Lucky. We can all apply this word to our lives in one sense or another, but for me, the definition has radically changed recently. I am a junior in college, majoring in occupational therapy. I have always had a…
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Children
In 2017, my oldest daughter started kindergarten. The school she attends has the highest poverty rate in our district, where 75% of the students receive a free or reduced lunch. So, there is a lot of need. A month…
I come from a very musical family. I wasn’t blessed with the gift of singing, but I was rhythmically inclined. My mother was a great dancer, and she showed me a few moves. Then, I discovered Michael Jackson and James Brown. I…
I was 46 years old and with my only child entering high school, I was praying about what I should do with the second half of my life. As a teacher and educator, I volunteered at my daughter’s school,…
Every Monday evening, the practice rooms in our Fine Arts hall are filled with university student music instructors and pupils eager to learn piano, guitar or drums. However, this isn’t just another music school. This is a Christian ministry called WOVEN:…
When I had my first son, I stopped working and stayed home. I loved it, but after nine months, I started to go a little stir crazy and missed the socialization. That’s when a friend told me about MOPS—Mothers…
In September of 2011, the son of one of my marketing clients was struck by a car. He was a very active eight-year-old and had broken both of his legs. I went searching for a gift for him and…
Throughout my life, I have managed spherocytosis which causes a weak immune system. I’ve battled this disease and with each step, God has guided a sickly little girl into the strong youth pastor that I am today. Two weeks…
High school was pretty rough for me. I spent those years struggling with identity and friendships, so when I graduated, I declared I would never go back. Of course, God, with His sense of humor, had other plans. During…
To most, I am known as simply “Coach.” As the local high school’s football coach, I spend a great deal of time with high school boys. Many of them come from broken homes and could very easily end up on…
It’s been said that life can change in an instant. For me, a trip to Africa in 2012 altered the course of my life forever. On that trip, I was introduced firsthand to orphans. I had read about them…
I’ll never forget the day in Guatemala when my missions team came across some children on the street. In an effort to build relationships with the kids, some of my teammates started chatting in their limited Spanish. I sat…
I thought I knew what it meant to follow Christ and to take up my cross. But, over the years, I have learned that God often gives us ministry opportunities that we’ve never asked for and certainly never wanted.…
I kind of stumbled upon being a camp counselor. As a teacher, I have my summers pretty free which I treasured. I usually traveled, took some time off, and prepared for the upcoming school year. A few years ago,…
I’ve always been taught to not be ashamed of my faith. So going to a public school, I’ve always considered it my mission field. Exercising my faith and displaying my relationship with Christ all started when I was in 4th grade.…
I was having a hard time deciding what I was going to do with my life. I prayed that God would use me as His vessel. I didn’t hear anything from Him for a while. But in 2015, I was driving…
For years, my ministry revolved around music. I joyfully played the piano every week for worship. And during the week, I taught piano lessons to children in the church with the hope that they, too, would embrace a love…
Gowns for His Glory started with a dream seven years ago to provide prom dresses and accessories to area high school girls free of charge. Prom is one of the most expensive nights in high school and no matter…
As a children’s pastor, I’ve been blessed to have seen so many children come to Christ. There are few things more beautiful than seeing Jesus in a child’s eyes. But the bulk of my ministry happens outside the church…
The teenage years are crucial for a child, so when our older daughter was joining the church’s youth group, we decided to become youth leaders. We planned to continue until our younger daughter graduated from high school. We just…
I received an alarming call in early 2010. “Momma, please take care of my girls. I can’t do this anymore!” My daughter was in a relationship that led her down a very destructive path. In short, she ended up losing…
It is said that history often repeats itself. Twenty years ago, my daughter spent Christmas break ministering in an Indian orphanage. She met four orphans who would drastically impact her life. Some fifteen years later, she was able to reconnect…
My love for the Lord led me to be a youth pastor. Last year, I left my doctor’s office with the news that I had cancer. During treatment, I woke up each morning and wondered if the hours of…
I’ve always been drawn to kids who were hurting. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have anyone to talk to when I was struggling at 12 years old. And, back when I was growing up, you did not go to…
When something you are passionate about comes to you naturally, that’s how you know God’s hand is in it. I have been involved in scouting in some way my entire life. My mom was a troop leader and I…
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This verse in Proverbs made more sense after I had my second child. I used to bring neighborhood…
Since I was a high school senior, I had a dream of starting a youth center for teenagers. Even when people dismissed it, I knew that God had placed that dream on my heart. After I returned from Bible College…
It’s so important that we pass on everything we have learned to our children. And that’s because they are the future leaders. But can you imagine a bunch of leaders who do not have an education? I teach a Sunday…
My husband and I had finally finished the paperwork to adopt an American child. We discussed what we should do before becoming new parents. I had previously gone on several mission trips, and we decided to experience this together.…
When God placed individuals with special needs on my heart back in high school, I had no way of knowing He was already preparing me for life with my daughter, Morgan. She has physical and cognitive special needs. Loving…