. Or you’ve crossed paths with her on Facebook and knew immediately that she is someone special. That’s Kris. She’s been an incredible encouragement to me these last several months – a cheerleader, a prayer warrior and a good, good friend. Kris is in the Dominican Republic with Compassion this week, sharing her heart and hope, and I’d love for you to read what she’s written here and here about her experience so far. Thanks for helping me welcome Kris to the blog today – I just love this story about her Faith Heroine.
Post by Kris Camealy
When I met Lori, I met Jesus.
Lori is the wife of the youth pastor our church had hired, and imported to Virginia from the middle of Florida when I was 14. We loved her immediately for her spunky personality, her musical gifting, her sugar cookies which she frosted with vanilla frosting made from Columbian vanilla beans–that, and the fact that nothing we did or said shocked her.
In those days, we were full of ourselves, while Lori remained cool and calm in the face of some of the most outrageous teenage drama we could manufacture.
Drugs, promiscuity, gang activity, foul language spouted (purely for shock value), and teen pregnancy–our youth group had all of it amongst us. When we most expected to be turned away, we found instead, a haven in the home of our youth pastor and his wife Lori.
By the time I could drive, she invited me into a one-on-one discipleship relationship with her. Hungry as I was then for Jesus, I leapt at the chance to spend uninterrupted time with her.
After school I’d swing by her house to pick her up and she’d buy my value meal and feed me body and soul for 2 hours, once a week.
Together we walked slowly through the New Testament, where she introduced me to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We talked about boys and the bible, we talked about Jesus and what it means to live and love the Son of Man. We talked about the beatitudes while confessions tumbled out of my convicted heart.
Week after week, Lori shined a light into my angst-wrought teenage life, forever changing me.
When I dated boys who weren’t interested in my heart, she told me as much. When I struggled with faithfulness, she held my hands and encouraged me to hold on. When my friends dumped me because of my growing joy in the Lord, she comforted me and spoke the kind of wisdom and peace over me that carried me back to the foot of the cross. She prayed faithfully with and for me. It was all of these things that tethered me tight to God even as I watched many of my other friends fling themselves wild into the merciless arms of the world.
It’s only now, as a mom myself, that I see how precious this time was. She had a family of her own; children, chores, a life–but still she made space for me, without complaint or hesitation.
I call her a saint, because she is. Lori stepped into my life and pointed me north time after time. No matter how lost I felt, I knew my way to her house, where she would lead me back to God’s Word.
I can’t look at my faith story without seeing her face. She is a gift still in my life, a woman I will always admire and honor for her unrelenting passion for bringing the Word of God into the hearts and lives of youth such as I was.
Mentor, surrogate mother, sister, friend, confidant, intercessor, friend. These are all words that describe Lori to me, which is why she is my faith heroine.
As a sequin-wearing, homeschooling mother of four, Kris is passionate about Jesus, people and words. Her heart beats to share the hard, but glorious truth about life in Christ. She’s been known to take gratuitous pictures of her culinary creations, causing mouths to water all across Instagram. Once upon a time, she ran 10 miles for Compassion International, a ministry for which she serves as an advocate. Kris is the author of, Holey, Wholly, Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement, and the follow up, Companion Workbook. You can read more from Kris at kriscamealy.com.
This post is part of the My Faith Heroine Series in conjunction with the release of 50 Women Every Christian Should Know: Learning from Heroines of the Faith
How beautifully written, Kris. How I wish I’d had a ‘Lori’ in my life as a teenager. But then, I wasn’t a Christian as a young girl and I didn’t know any Christians. Fortunately, I did have a couple of wonderful aunties and a precious Gram who were stabilizing factors in my life. They saw my struggles, knew my heart, and would give advice when they had opportunity to guide. When my Mum died at the age of 44, (I was 21 and newly-married), these loved ones helped me tremendously. Even then, God was caring for me and eventually, His kindness brought me to repentance and salvation.
I love that you tell of the crucial importance the Word of God played in your young life. In a day and age where the Word is being questioned, and interpretation is going wild, and many people teach & preach only what tickles the ears of their followers, the Word in its entirety, the good and the bad, must be preached! “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Thank you Kris. I have enjoyed reading about your faith heroine.
Thank you Jillie for sharing a bit of your story. I don’t think we can risk underestimating the critical need for the Word in our lives. It is a constant source of life for me, as I return to it again and again for strength and courage to follow Jesus. The Word is God.
Hey there, Michelle. It’s been a long while since I’ve left any comments. I’ve just not had time since before Christmas, but I’m still out here, still reading, still thinking of you and wondering how you’re doing? I pray all is well with you and your family. Saw your family photo with Christmas Wishes for your readers. What a great photo! I loved it! There y’all were, all tanned and athletic-looking. I’ve missed you.
Blessings galore, jillie
NO LIE, I just thought of you this very morning, Jillie, and made myself a mental note to touch base with you. It’s SO good to hear from you – I missed you, too! I didn’t do much blogging around these parts for most of November and December, so you didn’t miss much. I gave myself a little breathing space and a hiatus to figure things out…like if I even wanted to continue writing. Thankfully I discovered the answer to that question is yes, so I am back at it. I will drop you an email soon to catch up!
Mentor like your youth pastor and his wife are not as common as we would like. But when they are present they are a gift from above. I’m so glad she was in your life and that you are in mine. Love you, Kris, my sweet Friend.
Diane, I wish you were wrong. Biblical mentors are not as common, but I pray that God would continue to raise up leaders within the body who have a heart for mentoring and leading people into a closer relationship with Him. It made all the difference for me, I’m beyond grateful for Lori, and how God brought her into my life. LOVE you.
Chris, it was so great to meet you here on Michelle’s website. I went to your webpage, and looked through the Mary& Martha items (and found a couple things I may order). I was touched by your story about having Lori in your life as a teen. What an amazing blessing! Thanks for sharing the story.
Hi Janet, thanks so much for reading. I am blessed to have had such a generous mentor when I most needed one. I pray you have encouraging people in your life like Lori. We are never too old for a mentor.
Michelle, thanks for introducing us to yet another woman every Christian should know!
Michele, Thanks for reading. I pray that every one has a “Lori” in their life. What a gift women like her are!!
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これを |プレゼンテーション しかししかし私| | 本当に簡単そう簡単それは見えるようだ作ります 私は信じ | 何か一つのこと | 実際には本当になるように| トピック問題 私は思います 決して理解しています。 複雑な複雑と 非常に 広大私のために。公開| |提出| 先に前進 、私がしますぶら下げる|しがみつく|把握|ホールド|} ハングを取得しよう {しようとするでしょう！
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