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My husband Rick and I were teenagers when we met and married. Our
backgrounds were very different spiritually speaking, but we were both
seeking a relationship with the Lord. We just didn't know how to articulate
that at the time. The first seven years of marriage were difficult -- 3
children in less than 3 1/2 years -- and typical growing pains. One Easter a
man whom my husband did some work with invited Rick to Easter service
at the church he went to. So we decided to go ... and never looked
anywhere else again. Very soon both Rick and I gave our hearts to the
Lord and he began to act on a call to missions. Rick pursued his
ministerial license and went on staff at the church we attended. We then
pursued missionary appointment, but it was several years before that
would come to fruition. Even then, our appointment was completely
outside the box. We own and operate a Design/Build company that
specializes in churches and Christian schools. Our business supports our
ministry, which for a number of years was to build churches, orphanages,
Bible schools, Teen Challenge centers, etc. around the world. I kept the
home fires burning while our children were still at home, and Rick would
take ministry teams from various churches to accomplish this work. I've
traveled with him to several countries over the past 15 years, but
honestly, I prefer to stay home and write -- which is my dream -- while Rick
ministers around the world -- which is his dream. These days he's more
involved in strategic planning worldwide than he is in actually leading the
building teams. Our focus now is with Teen Challenge, which is a ministry
to people addicted to drugs and alcohol. We remain active in the church
we began attending 31 years ago, along with our children and
grandchildren. It's quite a blessing.
backgrounds were very different spiritually speaking, but we were both
seeking a relationship with the Lord. We just didn't know how to articulate
that at the time. The first seven years of marriage were difficult -- 3
children in less than 3 1/2 years -- and typical growing pains. One Easter a
man whom my husband did some work with invited Rick to Easter service
at the church he went to. So we decided to go ... and never looked
anywhere else again. Very soon both Rick and I gave our hearts to the
Lord and he began to act on a call to missions. Rick pursued his
ministerial license and went on staff at the church we attended. We then
pursued missionary appointment, but it was several years before that
would come to fruition. Even then, our appointment was completely
outside the box. We own and operate a Design/Build company that
specializes in churches and Christian schools. Our business supports our
ministry, which for a number of years was to build churches, orphanages,
Bible schools, Teen Challenge centers, etc. around the world. I kept the
home fires burning while our children were still at home, and Rick would
take ministry teams from various churches to accomplish this work. I've
traveled with him to several countries over the past 15 years, but
honestly, I prefer to stay home and write -- which is my dream -- while Rick
ministers around the world -- which is his dream. These days he's more
involved in strategic planning worldwide than he is in actually leading the
building teams. Our focus now is with Teen Challenge, which is a ministry
to people addicted to drugs and alcohol. We remain active in the church
we began attending 31 years ago, along with our children and
grandchildren. It's quite a blessing.
Sharon K. Souza is a freelance author whose passion is
writing fiction geared for the Christian market. Her novel,
Every Good & Perfect Gift, was released by NavPress in
January 2008. Lying on Sunday will be released in
September 2008, also by NavPress. Her novella, A Heavenly
Christmas in Hometown, released in December 2004, has
been converted to a play, and has been performed in
Northern California.
Sharon has published non-fiction articles in the
Pentecostal Evangel and in The Lodi News-Sentinel. She
earned second place in a writing contest sponsored by
that newspaper.
For three years she served as co-editor for the Spirit of
Lodi, a church-produced monthly newspaper with a
readership of 10,000, and contributed articles on a regular
basis.
Sharon worked extensively with author Hal Donaldson,
now editor of the Pentecostal Evangel, on three non-fiction
books, Pleasing God, Pleasing You, Onward Books, 1992;
Parenting, Onward Books, 1993; and Portraits of Success,
Onward Books, 1994.
She and her husband Rick have been married 36 years.
They have three grown children (one who now resides in
Heaven) and six grandchildren with a seventh on the way.
Her husband is an ordained minister with the Assemblies
of God, and together they are appointed missionaries at
large with the Assemblies, based in the US.
Sharon has traveled with Rick to various countries,
including Mexico, Japan, South Africa and Jamaica, where
Rick is involved in physically and strategically building the
kingdom of God. He has traveled to more than 30
countries, has experienced Siberia in December, been
robbed in Columbia, and called in for questioning by the
authorities in Cuba.
While Rick lives the adventure, Sharon is satisfied to
create her own through her fiction.
writing fiction geared for the Christian market. Her novel,
Every Good & Perfect Gift, was released by NavPress in
January 2008. Lying on Sunday will be released in
September 2008, also by NavPress. Her novella, A Heavenly
Christmas in Hometown, released in December 2004, has
been converted to a play, and has been performed in
Northern California.
Sharon has published non-fiction articles in the
Pentecostal Evangel and in The Lodi News-Sentinel. She
earned second place in a writing contest sponsored by
that newspaper.
For three years she served as co-editor for the Spirit of
Lodi, a church-produced monthly newspaper with a
readership of 10,000, and contributed articles on a regular
basis.
Sharon worked extensively with author Hal Donaldson,
now editor of the Pentecostal Evangel, on three non-fiction
books, Pleasing God, Pleasing You, Onward Books, 1992;
Parenting, Onward Books, 1993; and Portraits of Success,
Onward Books, 1994.
She and her husband Rick have been married 36 years.
They have three grown children (one who now resides in
Heaven) and six grandchildren with a seventh on the way.
Her husband is an ordained minister with the Assemblies
of God, and together they are appointed missionaries at
large with the Assemblies, based in the US.
Sharon has traveled with Rick to various countries,
including Mexico, Japan, South Africa and Jamaica, where
Rick is involved in physically and strategically building the
kingdom of God. He has traveled to more than 30
countries, has experienced Siberia in December, been
robbed in Columbia, and called in for questioning by the
authorities in Cuba.
While Rick lives the adventure, Sharon is satisfied to
create her own through her fiction.
