Just a simple gal trying to love The Trinitarian God revealed in the Holy Scriptures and her neighbors (the enemies thing is even harder). Saved by grace, but still getting dusty feet as I wander through life this side of heaven. Thankful for bread and crumbs gleaned from many others, this is a space I intend to share what meager offerings I can.

God has given me so many amazing opportunities over the years. After completing a BA in English Literature from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL, I first worked for one of my professors in a rigid polyurethane manufacturing company. It’s a long story, but I ended up not doing marketing and instead working in the factory making rigid foam “bricks” for an alcohol company that wanted a creative advertisement to be displayed in comedy clubs across the nation. It was the time of my life where I was making bricks, on an unreasonable timeframe, with not enough material all working for an Egyptian. If you’ve read the Bible, you might pick up elements from Exodus.

I moved on from this job to become a recruiter for a small firm. We specialized in high tech and C-level positions. In order to find these highlights specialized people we called into tech firms and offered people new jobs.

From there I ended up at the Alternative Schools Network where I served for many years on a project that got out of school foster kids back into school with the goal of not only graduating high school, but also transitioning to college, vocational training, or a job.

All this time I enjoyed serving and being part of New Life Community Church. I wanted to get some more training and felt called to serve at a place called His Mansion in New Hampshire. This is a residential facility for men and women who are seeking freedom from life controlling addictions. Originally I intended to stay for a year long internship, but ended up serving for several. Although I went to serve and give, I ended up growing deeper roots in the faith and gaining so much more than I ever gave.

Eventually I sensed that it was time to get out of a little college debt and get more education. With two emails I had an offer of a place to live and a job. Back I went to Chicago and back to the Alternative Schools Network. While there I met so many incredible mentors to foster kids, educators, and public servants. I also ended up getting a Masters of Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary.

Just after completing my Masters I sensed the Lord was asking me to move back to Columbus, GA. I graduated from High School there, and my parents had moved back there after my dad completed his career in the Army. Both parents were doing well at the time, but an increased sense of urgency ended up having me move. Little did I know, this wasn’t just for my parents, but would change the trajectory of the rest of my life.

A few months after moving to Columbus my dad was diagnosed with Colon cancer. It was a difficult time, but I’m thankful he has been cancer free for several years now. My parents had been attending Christ Community Church for several years prior to my move down. Each visit down I would attend church with them. The preaching was Biblical and full of grace. That combination was incredibly refreshing to me. The way some hard things were dealt with in authenticity, humility, but also maintaining healthy Biblical principles were like nothing I had experienced elsewhere.

A position to serve as executive assistant to the Senior Leaders opened up and I applied. The rest is history, but for several years I it was like I was in a school of leadership and discipleship. I was able to use my organizational, people and other skills in the roles I had, but I was being shaped by the leadership that I was serving under in ways that pushed me forward past my comfort zone into areas of service I did not think were open to me, or any woman. In 2016, I was ordained as an Elder in the Free Methodist Church.

Over the last few years my heart has been stirring more and more for both the world and a new way to do church. I took a Perspectives class that expanded my missiology. Then when COVID hit and we all started to think about what it means to be the church, my desire to be part of reaching the lost locally grew. I began to dream of a community of faith that wasn’t focused on buildings and programs but instead paired down and spent time, energy, and budget on reaching the lost. We launched Pathway Community Church last year and have been meeting as a core team to train and learn how to reach our neighbors.

Since the organizing principles of Pathway are to remain low budget, empower the laity for works of ministry, I started looking for co-vocational opportunities.

The Lord opened a door at One Mission Society to become a Mobilizer. I could not have dreamed of a better job description for myself! After raising funds for this position, I’ll get to travel to recruit people to the foreign mission field and then help mentor and guide them through the preparation process. I’ll also get to spend some time taking people to places where OMS has works going on in the field. Seriously, it’s they type of job that capitalized on all of my past job experiences.

I have not yet arrived at complete maturity. I’m still learning and growing daily. However, in this season of my life I hope to be useful to God by helping people take their nexts to becoming fully-devoted and maturing followers of Jesus.

If you’d like to financially support me on this journey, please visit: https://onemissionsociety.org/missionaries/detail/staten.

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. (Numbers 6:24-26, NLT)