Gabrielle recently attended our February Discovering Northstar Dinner. You may recognize her since she has been a part of the worship team. How encouraging is it that she was already serving the church before she became a member? She will encourage you again when you read her answers below.
Tell the church a little about yourself.
I love baking and cooking, but I hate using recipes. So nothing ever comes out the same twice!
What brought you to Blacksburg?
I am currently in a one-year master’s program through VCOM, and will be starting medical school at VCOM in July of 2019.
Why are you excited about being the church with Northstar?
In the past it has been easy for me to fall into a way of thinking about going to church on Sundays as having this emotional experience or some sort of eureka moment, or “get something out of it”, as if we are expecting God to serve us. While we should always be learning more about God and his character, that’s not what church is about. Church is about coming together to serve one another and the community, and in doing so bringing glory to God as we reflect his image. It was so refreshing to me to come to Northstar and witness how transparent this church is in living out a biblical model of being the church. It brings encouragement and fortitude to my own walk with God, and makes me more excited than ever to be a disciple of Christ.
Tell us about your previous church and ways you were able to serve (or how you are/hope to serve at Northstar).
My previous church is located in Ono, PA where I was also able to play the violin and be involved in various other ministries. I am glad that I am able to continue playing the violin here at Northstar, and am also excited to learn more about other opportunities to serve.
How would you rate Jeff on the humorous scale?
10/10. The cornier the better. 😀
My favorite story or teaching of Jesus is:
Besides all of them, the first specific one that comes to mind is from Mark 9:14-29. I love the statement the father of the demon-ridden boy makes: “I believe; help my unbelief.” I can say that I believe in the Trinity and that Jesus died for my sins, but God calls me to put increasingly more faith and trust in him every day. I can say I believe, but my unbelief is manifested when I doubt that he will remain faithful in fulfilling his promises, or when I have anxious thoughts, or when I forget his goodness. He is so, so good, and I am thankful that I get to grow closer to the all-powerful Creator every day.
Be intentional about encouraging Gabrielle this Sunday at service and at our next member meeting on March 3.