Jennifer grew up in the small town of Bay Minette, Alabama. An interest in Global Missions surfaced at an early age when missionaries visited her church. Though thoroughly intrigued by the missionary life, Jennifer never thought this was an option for her.
After hearing about a program that used dolphins to help children with autism, Marine Biology came to the forefront of Jennifer’s heart. She began taking classes in college. But her dreams were dashed when she had difficulty passing chemistry courses.
Realizing Marine Biology was not a good fit Jennifer shifted her attention to Accounting and Administration. This seemed to be the best compliment to her skill-set as a gifted administrator. So, she went for it.
Jennifer worked a couple of jobs after college, but none of them gave her a sense of purpose. She went through tough times and found herself asking God for help. Praying for direction, the answer that came back was clear…Global Missions.
Jennifer obeyed God’s leading and began researching international opportunities. She hoped to become a full-time vocational missionary, but all the doors she pursued were closed. So, for the last 13 years, Jennifer participated in dozens of short-term mission trips to Romania and Guatemala.
Global Mission work filled Jennifer with joy. But she still wanted to do it full-time. She never imagined a position existed where she could use her accounting skills to further the Great Commission. Then, she found an opportunity with Encompass World Partners on the finance team. It was a perfect fit!
So for the last year and with much satisfaction, Jennifer has used her gifts for God’s glory; answering calls from donors with cheer and competence, ensuring financial gifts are processed efficiently, and always giving people a healthy dose of Southern hospitality!
There are thousands of ways a person can be involved in Global Missions. The best you can do is to show up with your talents and open your heart to God’s leading. Jennifer did not realize her administrative skill could be used to reach the nations, but God knew better. She asked Him to direct her and now she uses her administrative gifting every day to help reach people with the gospel.
