Tammy Faye Messner Dies

Tammy Faye Messner Dies
Last Edited: Saturday, 21 Jul 2007, 8:50 PM CDT
Created: Saturday, 21 Jul 2007, 8:30 PM CDT
Television evangelists Jim Bakker and wife Tammy Faye Bakker talk to a television audience in this Aug. 20, 1986, file photo. Messner, who as Tammy Faye Bakker helped her husband, Jim, build a multimillion-dollar evangelism empire and then saw it collapse in disgrace, died Friday, July 20, 2007, said her booking agent, Joe Spotts. She was 65. (AP Photo, file) or just enabling jstl so that
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-->RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Tammy Faye Messner, who as Tammy Faye Bakker helped her husband, Jim, build a multimillion-dollar evangelism empire and then saw it collapse in disgrace, died Friday. She was 65. Messner, who had battled colon cancer since 1996 that more recently spread to her lungs, died at her home, said her booking agent, Joe Spotts. A family service was held Saturday in a private cemetery, where her ashes were interred, he said. She had frequently spoken about her medical problems, saying she hoped to be an inspiration to others. "Don't let fear rule your life," she said. "Live one day at a time, and never be afraid."But she told well-wishers in a note on her Web site in May that the doctors had stopped trying to treat the cancer.In an interview with CNN's Larry King two months later, an emaciated Messner -- still using her trademark makeup -- said, "I believe when I leave this earth, because I love the Lord, I'm going straight to heaven." Asked if she had any regrets, Messner said:"I don't think about it, Larry, because it's a waste of good brain space." For many, the TV image of then-Mrs. Bakker forgiving husband Jim's infidelities, tears streaking her cheeks with mascara, became a symbol for the wages of greed and hypocrisy in 1980s America. She divorced her husband of 30 years in 1992 while he was in prison for defrauding millions from followers of their PTL television ministries. The letters stood for "Praise the Lord" or "People that Love." Her second husband also served time in prison. She married Roe Messner, who had been the chief builder of the Bakkers' Heritage USA Christian theme park near Fort Mill, S.C., in 1993. In 1995, he was convicted of bankruptcy fraud, and he spent about two years in prison. Through it all, Messner kept plugging her faith and herself. She did concerts, a short-lived secular TV talk show and an inspirational videotape. In 2004, she cooperated in the making of a documentary about her struggle with cancer, called "Tammy Faye: Death Defying." "I wanted to help people ... maybe show the inside (of the experience) and make it a little less frightening," she said. That same year, she appeared on the WB reality show "The Surreal Life," co-starring with former rapper Vanilla Ice, ex-porn star Ron Jeremy and others. She told King in 2004 that she didn't know who Jeremy was when they met and they became friends. Messner was never charged with a crime in connection with the Bakker scandal. She said she counted the costs in other ways. "I know what it's like to hit rock bottom," she said in promotional material for her 1996 video "You Can Make It."
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Prayer: Dear Precious Heavenly Father; As we lift up the " Messner Family and the Bakker Family at this time. Lord lift them in their grief show them your power and wisdom as you hold them close as You've take "Tammy" home to be with You. She was a daughter,wife, mother, grandmother as she had many struggles in her life she counted the cost and you let your glory shine down upon her life.You've taken her through her difficult times and brought her through to victory. Through that cancer, divorce, and many other things in her life which at the time looked down right discouraging to say the lest but as you revealed many issues she only came through by prayers of countless of people whom helped her out as You gve them your word to get her through them. Father, we thank You for her own mesages that you hath given her to send out to all other's whom listened with ears that heard and they had you with them as they had tarried through that almost semed like a life time to them but it's you that brought them through it all.Precious is in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints the sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is law. But thanks be unto God, which giveth us through victory through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior brings us through all of habits, issues, hurts, and hang-ups for we dpend on Your every Word of our Sowrd to help us in Your power, authority mercy, grace with your love that bring us home to you. The faith guides us with your wisdom, understanding, knowledge, for us helpless folks whom when all is drained you pick us up with encouragement of whom you send to keep us going until you come. Give those families encouragement and help them to being free. Thank You for those lives in all that has been shown us by their walk, testimonies, of which those that torn their lives upside down only to bring them vicotry before us in helping us to see your truths in us through their lives. They were homeless, helpless, down trodden with No where else to turn but unto you and gave them victory to share what You had done to bring it through in giving us your glory as you brought them out of those prison doors to freedom in each of them. Praise You Jesus ! For their is No other God like You. They kept thier focus on you even when times was the roughest in them. Father hold them in your rms so tight as they wishper your name on those lips each and every time the pray.Be with husban at this time pour your anointing oil over him as allowing your presence to just soak in you as you release his inner man unto you and let your angles come around him and give him peace and a good nights rest to meet each day. Open the doors and windows of heaven as you surround each one of them as your glory shines down upon the day of rain as they continue in you. In the name of Jesus I PRAY. AMEN.