C.S. Lewis once said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” During my first 3 months of School of Ministry, I have experienced the value of humility and the true meaning of being the Body of Christ. I have been able to travel to places like Guadalajara, Mexico and Washington D.C. to learn more about what God is doing through ordinary people in extraordinary places. I am reminded daily, whether here in Fayetteville or in another country, how lucky I am to work in a job that’s in the business of giving people hope, love, and most of all, the opportunity to hear the gospel and have eternal life. What a blessing it is to be a vessel for Christ that he uses to share His gospel! I am humbled before Him daily because I know that trying to work in ministry without sitting at His feet is like trying to find water in the desert. God has placed all the power at the feet of Jesus so if I want to be where the power is, I need to be on my face before Him. Being here at the Cross Church School of Ministry, I am surrounded by phenomenal men and women who recognize and practice this humility daily, and instruct us to do the same. They have also come alongside me to help me, encourage me, and love me through this next phase of my life.

At the Fayetteville campus, I am under the instruction of Jennifer Francis who leads Preschool and Women’s Ministry with grace and elegance like you have never seen. She has become one of my greatest role models during my time with her and watching the way she does life in ministry creates an urgency within me to live life in the way that honors the Lord in a similar fashion. She allows me to make mistakes and learn from them while trusting me to independently work on projects and succeed, and sometimes fail, in different areas. She not only shows me the ropes of Preschool Ministry but also takes time to make sure my life outside of work is blooming as well. She is not afraid to give me a heart check but cheers me on any chance she gets. She is an incredible leader and it is an honor to work with her.

While our new campus is not quite finished, I am continually working towards learning more about our Special Needs Ministry and what that will look like for our special needs friends once we transition into our new facility. It is my primary goal and dream that each individual feel uniquely loved, cared for, and treasured. Most importantly, I want them to feel as if they belong because THEY DO! I am excited for the future of this ministry as we lock arms with all other ministries to ensure our special needs friends feel like a typical church goer who’s ready to learn about and personally experience the embracing love of Christ.

Please continue to pray for this journey as I still run into struggles and minor hiccups, while also loving this new life of mine and the people I am meeting along the way. Financial donations are also accepted and GREATLY appreciated. I am grateful for each and every one of you who has decided to lock arms with me and love me well as I answer my call to Christ and surrender my life to ministry.