About Us

WHO ARE WE?

EDITOR: Hello. My name is Pat Gates. Here's a little about myself: I'm 56 years old, married to a wonderful, loving husband, Chuck. I'm the mother of two boys (one married), and grandmother of Dacey and Ailin. One of my sons was born with severe congenital heart disease and I understand all the heartache of raising a child with physical infirmity, as well as all the blessings and joys, which are many! I have lived with chronic illness since 1992; the medical terminology being "Pathological attentional and intentional gating of sensory information" and "Pathologic preparation for movement." In other words, something is wrong with what controls the input and output of sensory information and "preparation for movement" systems so that my brain misinterprets sensory information and the signals that give my body needed energy for movement are disrupted. This results in weakness, fatigue and various neurological symptoms. Seventeen years later, I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Our Hope began in 1994 as a means of encouraging and contacting other Christians with chronic illness. At 37 years old my life ended, as I knew it, and I began another, trying to adjust to a life spent, most of the time, in bed. After two years of struggling physically, emotionally, and spiritually, I emerged with acceptance of my "new normal" and by the grace and help from God, who heard my pleadings of work to do, Our Hope was born. Through this endeavor, I have been greatly blessed by getting to know Christians who have struggled with the flesh and have overcome with the strength found in Christ. I thank all these wonderful sisters and brothers who taught me how to love and have given me the friendship and encouragement I so badly needed.

CO-EDITOR: Hi. I'm Cindy Granke. My husband, Arnie, preaches for the Woodland church of Christ in Sumter, S.C. (and in recent years has also worked with the American Red Cross). We were married in 1967 and have been blessed with three children, (one of whom was killed in an automobile accident in 2000); and eleven grandchildren, (one of whom died at birth). I'm 65 years young. (~_~) About 15 years ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, after living with debilitating symptoms for several years before finding a doctor who recognized the illness. More recently I was diagnosed with diabetes. Over the past few years my ability to have folks over to my home, or to visit has become limited. Learning to use the computer opened up a whole new world of opportunity for teaching, and encouraging others, as well as myself. During the months after my daughter died I prayed that God would give me the strength, and opportunity to help others who suffer through that terrible emptiness. When Pat asked me to help her with Our Hope, I knew my prayer had been answered.

STAFF WRITERS:

JOANNE BECKLEY: I am the daughter of a preacher with a wonderful heritage of the gospel of Jesus Christ from four generations who lived before I came along. I grew up wanting to marry my own "preacher-man" and we would go to far-away places to share the light of the gospel I had been so privileged to grow up within. Today, my preacher-man and I live in South Africa where he travels between Zimbabwe and South Africa carrying that same light. We reared our three sons in this country and they now live in the States and have provided us with five grandchildren and a sixth one soon to be adopted.
I'm just an ordinary woman who loves the sunshine. Even though I often have to play the "Glad Game" (taken from the book "Pollyanna") when I am faced with problems this world hands out to all of us, I do love to share smiles with all I meet. It is when I receive in return what I call "lost smiles" that I realize yet again that we are not alone with our pain, our fears, our loneliness. Our Hope was designed to help each other through the hope that Jesus offers each one of us. May my participation be of help in some small way.

JOYCE JAMERSON: Hello to all; my name is Joyce Jamerson. I’m happy to join Pat, Cindy & JoAnn for some occasional writing for Our Hope. We all know one another and have for some years now. Although I was born in Ohio; raised in Virginia, and have lived in several southeastern states, my home now is Killen, Alabama. My preacher husband and I live fairly close to one of our three sons; the other two live about 2 ½ hours away, so we like seeing them and the seven grandchildren more often.

Our youngest child and only daughter died suddenly in 1993, due to a malignant brain tumor. All of our children teach us lessons of life; not only in their years at home, but as they marry and leave home and yes, even in death. As a result, I have authored a book, “Will you wipe my tears?” and it was released in early February, ‘08. It deals primarily with helping others in times of sorrow.Trauma has a way of affecting health issues, so for some years now, I have lived with interstitial cystitis, fibromyalgia and celiac disease. A dietary approach seems to suit me best, so proper diet is a constant concern.

My hobby, when I’m not working in the resource room at church or writing children’s Bible lessons, is quilting. I love to cut up fabric and sew it back together again!
Our Hope has been a source of encouragement to me, so now, perhaps I can also be of encouragement to you.

KATHEY FREEMAN: I am 54 years old, and I live in San Antonio, Texas. My husband, Doug, was in the United States Air Force for 29 years before retiring 2 ½ years ago. Moving with the Air Force was very difficult for me, physically, but we have traveled to many places and have been so blessed by the Christians that came into our lives along the way. We moved back to San Antonio shortly before Doug retired, and we worship with the West Ave. church of Christ in San Antonio.
We have two wonderful children. Our son, Joshua, is 20 years old and is a junior at Texas A & M University in College Station. Our daughter, Elizabeth, is 18 and will soon be a freshman at A & M. I used to agonize over the fact that they had never known what it was like to have a mother who wasn’t sick, but they have been such blessings in my life.
I have not had diabetes as long, but I have lived with lupus and fibromyalgia for a long time. It is my hope that any coping skills that I have learned can be a benefit to others.

MARSHA NORRIS: I'm the grandmother of seven blessings. God is so good! Blessing number five, Lilly (born July 4, 2010 with Trisomy 18), is the catalyst for my column: "Compassion Revolution."

My husband Jim and I live in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. Two of my three children and six of my grandchildren live within a ten-minute drive. Being able to interact with my grandchildren on a regular basis and watch them grow is priceless!

Jim and I opened Higher Grounds, a Christian coffee house, in November of 2008. Our intent was to reach out into the community with the gospel and to provide a place for folks to gather and have Bible studies. We've just completed a year-long weekly study of the Bible, using The Daily Bible in Chronological Order (F. LaGard Smith, editor). Amazingly, not only did our participants "hang in there" during the Old Testament readings, but often shook their heads and said "I never knew that!" Despite having an eclectic group of women from different religious backgrounds, I've been inspired and encouraged at the respect and unity shown one another and the teachable hearts of all.

After editing a newsletter for women, Faith Lift, for twelve years, last January I decided to "wrap it up" and simplify my life so I could be more available to help with the grandchildren and at Higher Grounds. Little did I know when making that decision what the Lord had planned for me: a handicapped grandbaby and two surprise blessings -- all born within 4 months of each other. So I have traded in editing a whole newsletter, for writing a monthly column for "Our Hope." I pray you will help me on this journey -- by sharing your thoughts, experiences, and observations.

DANA NOLAN: Hello! I wanted to introduce myself and tell a little about my family. I am a native Tennessean who has also lived in Florida, South Carolina, New Mexico, and New Jersey! I have been married to my precious husband, Tim, since 1998. He works in Information Security with a Fortune 500 global manufacturer. I am the blessed mother of five children--Daniel, 24, Sam, 23, Micah, 17, Sarah, 11, and Hannah, 8. The youngest three children are home-schooled, and the oldest just completed his Masters degree in social work, so education consumes many waking hours with the family! We reside in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and we worship in nearby Murfreesboro with the Cason Lane Church of Christ. (Come see us if you are passing through Tennessee on I-24 at service times on Sun. and Wed., as we are very close to the interstate.)

Like many of the ladies who write for "Our Hope," I have struggled with health issues for many years. While doctors have surmised that a lot of my problems began with mono in college, and they have said I "may" have things like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, I don't know that any doctor has even found a concrete label to put on a lot of general aches. Like so many, I just go on until I can't go anymore, and then I sleep a while! :) In 2003, when I had my last daughter by c-section, something went wrong, and I had to have another surgery to fix whatever they had done or not done in the first operation. I came as close to death as I ever want to again until it's time to go for good, and I just feel so blessed to be here to raise my children and to enjoy life! It took a couple of years to feel whole again, and I had some good help from my entire family during that time. I have learned that it is very humbling to have problems with our bodies, but it can be a blessing when our minds finally grasp that this life is not what it is all about!

My mother was diagnosed with the very serious form of lymphoma (t-cell) in March of 2010. While I am happy to report that she is in remission after a series of chemo treatments, I have found myself very much a part of the "Sandwich Generation," those who care for children AND aging parents. This can obviously be a challenge when you don't feel well yourself sometimes. I strive for balance in my life, but sometimes I fall horribly short. I have found that God's wondrous mercies and His strength, which is, indeed, perfected in weakness, will carry you through anything in this life. I am humbled when I think of what the earliest Christians endured and yet still remained faithful to the Lord. When I feel weak, I think of Jesus carrying his cross on his battered shoulders, and I realize that my earthly trials pale in comparison and that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" (Phil. 4:13) My wish is to encourage others who may find themselves in scary, unfamiliar territory with life's many twists and turns. I believe we are here to serve God and our fellow men, and I take my responsibility in these areas very seriously. I hope that when my time is up here on earth that someone can say of me--"She hath done what she could." (Mark 14:8)

Hosting by Web.com