By Bonnie Ham of The Gathering in Springfield Massachusetts
Anissa never planned to walk into a church again.
Her past experience with religion had left her hurt, disillusioned, and sure that church was the last place she’d find hope. But one Sunday, her mom—who works for a regular attender at The Gathering—invited her to come. Something nudged Anissa to say yes.
After that first service, she came up to introduce herself. She told us how surprised she was—the message from the Bible made sense. It felt real. It felt safe. And for the first time in a long time, Anissa wanted more.
In the weeks that followed, we prayed her through job interviews and celebrated when she landed an amazing position at a local university. We prayed through her anxiety about starting something new. She came every Sunday. She took home a Bible.
Then one Thursday night at house church, she lit up with joy. She had been reading Matthew 6, encouraged by her mom’s boss, and she couldn’t wait to share what she discovered:
“If God cares so much for the birds and the flowers… then of course He cares for me.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as that truth sank deep into her heart.
A few weeks later, Anissa shared that she had placed her full faith in Jesus and wanted to be baptized. On Palm Sunday, we had the privilege of celebrating her new life in Christ as she went under the water and came up a new creation.
But that’s not the end—Anissa is already sharing her faith with friends and family. Her mom sees daily change in her. She’s growing fast. She’s healing. She’s trusting Jesus. And we’re honored to walk with her.
We believe a small act of generosity—like a ride to church, a shared Bible passage, or an invitation to community—can grow into something incredible.
That’s the heart behind our Mustard Seed Partners.
We’re inviting 25 new individuals to join us as monthly givers in 2025—at $25, $50, or $100 per month. Your gift helps create space for more stories like Anissa’s.
