Massage Therapy ... From Party Girl to Health Leader
T
here probably aren’t many college sophomores who turn to the Bible for answers to the meaning of life. But Chelsea Carena is used to being unique. After all, she started life as the one girl in a set of triplets! Trying to keep up with her brothers, she excelled at sports and received a scholarship to play fast-pitch softball for Oakland University in Michigan. Naturally a social person, Chelsea found the party scene at college to be an exciting new sport and embraced it a little too much. But when she was put on probation for excessive drinking, she decided to look for answers to the meaning of life by reading her Bible. She joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on campus in hopes of making friends with Christian young people who could help her figure out this new way of living. A fellow member of FCA by the name of Andrew invited a group of students to his house for Bible studies. The basics of Photos Courtesy BHHEC
Adventist beliefs were completely new to Chelsea, and though she was fascinated, her other friends weren’t quite so enthusiastic. They told her the things she was learning weren’t true and she should forget about them. Bewildered as to what to believe, Chelsea asked God to show her truth. God impressed her to search the Bible for herself. As she continued to read and study, she came to accept the truths of Adventism. Chelsea believes that because she had already begun to develop a relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit revealed truth to her. After completing her degree in Health Sciences, she returned home to her parents’ house and waited for God to show her the next
before her car was headed west to The Hills and her six months in the program flew by. From contacts Chelsea made in 2016 at the ASI meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, she was hired by Eden Valley Institute of Wellness while still a student. After graduation, she headed south to Eden Valley in Loveland, Colorado, to work as a massage therapist. But God had bigger plans. Chelsea soon found herself doing hydrotherapy as well as massage, making poultices, teaching classes to guests, and step. She found an Adventist hiking the mountains. A visit church near her home and from Barbara O’Neill to Eden was baptized. She worked Valley brought Chelsea an a couple of jobs while she invitation to Misty Mountain continued to grow in Christ. Retreat in Australia for three Within a few months Chelsea months in 2018 to learn more discovered the 8 Natural skills and have more outdoor Laws and implemented them adventures. in her own life. She then Today, less than five years became convicted that she after graduation, Chelsea is should share this information the lifestyle director at Eden with others. Massage therapy Valley, leading a team of seemed like a good career therapists and sharing Christ to both earn a living and to on the campus as well as in share health principles and her community. Through the gospel with others. her persistent prayers and personal example, members More skills, more of her family (including one adventures of her brothers and her mom) Chelsea’s search for massage have taken more of an interest schools felt like a dead end in spiritual things. From party until an ad for Black Hills girl to health leader, God School of Massage in South fulfilled Isa. 61:3 by exchangDakota popped up on her ing “a spirit of heaviness for a Facebook page. It wasn’t long garment of praise,” and her life is truly bringing glory to Him.
After graduating from BHHEC School of Massage, Chelsea Carena is serving as the lifestyle director at Eden Valley Institute of Wellness in Loveland, Colorado. 6 OUTLOOKMAG.ORG APRIL 2021
