First and Foremost

Kathy Brinker

I am first and foremost a child of God, and this is Christ’s story of how he redeemed me. I was in my 30s, and my husband and I had three small children. I grew up in a works-based legalistic religion but knew I needed more. At the time, I was far from Christ and something was missing in my life. What was I missing? I was seeking, but what was I looking for? Unknown to me, the Holy Spirit was moving me to a relationship with Christ.

Through my involvement in many community organizations in DuPage County, I kept constantly crossing paths with a godly woman. This was surely God’s hand, because we saw each other all the time. Her name? Olena Mae Welsh. Wife of a former senior pastor of College Church, she was also the director of the church’s disability ministries. For those of you who never had the opportunity to meet Olena Mae, she was a fierce witness, who brought many to Christ. She had a gentle way of inviting people to come and find and know Jesus. She was relentless for souls that needed a Savior.

We shared a connection of loving people and their families affected by disability. I later learned that Olena Mae worked with this ministry because she was initially afraid of persons affected by disability. What a testimony, what a Savior who made Olene Mae run towards something which was far outside her comfort zone.

But, well within her comfort zone, Olena Mae kept inviting me to check out what was then the Seeker program, now our STARS (Seeking To Always Reflect The Savior) ministry. At the time, my two adopted boys with Down syndrome were ages eight and four, and I had a two-year-old daughter. After much prodding and several months later, I came to the program for my sons and their benefit. I remember hearing about the boys as an “indispensable part of the body of Christ.” I had never heard that at a church before. It was very foreign to me.

In fact, many things were very different at this church. People asked me if they could pray for me, my family and they greeted me with a joy at that time I could not explain. What was different? I had no idea, but I was seeking different, so I immersed myself in College Church. Through the expository preaching from the pulpit, I heard the Word of God over and over. Olena Mae prayed for me and discipled me as I heard the Word of God. About a year and a half after stepping through the doors of College Church, my heart was stirred by the Holy Spirit. I was a sinner, I needed a Savior and I met Jesus. It wasn’t one single pulpit call or a mountaintop experience, rather, the Holy Spirit working in me.

Here’s what was running through my head—let the dead bury the dead. I had a decision to make—reject or accept Christ and who he is and who he made me to be. I chose to accept his gift of salvation and chose him to be the Lord of my life. A lot of us have unbelieving family members and friends, but when we hear the gospel clearly, we have a decision to make, even if ones we love don’t choose to follow him. Jesus has given us this redemptive gift to live with him in eternity.

As a new believer, I had so many questions. I sought out godly women like Olena Mae to pray for me and my family. When you are asked questions or see needs, be that fierce witness for God like Olena Mae was. I immersed myself in the life of the church. I attended Women’s Bible Study, served in STARS (as a special needs educator I was able to use my gifts to help the ministry) and began praying and studying the Word of God. I still had lots of questions.

A couple of months after I trusted Christ, I went on my first College Church women’s retreat, pre-cell phone days, mind you. I drove up to the retreat in Galena with another woman from Bible study. We left later than most because we both worked a full day. The country roads to Galena were windy, single lane roads. It was getting dark when an ice storm hit out of nowhere. The roads immediately glazed over with a tremendous amount of ice. Suddenly, we saw a car in front of us spin out of control and disappear off the road into the dark abyss.

As we tried to look for mile markers to figure out how we could get help for the people in that car, our car spun out of control and down a hill into the darkness. It was probably all of 10 seconds, but it felt like time stood still. I remember thinking, “Praise God I know Jesus my redeemer! He paid the price for my sins, and I am not afraid to die.” Okay, that might have been my mountaintop experience!

On the way down the hill, we hit a tree on the passenger side where I sat. I had only a small cut above my eye, and we knew God had protected us. We made it safely to the hotel where the retreat was, courtesy of a ride in a tow truck. We were not the only retreat goers on those icy roads. As women arrived throughout the afternoon and evening, they began to collectively get on their knees and pray for those of us still driving. We were the last to arrive.

Olena Mae had been leading many prayers and was right there to greet me. Her first question to me was, “How is your faith?” A smile and a wink back to her, “Secure in Christ,” I said.

What a blessing, what a Savior who chose before the beginning of time to bring me to himself and surround me with a body of believers. This is what God’s church looks like.

Sanctification is a process to become more holy. I am still a sinner, but I am redeemed by his blood, praise God! I know two things, the power of his Word and the power of prayer to become more and more like Christ.

I first gave this testimony at this year’s women’s retreat in Lake Geneva, and as I prepared, I asked people to pray for me. This included the residents of the Washington House (a residential home through STARS Family Services) where my oldest son David and his house buddies Ian and Gary and Tim live. The guys asked what a testimony was, and I told them—how God found me. I should have expanded on my answer, but we were hurrying to clean up and get them ready for devotions with another staff member.

I plan to go back and tell my son and his house buddies that a testimony is a story of God finding me and the Spirit working in me. It’s hearing the story of Jesus and answering the call to follow Jesus by faith. It is God’s story of how he redeemed me. I want to hear their stories of when they met Christ as well. I know David’s story, and if you ever meet him, he will tell you that God is all powerful. Not to bow down to others but bow down to the king of kings! He knows his risen Savior.

It is all too easy for me to slip back into worldly desires. I had a plan of what I thought was God’s plan for me. I was finishing up 37 years of publicschool teaching in special education, nearing the completion of my doctoral program and moving to the university to teach adult learners. I was also returning as the head coach for Team USA and preparing athletes for the now postponed Paralympics in Tokyo.

Then I got the call. College Church was looking for someone to fill a position of someone who was retiring. Would I consider being the ministry associate for young STARS and their families. I said I would prayerfully consider it. I wrestled with God for a while—not part of the plan. Made excuses—not equipped for ministry. I heard his voice clearly, “I have made you for this time.” I submitted to his will, made a few phone calls to the universities where I interviewed and one to the Olympic committee.

For the last six months, I have been on my knees serving God and others as a ministry associate for young STARS and their families. What a joy that only God can provide.