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 beer or break the law, but I go to these places intentionally because the people there need a friend. They need someone to hear their heartache and to introduce them to Jesus through a real friendship. I know the best friend anyone can have is Jesus. He saved me many years ago and He has been my steadfast friend through every season of my life. No matter where you are, there are people hurting from the pain of this world. But you cannot expect them to come to you. It is my job as Christian to look for those who need Jesus' touch. I've always told my children, to have a friend, be friendly. We have to be intentional and look for those who are hurting. We have to share our own hurts and how Jesus changes our heart. I'll continue to do just that for the rest of my life.

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, my ten-year-old student, Nora, had been asking to go to the mall for her birthday. When that day came, several of us spent the day with her and her mom exploring the wonders of the mall. The best part? It came when I was able to speak words of truth about Jesus to Nora and her mom. We were able to explain and tangibly show how dearly loved and valuable they are to us and to God.