Rachel's Testimony and Call to Ministry
I grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana in a Christian family of five people. My dad was an accountant, my mom was a doctor, and I had a brother and sister who were twins and four years younger than me. At a young age I became a follower of Jesus, and I was baptized at the age of seven.
Throughout my middle school and high school years I had some amazing Christian teachers and youth group leaders who spent time pouring into me on a weekly basis strengthening my faith, and developing my leadership abilities. This discipleship proved to be extremely important because when I was sixteen my family was in a car accident in which I received a low spinal cord injury, so I am now partially paralyzed from the waist down and must use a wheelchair to get around. My twelve year old sister died in the car accident and my mother died of cancer a few years later. Through these trials I didn't turn away from God because I had been given a firm foundation. As it says in Romans 8:28-29 all things work together for the good of conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. I learned with time that God sometimes takes away good things, even people and physical abilities, in order to make us more like Christ.
After high school I attended college at Cedarville University in Ohio. I began sharing my testimony frequently – sometimes in small groups and sometimes to a crowd of 3,000 people. My favorite part was always the personal interactions talking with individuals afterwards. I decided to major in Communications and Bible with a minor in Women's Ministries so I could communicate the Bible effectively – particularly to women. During college I also met my wonderful husband, Greg, as we were both part of the same street evangelism team.
Shortly after college Greg and I were married, and we served together in China for several years in a dual vocation as English teacher missionaries at a high school in Beijing. During this time I had the privilege to mentor some young Chinese women who had recently become believers.
After returning to the States Greg began attending seminary and serving as a youth pastor and then an English pastor at two Chinese churches. I enjoyed so much serving alongside Greg and discipling and teaching the young women in our churches.
It has also been my joy for the past eleven years to be a mom! We have four children, two boys and two girls. Our oldest son, Christian, is eleven; our oldest daughter, Abbie, is nine; our youngest son, Isaac, is five, and our youngest daughter Hannah, is three!
I have two primary ministries while serving in Asia which both focus on training the next generation of believers. My first and foremost ministry is in the home. I home school our four kids and my heart's greatest desire is to train them up in the way they should go. I home school our kids, so most days are wonderful and some days are hard but it’s such a joy and privilege to care for and teach our four precious little ones and they are my primary ministry right now. I also lead the Chiang Mai Homeschool Co-op which provides supplemental classes, enrichment activities, support, and community to homeschool families living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Many families have commented that the co-op is one of the reasons their family has been able to remain on the mission field.
My secondary ministry is serving beside Greg in leading the youth group at our international church. Many of the teenage girls in our youth group have unique struggles living in a culture that is not their own. It's a blessing to be able to disciple these young ladies and lead them in Bible studies.
I'm grateful to have the privilege to have a part in training children and teenagers to be the future leaders in Chiang Mai and throughout Asia!
Throughout my middle school and high school years I had some amazing Christian teachers and youth group leaders who spent time pouring into me on a weekly basis strengthening my faith, and developing my leadership abilities. This discipleship proved to be extremely important because when I was sixteen my family was in a car accident in which I received a low spinal cord injury, so I am now partially paralyzed from the waist down and must use a wheelchair to get around. My twelve year old sister died in the car accident and my mother died of cancer a few years later. Through these trials I didn't turn away from God because I had been given a firm foundation. As it says in Romans 8:28-29 all things work together for the good of conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. I learned with time that God sometimes takes away good things, even people and physical abilities, in order to make us more like Christ.
After high school I attended college at Cedarville University in Ohio. I began sharing my testimony frequently – sometimes in small groups and sometimes to a crowd of 3,000 people. My favorite part was always the personal interactions talking with individuals afterwards. I decided to major in Communications and Bible with a minor in Women's Ministries so I could communicate the Bible effectively – particularly to women. During college I also met my wonderful husband, Greg, as we were both part of the same street evangelism team.
Shortly after college Greg and I were married, and we served together in China for several years in a dual vocation as English teacher missionaries at a high school in Beijing. During this time I had the privilege to mentor some young Chinese women who had recently become believers.
After returning to the States Greg began attending seminary and serving as a youth pastor and then an English pastor at two Chinese churches. I enjoyed so much serving alongside Greg and discipling and teaching the young women in our churches.
It has also been my joy for the past eleven years to be a mom! We have four children, two boys and two girls. Our oldest son, Christian, is eleven; our oldest daughter, Abbie, is nine; our youngest son, Isaac, is five, and our youngest daughter Hannah, is three!
I have two primary ministries while serving in Asia which both focus on training the next generation of believers. My first and foremost ministry is in the home. I home school our four kids and my heart's greatest desire is to train them up in the way they should go. I home school our kids, so most days are wonderful and some days are hard but it’s such a joy and privilege to care for and teach our four precious little ones and they are my primary ministry right now. I also lead the Chiang Mai Homeschool Co-op which provides supplemental classes, enrichment activities, support, and community to homeschool families living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Many families have commented that the co-op is one of the reasons their family has been able to remain on the mission field.
My secondary ministry is serving beside Greg in leading the youth group at our international church. Many of the teenage girls in our youth group have unique struggles living in a culture that is not their own. It's a blessing to be able to disciple these young ladies and lead them in Bible studies.
I'm grateful to have the privilege to have a part in training children and teenagers to be the future leaders in Chiang Mai and throughout Asia!