I am a nurse. I am also a Christian, and have found the best thing I can do for my patients is to pray with them and for them, which I do for every patient. Now I am retired. I wasn't sure how I would like retirement since my entire adult life has been as a nurse. My pastor, knowing my health is good and that I like to be helpful where I can, asked if I would become our church's nurse. For the last three years, I have loved my new position. I don't get paid, yet I feel more… Read More
Throughout life, God has called me to places far outside my comfort zone, to use me in the lives of those who are downtrodden. I turned 70 this year, and God has always used me to connect to hurting people. Some would describe me as an evangelist but really, I simply love Jesus and I want to talk about Him any chance I get. I spend a lot of time in places most Christians try to avoid. Most evenings, you can find me shooting pool at the beer joint on the corner, or at the prison telling funny stories. I don't drink… Read More
My momma taught me to always help those who are less fortunate. She ingrained in me to "do unto others as you would want them to do unto you." So that's what I did. As a teenager, I would often volunteer in soup kitchens and shelters, loving every minute of it. But as a busy working adult with little free time, I eventually found myself no longer volunteering. I wanted to serve, to help people in need. I just didn't know how I would have the time to do so. I felt extra compassion toward the ones I passed everyday: the homeless. Living in… Read More
There are people in our community who would love to come to church, but they just don't have the means to get there. Public transportation in our small city is infrequent and can be costly. But everyone deserves the chance to attend church. That's why I started a van ministry. I coordinate four vans going to various parts of our community each Sunday morning. This ministry is more than just about driving a van and picking people up. Our van drivers get to know the people on their route. We pray with them as they share their needs. When we… Read More
My inner-city neighborhood is home to around 6,600 residents, nearly 25% of whom do not speak English as their primary language. Since English-language proficiency is a gateway to jobs and better education, some of my education major classmates and I decided to serve our neighbors through English tutoring. Each week, I coordinate nearly 70 university students, myself included, to teach English to area residents. We go to their apartment complexes for home tutoring or teach in a local community center. Volunteering to teach English is just part of it. The real reward comes from the formation of friendships that transcend cultural barriers. For months,… Read More
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 down with a boy who was a little separated from the group, and after exhausting the few Spanish phrases I knew, a teammate told him I was an art teacher. He jumped up, ran home and returned with a pack of crayons. We sat on the curb drawing animals, trucks, and whatever else he could think of. God showed me that art… Read More
