Dave Broome and I came to ISBC in 1991 because our family was unhappy at our former church, and our children had been active in the youth program at ISBC with friends for a while. We decided to try it out for a few weeks, and now, 21 years later, I’m still here! We joined the church in April, 1992.
I was blessed to grow up in a Christian family. My parents belonged to First Christian Church in Kingsport, and I was raised in that church, and attended there for just over 40 years (and 9 months before, as Bro. Roc says). Sunday School and church attendance was expected, and was never up for negotiation. When on vacation with my parents, we attended church wherever we happened to be (and I have attended church in places all over the U.S.).
I have always had a strong faith in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, and made profession of that faith on April 17, 1960. One of the first things I told Bro. Roc when he came to Kingsport was that I was a Christian for 40 years, and then became a Baptist. Sharing my faith with others has always come easily for me, and I have a heart for helping people in Jesus’ name.
The Lord has blessed Bryant Helton and I greatly since we have been married (3 years and 5 months, but who is counting??), and we love paying those blessings forward to those who need our assistance, both in the church and in our community. I am retired, and my hobbies are traveling, reading, spoiling grandchildren (we have eight of them between us, 6 girls and 2 boys, ages 6 to 21), finding new restaurants, and meeting new people. My three children were all members of ISBC before they got married, moved away, had children, etc. My first husband, Dave, was a member until his death in 2006, and my second husband, Bryant, has been a member of ISBC for several years as well.
By the time I was 21 years old, my Dad made sure I had visited all 48 continental United States, and I have since visited Hawaii and Alaska. I have flown in a hot air balloon at least 20 times or more, and love being high in the air (would love living in a condo on the top floor of a high-rise building in San Francisco – my favorite city in the U.S.). I have a pen pal in New Zealand, whom I have met twice, and I would love to visit her. We have been pen pals for 48 years now (since we were both 13 years old and in Girl Scouts in our respective countries).
On my bucket list is riding a zip-line, going to New Zealand, flying in a helicopter, and parachuting out of an airplane. I think I might take care of the first 3, but I think I should have done that last one when I was younger and less intelligent! Most everything on my bucket list from long ago has been accomplished, and God has been very gracious to allow me to do many of the things I had a desire to do. The last thing on my bucket list is to live in the presence of Holy God for eternity. I sealed that trip back in 1960, and know I will make that journey when God is finished with me on this earth.
Submitted by Kathy Neal
Communications Coordinator
