Hello All,
As we have promised and teased you, here is our first WOW (Woman of the Week) - Jessica Poff! As you may know Jessica is one of our Praise Band leaders in the 11am Worship hour at ISBC but she is also the Events Coordinator for our newly restructured Women's Ministry. We are so glad to have her on board! She is already hard at work planning fellowship events for us so look for those soon. Read below for Jessica's testimony in her own words....
"I guess you can say that I'm one of those people who were in church from the time they were born and nine months before. I was blessed to be born into a strong Christian family. Generations of ministers, people who worship and minister through music, and a family that has seen its times of struggles. I grew up going to tent revivals and church services almost nightly. In our family, church came before everything, even school. These camp meetings (aka revivals would last for weeks, no matter the weather or location. I say this because I have been privilaged to grow up in a community of believers that I always knew WHO God was and what He did for me. I remember being in VBS at church as a child and raising my hand when asked if I wanted Jesus to live in my heart. I understood what He did for me and why I needed Him. But to be honest it wasn't until a few years later at a youth conference did I really truly feel the power of conviction on my life. Sitting in a chair surrounded by friends from school and over 1000 other kids I didn't know in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, I surrendered my life to the One who gave His life for me. A few months later I was baptized in a river along with my brother, cousins, and friends (the little country church my Papaw pastors doesn't have a baptistry so we all had to wait til summer when the river was up and not freezing). The teen years were tough--watching my parents divorce, moving in with my grandparents, and just the normal teenage drama often tested my testimony, but thankfully the strong Christian upbringing was there to pull me back home. College, sickness, grief, happiness, love, second chances, work, and marriage have made me develop a lot over the last eighteen years since that day that I surrendered my life to Him.
I'm only 30, but I've went through quite a bit for my age. However, I know that I've been through nothing compared to others...especially a man named Jesus. I love how my Lord has brought me through each and every time. It's funny that when I was younger, I just wanted to "not have to go to another one of those revivals and smell hay all night" and now I wish those were still around to
attend. I guess that is what maturing in your faith does to you---it makes you long for more. I love the opportunities He has given me and I love to feel His Spirit move in me. I cherish the times that I can see Him working in those around me and watching prayers get answered. I'm humbled that He still uses a worthless rotten sinner like me who fails Him daily to share His love and I'm anxious to see what He has in store for me next".
I'm only 30, but I've went through quite a bit for my age. However, I know that I've been through nothing compared to others...especially a man named Jesus. I love how my Lord has brought me through each and every time. It's funny that when I was younger, I just wanted to "not have to go to another one of those revivals and smell hay all night" and now I wish those were still around to
attend. I guess that is what maturing in your faith does to you---it makes you long for more. I love the opportunities He has given me and I love to feel His Spirit move in me. I cherish the times that I can see Him working in those around me and watching prayers get answered. I'm humbled that He still uses a worthless rotten sinner like me who fails Him daily to share His love and I'm anxious to see what He has in store for me next".
Thank you Jessica for sharing your beautiful testimony! All I can say is "WOW" ;) Check us out again next Friday for a new WOW!
