“I haven’t always been upfront about sharing my past because I didn’t want people to see me as a victim or feel sorry for me. I wanted them to see what Jesus has done in my life instead. In recent years, God has shown me that it’s important to share where I’ve come from so others can see his glory in it.
“Growing up, my parents did not live a Christian life. My dad was an alcoholic and was emotionally and physically abusive to my mom. Later, my mom also became an alcoholic. As a young child, I listened to fights and often had to step in to stop things from getting too violent.
“When I was eight, the physical abuse also started including me, and that’s when my mom packed up the car and moved us to Tennessee to live with my grandmother.
“My grandmother was a godly woman who took us in immediately. She faithfully brought my brother and me to church, where I met the Lord through her and the loving people there. Their welcome gave me comfort and stability.
“When I was 15, my father died of acute alcoholism. My mom’s drinking worsened, and as her life spiraled and my grandmother’s health declined, I became the adult in the family, caring for my younger brother, mother, and grandmother. During this time, I was in high school and college.
“During that time, my best friend and her loving Christian parents spent countless hours with me, teaching me about the Lord. I was crushed when they moved to Dallas in the same month my grandmother died.
“With my two safe places gone, I had no choice but to follow God with all I had.
“After finishing college, my best friend’s family encouraged me to start fresh in Dallas. So I did. I loaded up my car and drove from Tennessee to Texas. I became a schoolteacher and joined a local church, where I eventually met my husband.
“A few years later, my mom hit rock bottom. She was homeless, and I had to decide whether to take her in. After much prayer, my husband and I agreed to let her live with us under two conditions: attend church with us and no alcohol. By God’s grace, she never took another drink and rededicated her life to the Lord, following Jesus with her whole heart for the first time in her adult life.
“Soon after my first child was born, and just as we began rebuilding our relationship, my mom was diagnosed with advanced terminal lung cancer. She died soon after.
“For a while, I was angry with God. Why would he allow us to restore our relationship only to take her away? Over time, I realized everything God allowed me to walk through was for my growth and his glory. My relationship with Christ deepened as I again learned what it means to depend fully on him.
“In hindsight, I see that God used these hardships to draw me closer to him.
“When I retired from teaching in 2018, I wasn’t sure what to do with my time. Our church needed volunteers for airport pickups for international students. I knew others who served them, but had never pictured myself in that role. Since I had the time, I thought a few rides might be a nice way to serve.
“To my surprise, I fell in love with it! God gave me a supernatural love for the students and a deep desire to know them and share Christ with them.
“Now, my husband and I are deeply involved with Watermark’s International Students Initiative (WISI). We live life alongside people who don’t know Jesus—brilliant students earning their master’s degrees and doctorates, yet spiritually lost. We help them navigate life in Dallas, from transportation to understanding English idioms.
“In WISI, we share not only the gospel but also our lives. My daughter-in-law often serves with us, bringing our granddaughters to gatherings. The students see a multi-generational family of Christians and have become part of our family, too, joining us at our home for holidays.
“Serving international students has changed my life. If you had told me before retirement that this is what I’d be doing, I would have said you were crazy! I thought I’d just work on crafts and play with my grandchildren—and I still do, but now I also have wonderful friendships with students from all over the world. God has given me a passion and heart for them.
“I often think of my grandmother, who took us in when I was young. She was only a little younger than I am now and might have thought, ‘I’m retired. I’ll do whatever I want.’ But instead, she helped raise me and my brother, teaching us about Jesus and showing us how to live for him.
“Looking back, I see God’s faithfulness woven through every season. He was with me in the hardest times, providing mentors, comforters, and guides. As he did with my grandmother, God has given me the chance to be that person for others.”
Watermark International Student Initiative (WISI) builds relationships and shares Christ’s love with international students in Dallas through home group gatherings and events. Learn more