Getting to Know...Tanya Clemons

This year, I have the pleasure of being in Tanya Clemon's care circle in Mom's Connection. She is a very sweet lady. She is a very busy woman and she amazes me with everything that she is able to accomplish in just one day out of any given week. No matter how busy she is though she never fails to make time for her family and friends. She is a great listener and has a sympathetic ear. I feel blessed to have such a great friend in my life and I feel honored to be able to feature her this month.

Tanya and her husband Darrion have been married for ten years. She has known him her entire life. She said, "He was the pesky guy whom my dad loved to talk to at the fair each year. It wasn’t until he approached me about buying my show cattle at the Berkeley County Fair in 1999 that I even considered dating him. A week later my Dad and I delivered the cattle to his farm and he ask me out…the rest is history!!"

They have four children; Chloe (6), Cole (4), Camrie(2), and Calah(8 months).

Her hobbies and interests include working on the farm and gardening. She said, "Everyday is a new adventure!" She loves watching her kids enjoy farm life and watching them grow up in this setting. Her favorite music is Christian and Southern Gospel. Casting Crowns and Chris Tomlin are her favorites.

Tanya's favorite thing about Mom's Connection is ,"Being with other moms who love the Lord. They are so uplifting and have the same problems I have….CHILDREN!! Just kidding!!! I really enjoy learning from other moms and it really helps me be a better mom when I get a break to focus on myself."

I asked Tanya what a relationship with the Lord means to her and she responded," EVERYTHING!! Jesus is my rock. He is the one who gives me rest when I’m weary. The one I tell everything to, my joys, my hopes, my concerns and my burdens. He is faithful and trustworthy. He is never bothered at how many times I call him a day, or too busy to talk. He is not offended that I raise my voice, brag to much about my kids or complain often. He loves me just as I am with all the blemishes that I am trying to get rid of!! Jesus is my daily bread, he is my constant. He is more than enough for me!!

Her favorite chapter of the Bible is Romans 12. She said, "It starts off by telling how to live and then goes on to talk about love. Love is where it is, without love we are nothing except miserable ladies."

Tina Burton

Getting to Know....Missy Beard

I want to start by saying how honored I am to have a friend like Missy. Missy Beard is a loving person, and like all of us has her ups and downs. But I have rarely seen her without a smile on her face. She is a great mom of 2 beautiful boys: Matthew, 10 and Aidan, 6.

She is a very strong person. She turns to the Lord for things in her life. In Missy's words this is what a relationship with the Lord means to her, “Jesus Christ is the reason I live. He's peace amidst the storm, calm during the chaos, joy, strength, and happiness, and the best Lover ever!”
One of her favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28 " For we know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." She also likes Romans 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God; which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Also, Psalm 31:24 "Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." These are words to live by. Nothing like the word of God for encouragement.

Some of Missy's hobbies are reading a good book, writing, and baking yummy goodies with her boys. There is nothing like time with mommy. The music of choice for her is TobyMac, KJ-52, Newsboys, Skillet, Hawk Nelson, Kutless, Aidan's make-believe band "The Cryboys" (Aidan's make-believe band). There is also nothing like a child's imagination.

Her favorite things about being in Mom's Connection is being able to connect with other moms with similar interests, abilities, etc. and "being able to completely be yourself with no discrimination or judgement." Which is how it should be in a group of women, that even though we are different, are all alike in alot of ways. We share a bond together.

Tiffany Bowers

Getting to Know...Tiffany Bowers

Tiffany Bowers is all around a great person to be around. She is an encourager with a sympathetic ear, a willing heart, and a ready smile. I have really enjoyed getting to know her over the past year and I am thrilled to be able to feature her this month.

Tiffany has two children, Colton (3) and Kayla (6). She is a very devoted and patient mother. Her latest special project is working with autistic children to help the children and their families enjoy special activities together such as movies and other outings.

I asked her about her hobbies and interests and she replied, "Well, I really like photography, I love to take pictures. I love to capture just the perfect moment. I also love all my special projects." Her favorite personal hobby is surfing the web. She loves to see all of "the different takes on things online." She finds some of them "very humorous". She loves music and her favorite genre is country. She said, "I was born and raised in the south and a lot of the country songs bring me back home." Her favorite artist is Martina McBride. Her latest favorite quote is, "Some people walk in the rain, and others just get wet. I personally like to dance in the rain!"

Tiffany's favorite thing about Mom's Connection is, "That I can be around other moms, and know that we can all give something back to each other and get back from it too. At Mom's Connection I feel a part of a group of 'Real' moms not 'Susie Homemaker' moms."

I asked her what her relationship with the Lord means to her and she replied, "I am soul searching I guess. I have been more spiritually involved in the church in the last 4 months than I have been in my whole life and I was raised in "church". But... it's not the building that makes you a Christian. I am looking to God more now than ever to bring me through the good and the bad. I want to bring my kids up in the Lord. I want them to know him and believe in him."

Her favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 20:15, which says, "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: "Listen! I am going to bring on this city and the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them because they were stiff-necked and would not listen to my words" About this verse she says, "Does that sound harsh?? If you read the whole story what it is telling you is to believe and listen to what God himself has to tell you. He is real. He is Holy. He is the one that we need to listen to."

Tina Burton

Meet...Sharon Doerk

It is my sincere pleasure to introduce to you for our feature this month a lady that I feel is a genuine treasure. Sharon Doerk is a great friend and has become one of my go-to-girls. She has a real heart for other people and is very compassionate and a great encourager. She is also a teacher in the 2-3 year old room during Sunday morning service at Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Sharon and her husband, Brian have been married for five and a half years and met through a mutual friend. They became friends and then more. She says, "Brian is my soul mate and best friend". They have two children, Olivia (3) and Jacob (18 months).

Her hobbies and interests include gardening, cooking, music, physical fitness and her children. She enjoys all kinds of music with the exception on rap and hip-hop. She says, "I worked in the music industry for many years and had the opportunity to work with various artists. You never know what you will find in my CD player!" She has recently been listening to a lot of Christian pop/rock such as Casting Crowns and Phil Wickham and some 80's music.

Sharon's favorite thing about Mom's Connection is getting out of the house and getting to know other moms. She says, "I've learned so much in the little time I've been involved with Mom's Connection. It's a great group of ladies!"

I asked her what her relationship with the Lord means to her and she said she knows she is becoming a better person, wife, mom and friend because of the relationship she is building with Him. She knows that she can go to Him and confess her spiritual "slip-ups" and ask forgiveness and strength to not do it again. She said, "It is very important for me to start and end my day with prayer and reflection. He is my rock and my strength."

Her favorite Bible verse is Matthew 6:34, "Do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself..." This verse reminds her to "not rush each day but to enjoy it for all it has to offer, get a good night's rest and be ready for whatever life and the Lord has for you the next day."

Tina Burton

Meet...Deneil Busey

I absolutely love Deneil's upbeat personality. I have really enjoyed getting to know her over the past two years. I hope you will enjoy getting to know her through this feature.

Deneil has been married to her husband, Shawn, for 10 years. They met at a party at a mutual friend's house. They have two children Rebekah (5) and Phillip (3).

Her hobbies and interests include running, reading, and listening to music. She loves all kinds of music.

Deneil is a care circle leader at Mom's Connection and is leading one of the marriage studies this year. Her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is the comfortable atmosphere where she can be herself.

Deneil sees the Lord as her very best friend. She says she tells him all the time, "Jesus, you are my sanity!"

Her favorite Bible verse is Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This verse never ceases to bring her comfort and peace.

Tina Burton

Getting to Know...Heather Ellifritz

Heather Ellifritz has a great personality and a smile always at the ready.

Heather is married to Mike, the music pastor at Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, WV. They have been married for two years. They met while Mike was volunteering at the church. He was also helping manage her parents diner. They have one child, Briella (1).

Her hobbies include scrapbooking, cooking, and reading. She likes just about any kind of music except country.

Heather's favorite thing about Mom's Connection is a chance to get out of the house, have free babysitting, and talk to other moms.

Her relationship with the Lord means everything to her. It is her wish to be more like Jesus and she takes comfort in knowing that she is eternally secure.

Heather's favorite Bible verse is Mark 9:23, "And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes." This verse helps her to remember to have faith and believe in Him and through prayer anything is possible.

Tina Burton

Meet....Janine DiGiovanni

I feel very blessed to know a person like Janine. Words I would use to describe her include: dependable, joyful, upbeat and patient. She is the Childcare Coordinator of our Mom's Connection leadership team. This position requires a lot of patience and dependability and she always handles everything with a cheerful attitude and a smile on her face. I look forward to every opportunity I get to spend time near her because her personality is so contagious ...no matter what kind of day I've had she can make me smile in two seconds flat! Having a friend like that is awesome!

Janine has been married for six years. Her and her husband met at Trinity Assembly of God in Lanham, Md when she was 14 and he was 16. She said, "We started 'going out' as kids used to call it (not really going anywhere just giving ourselves a label and the rest was history". They were married after she graduated from college. She was 21. They have two children Samuel (4) and Cara (20 months old).

Her hobbies include: reading, playing the piano (she gives lessons and also plays the piano for the praise and worship team at Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, WV) , singing, and watching and rooting for the Redskins, and playing Fantasy Football "with every intention of winning!"
Her favorite kind of music is pretty much anything on Christian radio that she can sing along with. She doesn't have a favorite performer that she follows in fact she "can't usually remember who sang what song." She just knows if she likes it or not.

Janine's favorite thing about Mom's Connection is the close relationships that are forged. She loves that whenever you are in need ,or have a need to pray about, the ladies gather around you and make you feel loved and supported whether through prayer or through their own actions.
Her relationship with the Lord is everything. She said, "Without Him I don't think I could wake up in the morning and face all of life's troubles and tasks. He is my support, just like it says in my favorite Bible verse..." "Fear thou not for I am with thee, be not afraid for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10) She said, "I started quoting this verse in high school whenever I began to feel overburdened or afraid and it has helped me through many trying times."

I have really enjoyed getting to know Janine via Mom's Connection and I am grateful for the friendship that we have developed.
　
Tina Burton

Meet....Marie Orr

Marie is probably one of the sweetest, most down-to-Earth, women I have ever met. I am very pleased to be able to feature her this month on the Mom's Connection blog.

Marie has been married to her husband, Bruce, for 12 years. They met when he was working as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army outside of Food 4 Less, where she was working at the time. She was also attending Petra Worship Center and he came to church there one night. They have two little girls, Angelica (10) and Janice (4).

She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to church, and being a part of Mom's Connection. Her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is meeting and getting to know other Christian mothers, to share together, lift each other up in prayer, and spend time with one another. She says, " I have made some really great friends through Mom's Connection."
I asked her about some of her favorite things. She loves dolphins and anything to do with the ocean. She enjoys many different kinds of music, especially anything that expresses how she personally feels.

Marie's relationship with the Lord means everything to her. She said, "He has always been there for me, through my whole life, no matter what I have went through. He has always carried me through. He has truly blessed my life more than I can say."

Her favorite Bible passage is Matthew 6: 25-33.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

This section reminds her that there is nothing in life that she should worry about and that God will take care of everything.
　
Tina Burton

Meet...Jennifer Kirsch

I have really enjoyed getting to know Jennifer Kirsch over the past year. She has an absolutely joyful personality and she is a pleasure to be around. It is a treat to be able to feature her this month.

Jennifer has been happily married to her husband, Shannon for seven years and they have two children, Trevor (4) and Brianah (2). She also has one sister, two brothers, and four nephews. Her family is the most important thing to her after God.

Her hobbies and interests include spending time with her family, laughing, and shopping. She loves listening to Christian rock and some of her favorite singers and musical groups include Bebo Norman, Nathalie Grant, Jeremy Camp and the Newsboys. She also occasionally likes to listen to music of the 80's and 90's.

Jennifer's favorite thing about Mom's Connection is being able to fellowship with other moms who share the same interests and become closer to God's word.

Her favorite Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 13:4, which says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." It reminds her that she needs to think of others in this way; no matter what is on the outside, it is what is on the inside that really counts.

Jennifer's relationship with the Lord is very important to her. She feels so blessed that He is always there when she needs Him and He never lets her down. She says, "It is always exciting to see what the Lord has in store for me next."

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Jennifer, I know I have.
Tina Burton

Getting to Know....Amanda Dagostino

I have the pleasure this month of introducing you to a lady that I have really enjoyed getting to know. I recently got the opportunity to ask her some questions for this feature and I have really enjoyed reading her responses.

Amanda has been married to her husband, Lino, for six years and has two boys , Angelo (5) and Dominic (3 1/2).

Her hobbies and interests include stamping, scrap booking, reading, shopping and taking pictures of her children. She enjoys a variety of music but doesn't much care for rap or heavy metal.

Her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is "feeling loved". She "enjoys being able to connect [with other moms] and make lasting friendships with fellow believers that are there for you no matter what and are willing to pray with you at the drop of a hat."

When asked what a relationship with the Lord means to her, she replied, that it "gives her a sense of belonging." She also takes comfort in knowing that if God is for her who can be against her? (Romans 8:31) The Lord also ,"offers [her] security when everything around [her] seems to be falling." Her favorite Bible verse is "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) because, "it gives us that human perspective of God that he could cry just like us."

I asked her if there was anything else that she wanted us to know about her and she replied, "I am a stay-at-home mom of two boys but I don't let that identify who I am." She feels that it is important to have your own identity and your own time. She said," Being a mom is great, but you need to remember you are a woman also."

I think a lot of us forget that we are people too and we get caught up in taking care of our husbands, our children, and everybody else that we often forget about ourselves, failing to nurture relationships with other women who are experiencing a lot of the same things we are going through.

Mom's Connection provides an oasis for a lot of moms, a place for us to fill our canteens with God's love through fellowship with other women so that we can prepare ourselves for the weeks and days ahead. Amanda said, "That's another great thing about Mom's Connection, it is time away from your children to be that woman God created us to be."

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Amanda as much as I have. I hope to continue to build a strong friendship with this amazing woman that I met at the oasis I have found in Mom's Connection.

Tina Burton

Getting to Know....Heidi Shank

This month I have chosen to feature a very special woman in Heidi Shank. She is the leader of our Women's Ministries group, a member of the praise and worship team at Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, WV, and an important member of Mom's Connection. (Pictured above from left to right is Heidi, her two daughters, and sister)

She really has a heart for God, His ministry and serving His people. I recently sent her a questionnaire so I could find out more about her and one of the questions I asked was about Women's Ministries. I asked her what the mission of the group is and who can be a part of it. Her answer was that ,"Women’s Ministry at Bethel is for ALL ladies…in any stage of life. As women we all need other ladies who can relate to our everyday experiences. We are endeavoring to minister to all women in all stages of their lives. Come out and join us for some exciting activities. You don’t want to miss out on the FUN!!"

She has served on the worship team for 13 years and also directs Kid's Choir. She has a beautiful voice and I enjoy hearing her sing every Sunday. I asked her about her favorite thing about Mom's Connection and she said, "Spending time with other moms. It’s good to know there are others out there going through some of the same every day struggles with their children. I enjoy our topic discussions."

Heidi has been married to her husband Joel for 13 years. They met when they both worked at Kmart. They began dating in January of 1994 and were married on June 29th, 1996. They have two beautiful girls, Haylie is 9 and Abbi is 4. They are her life. She loves being a mom. I asked her about the most rewarding thing about being a mom and she said it is seeing how her girls are growing into smart, lovely young ladies. She says she hopes to instill something positive into their lives even though she says sometimes she has to remind them that they need to act like "young ladies and not monsters".

Her hobbies and interests include spending time with family and friends. She is passionate about music and singing. She loves cooking and baking. She loves to shop but "only when she has the money in which to do so". She also likes to read and loves being connected to the outside world through her computer. She enjoys connecting with old friends and making new ones.

I asked her what a relationship with the Lord means to her and she said, "I don’t remember ever not having the Lord in my life. I was very young when I accepted him into my heart. Even when times were tough, I always knew he was there. To me, Jesus is my friend, my comfort, my peace and so many other things in my life. But most of all He saved me and He sustains me every single day." Her favorite Bible verse ( if she had to pick just one) would be Psalm 34:1 which says, "I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise is always on my lips." This verse reminds her that even though it's not always easy to praise him in the hard times " if we ask the Lord for help he will answer us and save us from all we fear. He is always there when we need Him."

I have really enjoyed getting to know more about Heidi and I hope that you have also.
Tina Burton

Meet....Julia Bivens

Every month I choose one of the members of Mom's Connection to feature in our meet a new mom segment. This month I have chosen a very dynamic woman in Julia Bivens.

Words I would use to describe her include passionate and devoted. She is passionate in her walk with the Lord. I asked her what a relationship with her Creator means to her. She told me that He gives her a reason to be here, hope for the future, and peace for every moment. She doesn't have to rely on her own strength or have all of the answers because the Lord is her strength and holds all of the answers to every question she could possibly ask.

She is devoted to her husband and children completely. She has been married for eleven years and has four delightful little girls (pictured above). Her girls are well-behaved and very intelligent. Julia home schools the 3 older children and it really shows that she is doing a fabulous job. I asked her what is the most rewarding part of homeschooling and she said it's when something particularly difficult finally "clicks" and they understand. She loves when they learn new things. Of course, homeschooling can be difficult at times. I asked her about the most challenging part and she said that would be having the energy to do everything such as cook, clean, teach...etc. I really admire her in her devotion to giving her children the best education she can give them. I've often heard it said that we are our children's first best teacher and I would have to agree.

Julia is also one of our Care Circle leaders. I asked her to tell me a little about her group. The topic is marriage, how to pray for our marriages, ourselves and our husbands, responding to each other in an appropriate way and respecting our differences. Her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is getting to know and interact with other moms.

I wanted to know more about this fascinating woman so I asked her about some of her favorite things and here is how she responded. She likes a lot of different musical genres. Her favorites include Christian contemporary, classical and jazz. She really likes music from the 1930's and 1940's to include swing and dance bands from that period. Her favorite movies also stem from that time period. She really loves old musicals because they hold a certain magic that is hard to find now. Who can describe the feeling you first got while watching something so marvelous as Fred Astaire dancing? Pure magic! She really has a passion for reading as well. She enjoys reading anything by Jane Austin. She also likes Grace Livingston-Hill and Max Lucada, Christian romances of the 1930's and 1940's, and Anne of Green Gables.

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Julia as much as I have. I really appreciate her friendship and I look forward to building on that friendship in years to come.

Tina Burton
　
　

Getting to Know....Tina Burton

Every month our hospitality coordinator, Tina Burton, writes up a blog entry about one of our moms. She allows us an opportunity to get to know them better. Instead of Tina writing about someone else this month, I have the priviledge to write about her. So join me as we get to know...Tina Burton.

Tina has been apart of Mom's Connection not even a full year but has jumped right in. She even wanted to be apart of our leadership. She has done an amazing job as part of our hospitality team. She is always faithful in calling our absent moms, reaching out to them, and greeting moms at our meetings. She said her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is "the opportunity to make new friends and connect with women who have a heart for God."

Tina has been married to her husband, Sean, for four years. They met at Hagerstown Business College where Tina was majoring in Accounting. During a field trip to New York they both realized they should be together. Now they have a son named, Sean Edward, age 3, and have just built a new house. Tina's favorite thing to do with her son is watching him play with his bubble-mower. She said, "he gets great joy in helping daddy mow and I get great joy in the happiness on his face."

Some other little known facts about Tina is she loves chinese food, the spicier the better with General Tso's Chicken as her favorite dish. She doesn't have a favorite movie except anything with Robert DeNiro, her favorite actor. She loves to listen to any kind of music with the exception of opera, country, and heavy techno-type metal. Her favortite groups are Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind, and Toby Mac.

Many of you already know she loves to make things with plastic canvas. She made every one small easter baskets for our Easter party, small crosses for our new members, and gifts for many others. She is very talented with this creative past time. Another favorite past time is reading. Her favorite books include anything concerning the 17th and 18th centuries and royalty. She loves a good plot or storyline.

Tina's biggest inspiration is her dad (pictured with her on the left)! He has a lot of qualities she has tried to model in her own life like being compassionate, loving, and unselfish. She describes her dad as a "beautiful person." He is her best friend and she loves him more and more with each passing year. Most importantly she has admired his relationship with our Lord and Savior. Tina said, "while everyone else was still asleep in the morning, he was up reading the Bible and seeking a closer relationship with his creator."

Finally her relationship with the Lord is one of the most important ones that she can develop. Tina says, "God to me is a reliable friend, loving father, and our compassionate creator. He knows my faults and shortcomings and forgives me for every one of them if only I ask. Where humans sometimes keep records in our heads of every wrong anybody has ever done to us- the Lord keeps no such record and keeps forgiving us every time."

Thank you Tina for giving us the opportunity to get to know you better and for being a valuable member of Mom's Connection.
Blessings, Lisa

Getting to Know.....Marci Carlisle-Faro

Last Tuesday I had the opportunity to sit in on the "Great Mom's Raising Great Kids" care circle group. Marci is a member of that group and I got the opportunity to learn a little more about her--so I just knew that she had to be featured this month. I really enjoy her genuine kindness and beautiful personality and thought that you might like to learn more about her.

When Marci has some free time she enjoys reading books by Karen Kingsbury or John Hagee. She enjoys Christian and country music, in particular , Nicole C. Mullen and Reba McKentire. Her favorite movie is ,"Flicka" She likes Julia Roberts and really loves most of her movies. Her favorite food is her mother's macaroni salad.

Marci has been with us for a few months now and I recently asked her in a questionnaire her favorite thing about Mom's Connection and she replied, " I like to get around other Christian mothers and discuss our lives and getting information that I may have not thought of. There is a comfortable atmosphere with all the ladies. They all make me feel like family."

She chose the care circle group, "Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids" because she likes to get information from other mothers that might help her with her two children.

Marci has been married to her husband, Frank, for one year but they have been together for 12 years as of February 12. They went to the same school in Berkeley Springs, WV, and had some classes together. She didn't want to talk to him so she wrote him a note and had a good friend give it to him. The next morning Frank came right over to her and told her that he would date her. They chose not to get married before or after their first child because they weren't sure if it was the right road for them. Their relationship was very rocky after their first child but a year before they married they knew that the timing was right. They knew that it was time to save the money for the wedding. Everything went perfect for them and it was like God was saying that this was the right thing to do. Now they have two daughters, Kaitlyn 5 and Morgan 2. Family life and time together is very important for her and her husband. They make sure that their children know that they are very important in their lives.

I asked her what a relationship with the Lord means to her and she replied, "My relationship with the Lord is important to me because as a child I was in church, but I didn't get any of it. As an adult, I can focus on the words of the Bible and apply it to my life and my family. And I can ask for help if I am lost or need help walking through it. My faith in the Lord helps me in my everyday life. Involving my family, helps my husband and children learn to follow and listen to the Lord. " She also told me that she knows that in her walk with Jesus Christ that she might not always be perfect and might need a little help through prayer and friends at church. With love and prayers she knows that she can succeed in having a close relationship with the Lord.

Tina Burton

Getting to Know.....Tammy Price

Recently, I sent Tammy Price our "Getting to Know You" questionnaire. This mom is equipped with a wonderful personality and a beautiful smile. I have really enjoyed getting to know her and I think that you will too.

Tammy loves to read a good mystery book in her spare time. Her favorite kind of music is contemporary christian and she enjoys listening to Toby Mac and Third Day. Her favorite movie is "Fried Green Tomatoes" and her favorite actress is Jodie Foster. Some fun activities she likes to do with her children include swimming and watching movies. Her food of choice is raspberries...yum!

She has been married for 18 years to Jimmie. They met when her father and Jimmie worked at IGA in Winchester. Her dad thought Jimmie would be the perfect match for her and he invited him over to watch basketball at their house. Tammy thought Jimmie was cute, she offered him a Pepsi and "the rest is history".

Her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is meeting other mom's would love Jesus. She chose to be in the "Being a Great Mom Raising Great Kids" group because she is always wanting to better herself as a mother and learn new things.

I asked her what a relationship with the Lord means to her and she answered, "God is my Saviour and my best friend. He is the only one I can truly tell anything to and He already knows everything about me and still loves me! I love just talking things over with God and thanking Him for everything he's done for me. I love God so much and I am so thankful Jesus died for me. God is truly my best friend. "

When asked about her biggest inspiration she replied, "Joyce Meyer. I have watched Joyce for many years on t.v. She had an abusive childhood and many problems even into her adult life. She prayed and studied the bible and cried out to God for help. She gives real down to earth teaching and advice on how to live a victorious and joy-filled Christian life. She helps people all around the world with such things as clean drinking water, food, housing, medical help, etc. She helps troubled teen girls and also has many prison ministries. Joyce has definitely helped me grow closer to Christ. I think she is a remarkable woman used by God to bless and help others."

Tina Burton

Getting to Know.....Kim Ratcliffe

Every month we will feature one of the mom's from Mom Connection. For this month I have chosen our Assistant Director/Care Circle Coordinator, Kim Ratcliffe. I have had the privilege to get to know this mom in our Contagious Christian care circle. It's been an absolute joy. She is a great wife, mother, friend and confidante and I feel extremely blessed to know such a woman.

Her favorite activities to do when she gets some free time is to spend time with her family, read and make cards. She likes a lot of different singers but lately she has been listening to Chris Sligh. She loves to watch romantic comedies, musicals, and older films such as "The Sound of Music", "While You Were Sleeping and "It's A Wonderful Life" to name a few. Some of her favorite actors include Harrison Ford and Jimmy Stewert.

She has been married for 10 years to her husband, Dan. They met at Office Max when they were both working there. She has two children, Heather,9, and Thomas,4. Some of her favorite things to do with her children are crafts, go to the park, and take family outings.

A relationship with our Lord means everything to her. He is her teacher, comforter, friend and helper. I couldn't agree more and she put it in the most beautiful way I have ever heard it spoken ( or in this case typed ) when she said, "He is my heavenly Father and treats me with fatherly love and [a] patience that no one else on earth could." Because of this relationship, she chose to lead the Contagious Christian care circle so that she might learn to better share her faith with others.

Kim said her biggest inspiration is the Apostle Paul because "He faced many challenges and obstacles, and he stayed humble and remembered where God had brought him from. He was passionate for God and wanted to share his faith with others no matter what it cost him. I want to be more like that. I am also inspired by my friends. Their different personalities and talents inspire me to have a different view and response to things sometimes."

Kim's favorite thing about Mom Connection is ,"the people and how we can come together and are real with one another and share our concerns. We pray for one another, support one another, and learn from one another."

I can honestly say that I have never met a more down-to-earth group of ladies. There is no pretext and no masks when it comes to Mom's Connection and from that first meeting that I attended I have never felt more at home...it was almost like sitting amongst family and Kim was part of the reason that now I am hooked.

Tina Burton

Hospitality Coordinator