My Testimony

Since I was born, I have always been in church. In 5th grade, one Wednesday night after Awana, I went to speak to my leader. I told her I wanted to know more about what it meant to be saved. She and the pastor talked with me a little and led me in a prayer; later, I was baptized there at Ramer Baptist. I thought that I was saved, but I lived my life just as I always had. I was in church each Sunday and Wednesday. When I was in youth group at Tate Baptist, I even went on mission trips and helped lead others to Christ.

When I was in college, I began to have doubts about my salvation. I couldn’t shake the feeling that, if I died, I wouldn’t be going to heaven. So I began to pray. I pleaded with God to give me a peace if I was truly saved. A Sunday morning in November of my sophomore year at Blue Mountain, I began praying again at church. I was playing drums there at Ramer Baptist, and asked God if He would reveal to me if I was His or not. I asked God to remove the doubt and uneasiness I felt if I were truly saved. As soon as those words entered my mind, the uneasiness grew worse and worse. Finally, I cried out in my mind, “God save me! I need you as my Lord and my God.” At that moment, I was overwhelmed with a peace and a joy I hadn’t known before. I believe that is the moment He saved me, there while playing drums at Ramer Baptist.

A Call to Ministry

When I was in youth group, I began to have a desire to work with ministry. Even when I started college at Blue Mountain, that is where I felt God leading me. I wasn’t sure at the time what area of ministry He had for me, but I knew I wanted to be used by Him. As I was at Blue Mountain, God started shaping me with the music talents He’d given me, and I began focusing on that. I have used the musical talents He has given me in ministry to serve in praise bands at churches, to lead worship as Music Minister, and to while on mission trips in Florida. God has even given me a knack for balloon art, which I have used to open doors for witnessing to many people. He has blessed me with the opportunity to use many skills to work with leading worship, helping with young adults, and with children as well. I believe God has given me gifts and talents, and I want to use them to bring Him glory, whether it be with music or with young adults and children.

One way that God has used me in the ministry is with the Parsonage Foundation Inc. My sister founded the Parsonage Foundation in 2012. Our goal with the PFI is to help meet the needs of missionaries through Mission Training, Mission Housing, and Mission Support. When I moved back to TN, I was able to help with the Scholarship Banquet, which helps raise funds to support anyone going on short-term mission trips who chooses to apply. I also helped organise and lead worship for the Brotherhood of Christ Men’s Conference.

A Call to Missions

Throughout my time in youth group, I was able to serve on mission trips both locally and across the country. God used that to begin growing a love for missions in my heart. In college, God deepened that love and created a desire in my heart to share Him with other people groups. Blue Mountain College, my alma mater, partnered with the IMB and NAMB to help send students on mission trips. The summer between my second and third year, I served by flying to AZ for the summer and helping with Vacation Bible Schools across the state. Two summers later, I served in Orlando FL with ROCK Ministries Creative Arts Team. We sang, performed with puppets, led worship in churches, and used balloon art to witness to those in Orlando.

God used these mission trips to grow and deepen my love and desire for sharing Christ with the world.

Ministry Statement

I want to be a light to those around me, showing the character of Christ in what I say and how I live. I want to help lead and direct those under me in a manner pleasing to God. I want to help build up the church’s passion for sharing the Gospel; their love of worshiping through song, the Bible, and drama; and their passion for being the salt and light. Are we being used as a stepping stone to help lead others to Christ, or are we being a stumbling block?