When I was 7 years old, I responded to God and went forward during an altar call at my aunt and uncle's church. I gave my heart to Jesus, and I prayed every night. I went to church every time I was at my aunt and uncle's house. I lived with them most of the time when I was young. My parents did not go to church or have personal relationships with God. I lived at my parents' house during the school year, and I would not get to go to church. I loved going to church, and I prayed every night that I could start going to church when I was at my parents' house. Slowly, I started drifting away from God and hanging out with the wrong kids at school. When I was 16 years old, I went to a Bible study before school that my sister had invited me to. It was then that I recommitted my life to God. I wanted to live for Him everyday. I started reading my Bible and going to church. I developed a personal relationship with God and wanted to tell others about how He had changed the direction of my life. I was baptized and felt so excited about God.

I am the youngest of eight children, including half brothers and sisters. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, and my father only went until the 8th grade. However, I always knew I wanted to go to college. When I was seventeen years old and my husband was nineteen, we got married. Our daughter was born, and three years later, our son. My husband and I had met at a Bible study during high school. We were both seeking a deeper relationship with God. Even though it was difficult with a new family and being very young, God always met our needs. After we had been married for seven years, we moved far away from our parents and family. We were all alone; however, we grew very close to God and to each other.

One day, my husband decided he wanted to go to college. I wanted to, also. We prayed for God to direct us, and we ended up both going to college. Our kids were in elementary school when we started, and we went for eight years. We moved back home, having both graduated from dental school, and started a dental practice. We are still in this practice today. One day a week, I teach at the local community college.

I became aware that God had a special calling on my life about three years after I recommitted my life to Him. During a church service, through a missionary, God told me that I was going to be a missionary. I didn't understand how that could happen. When the service was over, my husband shared with me that he felt the same calling on his life! I was amazed. God had spoken to both of us. I started to pray for God to reveal this to me further. I didn't know how God was going to use me to be a missionary.

I went and spoke to missionaries and asked them a lot of questions. My husband and I talked to our pastor and asked how we could go to the foreign mission field. We didn't know exactly where God was leading us, only that He had given us a heart to go wherever He led us. When we moved away from our family, I thought that that was my mission assignment. And it was, for the time. Since graduating from dental school and moving back home, we have heard of the great need for dentists on the mission field and have participated in several mission opportunities. However, I know that God is using us most right where we are in our daily practice.

When we started our dental practice, we put a world map on the wall. Each time someone comes to our office from another country, we put a pin in our map. Today there are more than 80 pins in our map! That represents 80 countries - outside of the United States, that we have touched for Him. I don't know where God may have me go in the future, but today I know I am right where He wants me to be. And my heart says - if He asks - I will go!

For me, the most significant moments in my ministry are the many conversations I have had with patients about Christ and how my life has changed since I surrendered totally to His will in my life. Each patient who comes to our office will hear Christian music, and we try to share our testimony of how God led us to our career. I most enjoy working at the free dental clinic in our city. It is a true blessing to help people with their dental needs and share the love of Christ with them and with the people I work with.

My personal relationship with Christ affects my ministry daily. If I do not have my quiet time daily, then it affects my mood and whether or not I am going to share Christ. If I am drifting away from God, it is more difficult to appreciate all He has given me with the blessing of a wonderful career which can be used to help so many people. Sometimes I can start to think that dentistry is just a "job". It is much more. It is a gift from God! And I want to be responsible to use my gift for Him wherever this may lead me.

To those just beginning to explore God's call, I would say not to get in a hurry! It took many years for the pieces to fall into place for me. I thought that the day I felt His call to missions He was going to send me to a far, distant land the next day. Today I understand that God has a divine plan for my life. He gives me the desire of my heart and that is to serve Him in any capacity I can. He has also given me a heart for missions and a career in dentistry, and He has blended those two gifts in my life.