Favorite thing about serving at ROL: I feel free to totally be myself because I feel loved. I love that the people come from so many different backgrounds, views, and nations, but create a space that Jesus is the focus over everything. We love beyond borders because the greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbors! 

Favorite role at River of Life: I love being creative and I love to make people feel special, so event planning lets me do that. I also like more intimate times of connection which is why I love “Coffee with Clover.” My passion is being with people from the nations and hearing their stories, and helping them feel welcomed and cared for. I enjoy going to their homes and their amazing food. I love that it’s something my husband and I share together. We see Jesus in these precious people. 

Last Meal:  Turkish Iskander Kabab, Ezme with Turkish bread, Ayran, Kazakh Bishpamak, Uighur Lagman, Russian Borscht, Greek Salad with pepperonis for sure, Persian kabobs and rice, Thai Green Curry, Vietnamese Pho, Afghan Chai, my granny’s macaroni and cheese with tomatoes, my mom’s spaghetti, Seafood boil, Thai Mango sticky rice, Turkish Kunefe and baklava, Russian Honey Cake, all berries and pistachios! Yes, I’m a foodie! 

Movie: “Places in the Heart” Sally Field, “The Untouchables” Sean Connery, “The Chosen” Johnathan Roumi, “To Kill a Mockingbird” Gregory Peck

Style of Music: Acoustic Worship, Folk, Turkish, Russian, Arab and Spanish

Song: “Make My Life a Prayer to You” Kieth Green

Worship Song: “Season’s Change,” “Met By Love,” and “Simple Gospel” United Pursuit, “Sana Bakiyorum” (Turkish)

Hymn: “It Is Well” and “Blessed Assurance”

Animal: Horse

Car: Subaru Forrester, but my dream car would be a Land Rover Defender (old style but with modern features!)

Thing to do on my day off: ART, especially painting and going to our “Dacha” (mountain cottage); coffee or lunch with friends; always my grandkids! 

Vacation Destination: Istanbul and all over Turkey, Kazakhstan, Italy, Germany, Arizona, Colorado and the American West

Bucket List: to visit Kazakhstan and Turkey with our whole family, European Road Trip, Jordan, Egypt, Tanzania/Kenya, Guatemala, Chile and Mexico

Funny Moment: When my husband was preaching once, and got a little too graphic about our daughter’s home birth. 😳

Also, walking past the President’s wife in Kazakhstan, and not realizing it. We were with friends as she walked by with a big smile and greeting us. We hardly acknowledged her and just waved back and kept talking. 

What do you love most about River of Life? Incredible loving people who are willing to embrace new things in order to love like Jesus. The diversity and openness to other cultures. Our ESL friends are also a part of our community. I also love that we reach out to Holladay Elementary School. We are a church that reaches outside of our walls. 

My Story:

I grew up in RVA and met my husband in Youth Group. We were married just after my graduation from JR Tucker High School. We have 3 amazing and talented kids, 2 wonderful sons-in-loves, and 3 precious grandkids. We have done ministry together since youth group. We pastored our 1st little rural church in Southside Virginia, and eventually served in Kazakhstan for 15 years and Turkey for 5. I can speak some Russian (with really bad grammar). The highlight of my ministry was organizing 2 Awareness concerts for a special needs orphanage in KZ. Our whole family was involved as well as so many amazing volunteers. That experience was life changing and brought out things in me that I was not aware of. Those beautiful kids gave me more understanding and confidence to love more like Jesus. I now love serving in our multicultural and generational church and ESL, and hope to see more and more diversity that is like a taste of Heaven. All nations and all ages worshipping Jesus! I’m thankful our church family is welcoming and loving to all who walk through our doors, whether they are  bikers, ex-cons, Muslims, atheists, or anyone. Loving our neighbors is a big deal! 

Life Verse: Romans 8:26-28 …the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Life Motto: I think I could write a book! Even in those times God feels far away, keep worshipping! Stay obedient to His Word, remember his promises, and remember past times of seeing His faithfulness. Don't listen to outside voices that agree or disagree with you, but pray and seek his voice through scripture. Acknowledge mistakes and bad habits and keep learning. Love others and play well together. Be balanced and don’t be swayed by extremes and trends. My key words: BALANCE, KEEP LEARNING,  AND OBEDIENCE that comes from continuing to love Jesus and be more like Him.