What is your role with Reclaiming Hearts Ministries?

Ministry Administrator

Can you share with us what prompted you to leave your successful banking career to join the Reclaiming Hearts team?

Many years ago, even before RHM was birthed, I felt that one day I was going to work with Denise in some way. We’ve been close friends for over 30 years and this was a dream of mine; but I put God in a box thinking that she would never be able to pay me close to what I making at the bank. So those thoughts remained in the back of my mind for years until the summer of 2012 when I was dealing with other crises; I felt a major stirring in my spirit and The Lord began a shift in me. So after much prayer and seeking Him, when it seemed to be the craziest thing for us to do, the Lord spoke to John and I and we listened…so here I am…

Is there a certain part or aspect of what you do that brings you more joy than others?

I enjoy organizing and taking care of the weekend experiences the most. I love the interaction via emails with the attendees and then finally getting to meet them in person. Some will share their stories with me even though they don’t know me or the team. Their honesty and vulnerability impacts me so profoundly, and getting to meet them in person and see their transformation over the weekend brings me such overwhelming joy. I am extremely humbled, honored and blessed that Jesus chose me to serve Him this way.

Another reason I love the weekend experience planning goes back many years when I would help my coworkers and friends plan trips. It brought me so much joy. They would tell me I missed my calling and that I should be a travel agent…isn’t that just God loving me in my details when He chose me to plan and organize these experiences for the precious hearts and lives that He wants to touch and change in the sweetest way???

What is one of your favorite Bible verses and why?

My favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 61:3 but recently while reading this passage verses 2-4 have really impacted me:

“…to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

These verses are my favorite because they are my story….The past 3 1/2 years have been a journey that if I knew the details beforehand, when the Lord invited me I would have run the opposite direction. The Lord knows me well so He veiled His plan and thus we began an adventure that was very painful, dark, scary, and disappointing BUT the most rewarding, life changing, beautiful, and transforming time of my life.

He taught me that He is not only concerned with changing my circumstances, as He could do that in a blink of an eye, but He wanted to change ME and that just takes a while…
He proved his unconditional love for me and He has given me a crown of beauty instead of ashes and so much joy instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of despair. These are gifts from My Father that were for my taking, it just took me a while…..a very long while to receive them. And now my greatest desire is for Him to call me His “strong oak of righteousness” that He placed and positioned and planted for the display of His splendor and glory.

So with this year being the Year of Jubilee I am declaring the favor of the Lord and believing His promise that He is going to rebuild and restore the things that were lost.

What is one random fact or quirk about you that most people don’t know?

I am an absolute Disney freak — Disney World and Disney cruises are my favorite places to go.

Also, there are three things that make my heart come alive when I am struggling or feeling down and they are like a dose of medicine: a cupcake, riding a bike, and going to the movies.