Savor the Coffee
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.  During their visit the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite, telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:  more

Savor the Coffee
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.  During their visit the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite, telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:  more

So How Does A Bronx Girl Become A Preacher in the Bible Belt?

I was born and raised in the Bronx, the youngest of seven children.  It is safe to say that I did not grow up with visions of becoming a Baptist minister, but apparently God had other plans… and a sense of humor.  I graduated from ColumbiaUniversity with a degree in Russian with intentions of going into the foreign service.  In my senior year, I found myself haunted and challenged by the inescapable problem of homelessness in NYC and felt God’s call to change my career plans.  Upon graduation I began working with the Coalition for the Homeless, assisting homeless families with housing.  That same year I married Wes, who had come to NYC from Winston-Salem to open a residence for the elderly homeless for the MoravianChurch in lower Manhattan.  We lived at Moravian House with 40 homeless men and women for the first several years of our marriage.  It was the best!

Growing up in a small church, I learned at an early age that every member truly is a minister.  From playing the piano for worship, to teaching Sunday School, to serving breakfast, and even preaching, I had a chance to experience many facets of ministry before I ever graduated from college.  My favorite, perhaps, was being a part of our clown troupe ministry, where I did learn to juggle and to ride a unicycle, but never could master both at the same time.

In 1989, Wes and I moved to Wilmington where he began work as the Executive Director of Pender Adult Services in Burgaw.  We made our home here and have four children – Kayla, Christian, Meredith, and Annie… all NC State fans.

After working as the Administrative Director for Good Shepherd House, and as the Executive Director of the local Smart Start early childhood initiative, I entered Campbell University Divinity School in 1998.  I was certain of two things, that I was called by God to go to divinity school, and that I would never work in a local church.  Never tell God what you will never do.

Wes and I joined First Baptist with our family in 1994 and in 2001 I came on staff as the Director of Adult Education.  In 2004 I was ordained by this congregation and assumed the title of Minister of Spiritual Formation.

As I say often, only God could have mapped out this road, for a girl from the Bronx to become a Baptist preacher in the South.  It is quite a ride.

So How Does A Bronx Girl Become A Preacher in the Bible Belt?

I was born and raised in the Bronx, the youngest of seven children.  It is safe to say that I did not grow up with visions of becoming a Baptist minister, but apparently God had other plans… and a sense of humor.  I graduated from ColumbiaUniversity with a degree in Russian with intentions of going into the foreign service.  In my senior year, I found myself haunted and challenged by the inescapable problem of homelessness in NYC and felt God’s call to change my career plans.  Upon graduation I began working with the Coalition for the Homeless, assisting homeless families with housing.  That same year I married Wes, who had come to NYC from Winston-Salem to open a residence for the elderly homeless for the MoravianChurch in lower Manhattan.  We lived at Moravian House with 40 homeless men and women for the first several years of our marriage.  It was the best!

Growing up in a small church, I learned at an early age that every member truly is a minister.  From playing the piano for worship, to teaching Sunday School, to serving breakfast, and even preaching, I had a chance to experience many facets of ministry before I ever graduated from college.  My favorite, perhaps, was being a part of our clown troupe ministry, where I did learn to juggle and to ride a unicycle, but never could master both at the same time.

In 1989, Wes and I moved to Wilmington where he began work as the Executive Director of Pender Adult Services in Burgaw.  We made our home here and have four children – Kayla, Christian, Meredith, and Annie… all NC State fans.

After working as the Administrative Director for Good Shepherd House, and as the Executive Director of the local Smart Start early childhood initiative, I entered Campbell University Divinity School in 1998.  I was certain of two things, that I was called by God to go to divinity school, and that I would never work in a local church.  Never tell God what you will never do.

Wes and I joined First Baptist with our family in 1994 and in 2001 I came on staff as the Director of Adult Education.  In 2004 I was ordained by this congregation and assumed the title of Minister of Spiritual Formation.

As I say often, only God could have mapped out this road, for a girl from the Bronx to become a Baptist preacher in the South.  It is quite a ride.