lord leading me to
change. He has new assignments for me.
"Seasons
come and seasons go, but that does not change
my destiny." Larry Randolph
Ministry-wise, I felt the
Lord leading me to take a sabbatical, spend time with Him and study His word.
(This was before my health crashed.) I had to learn it is OK to rest and
refresh! It is Scriptural. Accepting these changes was not easy at first, but I
realized I have to be willing to let go in order to see that something better is on the horizon.
I am doing my best to remain
mindful “to hear the voice of the Lord.” I have received many encouraging words
from the Body regarding ministry and my destiny.
I am seeking the Lord about His call for me at this time and for the future. A
portion of the NEW
direction I am aware of so far is from "DOING" to teaching and training others
about Urban Ministry.
Because of this transition,
our mission statement will be changing. We do not have a new improved one to
give you right now, but we will.
I am providing training,
resources to and supporting others who are currently running camps,
after-school programs, daycare, Christmas programs or have this vision.
Celebration Jam is continuing
under the leadership of Dorene Boular with the City of Rock Hill, (Weed &
Seed program), and an awesome group of local pastors and committed volunteers. They have done a fantastic job of
preparing for this year’s event being held May 12th at Emmett Scott
Community Center.
The Blessing Boutique
continues on a reduced scale. We are no longer accepting donations of used
items, however we are receiving finances to provide for a specific group of children
in need.
During the summer, I will be
speaking at Mercy Hill Christian
Fellowship in Canada.
Beginning in September, I
will be facilitating Financial Peace University with families applying for
housing through Habitat for Humanity in Rock Hill.
DESTINY
The main thing I have heard
from the Lord is to study His Word. To that end, I have signed up with the
College of Theology and will be working on my PhD. I am not sure why, but I
know that His Word bring healing, knowledge and understanding and that it will
be used for my destiny. So I want to be obedient. I thought I would be finished
by now; however, I have learned that like healing, this too is a process.
“What we
do is live in past provisions, past dreams, past realities and
do not make the quantum
leap that
God is taking us to.”
Larry
Randolph, December 2011
FINANCES VS PROVISION
One of the main reasons I
applied for a job in September, 2011 was due to the loss of several of our
faithful supporters. Some were experiencing financial hardships and I am sure
some left due to my lack of communication. Some, I was told, thought I had a
“pot of gold” in the form of insurance or pension $! Really? Wow……not true.
I took on a J.O.B. to help
towards paying the expenses of the ministry as well as paying off outstanding
medical expenses from Fred’s 2009 surgery and my living expenses.
PowerTeam has severely cut out
and cut back on everything! I am however, currently making up the short
fall from Fred’s Social Security, which I have just begun to receive when I
turned 60!
As I close, I have one thing
to ask of you:
Please
kindly
pray for God’s provision for PowerTeam and for
Darlene.
Please pray for the releasing of the
“Angels of Provision” over myself and this ministry.
Greatly appreciating your continued support for
PowerTeam.
We pray EXTREME BLESSINGS
upon you and your household!
Thank you so much for taking your time to read our very long
newsletter. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate
to call or write.
803-746-4648
PO Box 38155, Rock Hill, SC 29732
^The
references to Larry Randolph came from his teaching on Visitations &
Transitions at the 2011 New Year’s Conference held at MorningStar Ministries.
*
Grief Ball from H. Norman Wright, Experiencing Grief
Fred and Darlene Pitts are an amazing couple who have spent their married life working with inner city children and families in Rock Hill and Charlotte. PowerTeam Inc. (the name of their ministry) has been tremendously used of the Lord to shower children and families with love through practical needs met, counseling, prayer, Christmas events, fun, wonderful hang-out time, and more—truly a ministry known by the Lord. Darlene and Fred both are known for their love, laughter, selflessness, hunger for the Lord, and love for His church.