About Me

I was raised in a family where going to church every Sunday was simply part of life. I grew up hearing beautiful Bible stories and learning that Jesus died on the cross, but those stories never felt personal. They were not explained in a way that connected them to my own life.

 

That changed when I was seven years old. A Sunday school teacher took the time to explain why Jesus died on the cross. For the first time, I understood that His sacrifice was not just for the world, but for me. That night, before I went to sleep, I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive my sins and to be my Savior. I did not tell anyone, but I started trying to read the Bible on my own as I grew up.

 

Even though I attended church, Sunday school, youth group, VBS, and church camp, I didn’t yet understand that Jesus wanted to be more than just my Savior. I needed to surrender to Him as my Lord.

 

At the age of sixteen, I was working at a Salvation Army camp. One evening during a church service, there was an altar call. Many of my new friends went forward to pray, and I found myself wondering what they were doing. It seemed to me like they were just following the crowd. I stayed in my seat, but deep down, I knew I was hungry for more of God. That night, I quietly asked Christ to be the Lord of my life. That moment changed everything.

 

During high school, I became a passionate reader. I read every book I could find, including many from our church library. I was especially drawn to stories about missionaries who encountered God in powerful ways and saw miracles. I began to pray and ask God to show me more of Himself. I longed to experience Him in a deeper way, even though I didn’t see that kind of spiritual life in my home or church.

 

When I got to college, I met a girl named Helen one Friday night in the cafeteria. I asked her what her plans were for the evening, and she told me she was going to a “Prayer and Praise” meeting. I asked if I could come along. She said she had never been there before either, but she was happy for me to join her. That night, they sang songs I had never heard before, but it was clear they truly loved God. Through that campus ministry, I fell in love with the Lord and began to learn what it meant to seek Him wholeheartedly.

 

As a child, I was shy and would often hide behind my mother’s skirt. I just wanted to blend in. But the Holy Spirit has transformed me.

 

Galatians 2:20 says,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

 

God has used me time and time again whenever I have been willing to step out in faith. In the summer of 1990, I felt called to travel with a missionary group called Celebrant Singers. While I was preparing to apply, God gave me a verse that became a guiding promise:

 

Psalm 32:8

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

 

This verse has remained a steady reminder throughout my life. I have had the privilege of serving both locally and internationally in missions. It brings me great joy to introduce others to Christ, especially when they may have been hurt or overlooked by the church. I have also learned that it is my personal responsibility to continue growing in my relationship with God.

 

Proverbs 29:18 says,

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

 

It can be tempting to coast through life and let things happen, but I know that is not what God has called me to do. My purpose is to help others find their way back to God and to live a life that is guided by Christ.