Lorri's Story

Lorri's Story

My story begins before I was conceived. It is my heritage. My mother was the 10th and last child born to parents who were in their mid-40s and early-50s. They were members of a Free Methodist Church and active in tent revival ministry.

I was raised “in church,” the United Methodist church. I have for as long as I can remember, had a hunger to know more about God. I strove to understand denominational barriers and bias as a child and teenager. I wanted to know this Jesus personally, not as some historical figure or some deity that I could only worship to from a distance. I did not know how to attain that relationship but the hunger grew as the years went by.

I went to nursing school in the late 70’s, early 80’s. My life was consumed with my responsibilities of a nursing student, nurses’ aide, daughter, friend... but that hunger for more of God was still there. While on campus I began attending campus house ministries and an once a month cross denominational, cross cultural, Christian worship service entitled “ComeUnity.” Here I witnessed people filled with a love and hunger for Christ, not just traditionally based activities or operating under a sense of religious obligation! This was a taste of what I had been searching for!

After graduating, I moved from Northern Missouri to Mid-Missouri region, away from family and friends, to a area in which I knew no one, to begin a graduate nurse internship program at a newly established hospital. I had never been far from my family. We had always been very close. This was a bold and somewhat scary adventure for me, but I knew, that I knew, that I knew, that this was what the Lord wanted me to do. Without that knowing I would never had been able to go.

For the next year or so, my life revolved around establishing myself in the profession of nursing. Unable to find a church family in this new place, I returned to my hometown on weekends off and attended my hometown church. This was the way it was for the next 5-1/2 years. The hunger inside me became somewhat dulled from the busy-ness of my life and my professional responsibilities. I became a professional RN. That was my life... Obstetrics and Pediatrics - women and children and families. The wonder and miracles of life! I didn’t realize that the Lord was growing this in me. I didn’t realize how much the Lord was using me in my profession. He taught me about the laying-on of hands and praying. I had read about it in the Bible and while caring for the laboring Moms I would do this. Also while caring for the sick babies and children, I would be moved to lay my hands upon them and pray for their healing. I had never seen anyone else do this, just knew God’s Word said it.

In the summer of 1987 I was 27 years old and still single much to the dismay of family and friends (it wasn’t like they hadn’t tried to set me up with the “right” guy.) God had his own plan and timing and I had released my life over to His will in this department. I had heard about a guy who was a Christian and played in a Christian rock band that a co-worker really wanted me to meet. I attended an open air concert that he and this band was performing. I did not know what he looked like but knew his name. The band was playing when I arrived and no introduction were given after I arrived so I was left guessing which guy he was. That is until the band began to minister. The bass player stepped up to the mic and began to read God’s Word. This voice was the voice of the man God had chosen for me. Once again, I knew, that I knew... the Lord placed in me that knowing! We were engaged before Christmas and married the following May. Now I knew why I had been called to this place in Mid-Missouri!

Through my relationship with my husband I was able to discover ways to draw closer to God and along the way found I had to deal with a great deal of religious “baggage” that I had taken on. I learned that an intimate relationship is what the Lord is seeking from each of us. In the subsequent years we had many trials and tribulations including the death of two children, Zachariah David (stillborn, 9/7/89) and Hannah Elizabeth (prenatal death/miscarriage, 3/10/90). Together we raised two children from his previous marriage, and in 1999 I gave birth to our precious son. Through these and other seasons in our life together, the Lord has sustained us and taught us and continues to do so.

I had been Baptized/dedicated to the Lord as a baby in the Methodist church, re-Baptized in 1980 after my experiences in college. Immersed in 1992 and Baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1994. After being introduced to the Person of the Holy Spirit, I found a deeper level of my Christian walk. I was a member of a worship team at a previous church and discovered there the intensity of worship, specifically prophetic worship. Times of immersion in the river of God, times of intercession, times of joy unspeakable and full of glory!

During this time the Lord deepened my desire for cross cultural missions and a love for all people groups. But beyond that the Lord has grown in me the love for children and the discipleship of children... from the womb on up! Also for the restoration of the family starting with the husband and wife relationship. These are my passions.