Staff Reflections

During the 2009-2010 ministry year, members of the Heritage Staff were encouraged to write about their spiritual journey.  Many of the stories were shared at the staff meetings throughout the year. 

The following personal testimonies beautifully illustrate God’s hand of mercy, calling, protection and grace in undeniable ways.  All of the stories are different and all are unique, but the Truth of God’s redemptive power is the same through them all. 

May you be blessed by the reading of God’s amazing love.

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True Contentment

I was raised in a Christian home, asked Jesus into my heart in my parent’s bedroom when I was 8 years old and was baptized March 24, 1971 by Rev. Loyd Rife (my gramps). My Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt and cousin were all pastors so I was well shepherded even outside of my immediate family. I am the oldest of three kids, after me comes my sister then my brother.

Sam and I met in Oct of 1985, he was in a Christian band and I catered his concert. Six months later I moved to California and 5 months after that we were married. We moved to Tennessee in March of 1987, had Tyler in 1989 and Erin in 1991. Life was good!

We lived in TN until 1999. While there Sam discussed contentment with our neighbors, who at the time were very discontent; one couple moved to a bigger house and one couple divorced and moved because of discontentment.  Sam could deliver that message and I backed him wholeheartedly because we felt content; great jobs, great income, great kids about to go to a great Christian school. Life was contentedly great for us.  We were even content to go to a boring church, but only when the weather was too bad to do anything else and we noticed that our neighbors were going. We occasionally put 20 bucks in the basket despite the fact we were making more money than we ever had and owed nothing but our house payment!  

Then…we decided we should move to Ohio to take care of my grandparents.  My husband’s job would transfer – perfect! So we bought a bigger house, content in a small house more content in a bigger house, right? Well – the job didn’t work out, my gramps passed away a year after we moved, we didn’t like the church we went to, add in neighbor problems and we were in more debt than we had ever been in before.  “Contentment” had left us high and dry.  I was finding myself discontent in our marriage, in stuff and with God. How could He take all of these things away from me?  I had prayed during the prosperous times in TN that if He was going to take my contentment away then do it right then; don’t let me get used to it.  The problem was my contentment was only in money and stuff, not God! You see sin takes you further than you want to go, costs you more than you want to pay and keeps you longer than you want to stay.

We finally found Heritage and one of the first Sunday’s we attended Brian Brooks preached from Acts 17:26-27 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  For the first time ever I felt reassured that we were here, in Ohio, for a reason.  I felt like I could give God another chance.  When you do that, hang on, it’s a wild ride.  Not smooth, not always fun but when I stop for a minute and look back I see Him all over the place.  My ride has included reconciliation with my husband in our marriage, kids who love the Lord with all their heart and serve Him and serving in a ministry here at Heritage to others with broken marriages (Begin Again), I could go on. Philippians 4:12 says I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. This verse has come to mean more to me these past few years.  I know I do not truly know what is to be in such a great need as others have known. I appreciate all that God has taught me through this season of my life.  I am so glad He pursues me and gives just the right word at the right time as I continue to learn the secrets of contentment in any and every situation!

My Testimony

I was born at 8:30 in the morning on September 7, 1956 into a Roman Catholic home – at least half Roman Catholic.  My straight laced, “stay at home” mother was a fairly devout mostly Irish/English/German Catholic (her maiden name was Martha Mary McCormick – how Irish Catholic is that?) whereas my fun loving, “blue collar”, (3^rd trick at the time) Dad, while a long time member of First Community Church in Marble Cliff, rarely darkened the door of church during my upbringing.  While Dad was a drop out of instruction classes for converting to Catholicism prior to marrying my mom, he had no problem with my younger sister and I being “raised Catholic,” and so we were – attending mass with my mom each weekend and on holy days and attending catechism too since we went to public school.  We learned very early how to sit through church quietly and at least seemingly attentively.  The mass was still largely in Latin when I was young and the priest, while he gave his sermon in English, tended to mumble and never turned the microphone on so being “attentive” was a bit of a challenge to my sister and I.  We fasted before receiving communion and ate fish every Friday, much to my chagrin most of the time although that was a part of being Catholic my Dad had no trouble with.  He loves fish!

As I grew up on the Hilltop in Columbus, I often found myself envious of my mostly protestant friends who got to sing in their church children’s choir and got to play on Saturday mornings while we attended catechism.  I went through all of the sacraments that were proper for a Catholic child to receive and even learned to play the piano thanks to a nun, and by 8^th grade was about where I guess I was supposed to be as a good Catholic girl.  But I often felt as though I was on the outside looking in when out among my peers.  I was lonely at times and wondered about the world around me.  When I was in 10^th grade, my good friend who lived next door invited me to go with her to a local middle school gym one Friday night for a game night.  I went and had a great time.  It turns out, a guy and his Dad had rented the gym and intended to use the time as a Christian outreach.  Brent and his dad attended the Friends (Quaker) church on the Hilltop and Brent was a Young Life leader.  I’d never heard of Young Life until then but it wasn’t long before I found out it was “a non-denominational outreach to high school students.”  I was intrigued to say the least.  I had always prayed on my knees each and every night before bed (and now know that the Lord heard my prayers) and had a certain reverence for God, but until I began attending Young Life Monday night meetings, I don’t believe I’d ever heard the true gospel message.  I began attending not only Monday night Young Life “club” where we sang and did silly skits and heard a brief “cross talk” but also Tuesday night “Campaigners” where I was given my first bible - a “Jesus Book” – the New Testament with pictures of kids my age mixed in and comments besides.  I’d never really read the Bible at all before that.   I didn’t know very many Bible stories at all and didn’t know the New Testament from the Old.  My “Christian” training up to that point seemed more centered on how to behave in church and honestly I don’t know what else, but it was as if a window was opening that I’d never seen before.  God actually wanted to know me and He had a gift to offer me to boot!  His son, Jesus Christ.   I knew from my early catechism I was a sinner but never really realized just what Jesus had done on the cross for me or why he created me.  I can’t say there was an exact day that I first decided to follow Christ back in 1972 or 73, but I had a gradual understanding of what it meant to accept God’s greatest gift and give your life to Jesus Christ and since that time, I’ve rededicated myself time and again to the One who saves.  And like He was when I was a child on my knees each night, He’s continued to be faithful to stretch out His hand to me and let me see more of Him each day.   I am so thankful for my friend inviting me to the gym that Friday night so long ago and for Brent telling me the gospel message.  Both of these dear people are still in my life from time to time – another of God’s gifts!

My Story

I am the oldest of 4 children and grew up in a home knowing my parents loved me. They provided me with all the things I needed but I also knew there were rules to be followed and expectations to be met. It was expected I attend church services twice on Sunday and go to Sunday school and Catechism every Wednesday night.  It was an extra special week when the Billy Graham Crusades aired on television.  We were all called into the living room shortly before the “service” started, settled in to our assigned seats and without causing any distraction, remained silent until the program was finished.   With all that education of the Bible, you’d think I would have the love of Jesus deep in my heart but the sad truth was, it was all in my head.  I discovered early on how to make the world revolve around me and my plans.  Once I understood how to get what I wanted it was simply a matter of accomplishing the task, check it off the list and move on to the next item.  Sunday School, check; church services, check; Youth group, check; do well in school, check; and so on.  I was well on my way to meeting the goals my parents and I had set for me.

The youth group I attended during my high school years gave a different message.  The leaders often talked about having a relationship with Jesus Christ.  I already knew who Jesus was and that He died on the cross to save me from my sins and since I was keeping all the rules and meeting the expectations my parents had set, I felt I didn’t need to pay much attention in the large group settings, after all, I already had it all figured out. We often broke into smaller groups where the leaders continued to press upon us the importance of having a relationship with Jesus and even went as far as to ask each of us about our own personal relationship with Christ.  I thought that was pretty bold but after awhile realized their questions started to have an impact on me.  I understood I had put my faith in the knowledge I gained and in my accomplishments, not in Him alone for my salvation. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In my junior year of High School I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, that He died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead so I can have eternal life.  I realized there wasn’t anything I could do to earn my way into Heaven.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

As I continue to deepen my relationship with Christ, I’ve learned to look to Him to know the plans He has for my life. Jesus loves me and only wants what’s best for me.

Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This verse calms my spirit when everything around me seems out of control.  The more I focus on myself, the less I am able to keep my life in order.  On the other hand, the more I focus on Christ, the easier it becomes to allow Him to control every area of my life.

The rest is still unwritten...

7 months-I was 7 months old when I was brought from South Korea to Pittsburgh, PA where I grew up and my family still lives today. I was adopted into a great family with gracious and giving parents and one older brother. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home but I feel like my parents taught me good values and to be a good person.

12 years-I was in middle school the first time I remember going to church, one Christmas eve, and I remember thinking how odd it was to celebrate this little baby, named Jesus’ birthday and why they said he would someday come to save the world. I was a great student and a good athlete, I had everything I thought I could ever want and didn’t really see the need for church or Jesus. I had a really good life and was a pretty good kid.

18 years-I graduated from high school and decided to pursue a degree in Nursing. I chose Otterbein College 3 hours west of my whole world. It was time to grow up and leave the bubble I grew up in and I couldn’t wait to be on my own. I found that college was a little more freedom than was probably good for me. I got involved in the party scene pretty quickly, pledged a sorority and let my life get a little out of control. I made a series of bad decisions and found my life full of fun but completely unsatisfying.

20 years-I had a friend in my dorm who was consistently talking to me about my life and the choices I was making, she never pressured me or preached to me but talked honestly, openly and with a realness that I’d never known before. She invited me to a Campus Crusade Christmas Conference where 2,000 college students would gather over the holiday season. I went with some fear and hesitations not knowing what to expect at all. My life changed at this conference, as I learned about who Jesus is and the life that he offers. I knew instantly that I wanted that life, I wanted a life with the Jesus who offers forgiveness and love and joy and fulfillment. My life drastically changed as I came back to campus and made decisions, seeking to know Jesus more.

21 years-I decided to go on a summer project, which is a ministry of Campus Crusade. I spent 8 weeks in Virginia Beach for the summer, learning to share my faith, make my life and job a ministry and live with 40 other Christian college students. It was an unreal experience. I learned so much about who I am and who God believes I am. This summer was monumental for my faith and it’s where I decided I wanted to do ministry as a career after I graduated from college. I came home and poured my heart into our college ministry at Otterbein and started interning at Heritage in student ministry.

24 years-I’m 24 years old, still working at Heritage and LOVE that I get to influence young people for Jesus. I like looking back over the journey God has taken me on and while I don’t know a lot about my future, I don’t have any plans and I have no idea what the next 24 years of my life will look like…I do know that the same Jesus that changed my life when I was 20 is the same Jesus that I choose today, the Jesus that offers life and life to the full (John 10:10).