The Whitestone-Thompson Story

It was a January day in 2003 and I (Kathie) said, “I’m done!” The grieving of a marriage that had died more than eight years earlier was finally over. The connection was fully severed and I was still breathing. How could that be but it was so; praise the Lord! Yet, Father had one more step in this regard that He wanted me to take; and I did – one year later. And so one evening in January 2004, Sharron, one of my dear sisters in Jesus, and I were talking and I expressed to her that I was thinking it just might be that I needed to change my name. She thought it was a terrific idea… she didn’t think I was nuts at all! I told her that even though it was customary to return to the maiden name I was not that little girl anymore and I just didn’t feel right about resuming that name. She said to pick a new name; one that means something to you spiritually. I was reminded that somewhere in the Scriptures a new name is mentioned. So I began my search and quickly came to Revelation 2:17. And it reads: “He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (conquers), I will give to eat of the manna that is hidden, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone, which no one knows or understands except he who receives it.”And there it was – Whitestone! That would be my new name! I continued to pray and my confidence began to build that yes this was Father’s will for me. I sought godly counsel and then in March 2004, I petitioned the Court to change my name and on March 29, 2004, I legally became Kathie Ann Whitestone. But that is only the beginning of the story … Father was also working in another place. A place that could have just as easily been a million miles away but really only 32 – Satsuma in Mobile County, Alabama. You see, I had said I would never leave Baldwin County, Alabama again. Never. Say Never!

For me (Jerry) my journey to this day also began in 2003, almost a year before Kathie even thought about changing her name. Let me say here, when I heard she had changed her name from a verse in the Bible, I asked myself, do I want to get involved with a religious fanatic? But let us go back to the beginning of my half of this story. During the Summer of 2003, on behalf of Alabama Rural Ministries, the Youth of this church, Myers Memorial, and I took a mission trip to Livingston, Alabama. The purpose of the trip was to do repair and renovation work to local residences and hold backyard Bible studies with local children during the day. In the evening after clean-up and supper, we would have singing and devotional time. Well, the last night of our trip the devotion for the night was the giving of a black stone to each of us, which represented sin in our lives. As the service went on the question was asked if we would come to the front of the assembly where a cross was set up with white stones at the base and if we wanted to turn in our black stone for a white stone we could do so. This was to represent that Christ had washed our sins away. A moving service to say the least and yes I turned my black stone in for a white stone. I decided to carry that stone in my pocket, not telling many people that I was doing that… I wouldn’t want anyone to think I was a religious fanatic. Each time I put my hand into my pocket it would remind me of the sacrifice that Christ had made and my sins were washed away. From time to time I would ask the youth if they had their stone, some said yes and others were not sure where theirs was. All this started in July-August 2003 and I had been carrying that white stone in my pocket for almost a year when on May 3, 2004, I received a phone call from a lady, Janet Biggs, to whom I now owe a great debt. She asked me if I would be interested in meeting a friend of hers who she had known for about 4 years. I had had that question asked of me a few times before by other people since my wife of 36 and one-half years, Julia, had passed away and I just said I am not ready. For some reason, I said yes that Monday night and she said she would make arrangements for me to start receiving an email devotion, which this lady did five days a week for her Sunday School class members and others. I asked Janet the lady’s name and that is when she said, Kathie Whitestone. No, I did not mention to Janet the white stone I was carrying in my pocket. So on May 5, 2004, I made my first communication with this lady, Kathie Ann Whitestone, through email, and today, August 5, 2005, this lady will become my wife. Why I said no to others who asked me to meet someone, I don’t know, other than I was not ready and truly God was not ready for me to either. Isaiah 40:31 simply says: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” He has renewed my strength and my faith in that all things do work to the good for those who are called to His purpose. That is as strong today as it has ever been in my life. That is our story, and to some, it may sound coincidental but we don’t believe in coincidences; we believe in Our Father God. And today is not the end of our story. It is only the beginning and we ask everyone that will to continue to pray and support us with your love so that our families may be all that God has for us to be.   Thank you, Jerry & Kathie

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