Although I grew up going to church, I didn’t take God seriously until I was 20 years old. There were always things that I let get in the way of my relationship with God. In my teen years, I never really decided to give my life to Him.
My sister and I are the third generation of my family to attend the Salvation Army church in our city. Our mother and grandmother set the example for us as women of God. Even though I attended church three times a week growing up, I still held my full heart back from the Lord. When I was 20, I attended a special Youth Ministries conference and the call of God spoke deeply to my heart. I remember feeling the Holy Spirit touching my life that night over 50 years ago. Since then, everything in my life changed.
In 1983, I began working with the Senior Citizens club at my church. I have been blessed to lead this ministry ever since. Back when we started, I had a group of 87 “Golden Chords”. The Golden Chords would visit the local nursing homes and sing songs for the residents, a service very much needed in the lives of the elderly.
Not everyone realizes that volunteering at nursing homes makes a huge impact on people’s lives. Some residents get very few visitors. A smile and a listening ear can make all the difference. In my work with the Senior Citizens Club at my church, I take members on trips, we go to shows, camping in cabins, we do crafts and so much more.
A large chunk of my life has been devoted to serving with these seniors. One of my favorite memories with the group is with my youngest child, Jessica. Jessie wasn’t supposed to be due for another ten days, but when I stood up for the meeting, all I could say was “Uh-oh.” By the time I got to the hospital, Jessie was already part of the way out.
Things have been tough in recent years with my husband going through dementia. When I stop to look back on everything, I can say without a doubt that God has been good to me, and He always gets me through.
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