Why do you want to become a member of ANF?
When I first came to ANF, I lacked spirituality. I didn’t know what it meant to be a follower of Christ, and I definitely did not know what it meant to feel the presence of God. But over time, where God has led me is here, in Dallas, at ANF. Where the people have been so welcoming no matter how long it’s been since I’ve last visited. Here, I learned what it means to feel God’s presence, what it means to actually serve our Lord savior because I wanted to; because there are so many things we lack, but God’s love for us brings us knowledge, and we are opened to a whole new world with Him. For the first time in a long while, I felt Him. I know he’s near me, and it’s such an amazing feeling to know that no matter what, He’s there for you and always has been. Becoming a member of ANF has taught me to love Christ in a way I never have, and I never want to lose that.
What does it mean to me to become a member?
But this is the feeling ANF has introduced to me. Becoming a member at ANF means that I’m committed. Committed to loving God and what He’s done for all of us. Becoming a member is about commitment, no matter the place. For now, I am committed to ANF as it is where I belong in the church, but there will be a time when I have to spread this commitment somewhere else, where it is this chain reaction of people realizing who God is and how he has saved us.
What kind of church do you want to build through ANF?
Because of my commitment to Him, I want to be able to spread and encourage the words He has spoken. I want to build a church where everyone can feel His presence, no matter their spirituality. ANF has always been welcoming, and the community is great; I want to continue that feeling I felt when I first came to ANF. This is a growing church for sure, and I don’t want that to stop; I want to help build people up while our foundation is God.
What are your talents or gifts? Any ministries?
And in doing so, one of the strongest things I can bring is prayer. A little background, my name is Hannah – which comes from the bible. Meaning grace, favour, having complete trust in the Lord, and personal sacrifice. But about Hannah, she was known for prayer. In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah’s prayer, she was steadfast in her love for God. Something about her being full of prayer never really clicked in my head. I had always thought, “Huh? Me? Be good at praying? That was definitely a mistake.” But, with a little bit of God’s timing, I don’t think there’s “bad prayer” as long as your heart is in the right place. And most times, praying is all I can really do for others nowadays. Praying has easily become one of my strengths, especially when golf and school physically get in the way of coming to church or meeting others. I have always thought of prayer as a conversation with my best friend. I don’t know if anyone else feels that way, but it brings comfort and releases the tension of my feelings. It’s something I can do for others and myself when things are tough. That’s why the ministries I serve for the church are things I can do when I’m not physically there. I love serving in the name of God, and I’ve fallen in love with prayer.
What do I like or dislike about your pastor?
I think PD has easily become someone I trust, though I do get scared and nervous around him just because I don’t know what to say. He feels like another father figure, and I don’t want to tell him my deepest, darkest secrets.
Most importantly, who are you? What kind of person do you want to be?
Honestly, I don’t know who I am in the earthly sense, but I do know I am a child of God. And that’s good enough for me. I have a lot of time to figure out my future, what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, and so on, but my identity is in Christ, and if you asked me a year ago who I am – I would probably respond with, “Uhhhh what do you mean.. Do you know who you are?” I do know that I want to be successful and just have God by my side. I know there will be tough times and times when I curse Him for not doing or giving me something I want, but hopefully, when those times come, I won’t be angry at God but still be thankful because I know He’s planning something greater for me. I want to be the best friend God has given to others and be an older sister for those who don’t have any. I want to be who God has created me to be, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity to become a member of ANF.
All Nations Fellowship 