Congratulations to all of our Winners!

Grand Prize Winner - Ellen Harbin - Imlay City United Methodist Church

Pearl Earring winners -

1. Lynette Beeler - Faith Gospel Tabernacle - Bad Axe, MI
2. Rhonda Emerson - Freedom Community Church -Leslie, Michigan
3. Debbie Rheaume - Stony Creek Church - Utica
4. Char Tuttle - Water's Edge Church - Marquette
5. Tammy Krist - Gateway Assembly of God - Imlay City
6. Pam Jaymes - Howell Church of the Nazarene - Howell
7. Deb Kellett - Bethel Church, C&MA - Marlette
8. Kim Spranger - Community Covenant Church of Carlshend - Skandia
9. Angie DeVilder - Monroe Christian Church - Monroe
10. Paula Baird - Lake Michigan Christian Family Fellowship - Coloma
11. Tayana Holland - Epicenter of Worship - Lansing
12. Cheryl Slusher - Southwest Church of the Nazarene - Gregory
13. Donna Wester - Lighthouse Baptist Church - Caro
14. Darlene Perry - Mt. Pleasant

Sandy Leftwich

Church: Church of Christ - Cadillac

Nominated by Dona of McBain
Sandy is a true gem because she loves God and is not afraid to show it. She is a devoted friend, mentor, mother, and wife. She offers gentle encouragement when one is struggling, a quiet shoulder when one needs to vent, firm, but loving, words when one needs to be set back on the right path. She cries with you through your heartaches, and celebrates your successes. She asks for little, and gives endlessly and unconditionally, with a pure heart. I am honored to have her as a friend and sister in Christ.

Beth Brown

Church: North Oaks Community Church - Clarkston

Nominated by Robin of Ortonville
Beth Brown is a very special lady. She supported her husband as our new pastor 10 years ago, moving from Florida all the way to Michigan. Winters are now a much different experience for her!! Although Beth was very close to her Florida family, she makes the most of her Michigan family. Right away, she started reaching out to others and getting to know them with her warm, caring spirit. She has become very involved in our Children's ministry at church, and has also gone as a chaperone and active participant on our out of state Youth Group Mission trips. Beth and our Pastor, Steve, have 4 children, 3 boys and a girl. Beth is such a good sport. She has hosted many "airsoft war" slumber parties for her sons and their friends, as she knows they thoroughly enjoy that. She has even taken up cross country skiing and seems to enjoy our Michigan winters!! Beth is a homeschool teacher to her daughter, and puts much love, time and effort into educating her, and balances her time wisely along with all of her church involvement. Beth is such a laid-back person. Nothing seems to phase her, and she accepts everyone as she meets them. She is a true inspiration and example of Christian love to me.

Julie Hergert

Church: First United Brethren Church - Lansing

Nominated by Scott of Lansing
I am writing this about my wife. She is a wonderful helper. What makes her really great is her commitment to her family. She is the mother of 9 children. She also homeschools 7 of the children, the two youngest ones are not old enough for school yet. She is a great mother to our children. She is also in charge of the Angelfood Ministry at our church. She makes sure that people are available to take orders two times a month, and she organizes many for distribution day. She comes to church every Sunday ready to worship and doing all that she can to make sure our 9 children are ready for worship as well.

Jean Hill

Church: New Beginnings Ministries - Hillman

Nominated by Jeff of Hillman
jean is a special person in the fact that she stood by her husband when he decided to try ministry work again. her husband had retired from the ministry and when our church needed a new pastor she accepted that he was taking the position even tho it was two hours away. she has been a wonderful addition to our church. She helps with the childrens church, helps pass out bulletins when the scheduled greeters are unable to do so. she hosted a luncheon for the congregation after church one Sunday last month. she is involved with womens groups and helps get speakers to come for our ladies retreats. when not at church she works for a school where she lives.

Tammy Tuthill

Church: New Beginnings - Lansing

Nominated by Julie of Grand Ledge
Tammy Tuthill is a an example of God's love for His children. She is a very devoted mother of three,a wife, and first lady of our body of believers. She encourages and seeks the Lord with a passion. Tammy has such a heart for souls, she loves very deeply, she is a woman I admire and have learned from, just by her being herself. She is not one way at church and somehting else at home. She is very real and loving. She is young and full of life. And has been on the potters wheel in her own life, and has let the Lord mold her and form her into what He has designed to her be. And I feel SOOOOO Blessed and honored to be under her leading. She deserves more than we could give her. She is a Good and Faithfull servent.

Nominated by Tamara of Portland
In the last few months that I have been going to New Beginings I have met some extrodinary people. Tammy, Pastor Dave's wife is one of them. She is the most sincere, genuine person that I have ever met. When she talks I feel as though I am the only one in the room. She has a love for God and her family that exudes from soul. In fact she loves her husband so much that she did an extraordinary feat. When the Tuthills found out that they were expecting their first child Pasture Dave had to sell his 67 mustang that his dad and him had worked so hard on together. This car did mean allot to Dave and it was vey hard to have to sell it but he did it for his family. Fourteen years passed and Tammy decided to track that car down for Dave's 40th birthday. Secretly, she enlisted the help of her brother a car salesman. Though it was not an easy search given the time spand of fourteen years, the car was found. So for Pastor Dave's 40th birthday he got a big surprise, his beloved Mustang back. It's been a few years since then but when Pastor Dave takes his car to car shows he puts a letter that he wrote that tells of the search and the amazing woman who found the car for him in the windshield of the car for everybody to read.

Angie DeVilder

Church: Monroe Christian Church

Nominated by Lori of Newport
I have slowly crawled out of a meager existence, deeply embedded with drugs and all that come with street life. This has been only possible due to the love of my Lord, and His working through my pastor’s wife. She has so many wonderful qualities. She has also been a great support to me during a tough, but exciting time of transition in my life.
Let me tell you why I appreciate her so much:
Besides being a great mother and wife, which all can see, I treasure that she is a personal friend of mine. She just reaches in and does what needs to be done, and in so doing, quite naturally acts as the hands and feet of Jesus.
Her passion has been to homeschool her children, which she has. But due to recent financial difficulties of our small but powerful congregation, she has had to start working as a lifeguard and swim instructor at a local YMCA. This has been very tough on her, yet she still keeps a smile on her face and a positive outlook on life. Her children now attend a charter school that is strong on moral values. But I know that they have already been truly taught of the Lord by their mom and dad. Angie has instilled in these four children what it means to love and live for the Lord in their daily lives.
Because she is a mother who is very protective of her kids, it means more than anyone could know, that she has also entrusted me with her precious little jewels. I have been so blessed by these kids. I never had the honor and privilege of witnessing a functioning family, never mind one that lived for Jesus. And more than that, I have been welcomed into their lives as friend, babysitter, and even as a spiritual aunt (my pastor says)!
I did of course have to earn this by making my own life changes and being consistent in them, but I know personally that this world system is not even close to being as forgiving and understanding of people like me, as she is. Her love and trust in me has allowed me to grow. In turn, I can now help others in similar need.
Thru all of this I have started understanding firsthand the love and grace of God, and that He truly desires a relationship with me. As a result, I have grown in all areas of my life. I thank the good Lord for faithful servants like Angie DeVilder. I owe so much to her, and her family.