My journey into ministry has been a total surprise, and very different to where I thought I would be at this stage of my life. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home and had no idea what working in ministry was since I never attended a church!

I was introduced to church and eventually to Jesus as a teenager, through my first boyfriend. He went to church with his family who were very faithful Christians that served and loved the Lord, and I went along with them. It was a very foreign concept to me at the time, but I went along on Sundays and started going to Youth for Christ rallies and other youth events across the Waikato, even after we stopped dating.

I encountered God many times at the youth events, but always went back to my ‘normal’ (non-church) life for the other six days of the week. I responded to almost every altar call - prompted by pounding in my chest which I now know was the Holy Spirit, but I’d still return to my ‘normal’ life, and I remember thinking, “there has to be more...” I had given my life to Christ so many times during that season, but when I turned 18 I finally decided to serve Him seven days a week.

It was around that time I met my husband Brett Wilson. He was well and truly embedded in the life of the Apostolic Church ("Apo" - now known as Activate) with his whānau, so I thought: ‘Why not?’ I didn’t have ties to any other churches so I went along with him Apo/Activate, and this has been my church home for over 25 years now! We got married here, and our two beautiful kids have grown up at Activate too.

Over the years as I’ve learned more about God and spent more time in church and Christian environments, He has become so much more real to me. I began to learn that God doesn’t just show up on a Sunday. If you are open to Him the other six days, He sure is open to you!

I began teaching Early Childhood Education at Vision College about 20 years ago and felt very privileged to work in a Christian environment. I thought I would stay there teaching forever. However, God had different plans when in 2017 I changed jobs and became the Executive Manager at Activate Church.

I also felt privileged to be in that environment as it really challenged me to step up in my relationship with God. I realised that having Him beside me 24/7 was crucial.

Over the years, and through some tough personal challenges I’ve learnt to always rely on Him - especially in the dark times when I haven’t been able to see any light at the end of the tunnel. I had some major moments of God revealing Himself to me; during the darkest time in my life I felt an intense drawing to go under the safety of His wings, and I heard Him whispering to me in that safe space that I am His daughter and He was going to work things out. Looking back, I can see that He really carried me through that time.

My three years working at Activate Church gave me a good understanding of how Vision College connects with the church and the wider Activate Faith Community Trust group.  I learnt a whole new level of how to connect with God in business every second of the day. It has made me more confident to pray and I’ve learned to expect to see God move every day in my work. My time working at Activate Church also taught me how to live and breathe Jesus in the workplace.

In 2020, God totally surprised me again when He brought me back to Vision College Today, I am Campus Manager at Vision College where I live and breathe Jesus and rely on Him through both the good times and the not so good times. 

The mission statement at Vision College is, "Changing Lives Through Learning" and with my team at Vision I get to create environments where our students and staff can feel and encounter Jesus during the week. I have learnt that faith and being confident to rely on God comes from sitting in our Heavenly Father's arms every day of the week – not just on Sundays!

I’ve also learned that having a full relationship with God is vital and I’m continuing to learn how to do that... Bring on the next step!

If you find yourself being a “Sunday Christian”, I encourage you to make a commitment to Jesus to follow Him Full-Time. You’ll be amazed at what He will do in your every day when you invite Him into every part of it.