The tales in “Blessed Assurance: Stories of Faith for People of Faith,” which was a project of the United Methodist Women’s Organization of Jasper FUMC, are meant to inspire its readers, while funds from the sale of the book will go to help several organizations in Walker County. The group uses fundraising efforts each year to help organizations such as Beacon House, the Salvation Army, Daybreak, Kid One Transport, Hope Clinic, the Samuel Lee Smith Advised Fund and ministries at Jasper FUMC.
“Our group does our best to serve our community,” Charlene Stephenson, a member of the women’s organization, told the Kiwanis Club of Jasper last week. “This is one of the largest projects that we’ve done.”
Stephenson, who retired as a teacher from T.R. Simmons Elementary School in 1998, said the process of compiling stories for the book took more than a year. Once the stories were compiled, an editing board was put together from group members.
“I hope people will be pleased with the results,” she said.
There are 33 different stories in the book, which is available now at the Jasper FUMC office in downtown Jasper for $10 each. Each story begins with a famous quote or Bible verse. Stephenson shared a Christmas story, “Blue Waltz,” with Kiwanis Club members. The story, written by Stephenson, was a memory from her childhood. She told of her brother trying to make their mother’s Christmas special by purchasing her a heart-shaped bottle of “Blue Waltz” perfume.
“Each of us has a story or stories,” Stephenson said. “Our stories are probably more interesting than those of famous people. I was honored to have the opportunity to share my stories in the book as well as writing down the stories of other people as they told them to me.”