This week we’d like to introduce a very important staff member. Without this person, our ministry would undoubtedly come to a screeching halt. Samantha McRae does everything from cooking breakfasts to running the behind the scenes administration that keeps our ministry going. Sam plays a crucial role in making Emmaus what we are today. Let’s dive in and learn more about Sam and her role on staff.

What do you do around Emmaus?

I am one of the "hosts.” Essentially, this means I am part of the team that plans and prepares our weekly breakfasts and our community events.

I am the calendar queen, I know, sounds important. I work on keeping our schedule clear and make sure there are no conflicts between the Emmaus and Canterbury Retreat Center’s schedules. (I also secretly aspire to be the “Emmaus Mom” pertaining to birthdays and such, but we’ll see what happens. We do have quite a few moms in our midst now.)

I also assist in the financial department, grade student assignments, and disciple female students through what we call “one-on-one's”. Oh, and I check the mail, so that’s pretty cool..

What is your favorite part of your job?

I love the staff I get to work with, in some ways they are my family. The women have become some of my dearest friends and I’m so thankful for each of them in my life. I very much enjoy the discipleship aspect of working with students, seeing another woman, a sister/friend, drawing closer to Jesus through the truth of God's Word is amazing, I feel so blessed to be able to live life beside these women as we each grow in our faith and understanding of who God is and who he made us to be. (And I really enjoy preparing breakfast and organizing schedules. Breakfast and organization make me happy.)

When did you know God was calling you to be a part of Emmaus?

In the fall of 2016, during my student year at Emmaus School of Biblical Studies, that’s when I first considered the option of staying on as a staff member after graduation.

Which Bible character would you want to get coffee with?

I think it could be interesting to speak with Rahab and hear her story, including her reasoning behind choosing to follow the Hebrew God, instead of following whatever gods she had been serving until that point in her life. I sometimes wonder if her reasoning was merely fear induced or if she was secretly yearning for the true God and the fall of Jericho presented the opportunity. Either way, I admire the way she took a stand and saved those in her household.

Another person I would like to speak with would be Ruth. I’ve heard her praised for her faithfulness and disparaged for her blind following of others but I’m interested in knowing her heart. Why did she do the things she did? How was she feeling in those situations?

Why Emmaus?

Originally, Jacob and I came to Emmaus School of Biblical Studies merely because they would accept me without having experienced a YWAM DTS. (YWAM = Youth With A Mission and DTS = Discipleship Training School) But, after spending some time around the staff of Emmaus, we realized they lived life differently than we had experienced anywhere else. We wanted to live lives immersed in the Word of God alongside other children of God. Emmaus seemed like the right fit for us. We wanted to be part of a community that actively sought the will of God, whether it was simple or not. We no longer wanted the "easy life" we had been living before. (I know, that sounds crazy. Easy sounds much better than difficult. But, Jesus makes it all worthwhile.) And we wanted to see people embrace the truth of the Bible for themselves. It transforms you. Jesus transforms people by loving them where they are. Once you accept His love your entire mindset changes. He loves you enough to challenge your preconceived notions and to convict you to change, to become a better version of yourself. And he loves you through the challenges, even when you fail. That’s the kind of God we serve and He’s who we attempt to imitate in this ministry.

Samantha and her husband Jacob are currently raising support! Please consider joining them as financial partners in ministry, if you would like to do so, follow the links below!