Hannah, a recent college graduate, met me for pumpkin spice chai last week at “the coffee house on the square” in the small Indiana town that both she and my parents call home. Though I’ve known of this young woman for many years—her mom and I attended the same church as children, and my parents once again are members of that church, where her family still attends—I didn’t really know much about her until this past year.

After graduating from college in May of this year, Hannah did something that, I admit, shocked me: she called my eighty-two-year-old mother and asked her if she would be willing to do a Bible study with her while she is in the area on “deputation,” sharing information about—and raising financial support for—her future ministry opportunity. [Suddenly, my post-college summer seems so shallow!] It was at that moment that I thought, God’s got plans for Hannah; I need to put her on my weekly prayer list. And I did.

You see, when a young woman—or a middle-aged woman or an old woman, for that matter—is willing to place herself under the instruction of someone who has walked the path before her and is willing to share what God is doing in her life by transparently and intentionally helping others to seek Him more, you just know that person is going to be both a vessel for God and a target for the evil one. And in both cases, prayer is essential!

When I first read Hannah’s newsletter about her upcoming opportunities as the assistant to Nancy Leigh DeMoss through the ministry of Revive Our Hearts, I wanted to run to my nearly empty fledgling freelancer’s checkbook and provide the finances she needs to take the next step through the doorway God has opened for her. But alas (and yes, I just used the antiquated word, alas), I also had to give her something greater: my prayers and my ability to share her story here so that others could also have the opportunity to be a part of the ministry of encouraging women in their faith and sharing the Gospel around the world!

Think about it in relation to our circle right here. Look around the circle: my gift, your gift, her gift, her gift, and her gift—all working like seeds, growing and coming together to form a field that is producing more “crops” than we ever thought possible or than we could ever produce on our own! God chose me to plant my seed as I give, pray, and write about it. God chose others—maybe you?—to plant their seeds as they pray fervently and sincerely for revival in the hearts of the women who will be reached through Hannah’s ministry at Revive Our Hearts, and God chose yet others—maybe you?—to plant a seed through providing some of the resources necessary to allow Hannah to serve at Revive Our Hearts, unhindered by the disctractions that come from having to seek outside employment while trying to serve in full-time vocational ministry. What a beautiful field is growing, and all of the elements just mentioned are necessary to gather in the bountiful crop!

Lest you think this is a blog post to beg for money or to ask you to pray for someone you don’t really know, be assured that I’d like to just allow the Holy Spirit of God to take care of that part. If He lays it on your heart to be a part of this ministry in some way, then follow His leading. If the Holy Spirit just wants you to read about the godly heart of this young woman and find encouragement through her life of surrender, then follow His leading in that as well!

As the youngest of three girls, Hannah’s sisters would undoubtedly tell you she’s not perfect, but it is her own knowledge of her naturally sinful heart that brought her to a point of accepting God’s offer to pay the penalty of her sins by acknowledging her need of a Savior. Active in her public high school and her church, she was not just developing her many talents; she was also developing a tenderness to God’s leading for her future. The “next step” in that leading was for her to attend Northland International University in Northern Wisconsin. As a student there, majoring in Church Administration with an emphasis in Office Administration, God continued preparing Hannah for each “next step” she would be called upon to take.

Tomorrow and Monday, I want to share with you more specificaly what Hannah will be doing to serve and assist others through the ministry of Revive Our Hearts and also how that ministry serves and assists Christian women—including you!—around the world on a daily basis. Until then, I’d love for you to take a few moments to read more about Revive Our Hearts; author, speaker, and phenomenal pianist Nancy Leigh DeMoss; and the ministry that Hannah will have on our behalf—to the glory of God!

Now that the “pre-interview” introduction to this three-part post is done, be sure to check back tomorrow and Monday as I share my interview with Hannah Kurtz. I’m sure you’ll find it easy to understand why I chose Hannah as the first person to help us “expand our reach” by fulfilling part of our purpose through helping others fulfill their purpose. (If you missed that post, you can read it later by clicking here.)

To read more about Revive Our Hearts, click here.

If God lays it on your heart to help Hannah reach her needed support level by giving a gift through Life Action ministries/Revive Our Hearts, click here, and then, from the pull-down menu of alphabetized staff member names, select “Hannah Kurtz.”