Jane Hotchkiss Tedesco Perseverance

This is the story of

Randy & Jane.
Doesnt Mean
They were high school sweethearts who
met at the age of fifteen years old. Shortly
Hope Has to Die
after graduation, they married, had a
family and answered Gods call to serve
Him and His people for over twenty-five
years. Together they founded churches in
both Michigan and Tennessee.
After thrity-four years of marriage,
heartache struck their family. In 2012, Randy passed away from
autoimmune disease. His death forever changed Janes life.
This book tells her inspiring story of loss and redemption. Her
prayer is that every wounded, broken, lonely person who reads her
story will find hope again.
God knows your beginning and end. He will never fail you.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give
you hope and a future, Jeremiah 29:11

Jane Hotchkiss Tedesco

PERSEVERANCE
Doesnt Mean
Hope Has to Die

JANE HOTCHKISS TEDESCO

PERSEVERANCE Doesnt Mean Hope Has to Die
by Jane Hotchkiss Tedesco

Copyright 2015 by Jane Hotchkiss Tedesco

All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United
States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain
or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or
group study is permitted and encouraged.

Book design by
Treasure Image & Publishing
TreasureImagePublishing.com
248.403.8046

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 CONTENTS
DEDICATION .................................................................................... 5

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 7

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................... 11

My First Encounter with a Messenger from Heaven

CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................. 17

Perseverance 101

CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................... 19

Our Family Begins To Grow

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................ 25

Little Did I Know Our Dreams Were About To Burst

CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................... 31

God Sends a Word for Hope

CHAPTER SIX .................................................................................. 35

God Calls Us into the Ministry

CHAPTER SEVEN ........................................................................... 39

God Calls Us to Tennessee

CHAPTER EIGHT .......................................................................... 51

We Began to Look For a Church to Call Home

CHAPTER NINE ............................................................................. 55

Home Church

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CHAPTER TEN ................................................................................ 57
Our Move Back To Michigan

CHAPTER ELEVEN ......................................................................... 63

Seasons Change

CHAPTER TWELVE ........................................................................ 79

Our Biggest Test of Faith Yet

CHAPTER THIRTEEN .................................................................. 93

Randys Home Going

CHAPTER FOURTEEN ............................................................... 103

Gods Ways Are Not Like Mans Ways

CHAPTER FIFTEEN .....................................................................115

Wedding Plans

CHAPTER SIXTEEN .....................................................................125

Out of the Desert

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ..............................................................127

Prophecy Fulfilled

CONCLUSION ..............................................................................133

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ...............................................................135

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 DEDICATION

In Memory of my late husband Randy. One of the

last statements Randy said to me, Make memories with
everyone you meet. Life is short, it may be your last
impression on that person. I dedicate this book to him,
as I share our story. Memories fill the pages from when
we met at fifteen to when we said our last goodbye at
fifty-three.

Thank you to Reverend Barbara Williams for being

so kind and editing my book.

Thank you to my six grandchildren. Each one of you

have touched my life in a different way. I love you for
bringing me laughter and joy. You give me the desire to
keep living strong no matter what.

Thank you to my daughter Katie for being more than

a daughter, for being my friend. For typing my

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PERSEVERANCE Doesnt Mean Hope Has to Die

manuscript and understanding me more than anyone

except her Dad.

Thank you to my new husband Al for encouraging

me to write the story of my life. Your support and love
amaze me.

Thank you to Isaiah and Elion for being excited

about my book. Your excitement and curiosity gave me
the push to keep writing.

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 INTRODUCTION

When I was a senior in high school, we had to write a

paper on what we envisioned our life would be, after we
graduated. I was raised in a very traditional home,
beautiful memories. In my heart of hearts, I knew, I
wanted to live my life the same way.

As a young girl, I envisioned a storybook life. My

knight in shining armor would find me, we would fall in
love at first sight, he would sweep me away, and the
journey of our lives would begin. He would cherish me,
love me, protect me from evil. We would raise a family
together. Live in a beautiful, cozy cottage with a white
picket fence. There would be beautiful flower gardens
and a world of bliss.

Is there anything wrong with daydreams? Nice

thoughts? Hopes of a perfect life? We have to start
somewhere in this journey called life.

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PERSEVERANCE Doesnt Mean Hope Has to Die

When I first met Randy, I was fifteen years old. It

was the summer before my junior year in high school. I
was signed up that year for drivers education class.
When you take the car out on the road, the first time,
there are three people in the car. The instructor, and two
students. I had the back seat first, and Randy was the
driver. I was extremely shy and nervous that day.

As far as I could tell, this young man driving was the

total opposite of me. He was confident and wanted all of
us to know it. The instructor told him to adjust his
rearview mirror to back up.

Instead of adjusting it for the road, Randy adjusted

the mirror so he could look at me. He smiled and then
winked at me. The instructor reprimanded him by
giving him a fifty-word essay to write. He told Randy to
keep his eyes on the road and not on the girl in the back
seat. I was shocked, but giggled as I flashed him my first
smile.

Little did I know, that first meeting with Randy, was

a set up by God. God was introducing me to my knight
in shining armor.
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 Introduction

We were high school sweethearts and married

shortly after graduating. We both had received Christ at
an early age, but, what we didnt know was God had a
grand plan for us. He wanted us to know Him and love
Him, deeply. It was certainly not an overnight
conversion. This is the story of Randy and Jane.

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PERSEVERANCE Doesnt Mean Hope Has to Die

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 CHAPTER ONE

My First Encounter with a

Messenger from Heaven

Years ago while visiting Port Huron Michigan, we

loved going there to watch the boats and walk the pier, a
man approached us and asked if he could pray with us. I
thought to myself, how exciting is this! God sent me a
message through this man that has shaped and formed
my walk with God to this day. We were young,
untrained in the supernatural things of God. Yet, God
began that day in Port Huron showing us how very real
He was. God uses people on Earth to speak for Him. If
we are willing to believe, God still speaks through us
today, anything is possible.

He began to share things with me that only I knew

(words of knowledge). He then made the statement that

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PERSEVERANCE Doesnt Mean Hope Has to Die

forever changed my storybook life. Perseverance would

become second nature to me. There are several
scriptures in the word of God that pertain to
perseverance:

But the one who endures to the end will be

saved. (Matthew 24:13)

And you will be hated by all for my name's

sake. But the one who endures to the end will
be saved. (Mark 13:13)

But Christ is faithful over God's house as a

son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold
fast our confidence and our boasting in our
hope. (Hebrews 3:6)

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for

whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For
the one who sows to his own flesh will from the
flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to
the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for
in due season we will reap, if we do not give
up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do

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 Chapter One

good to everyone, and especially to those who

are of the household of faith.
(Galatians 6:7-10)

Not that I have already obtained this or am

already perfect, but I press on to make it my
own, because Christ Jesus has made me his
own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have
made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting
what lies behind and straining forward to
what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

I was excited that God spoke directly to me. Little

did I know the cost of that word.

Perseverance is persistence the prize of not giving

up. Our journey with God was never promised to us to
be an easy road.

Instead, Apostle Paul consistently reminds us that we

must have a purpose, a plan, because when times get
hard, when the battle is on, when Satan attacks us, we

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PERSEVERANCE Doesnt Mean Hope Has to Die

must hold onto the promises of Gods word. We must

learn to persevere under trial and test.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

(Romans 8:31b)

Perseverance indeed, over the years, has become

second nature to me.

When I married my high school sweetheart, little did

I know the ride I was about to embark on. He was my
knight in shining armor, but he was not the typical
knight we read of. We had both been raised in church,
knew God, accepted God, but He had not yet become
the God of our life. We can know God as an
acquaintance or know God as our best friend.

So many of us are afraid to go deeper, more intimate,

to experience the supernatural things of God. We dont
want to look crazy or lose our popularity or our
positions of what the world calls successful. Having it all
without Christ eventually is an empty, lonely road on
our journey called life.

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 Chapter One

God sent his first message to me through a man I

had never met. This message has shaped and formed my
walk with God to this day.

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