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Prayer Warriors Session
Willie J. Bland, Phoenix Citadel (Southwest)
After experiencing the work of Jesus in my life, I became an adherent at the Phoenix ARC. Learning the history and principles of The Salvation Army helped me find my spiritual home. To expand upon my Christian walk, I became a soldier with the Phoenix Citadel. The Lord blessed me and allowed me to see how he changed my life. This life is to be a life of service as an officer of The Salvation Army.
Mary Chung, Pasadena Tabernacle (Southern Cal)
I was born as the forth child among seven siblings in Korea. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior when I was in the second grade and dedicated my life to the Lord. In 1999, my husband (Choon), son and I moved to Los Angeles for my husband to study. He graduated with two master’s degrees and became a social worker. When he worked as a volunteer at the ARC, he met Captain Yoon and was introduced to The Salvation Army.
As time went by, God put a dream in our hearts to be Captains and we decided to apply to the Crestmont College For Officers Training. In December 2005, I heard the terrible news that my husband had spinal cancer and after six months struggling with the incurable disease, he left my son and me. I asked God “why” so many times and finally got an answer. Choon accomplished his mission just as Moses did, dying before entering Canaan. Since then I firmly believe that he rests in peace in heaven with God.
Even though my husband is gone, I reapplied to the school to be a single officer. God answered me and I know that God wants me to finish what my husband and I began. God kept telling me, Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). I want to be God’s instrument through The Salvation Army.
Brent Church, Merced Corps (Golden State)
God strongly called me to officership when I was a teenager. I tried to hide from it for a while but at a youth councils, God told me it was time to answer. He was there to give me the push that I needed. Once I answered the call that God had placed in front of me, things seemed to go a lot smoother. It’s hard to hide in the dark from God when he is the light of the world.
Jeff Josephson, Medford Corps (Cascade)
While in a Salvation Army transitional living facility in 2003, I had the opportunity to turn my life over to Christ. Accepting his grace and putting behind me 21 years of drug addiction completely changed my life. Becoming an officer is one more step in my obedience to God’s will.
Darren Nickerson, Clovis Corps (Southwest)
From an early age, I knew I was called to ministry. I helped my grandfather prepare sermons and enjoyed Bible study. My call to officership followed a tornado. I worked closely with the corps officers and felt the call through their membership and example. Once I accepted, God opened the doors and helped me walk through them.
Michael O’Brien, Torrance (Southern Cal)
God blessed me with a family that loves God, loves The Salvation Army and loves each other. Both of my parents are officers and I came to understand their love for the Army through watching them in that role. It took 18 years before I understood God’s call on my lifeto become a Salvation Army officerand even then I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to take complete hold of it. A few years and a couple preliminary applications later, I am finally beginning the process as a cadet to answer God’s call to officership.
Connie Shorts, Santa Monica Corps (Southern Cal)
I had been going down the road of life, doing my own thing, not really paying much attention to God or what he wanted from me. I was stuck in the process of life but I wasn’t living; I was merely functioning. And then I stopped. I woke up and realized there was something moremore than just living for myselfthere was living for God. The God that had been with me from my first breath, the God who loved me when I didn’t deserve it and the God that made me new in him. The least I could do is give him back the life he gave me. What better “boss” to have than my Lord and savior? What better job than to serve my fellow man?