Meet the Group...Bio's and Testimonies

Dennis Tanton:

Hello my name is Dennis Tanton. My wife and I married at a young age. I guess you can say that we raised one another. Eva got in to church long before I did. I can remember back how I used to hard time her and give her trouble for going. At one point the old car that we had was without a hood, and if it even looked like it was going to rain the car would spit and sputter...but one night Eva was determined to go to a revival meeting and drove the vehicle in the rain, and never once had a moments trouble.

When I finally gave in and started going to church, we became really involved and were willing to do whatever was needed. We taught Sunday School, drove the church bus, helped with the youth, led choir, cleaned bathrooms...etc. My wife even decided she wanted to try and sing. The first time she ever got up to sing, my youngest son and nephew fell off the pew laughing....but she never gave up.

Although I cannot speak for Eva, because her heart was already set on the Lord, I can say that tragedy drew me closer to the Lord. Our twelve year old nephew was out on a hunting trip, and was accidently shot and killed by a stray bullet that went through the cab of the truck he was sitting in. Though we could not understand it, and still may never know why, that incident brought our entire family to their knees and caused us to call on the Lord.

It was not until a little later when my pastor cornered me one night and asked me about my relationship with the Lord, that I realized where I really was, and where so many people are today. You see, I had become so involved in doing for the church, that I really did not have time for a personal relationship with the Lord. Yes I was there every time the door was opened, yes I did whatever the Pastor or church needed me to do, and yes I knew who Jesus was....BUT, that is all...I was church saved! I could not truly say that I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I had never spent the time in prayer or in the Word to truly come to know Him...but when my pastor really put me to the test and asked me that question, it changed my heart and gave me the desire to know Him.

In early 1997 is when we first come to know Buddy and Candace. We all started attending church together, and even tried to sing together some. A couple of weeks after we started getting to know them, Candy's mother died all of a sudden. Our relationship from there grew as we recognized how God had put us all together. (Buddy has become my very best friend, and Candy is the daughter that my wife an I always wanted as we were blessed with two boys) After a little time passed we began to work together to form the group, Vessels of Clay. Sheila came a long a little later and joined us. We started off just singing in our home church and after a little time we were being invited to other churches.

After the first five or six years together as a group, the Lord began to deal with me about sharing His Word through more than just singing, so we continued on singing and preaching. In 2004 everything seemed as if it would fall apart. Business and family issues arose, Buddy's job ended and he and Candy decided to try and take jobs in Mississippi. Although we missed them, Eva, Sheila and I continued on. We tried to stay in contact with Buddy and Candy without much luck...until early 2005 when we began to get reports that Buddy's health had gotten really bad. (See his testimony for more) By the time we were able to get in touch with them, Buddy had been in the hospital several times, had several surgeries, and was in kidney failure. One day in one of our church services the Lord allowed the spirit of intercessory prayer to come over me for Buddy and Candy. After that it seemed the Lord had began to turn things around. Buddy and Candy decided it was time to come home, made things right with the Lord, and then come back to the ministry. However, it was not until the end of 2005 when Buddy was called for his transplant, that the Lord really showed us just how much we all needed each other , and how he had brought us together. At one point during the month and a half that Buddy was in the hospital, and the doctor's had done all that they could figure to do...during a phone conversation with Buddy, I really felt in my heart that Buddy was going to die. He had given up hope it seemed, and even in my own heart, I could not see how to pray. I thought I was really going to lose my best friend. But Praise the Lord, Buddy wrestled with the Lord one night and God brought him through with an awesome testimony. The ministry has not been the same since. The Lord has blessed and caused each of us to draw closer to Him. He has opened doors and allowed us to see lives touched, saved, healed and delivered. We are looking to see greater things as we continue down the path that we know the Lord has called us to.

One of my new favorite songs is called: "I'll Not Turn My Back On Him Now". It says...(I'll not turn my back on Him now, He's given to me everything I have, He gave me my first breath, and I'll give Him my last, I'll not turn my back on Him now.) This is truly one of my prayers and hopes...that the Lord will keep us in His will and that we will keep our hearts fixed on Him even until the last breath! God Bless!

Eva Tanton:

Hello my name is Eva Tanton. As you have probably already read, Brother Dennis is my husband...and yes we married at a very young age, and as he put it...we raised each other!

To tell you a little bit more about where the Lord has brought me from...I was born the youngest of twelve children (six boys and six girls). My mother was a God fearing woman, so I was taken to church, but did not come to know the Lord until later in life. I never received much education, (Never learned to read or write) because our family all had to work from an early age in order to help meet the need.

After Brother Dennis and I met and married, we too had to work to make ends meet and be able to survive on our own. Within the first couple years of our marriage we had our first son and a few years later our second. It was later when our boys were a little older that I came to know the Lord. I started attending church regularly, and even went in spite of grumbling from my husband. It was after I started going to church that the Lord gave me a desire to read His Word. (but of course..I had never learned to read)...but as I desired, and made efforts too and strove to seek Him, He opened my eyes and my understanding, and I eventually learned how to read the Bible, and even begin to write some. After several years of constant rantings, Brother Dennis also started going to church. Together we really gave our all, and spent endless hours at work for the church. Brother Dennis was asked to lead the choir, and I was asked to teach the young children in Sunday School. At first I was really hesitant, because of my background (lack of knowledge and reading ability), but I gave in and found just what a blessing it was, because it put me in a position where I had to study, and had to work to show myself approved. I can truly say that it was during this time, and through the help of my husband and a loving pastor that I truly began to grow in the Lord and gather His Word unto my heart. It was also around this time that a desire to sing came over me. I begin to practice and made some attempts to sing. The first time I ever got up in front of the church, my nephew and youngest son fell off of the pew laughing at me...I could not really hear the music or hold in tune with the music, so of course even though I tried, it was funny to them. Thanks to the Lord, I never gave up.

Shortly after that incident, my family faced a life altering experience...the death of our twelve year old nephew in a hunting accident. Though it was a hard and trying time to go through, the Lord used it to draw many of my family members in and closer to the Lord as they sought comfort and refuge.

After the death of our nephew, things at one point in my life took a very different turn. A spirit of depression took hold. It got so bad that I could not even stay by myself at times and my husband was afraid to leave me alone. He would often find me curled up in a corner. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, couldn't drive. I lived in fear and torment even to the point of desiring to die. This torment lasted through a period of about five years. I aged to look as if I was eighty or ninety years old, and weighed only 89 pounds. However, through the help of my husband, some good christian friends, and most of the Lord and His Word...He brought me out. I begin to change the atmosphere in our home, playing only uplifting gospel music. I read over and over and stood upon Psalms 91 and many other scriptures concerning God's provision and promises...I even begin to put my name in the areas that applied. Friends, let me tell you...the promises of God's Word are true, and will manifest in your life if you commit your life into His hands! No psychiatrist, no other friend, no doctor, not even my husband or children, could have done what the Lord has done in my life!...And PRAISE GOD...he can still do the same today for any one of you!
After that things turned around, my husband and I started our own business, and begin to prosper. We moved to another town, and started at another church, where we met Buddy and Candy, eventually Sheila. We all began to sing together and formed Vessels of Clay, and have been singing and later preaching even until today.

There are so many other stories that we could all share, many ups and downs, falls and bruises. Some are even shared in some of the other biographies on the site...and though some of the stories may vary they have all made us who we are in the Lord and we all can say that God is good. He has never failed to carry us through, even when we could not help ourselves. All that we have committed to Him, He has kept. I praise Him for where He has brought me from, and look forward to the purpose He has for us to continue in. It is my desire to be a witness of the love of Christ, and share His truth with a lost and dying world, so that others may find the same hope that the Lord gave me. God Bless!

Hailey Stephens:

Hey, my name is Hailey Stephens. Buddy and Candace Stephens are my parents. I guess you can say that I have been in church most of my life and around the singing and preaching ministry since I was about three years old. I attended public school for a period of about two years, and have been home-schooled every other year up until the 2006-2007 school year. Our home church started a christian school this year which my sister and I have been privileged to be a part of. Even though I did enjoy some parts of home-schooling, it has truly been a blessing to be a part of a school where we learn about the Lord, and are given the opportunity to share and minister in the areas that the Lord has given talent as well as being with other kids our age. Further we are blessed to have a home church, There are probably many things that I could share with you, about things we've been through, seen and done. One of the things that impacted my life, was the loss of my Nana (my mother's mom). Although I was only three years old at the time, the changes it brought about in our family as a whole over the years taught me in more ways than one...to not put faith in man, but in the Lord.

Another life altering experience for our family was the battle with my dad's health. My dad was a diabetic for about twenty years. I saw his health in the good times and in the bad times...but I'll never forget the miraculous work of God, that I was able to witness. You see although the Lord used the doctors to perform the work, I know and believe that it was God who prepared the way, gave the knowledge, the means and the healing. My dad received a kidney and pancreas transplant in 2005 and is no longer a diabetic, and has a perfectly functioning kidney.

I can also say that within the ministry I have seen many ups and downs, but have also seen the Lord always work it all out. We have been blessed to travel to many states and cities in the U.S. I have seen people blessed and touched by singing and most importantly by God's Word. I have to say that over the past couple of years I have tried to hold back and have not wanted to work with the talent that God has given me. I even at times rebelled against trying, but at a recent revival that Brother Dennis preached at, the Word dealt with my heart. When the altar call was given, one of the things that was spoken was a question asking the congregation to search their hearts individually to see whether or not we knew without a doubt that if the Lord come back that night, was everything right within us to be ready to go? Although I have been raised in church and have heard the Word preached, I could not without a doubt answer yes to that question, so I went to the altar and made it right with the Lord. My family and friends can say they have seen a change. I desire now to use the talent that I feel God has given me to sing for Him. In fact within the past couple of weeks I have started singing more with the group and I am looking forward to greater things. God Bless!

Buddy Stephens:

My name is Buddy Stephens. I grew up mostly with my mother as a single parent, but did have the opportunity of a couple of step fathers who left lasting impressions in my life. I have one brother, and a half brother that was raised with us through the teen years. I also have another half brother and sister on my fathers side. Our family often moved and we were never really introduced to church. Although I was not raised in church my mother always made sure that we were taught right from wrong, and principals that have made me who I am today. I started work at an early age, and learned responsibility by helping meet the necessary bills. When I was about seventeen, I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. my sugar at the time of initial prognosis according to the specialist was high enough based on my height, weight and body mass for me to be in a coma. The doctors immediately hospitalized me and began to try and stabilize me. Although I was having trouble, I did not feel as bad as they seem to think I should. The doctors even made the comment that I would not live past the age of 34.

To shorten some of the story...the doctors managed to find a few things that worked for me, and suggested specific diets and insulin. So I went on about my business. After graduation, I married my high school sweet heart, and was forced to divorce after approximately five years (not knowing that even though I was not a christian and living for the Lord, that He still had a plan for my life). Between 1991 and 1992, I met Candy. We married the end of 1992 and now have two beautiful, healthy daughters. During the first couple years of our marriage, we started going to church. I gave my heart to the Lord and Candy re-dedicated. However, the struggles that often come in a new marriage often began to give us excuses. So we found ourselves back out of church until around early 1997. We then visited the church where my mother had started attending, both rededicated and eventually joined the church. Within the first few weeks there, we met Dennis and Eva (Sheila joined a little later), and started singing in the choir and just cutting up together trying to sing some songs. About two weeks after that Candy's mother got sick and died suddenly. Although it seemed the devil was trying to destroy our new found joy in the Lord, we overcame and were strengthened together. There are many ups and downs that I could share, and maybe in a service somewhere that time will come, but for now, I want to share with you where the Lord has brought me to today!

Over the years the diabetic medical condition of course worked on my body. Although we continued in church for many years, formed the ministry Vessels of Clay, and continued to do what we thought was right...things began to turn. As time progressed, we can now even say that we tried to jump ahead of the Lord. Candy, quit her job to stay home and home-school the children, and to make plans to be on the road more as we started traveling more in the ministry. We ended up giving up our home which we had moved, and totally remodeled ourselves. The employer for whom I had worked for approx. 5 years decided to downsize and cut my position within the company. We ended up living with family for a period of months. After finding no comparable work, restlessness of living with family, and even build up of hurt...an opportunity arose for us to make a move with promise of work and a new start. So we moved to Mississippi. While there we did continue to pray and even, convinced ourselves that we had made the right choice. Things seemed better for a while...we both found new jobs, a house of our own, new friends...but no christian living. (As the saying goes...if you quit using it or abuse it, you lose it!) We searched for a church, but never found what we wanted... Anyway after several months my health began to deteriorate. We sought medical attention, and the specialist referred us to UAB in Birmingham, Al for transplant evaluation. Needless to say when you walk away from the calling of God, you also walk out from under His protection. My diabetes had caused high blood pressure, and kidney failure.

After several surgeries and continued decline of my health, I had to quit my job...and we eventually had to make the decision to return home. (Years before while we were in church a preacher had prophesied that I would be healed of my disease.) Upon returning home we did get back in church and gave it all back to God. I went for evaluation at UAB in July of 2005. My kidney specialist at home, started me on dialysis the end of August 2005, and In October 2005 I received a call to rush to Birmingham for possible transplant. Upon arrival, I was informed that I was going to have both the kidney and pancreas transplant. After the surgery, all seemed well and within so many days, I was moved to what they call the town house as it is customary...(Transplant patients have to stay near or in the hospital for follow up labs , etc, for anywhere from a month to three months) Right after being moved, I started having chills and fever. Labs all seemed fine and showed no signs of rejection, yet for a period of eleven days my temperature would spike to over 103. I was returned to the hospital and tested for everything...and on the eleventh day, the doctor informed me that the only thing he knew to do was to open me back up...While in the hospital I had lost down from approx. 157 pounds to 111, I just knew that I could not stand another surgery. That day and that night on the eve of the twelveth day, I can not tell you what all went on between the Lord and I, but I can say that as Jacob of old wrestled with the Lord...I believe that I too wrestled with the Lord, and in turn made all right with Him.

The next morning, I remember being at peace, and the fever broke. The surgeon followed through with the surgery, but found no evidence of rejection or infection, and all was well and moved forward from there. Though my healing did not come in the way that I would have expected (although the Lord has since reminded me of what that preacher had prophesied , and has also shown me that had I followed through in a particular instance, and been obedient that the healing would have been sooner and possible instant) I am on less medication than most transplant patients, no longer have kidney failure and no longer a diabetic. I praise the Lord, and give all glory to Him. I know that it is by no merit of my own, therefore, wherever, the Lord may use it to give hope and evidence of His mercy and healing power...I'll share it in in both testimony and the preaching of His Word. May God Bless You!

Candace Stephens

Greetings brothers and sisters in the Lord. My name is Candace Stephens. I can't say that I was raised in church; However, I was familiarized with church as a child through my grandmother, and a few Aunts who would take my sister and I to church on occasion. At the age of about fourteen or fifteen years old, I started spending a lot of time with one of my cousins whose family were faithful members of their church. They had a program on Saturday nights called "Youth Alive" which I started attending with my cousin as often as possible. It was through this youth program and through a summer youth retreat that I came to know the Lord and began to seek Him.

During my Junior and Senior years of High school, I met and started dating Buddy. (Sometime during this period I got out of going to church regularly.) We married in late 1992, bought our first house, and had our first child in 1994. As Buddy mentioned in his Biography, he was not raised in church either...but we decided after our baby was born, to try and get into church. Shortly after that, we started attending a local church, I rededicated my life and Buddy gave His to the Lord. It was also here at this church, that the Lord first gave me the opportunity to sing. My sister had always been told she had beautiful voice...I was never able to even carry a tune, but always had a desire to sing.

Unfortunately ups and downs and lack of total commitment to the Lord gave way and we found ourselves back out in the world again. We got rid of our first home and moved out to the country for a while, slipping further into worldly living. In early 1997, Buddy's mother and father-in-law had started attending a church near their home, and had been telling us about it and how some of them would get together and sing and just have fun. They invited us on a Thursday night to come and join them while they were just gathering to practice. We went, and through the Lord and some coaxing from Buddy's parents and friends (Dennis and Eva), I tried to sing a song that I had learned before..."Feel the Nails". I could not even make it through the song, before I had to run to the altar. God once again accepted my plea for forgiveness and restored my heart back unto Him. Approximately two weeks later I faced the first of what I thought to be one of the hardest trials in my life. My mother passed away suddenly at the age of 42. She had never had any major sickness and no warning of the heart attack that took her. Though grief and mourning are natural human emotions, the Lord gave me peace through that time, and even showed me through some conversations with family, that even though the situation seemed unfair ...that the Lord had all things under control, and had a purpose , even though we might not understand until we reach the other side. He also showed me that if He gave us everything we thought we needed or wanted (such as pleading for reasoning why this had to happen) that we would take Him for granted as a child does. (when a child begs or throws a fit for something and they are given what they beg for every time, then they learn that by begging or pleading they get what they want.) God's Word teaches that we must learn to be content with what things we have and in all situations to be thankful. (I come to realize that my hope was in Him and in the hope of seeing my mother again in Heaven if I continued on with the Lord.)

We joined the church there, and continued to sing with friends and family...As the Lord worked with us, we worked with Dennis and Eva and formed "Vessels of Clay", met and joined up with Sheila and from there began to sing here and there as we could. Many instances occurred during this time, where we can look back and see how God's hand was with us. One in particular was the day Buddy began to lose his eye sight driving home form work one day. It was approximately a 45 minute drive...so by the time he did reach home, he could hardly see anything. The doctors said that he had diabetic retinopathy...that is where the blood vessels behind the eye burst and the eye fills up with blood. He ended up having a couple of surgeries, and praise the Lord...his eyes were healed. We also tried for several years for another child. Due to Buddy's health we often thought that we might not be able to have another...but seven years after the first, the Lord blessed us with our second.

In the year 2004, it seemed that things started to unravel again. Buddy had increasingly more trouble with His diabetes (mentioned in his biography), Buddy's position on his job was ended, we had to give up our home, and found no new comparable work, among other issues with family...so we up and left the family, the group, and eventually even the Lord. We moved to Mississippi and found work and a new home. We thought we were getting a new opportunity to start over. We did try and find a church, but found nothing we felt suitable, so we just did not go. Things went well for a while, but in early 2005, Buddy's health took a quick and sudden downhill turn. His kidneys began to fail, blood pressure became a major issue, he was constantly nauseated and became unable to work. He had multiple surgeries to prepare for dialysis...all attempts failed causing other problems. It was round about this time that Dennis and Eva had started trying to contact us again, and the Lord through the constant prayers and intercessions of family and friends had begun to deal with us and prepare our hearts to realize our need to return home. (Just as the prodigal son)...not only for help with Buddy's health issues, but for spiritual salvation. So we began to make arrangements to return home. On a weekend visit to try and get things ready, we attended a revival that Dennis, Eva and Sheila were ministering at. Sitting back and watching them minister was one of the hardest things to do...but the Lord used them and others and brought us back to our knees at the altar, called us home and restored my heart...but this time my prayer was different than any other time in that the Holy Spirit instilled a burning desire to commit, without opportunity or possibility of turning back. We did have to go back to Mississippi for a short time. The last week I spent there was to train a girl for the position where I worked...Buddy and our two daughters, had already gone home with family. I stayed behind at my sisters. The Lord gave me a dream that week, and showed me that the there was an open door before me (Though I could go into greater detail...) He showed me that it was the door for life or death (spiritual life or death...not just physical) and the choice was mine (ours). He reminded me that the gifts and the callings of God are without repentance, and that which He had called me to do, was still His intention for my life, but I would have to go back to the very place where I had turned away from God. The dream as a whole opened my eyes and as "Joshua" stated, (my mind was set)..."As for me and my house...we will serve the Lord!"

...So we returned home, and as Buddy's testimony shows, the Lord turned our situation around; saved Buddy's life in more than one way, restored all that the enemy tried to take and then some...and has blessed us to see souls saved, healed, delivered and helped through the ministry that He has allowed us to remain a part of. We have found His Word and His Promises are true. He is a just, merciful and gracious God. He loves us, and He allowed us the opportunity to choose, and He would have loved us even enough to allow us to choose the path that would have sent us to Hell...But praise His name, though the enemy meant it for evil, the Lord has turned it around and used it for our good.

It is my desire to serve Him, and share where He has brought me from. I pray that others may see His light in and through me, and perhaps find the same hope of glory for their own lives. May the Lord bless you and may something that we share as Vessels of Clay, enlighten your way!