Stephanie Rhodes

At the age of five, I asked Jesus into my heart after my father preached a junior church message on sin and God’s forgiving salvation. At the age of 12, I was called by God to be a missionary. After walking the aisle in that little country church, I was told that, “Girls do not go to the mission field, they marry missionaries!” Because of this bad advice and my trust in that evangelist, I pursued another vocation.

However, I never forgot the calling on my life. I strived to share the good news of Christ whenever I could. I became a domestic missionary at home and in my local church. Through the years, I lost my way a time or two, but by the Holy Spirit, He reminded me of that calling. I once again walked the aisle of a church and fully surrendered to Jehovah’s calling into full-time ministry.

One day, I found myself pondering a profound question: “Who am I?” In that moment, I realized I had forgotten my own identity. Through the journey of life, I had taken on many roles and labels: daughter, sister, wife, mother, and other descriptors that accumulated over time. Amid fulfilling these roles, I lost sight of who I truly was. One of the most significant revelations in my life came while I was working as a police officer. It became clear that being an officer was not the essence of who I am, but simply what I did. I came to understand that my identity is found in being a child and daughter of the King, a sinner saved by grace.

I am much more than numbers: not defined by a number on a scale, a badge, the number of children I have, or the years I have worked. I am a masterpiece, a unique work of art, a piece of clay that God shapes and molds every day. Above all, I am a daughter of the King.

Karen Neas

I remember sitting with my family in the little country church we attended and having the overwhelming pull to the altar. My heart was pounding loudly in my ears. I went forward at the end of the service. I do not remember anything that was said that day from the pastor. What I do remember is a friend’s mother kneeling beside me and reading John 3:16 in a way I had not heard: “For God so loved Karen, that He sent His only Son, that if Karen would believe in Him, she could have eternal life.” I was eight years old when I first believed. This one event started a lifelong process of learning, growing, changing, unlearning, and realizing deeper understanding.

Remembering the summer after my favorite grandfather passed brings fond memories of my childhood. I spent the entire summer with my grandmother, and I realize I developed an affinity to being in nature because of her. We would gather water every day from a distant spring. She would tell me to sit and be quiet: “God speaks here. Just listen.” All I could hear were the birds chirping, squirrels playing, the water moving over the rocks, and the wind. Everything but God. “Granma, I don’t hear anything.” She would smile: “Just keep listening. One day you will.” She was teaching me Psalm 46:10, Be still and know that I am God. I crave quiet time with my Savior, and much of that craving takes me to nature to enjoy the wildlife, flower gardening, fishing, or spending time with my dogs. I also enjoy being creative through drawing, painting, and wood carving.

Life happens to all of us, and at times it can get messy. I’m so glad my God desires relationship with me despite my mess. I remember a picture from my childhood church of Jesus knocking at a garden door, large and heavy with thick wood boards and metal hinges. The interesting thing about the door: it had no knob to open. Later in life I realized it had become a symbol of my heart, hidden behind years of abuse, mishandling, and hurt, behind a wall with a door that had no access from the outside. I had believed the lie that His promises were for someone else, not for me. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says the one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. He is a gentleman and doesn’t force the door open. Once I opened the door and told Him of all my pain, He began restoring my heart, one difficult step after another.

He desires your heart. He will heal. He will restore. I would love to sit and talk with you about my Savior, who knows all that you have or will ever endure on this side of life. He loves you, and so do I.

Kristi Vann

I am a daughter of a King, a wife, a mother, and a Gigi of 4. I love the Lord with all my heart. I believe one of the most important things we are called to do as Christians is to evangelize and disciple. I am in full support of this ministry because that’s exactly what Real trACTion does. While overseas evangelism is very important, I believe it is equally important to evangelize here in the United States. How are people going to know unless we share with them?

My life changed the day I realized Jesus died for me personally. It is about His sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, for me. The day we realize we are sons and daughters of the Most High is the day our life changes. We are forgiven and will be saved from an eternity of hell because of our Jesus, who obeyed His Father and loved us enough to give His life.

Jami Benson

I live in central Virginia and met the Real Traction team while attending a Bible study about the Jewish Jesus. I learned to look at the Bible through a Middle Eastern lens rather than my usual Western one and saw deeper meaning in stories I had read about for years. I also learned about their passion for street evangelism. From caroling around Lynchburg on a city bus to going to the mall at Christmas time to share the Good News of the gospel, I have learned that conversations about your love for Jesus don’t have to be planned or complicated.

I grew up knowing about Jesus, and I can’t recall a time when I didn’t believe that God made a way for us all through His son, Jesus. But it wasn’t until I was in my late 30s that I realized I didn’t KNOW him personally and that it was about a relationship. There is freedom to be gained in fully surrendering, and if you haven’t done it yet, I encourage you to do so!

What does it mean to support Real Traction? Your prayers for protection, successful interactions, and provision make a true difference! Your financial support allows the team to evangelize locally and travel across the country to have intentional conversations with others about Jesus!

I invite you to join us in our mission to make Heaven crowded!