Toni Sheffield, Christian Services Coordinator

I grew up in the metro Detroit area, and with the exception of a few years spent living in Matthews, North Carolina in the early 1990’s have been here all my life. My immediate family, with the exception of my son who resides in Minnesota, all still live in the area.  I began working in Christian Service in May 2000 as a part time Secretary and through a series of events, became full time Coordinator in the summer of 2005. The job is never boring and can be challenging as well as heartwarming.  I am often asked “How can you do this? Isn’t it depressing?” I’d be lying if I said there aren’t days that I take the job home with me, or that I just want to cry when I hear or see some of the things I see and hear. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives and even the sad stories are great opportunities to show grace in a world where too often “the least of these” are forgotten and little if any grace shown. I believe that love is a verb and that this job is a great opportunity to show love for the verb that it is by action, service, or just listening to someone who needs someone to listen to them. I also believe that Compassion and Grace are two huge components of Love and that with them all – Love, Compassion and Grace – we can change the world!