New Staff Welcome: Kerry Yodzis
Nothing gets the Emmaus staff more excited than when God leads people to join our team. This summer we are honored to announce two new support staff: Dena Sites and Kerry Yodzis. Dena and Kerry are alumni of our School of Biblical Studies. Dena will be support staff to the school, while Kerry will be working as an administrative part-time volunteer.
Today we want to introduce you to Kerry who was a student from the Fall of 2019 to the Spring of 2020. She helps keep our ministry running by working in administrations. If you have attended our School, Narrative Series, or emailed the ministry, chances are you have interacted with Kerry! Join us in welcoming her as she introduces herself below and shares how God called her to Emmaus.
Kerry Yodzis
Before Emmaus I had been on a journey of seeking God through reading my Bible, various Bible studies & church community groups. In 2018 a friend told me about one of the classes that Emmaus offered and I started attending in January. My first class was the New Testament Biblical Narrative Series. I was blown away by the presentation of historical background and extra-biblical knowledge that helped equip me to better read and interact with my Bible. I was fascinated with the pictures that were painted in my mind about the life and times that Jesus walked into and I was hooked. I attended the Old Testament series that fall and during this time, I was preparing for a trip to Israel. The trip was amazing and I can’t wait to go back again someday but as awesome as this trip was, when I got home I was left with the question, “What now God?” Not knowing the answer yet, I decided to retake the NT Biblical Narrative Series – again. After that I made the decision to sign up for their School of Biblical Studies and committed to a 10 month whirlwind journey through the whole Bible.
I had always wrestled with God in the Old Testament. He always seemed cantankerous and mean, handing out punishments like candy. I had a hard time understanding how a God who loves us enough to send His only Son to purchase our redemption could do the things described in the Old Testament. But what I really didn’t understand was … that I was totally wrong about Him! I wasn’t looking at Him in the right way, with the right eyes. I was using my modern mind with my own way of thinking and my own system of justice to see Him. Emmaus helped me to understand the true character of God. The faithful, loyal, steadfast love of God. The God who hurts when I sin against Him and the God who forgives me when I repent and turn back to Him. The God who never stopped chasing me down because He wants me to be with Him in eternity. The knowledge that I gained from attending the School of Biblical Studies has transformed how I think about God and my relationship with Him is completely different now.
When my school year came to an end, I was once again faced with the question, “What now God?” I knew in my heart that I didn’t want to leave Emmaus. I love studying the Bible with people who love studying the Bible. I love the idea of helping others to love studying the Bible and watching it transform their lives. I love God and want everyone to have the opportunity to get to know Him as He wants to be known. However, I also knew that staying would come with challenges I would never be able to meet in my own power. I needed to know that God wanted me to stay at Emmaus. I received my answer in the book of Hosea. I felt like God had put Hosea 10:12 on my heart and one day I walked into the Emmaus office and saw the same verse hanging on the wall. “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” (10:12) I was that fallow ground. I had been cultivated and prepared and then left unsown until now, a year later. I knew God had spoken to me but that just put the exclamation point on it and now I've joined the team.
Thank you for helping us give our new staff a warm welcome. If you would like to learn more about our School of Biblical Studies you can do so by clicking here.