“Ask about her story.”
Absolutely not. You can’t just walk up to someone and ask about their story. She would have every reason to think I was strange.
“Ask about her story.”
I was saying goodbye to a group from Tennessee. Ironically, the team was from the same church where Soy and I attended while we lived near Memphis. I could hear the luggage truck idling outside. I knew it would only be a couple of minutes before I saw the taillights disappear down the mountain.
As I shared final hugs and farewells, I heard the quiet whisper of the Lord, “Ask about her story.”
In two minutes the group would be gone. In two minutes, I would be standing in obedience or disobedience.
So I walked up to this pretty, energetic young lady and asked, “Will you tell me your testimony?”
While the team loaded suitcases into the truck, Amy shared her story with me. The story of salvation, deep hurt, grief, God’s faithfulness, and God’s goodness.
I gave her my email and told her that if she were ever interested in being an intern, she could reach out. I had been obedient. The ball was in her court.
Weeks passed, yet the Lord continually brought Amy to my mind. I had no way to contact her. One day, as I walked to my office, I felt confused about why she was still constantly in my thoughts. I told the Lord that if she didn’t email me by the end of the week, I would assume the door was closed and to remove her from my mind.
I opened my computer. There was an email from Amy asking about the possibility of being an intern.
After several conversations, she agreed to serve as a second-grade teacher for two months in March and April of 2025. I was still a little nervous because I didn’t really know her, but I knew the Lord was doing something.
She was either very brave or very crazy to travel solo to Guatemala to serve with Grace Ministries. Typically, our summers are so busy that I don’t have much time to invest in interns. But during her stay, we only had a few teams, which meant she experienced our everyday life.
She sat around the table with us.
She traveled with us.
She shared adventures with us.
She saw us in joyful and difficult moments.
My girls quickly formed a strong connection with her. She is walking a similar road. A road where life hasn’t gone as she planned, yet she continues to trust the Lord. God was not only using her to serve others; He was using her to minister to my girls.
After two months of serving, I invited Amy to stay longer. She has a contagious, positive spirit, a heart for people, a heart for serving, and a deep love for God.
This past Tuesday, Amy arrived at Grace Ministries to assist with teams for 2026. She left her family, community, church, job, and comforts to serve alongside us.
Many people worry about me and my girls. I truly appreciate the worry alongside the prayers. In August, Amy shared that she felt God leading her to pour into the lives of my daughters. That is exactly what I have been praying for. A mother’s prayer for someone walking a similar road to pour into the lives of her daughters.
This is one of the many ways God is faithfully placing people in our lives to minister to us. I am reminded of how God places people in our lives at exactly the right time. Sometimes all the Lord asks is for one small act of obedience, one quiet yes, and He does the rest!
Will you join me in praying for Amy?
I am expecting God to do great things in her and through her.
Shining Light Abroad Ministries 