Emulating Godly Influences: Candace Gaeta
Candace reflects on the combined influences of other godly women and the heritage of her own life challenges, equipping her to impact others during life’s later decades.
Candace loves being a Nana to her and Art’s combined tribe of 23 grandchildren. And beyond that, she loves being a mom to an assortment of others.
Candace reflects on the combined influences of other godly women and the heritage of her own life challenges, equipping her to impact others during life’s later decades.
Among other truths from God’s word, she highlights from Titus 2 how older men and women still need to be taught:
Look at the heart of younger people.
Refuse to be a critic.
Give them a torch that is positive.
Wrinkles are not designed to be an obstacle to ministry.
We can all work daily on becoming more sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
Well With Her Soul: Jolonda Lowe
Jolonda is another young voice who understands the value of adults not stopping in using their gifts to serve God in their later years.
Our souls will be healthier and well when we come together … with our eyes fixed on Jesus!
Jolonda is another young adult who understands the value of adults continuing to use their gifts, serving God in their later years.
Jolonda is one of the younger members of the YES! Young Enough to Serve board of directors. She serves as a worship leader/coach at Grace Church in Avon, Massachusetts. She and her husband Emrys are blessed to be Elijah’s parents.
Coming to Christ in Wisconsin, Jolonda started attending church in high school mainly to hang out with her peers. Her greatest spiritual breakthrough came, though, through impact from outside her peer group. Jill is a woman many years older than Jolonda, who gave Jolonda her first Bible and helped instill in her a deep appreciation for God’s word.
Jolonda now serves in a Massachusetts church with a broad swath of ages, striving to move beyond age stereotypes and to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. She knows her generation can always appear busy and on their phones, but she acknowledges that she and her peers yearn for connection and the wisdom older generations can offer. She challenges those older and younger to deliberately go after those relationships … leading to learning and growth.
Our souls will be healthier and well when we come together … with our eyes fixed on Jesus!
Untethered: Gary and Charlotte Geesey
Three years ago, they said ‘yes’ to a Japan missionary, needing them to fill in for a year. Their one-year adventure morphed into three-plus years. As they return home soon, their adventure continues. They have a special heart for retired pastors and want to underscore what God can do with their continued availability.
After retiring from pastoral ministry several years ago, Gary and Charlotte were challenged by God to sell their home and then zigzagged across America on their own ‘Say Yes!’ tour, serving many friends, family, and churches along the way.
Modeled so well by their parents, Gary and Charlotte have a love for Jesus and a passion to reach across generational lines. They love waking up each morning, asking the Lord to keep them others-centered and allowing the Lord to creatively guide them.
Charlotte reminds us that Jesus counts by one. They love seeing how God can use them to help lead people closer to Christ through individual friendships.
Three years ago, they said ‘YES!’ to a Japan missionary, needing them to fill in for a year. Their one-year adventure morphed into three-plus years. As they return home soon, their adventure continues. They have a special heart for retired pastors and want to underscore what God can do with their continued availability.
God wants our post-vocational lives to have purpose, all the way until He takes us home!