Jeremiah 6:16a: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask where the good way is and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls.’”
REBECCA –
It’s an odd thing, I think.
If you have no knowledge of where you are headed then you have no idea about the significance of what you’re doing right now! It’s like when I whined to my parents about school, “Why do I have to learn this? I’m never going to use it!”
BIRDIE –
Rebecca and I were about to graduate to a different level of training, but we didn’t understand the significance of what we were learning. I am calling it training, but it was actually just LIFE.
Along with directing 3-4 published musicals a year plus our other job demands, we continued to write, produce, direct and perform originals.
1987 – wrote and toured MEET ME HERE
1988 – wrote and toured THE WRITER
1989 – wrote and toured HOPE OF GLORY
1990 – wrote and toured THE MILFORD FILES
1991 – wrote and toured THE WHITE STONE
1992 – wrote and toured WOUNDED WARRIOR (original version)
1993 – wrote and toured TWENTY YEARS AGO (original version)
1993 – wrote and performed TWO THIEVES & A SAVIOR (original version)
1994 – wrote and performed THE DELIVERER
1994 – re-wrote and toured NOT JUST ANOTHER LOVE STORY (2nd version adding World War II medley)
1995 – wrote and toured THE PUZZLE
1996 – wrote and toured BILLY LOVES BOBBY SUE (original version)
REBECCA –
We toured with our youth team, CrossRoads. Our theme verse was Jeremiah 6:16a: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look...ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’”
This is the CrossRoads Youth Team WOUNDED WARRIOR Tour. Tour was as much fun as it was hard work. The last day we always took a group picture.
One of several girls barracks on tour! Yes - they all looked this bad. Notice we aren't even showing the boys' barracks!
You can only imagine what it was like trying to get a shower stall with that many females trying to get ready at the same time! Here, Rebecca demonstrates how to shave your legs in bed!
This young man is now a Youth & Worship Pastor.
Seniors from the 1994 tour of WOUNDED WARRIOR after a packed-house performance at Lakewood Campground, Myrtle Beach SC.
This young man played the original "Billy" in WOUNDED WARRIOR.
Seniors from the 1993 tour of 20 YEARS AGO, following another packed-house performance.REBECCA –
In 1993 Birdie and I came to a crossroads ourselves, where God initiated a turn that took us down a different road.
BIRDIE –
This will seem to veer off the subject but it’s actually the story behind the BIG MOMENT we want to tell about today.
You see, I had my eye on a new, cherry red, Grand Cherokee Jeep Limited that was displayed at the front of the dealership that sat around the corner from the church.
REBECCA –
We each had a car but I gave mine to my parents when my brother was in an accident that totaled theirs. When that happened, we realized we could save money by only having one vehicle.
BIRDIE –
So I decided it was time to trade! Combining both incomes, we could afford that pretty red Jeep.
REBECCA –
Birdie had signed all the papers and we were standing outside the dealership doors, waiting as they shined it up. While we were standing there, so excited, I said: “God is sooooo good!! We need to find a license tag that says: Jehovah Jireh because God has surely provided!!”
The moment those words came out of my mouth I heard these words as clear as if someone had spoken them: “Write a life of Christ production. Call Jenny Wiley state amphitheater and perform it there.”
I’m sure that sounds crazy. I hate for people to think I hear voices in my head. But I’m telling the truth.
BIRDIE –
I know you’re crazy but I also knew that came from God.
They pulled that shiny red jeep up. We jumped in and Rebecca immediately told me what she thought God had directed.
REBECCA –
Less than five minutes later we were back in the church office and Birdie was looking up the phone number for Jenny Wiley State Park Amphitheater, a 500-seat outdoor amphitheater, located thirty minutes away which produced classic theatrical shows Summer-Fall.
BIRDIE –
A lady answered the phone. I said: “We’ve got a magnificent show and we want to perform it Easter, 1994. Who do we need to talk with?”
REBECCA –
That’s not all Birdie said! She went on about how great the show was. I kept thinking: “Precious Jesus, I’ve never written a life of Christ production! We’ve never done anything like this before!”
BIRDIE –
Romans 4:17! We serve a God who “calleth those things which are not, as though they were.” I figured if God said it, it was a done deal.
REBECCA –
The lady on the phone wasn’t quite as optimistic as Birdie.
BIRDIE –
That was a nice way to say it!
REBECCA –
But the more Birdie talked, the more receptive she became.
BIRDIE –
Finally she said, “This sounds like a great idea! I’ve got to get you a meeting with our manager!”
REBECCA –
The manager listened. Then he leaned forward in his seat as God bent his heart. He said, “Let’s take a look at the theatre.”
BIRDIE –
It was a cool fall day. We walked across the bare stage and looked at the empty seats. It was an unpainted canvas. Anything seemed possible right then.
REBECCA –
And so it was done!
We secured an outdoor amphitheater for a 1994 Easter show, then we went to work writing the show.
BIRDIE –
But there was one big thing left to do.
We needed to tell the church what we had done!!!
More CrossRoads Photos
