Sandee (Stephanson) Mogle grew up on the beaches of San Diego, CA. Her parents offered little moral guidance or love which led to a long string of boyfriends with no direction. Leaving college after a year, and the need to support her cute red convertible, Sandee set out in search of a job.
After graduating 'stewardess' school for the Pacific Southwest Airline, Sandee became an official stewardess. The standard uniform for PSA at that time was hot pants and boots! Life was basically carefree as she flew from one location to another. However her totally self absorbed life was leaving a wake of destruction and feelings of utter emptiness. During one particular flight lay-over, Sandee cried out to God "God, will I ever be happy? Will I ever have a husband who loves me and the family I crave?"
During this time, several of Sandee's girlfriends invited her to a Bible study. Half-heartedly she went and even began listening to J. Vernon McGee's "Thru the Bible" radio program to and from work. God's truths were being planted.
During a typical business flight, Sandee met Phil Mogle. Taking another chance on love and after 3 years of dating they married and settled down in San Diego. The Lord continued to speak into Sandee's life and Phil began listening to various Christian preachers on Sunday morning.
Phil's mother was a very different 'Christian' by Sandee's definition. She had her own Bible and personally read from it. The church she attended had upbeat happy music. During Phil & Sandee's first year of marriage , Phil's mom was to visit for Christmas. This meant she would want to go to church. Not having a clue where to go, Sandee called a Christian bookstore and asked for a church "where they read the Bible and sang upbeat praise music"! The church was the home of pastor John Maxwell, at Skyline Wesleyn.
One week before Christmas and Mrs. Mogle's arrival, Phil and Sandee visited Skyline to be sure it would 'work' for his mother. In Sandee's words, when they opened the front door it felt like "Jesus was waiting for us with open arms". This day would change their lives! They both went forward to talk with Pastor Maxwell after church and for the next several months, a mature couple led them through a study of the Gospel of John making sure they understood the Gospel and what it meant to be a Christian.
Six months later, Phil & Sandee Mogle were baptized. Ten days after their baptism, Sandee became pregnant. In March 1986, they became proud parents of twin boys, Mark and Matthew.
In 1998, Phil and Sandee arrived in Vestavia and visited area churches, Shades Mountain Baptist being one. Putting her detective skills to work once again, Sandee made an appointment with Shades Youth Minister, Rick Swing. Rick said it was the ONLY time he had ever been 'interviewed' by a parent about what and how he taught the youth! He passed and Shades Mountain Baptist became home for the Mogle's.
Eight years prior, Phil had successful surgery for bladder cancer. However in 2001 after a minor fall, a large tumor was discovered intertwining itself through his hip and surrounding organs. In June 2002, Phil lost his courageous battle and was made eternally whole in his Heavenly Home.
Phil and Sandee were heavily involved in Shades' youth ministry The week Phil passed away, New Wind was scheduled to tour Wacco, TX. Mark and Matthew would not go on tour without their mother. And so it was that the youth ministry of Shades Mountain Baptist church loved on and ministered to Sandee that first week of her grieving heart. From that point forward, Shades sponsored the boys on mission trips and choir tours with Sandee often in tow.
Did the Lord hear and answer Sandee's cry from that hotel floor so many years ago? -----"YES! More than I ever dreamed. I am in absolute awe that God so loved me that He sent His Son to die for ME, so that I might live! He pulled me out of my selfish pit and gave me a new life in Christ - shared with a wonderful husband (till death parted us) and twin sons. A life that now has a rock solid foundation of forgiveness and a love that will never die. He will never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13) He will always get me through the storm (Isaiah 3) always through the valley (Psalm 23). He has taken my sins/my past and forgotten them. I HAVE BEEN SET FREE and my heart is to always serve Him and bring Him glory in all that I do."
Sandee is currently writing a book of her life's journey entitled "Tijuana to Christ". She requests our prayers as she seek's God's glory to tell of His great work in her life!