I became a Christian at the age of twenty-four after a time away from the Lord, and I have pursued a relationship with Christ ever since. I am deeply committed to my faith and have remained active in church since that time. I currently attend Praise Cathedral in Greer, South Carolina, but my real church “home” was at Mountain View Assemblies of God in Sierra Vista, Arizona where I lived for nine years. I remain in contact with my church family there, and I was involved in many facets of that ministry, including teaching third and fourth grade girls on Wednesday nights for a couple of years and being a part of the creative writing group. Right now, I travel quite a bit for my work with the IPHC’s (International Pentecostal Holiness Church) archives, and I do not engage in volunteer work at church. However, I am a member of the Spartanburg Junior Women’s League and the Kate Barry Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and I participate in community service through these organizations. While these are not religious organizations, it is my belief that every Christian should serve the local community in some way.
I have repeatedly integrated faith into my intellectual life. My dissertation was on IPHC women preachers from Oklahoma, and two of my books are also on women preachers. My third book, co-authored with Dr. Abe Ruelas, is on female seminaries and academies in the U.S. and focuses heavily on the Christian roots of education. I object to the secularization of history, and I have made that a core component of my work as I have attempted to make the influence of Christianity clear. During my time in higher education, I have watched academics vigorously defend the idea that there are no absolute truths (although stating that is an attempt to offer an absolute truth), that America was not founded by people motivated by the Christian faith and a desire to protect religious freedom, and that science has more authority than faith. I also advocate for women’s equality, but in a spirit of unity and in the context of a life devoted to Christ. My fourth book, which focuses on Christianity and feminism, attempts to share a history of women’s rights that cannot be separated from the sincere faith of the men and women who advocated for social, educational, political, and moral reforms in the name of Christ. The book explores the complicated, and often contradictory, advancements in the history of women’s rights, and the array of second and third wave feminist theories that advocate for rights that actually harm women, such as promiscuity, homosexuality, the legalization of prostitution, and the relentless pursuit of financial success at the cost of every other human connection that draws away from it.
I believe that God inspires, supports, guides, and speaks through my teaching, writing, and work with others. Although I had repeatedly said I would never work in the IPHC’s archives for the last ten years or so, when that door opened, I surprised myself by agreeing to a part-time, partially remote position. After diving into the history of our people and the items left in our care, I realized that my love for the IPHC meant that I could care for this collection and share in the right spirit with others. Someone from the outside –who just regards the work as a “job”—could not do what I can do. I see it as a calling that has enlivened my teaching and opened doors to service to others far beyond what I could have ever done without this position.
In short, my faith is an integral part of my work. My work is not really just work—it is a calling that God has placed on my life. Whatever I do is with the desire to do my best for Christ. After the last twenty-nine years of Christian living, I believe that my life bears witness to the One who guides it. Although I am not perfect, I am sincere in my desire to do my best. I listen to those sent to help me, to teach me, to mentor me, and to guide me. I listen to those who work for me as much as to those for whom I am accountable. My faith is the core of my identity.
I seek to serve others, but my real focus is on serving Christ. My work ethic is directly tied to my desire to be fully committed to Christ and to do everything in my power to further His work. I know that I take on a lot of responsibility. I am a college professor, and I direct the archives. In both positions, I work to better others. I always seek to put the growth of others above my need to advance my career. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people in the IPHC in this position, and I use my teaching experience to help share the history as well as to organize the information I give access to online.
It is my hope that you will support me in my sincere desire to follow Christ. Please pray for me, for my assistant, Cherie McDade, and for the archives. We represent both the living here on earth and the living in heaven. We endeavor to bridge the past with the future, building opportunities for inspiration and for understanding the depth of faith, intellectual inquiry, and devoted practice that our people left to those of us serving Christ today.