Held is an acronym that stands for:

H- Holding fast to the Word of God
E- Encourage/Evangelize
L- Loving God/Loving Others
D- Doing God’s work/Discipleship

I grew up in a safe, nice, Christian home and gave my heart to Jesus at a very young age. I have always had a heart to help those who were hurting, however, had never experienced any extreme difficulty in my own life. As a young teen, I prayed that God would use me in some way to help heal and restore those who were hurting while understanding their pain. The same year I was deeply betrayed and abused by someone who was outside of our family, yet was in authority and was trusted by many. I became bitter over that circumstance, and ran from God as a result. I pursued nursing by age 17 and worked in a local hospital by 19, in order to fulfill the dream to help and heal others. Yet, inside I was broken and needed healing myself.

Several years later, after multiple failures, I realized I was wrong and believing 2 major lies. #1. I believed that God did not protect me. (When Scripture clearly says He is a rock refuge and strength, He is a protector!) #2. I believed if I was a really good girl, prayed, and went to church that I could live in a world of sin and be unaffected by it. I chose, by God’s grace, to completely refute these lies and pursue Christ once again with all my heart. I was totally free from the shame, guilt, and bitterness of my past. I went on my first international mission trip at age 29 to Haiti with Renewed Strength Church. It was the first time I ever saw that level of poverty and devastation. I worked with Grace International and World Vision. It grew a deep love in me to want to help at a larger capacity. My life became shattered a second time as betrayal and intentional sin from others touched my life once again. However, this time I ran to God with the pain of the circumstances. In that, I have found what it looks like to be held by Him. The verse that sustained my heart at the depth of that pain was Isaiah 41:13 “I the Lord your God will hold you up with my right hand saying to you, “Fear not, for I will help you.” The Lord has been faithful to do just that!

From 2005-Present, God helped me through graduating from Liberty University with a Bachelors of Science Religion, and has granted the ability to travel internationally in every continent of the world (except Antarctica) sharing the gospel and partnering with long term missionaries for 11 years, as well as giving me the courage to start a nonprofit in 2018 called Held by Him. In 2022, the Lord saw fit to give me a husband, and I officially became a Blessing. :)

I have found what it is to be held by Him, to have rest, security, and safety in the arms of God made possible through Christ Jesus. I am so very grateful. I desire to be a glove on God’s right hand for others, as well as an extension of His love, healing and compassion both locally and around the world.