Hour by hour, my desire to mentor and disciple young people grows. This morning, I am filled with gratitude for those who invested in me as a young person...I hope I don't leave anyone out as I recall the VILLAGE that raised me in the Kingdom...
I thank each of you, for the gifts of TIME and CARE!
Dear Bonnie Showalter and Bonnie Yoder, you both mentored me and treated me as an equal, a friend. Even though I was a young teen, you made me feel important, special.
Dear Sam Scaggs, you were my spiritual big brother! I still remember you taking me to the Snack Shop at EMU and you asked how I was doing in life...really doing! You let me share my heart and be real. You took me on my first cross cultural missions trip (Daddy's threats ringing in your ears, "Bring her back safely, or..."), exposing me to a world outside my own comfort zone.
Vernon Zook and Laurie Zook, you were second family, you gave me a home away from home. Vern, you tormented me with songs of V-O-M-I-T, but underneth it all, you poured and poured into my life! You took me on THREE missions trips, two to Chicago, one to HAITI! Laurie, you invested time to make me a handmade wedding gown! Wow, ya'll are awesome!
Dear Dianne Lipman, you and Ron spent many hours helping with our youth group. You took me out to lunch for my birthday and you bought me new clothes. You'll never know how that impacted me! You were also on that first missions trip (Honduras), where I discovered, "I need AIR to BREATHE!"
Dear Gwen Zook and Darrell Zook, you opended your home to the youth for discipleship training. You went on the missions trip to Haiti with us. I will never forget being at Seista Key beach (debriefing) and sharing with Darrell that I felt lacking in a Christian testimony. I didn't have a background of addiction or prostitution, some wild past to share about. You looked me in the eye and said, "Heather, your testimony is that God has spared you from the pain of that life." Since that time, I have longed to share that message with others. It is possible to walk and talk with Jesus, even (especially) during the teen years.
Dear Renee and Doug Yoder, you served as volunteers for the youth group and invested countless hours in our lives leading meetings, retreats and just getting to know us. I watched your selfless service and it had a profound impact on my life.
Greg Mayo and Sherri Mayo, you traveled to Haiti while I was living there and one of your main goals was to minister and pastor my heart. I wept when you shared that, under the mango tree. I was homesick, burnt out and lonely and you came to bless lil ole me! The timing was perfect and your care carried me through my time there.
Wow, that's the VILLAGE that cared for my heart from age 13-18. I must carry the torch! Much has been given to me, therefore, much is required! God bless you all! ♥
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