Maureen is on a trip at this moment to the Holy Land, which she has wanted to see for a lifetime. Following the route Moses took through the Red Sea, she is on the Exodus Tour and has wanted to take this trip for a long time. Now is the perfect time.

Many times throughout Maureen’s life she reflects that it would have been easier if she had accepted and followed Jesus and had a stronger relationship with God. She was a believer, growing up Catholic, watching as her grandmother had a continuing dialog with God, constantly praying. As a child, she observed her grandmother but didn’t really understand. Then, when she was pregnant with her first child, she almost died. She knew it wasn’t her time and by the time her son was two, she heard the concept of being reborn and came to accept Jesus.  By the time her son was ten, they were attending church and became baptized together. Still at that time she would say she had accepted Jesus, but was not living for Him.

Living for Him didn’t come until many years later, in 2007 when she started attending Mariners regularly. Mariners helped Maureen find a family.

Maureen experienced another near-death health situation and felt God nudging her to get back to church. These experiences had Maureen believing God had a purpose in keeping her alive so when she retired in 2007, her daughter-in-law recommended a book that made Maureen want to humble herself before Jesus.  At that time Maureen made the decision to dedicate her life to Jesus and never to forsake him again. She found a women’s group at Mariners. Maureen’s faith sustained her through her husband’s illness that fall, and he decided to join her. Maureen and Bruce had five wonderful years of attending MCC together before Bruce passed away in 2014 just a week after being baptized.

God’s glory shone through for Bruce during his illness, and Maureen’s church family provided comfort, support and love during this challenging time.

Now, Maureen enjoys serving God through Mariners and anticipates with joy what God has in store for her. She attends two LifeGroups, knowing that God formed a church to bring people together to worship. And she has faith that whatever God has next will be revealed in His timing, maybe during her trip to the Holy Land. Maureen knows for sure that God is not done with her.

By Laura McHugh, Volunteer Storyteller