BASIC JOB DESCRIPTION
In a way, I’m a story-teller for ASAP. I delight in sharing both what God is doing, as well as opportunities to make a difference and meet needs for God’s precious people. As Mission Advancement Officer, my goal is to share our mission and vision with people around North America. I love getting to know our partners in ministry, who are hastening Christ's coming with their financial gifts and prayer-support. I also watch for volunteers and help equip and train them to fulfill Jesus’ gospel commission to reach refugees, the poor, the persecuted, and the unreached. Based on Luke 10:2, I am praying that God raises up more workers (both overseas and in our country) to reach the world ASAP. Toward this end, I also serve as the Vice President of Evangelism for the Lake Union Conference chapter of Adventist-laymen's Services & Industries (ASI).
SCHOOLING
I graduated from Andrews University with a B.A. in Religion and a minor in French. While running youth camps and pastoring, I completed part of an M.Div. and plan to someday finish that degree. But in the meantime, I’ve been learning a lot, not just in hands-on, part-time pastoral and church planting ministry, but also in mothering and homeschooling our five children: Anthony (21), Katherine (19), Elizabeth (15), Victoria (12) and Benjamin (8). What a lot our children have taught us about life and our wonderful God.
HOW YOU WERE ORIGINALLY CONNECTED TO ASAP
Years ago, I attended the Go 91 and Go 92 Mission conferences held at Andrews. I remember being so blessed as I attended Judy Aitken's seminars. I remember clearly her humility, her deep love for people, and her trust in God. More recently, while coordinating SEEDS Church Planting conferences in Wisconsin, Julia O’Carey came to share some ASAP stories about church planting.
WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING WITH ASAP
Attending the 2017 ASAP mission trip in Laos with my daughter Katherine was an incredible blessing. That summer I called some friends in the Berrien Springs area to ask more questions about what the local area was like for homeschooling. Julia O’Carey was one friend I called. When she heard that we were considering moving to the area she shared that an ASAP ministry position was opening. My husband, Richard, and I prayed and fasted about a potential move and change in ministry. At the end of that time, we both felt confident that I should go forward in applying to minister with ASAP. Although the work could be done from home, I still wasn’t sure the ASAP team would want me to work from a different state. But I thank and praise God that they wanted me to become part of the team. What a blessing it has been to be part of this praying, Christ-centered group of people.
YOUR FAVORITE ASAP PROJECT
This is a hard question! One of the things that I love most about ASAP is that it is holistic in its approach to ministry. ASAP seeks to minister in such a way that the spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs are all addressed. For instance, a clean well system in a village amazingly changes everyone’s lives for the better; but each person there also needs Jesus, the Water of Life. Girls and boys in poverty need schooling and safety; but they also need to be introduced to Jesus, whose heart has been broken seeing and experiencing the hurts they have known. But in the end, I think my favorite projects are the church plants and the lay church planters. Many of them are able to minister effectively for Jesus because of the gifts of those in developed countries who are supporting their ministry through monthly donations. I love talking with the pastors and hearing their stories . . . demon-possession banished, miracles of healing, and most amazingly, the transformation in people’s lives as our living, loving Jesus becomes their Lord and Savior.
WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK
I love spending time with my family. We enjoy traveling and camping, exploring creation, especially in national and state parks. Richard and I love taking long walks together down country roads or hiking and birding in new places. We all enjoy outdoor activities — swimming, biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing, and ice skating. I also like to garden. Richard focuses on the veggies (potatoes, anyone?) and the beehives but I have to add in a cutting garden planting flowers amongst the vegetables and then I enjoy making bouquets each week for my home and to share. And, though I’m not a huge house-plant person, in the fall and winter, I try to keep at least one orchid blooming somewhere in my home — and I’m delighted and happy when several of my orchids bloom at the same time (what a Creator of beauty and delight we worship!). I also love snuggling on the couch with my younger kids, reading good books together, games in the dining room, or long, deep chats with my oldest ones.
ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE TEXTS
I really want Jesus to come. But there are still people all over — here and overseas — that haven’t had the chance yet to know Him. So, Luke 10:2 has become a life-text for me. I pray it as a promise, knowing that not only are the fields ripe right around us, but also that God can (and will) send workers as we ask Him. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest fields.” What a picture and a promise!
