Tracy Tells: Tickle My Funny Bone

This past summer I started a new ministry that totally happened by accident...or did it??? I know that God orchestrates every part of our lives, and I believe that it was no accident when Patty Chriscoe called and asked me to perform a comedy routine at their "God and Girlfriend" ladies conference at Victory Community Baptist Church. I went there on August 24th with just a sheet of paper in my hand with an outline of funny stories about our ministry. I thought that this would be a one shot deal and then I would be finished. I was wrong. This ministry of laughter seemed to be a new ministry that God was leading me to do. I had timed my routine with one error....I didn't allow time for the laughter to die down. For some unknown reason, I never expected people to laugh. Now, I have had people tell me all my life that I was funny, but these are the same people who use to tell me that I looked like Gina Lollobrigida, I didn't take it to heart. Who knew that my big mouth and the stories that spill out could be entertaining and also minister to the hearts of people??

Victory Community Baptist Church in Carthage, NC. The first place that I performed my comedy routine. Thanks to all the VCBC "girlfriends" for your encouragement and kind words.

After performing at Victory, I began to feel a little more confident in this new ministry. Isn't that how it goes....you doubt yourself. I keep wondering if I really was funny, or were they just being polite? Who knows??? You know southern people they are polite, even when you stink. I realized that I had stories that just didn't fit. You needed to know the person to get the full effect of the story or it was just funny at the moment it happened. I started cutting out segments of the routine and then it happened...my mind turned back in time and stories and funny things started flooding my mind as I recounted our times at different churches and all the characters we have met over the years. I pulled things out of the recesses of my mind that I had forgotten that had happened. The memories started flooding in like a swelling river. I got out my scrapbooks from past churches to recount the times there. Mark and I started reminiscing about the good old days, and soon I had filled a page of a legal pad with stories. Maybe I could keep this ministry going with new material.

I got a call one day from a lady that attended Ephesus' Baptist Church in Lee County. She didn't see me perform, but a lady she knew had seen me at VCBC and told her about me. I am good enough to be known by word of mouth now!!! That is a dream come true for me. I am not a household name, but she thought I was good enough to recommend.....YES!! I was scheduled for October 14th to perform for the Golden Treasures Senior Group. Turned out to be around 100 there that day. This is the big news....there were around 6 churches represented there that day. I had 2 pastors, a DOM, and 2 couples to get my name and number for a future booking. So far no calls, but I am patiently waiting. The Methodist preacher there really fed my ego. He thinks I should send a DVD of my performance to Bill Gaither. First of all, I don't have a DVD of my performance, and second of all...is he kidding??? Mark Lowry and Chonda Pierce are on Gaither, not Tracey Garner. I asked him if he was serious and really thought that I was that funny and he said yes. I don't think that he was just being polite either....I believe he was serious. That is some food for thought....I might have to chew on that a while.

Ephesus Baptist Church in Lee County. My second performance with the Golden Treasures Senior Group.

Now I have watched enough Gaither videos to know that performers wear flashy clothes. The picture below is my performance shirt. It has silver sparkles all over it, but it didn't show up on the picture. This is the flashiest thing that I have in my closet, but maybe this new ministry is just the excuse I need to buy that sequined blouse I saw at Belk's. lol

My flashy performance outfit. Come and see me more than once...my routine might change, but not the outfit. lol

If your church is looking to book someone for an event that they are having, please keep me in mind. I spend half my week in Moore County in the Sandhills and half my week in Pender County on the coast. You can contact me at either addresses listed below.

Tracey Garner PO Box 784 Rocky Point, NC 28457