A History

                        By Rita Glasscock                            President, Board of Directors of PLM

    In 1978, I was at a church prayer meeting and someone requested prayer for Gayle Woods, who had been diagnosed with bone cancer. This young mother of two pre-school children had battled cancer twice before. There were several friends who were going to her home on a weekly basis to help with household chores and taking care of the children. They would also pray with Gayle and read healing scriptures to her. This group began to grow in number and they decided to begin a weekly bible study which would meet in their individual homes. They would study the Word and pray for Gayle.
     They had been meeting for a short time when I received a call asking me if I would seek the Lord concerning teaching this bible study group. After two weeks of prayer and fasting, I felt the Lord had answered that prayer and was leading me to accept the invitation. The bible study met each Thursday morning and it wasn’t unusual for it to last most of the day. Lives were changed and families were strengthened as people were saved, healed and delivered.
Gayle was one of those who received healing. She returned to the hospital for scheduled cancer treatment. When they ran tests to determine her progress, the doctors found that there was no evidence of bone cancer. A short time later, Gayle enrolled in college, and, while raising her daughters, earned her license as an RN. She loved the profession she had chosen and was a blessing to every who came in contact with her.
     The bible study group decided the name, “The Living Word,” spoke of what we experienced on a weekly basis—The Word becoming flesh and touching the lives of those who heard it and believed it. Each week someone who was in attendance would extend an invitation to meet at their home the following week. This schedule continued for six years. As we began our fourth year, the number of those attending had grown until we were limited to the houses which had adequate seating.
     In 1982 we began to ask the Lord for a meeting room especially for bible study. As we prayed for the Lord to lead us to that “specific” place, we kept notes of prophetic scriptures, dreams and leading of the Holy Spirit. As we prayed, we were confident the Lord would provide a place. Two years after we began to seek the Lord concerning a meeting place, we were approached by a couple who lived in the Odessa area. They were aware of our bible study and they told us they felt they had something which belonged to us. A few months later we arranged a meeting with them and we were given a clear deed to the four acres which is now known as Promised Land Ministries.
     When the place was offered to us, we looked at all the notes we had kept during the two years we had been praying. The scriptures and dreams had described this place exactly. We had asked for a meeting room and God had given us four acres. These four acres were located five miles south of Odessa. Not knowing what to do with this place, we sought the Lord for revelation and further instruction. Because He had led us around and around in Odessa from home to home and all the time telling us He had a place He would provide for us, the Spirit of the Lord revealed the name “Promised Land.”
     The four acres needed a lot of attention. Most of it was pasture. There was a house, a garage, and two small barns. The house consisted of a small three-room house and another building that had been moved in and set right against the original house. The buildings had not been joined together. In many areas of the house, there were only studs, particle ceilings and floors. A few weeks after we had been given the deed to the place—Jan. 1984—we began to go out to Promised Land every spare minute and work on the house.
     We continued our weekly bible study in town. We had no financial resources, but we knew God had called us to this place and He would do it. Each week when we made announcements at bible study, we would ask for specific needs , whether it be plumbing, electric, windows & etc. We saw miracle after miracle as many people, some of whom we did not know and some of them just passing through the city, heard of us and would come by and donate supplies, labor or both. They would work as long as they could and then would leave. Then the Lord would send someone else. December 1984 we celebrated the completion of Bethel House with our annual Christmas Dinner. We had 92 people attend a sit-down dinner. These 92 people were just some of those who had helped, physically and financially, in the work at Promised Land.
     In 1985 the Lord led us to begin to build an open-air tabernacle. As we worked on the land, clearing the weeds and underbrush, it wasn’t unusual for us to hear voices of children, young people and adults talking, laughing and praying. And there were many languages being spoken. We knew in the years to come there would be many people on this place who would need a place to meet. The plans which were drawn up allowed the building to be constructed in stages and be functional in each stage.
     Gayle Woods continued to be a vital part of Promised Land Ministries. In 1986, she was again diagnosed with cancer, this time in her liver. We all sought the Lord for her healing, but the Lord took her home in 1986. She had longed to see the tabernacle completed. She gave of herself physically and financially as we prepared the Promised Land for those who would be coming. We all knew there was no other name for that building but “Gayle Woods Tabernacle.”
     In 2004 we again heard the Lord calling us to build on the Tabernacle. We will enclose the walls and we are preparing to replace the roof. Each of us are looking forward to the day when the Gayle Woods Tabernacle is enclosed and filled with people whose voices are lifted in praise to the Almighty God. We are sure Gayle will be in that great cloud of witness who will surround us.
     In the past as our needs arose, we would add other buildings. Many of those attending bible study had small children and we began a ministry for the children during bible study. The building we used for this ministry was named “The Ark.” Then we added the “Murphy House Dorm.” This building was named in honor of a board member, Barbara Murphy, whom the Lord had called home. This building houses a large meeting room and four bedrooms.
     Later, the “Blessing” was added for a caretaker residence and the Barbara Cooke Cottage was added to house overnight guests at Promised Land. Barbara Cooke was on the Board of Directors for many years before the Lord took her to heaven.
     Promised Land is a 501 C3 non-profit Charitable Corporation which is governed by a Board of Directors, with Rita Glasscock as president, and board members Kathie Smith, Chris Petree, Rosie Hair, Jean Merchant, and Suzanne Medlen. Each board member and their families bring a great blessing to others as they fulfill their position for Promised Land Ministries.