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 was also my joy over these years to become a mom! We had four children, two boys and two girls: Christian, Abbie, Isaac, and Hannah.
I have three primary ministries while serving in Asia which all focus on training the next generation of believers. My first and foremost ministry is in the home. I home school our three youngest children (our oldest son is in college) and my heart's greatest desire is to train them up in the way they should go. Second, I am one of the administrators at the Chiang Mai Homeschool Co-op which provides supplemental classes, enrichment activities, support, and community to homeschool families living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Third, I serve beside my husband 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 was also my joy over these years to become a mom! We had four children, two boys and two girls: Christian, Abbie, Isaac, and Hannah.
I have three primary ministries while serving in Asia which all focus on training the next generation of believers. My first and foremost ministry is in the home. I home school our three youngest children (our oldest son is in college) and my heart's greatest desire is to train them up in the way they should go. Second, I am one of the administrators at the Chiang Mai Homeschool Co-op which provides supplemental classes, enrichment activities, support, and community to homeschool families living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Third, I serve beside my husband 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!