NCC Members Engage Their Calling to Ministry
T
hroughout the Northern California Conference (NCC), people continue to engage their calling to ministry in a wide variety of ways.
Jeanice Warden-Washington Jeanice Warden-Washington jokingly tells her friends: “Call me Daniela.” Like Daniel in the Bible, she witnesses for God while working in the seat of government. After beginning as a paid government intern right out of college, WardenWashington has risen to become chief consultant for the California State Legislature, California State Assembly Committee on Higher Education. “God really orchestrated all of the steps,” she said. “I know without a shadow of a doubt I am where He called me to be.” Through the years, she has discovered that people closely observe her actions. “There have been several situations when people came to me for prayer when we had never even had conversations about faith,” she said. “But they knew I was a Christian.” One day, she was approached by a security screener. “I’ve been meaning to ask you this,” he said. “Are you a Christian?” After hearing her response, he replied: “I knew it! There was something about your spirit!” As she has formed relationships, people have asked about her healthy lifestyle and her faith. One curious staff member spent lunch breaks studying the Bible
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Northern California Conference
with her, and he was baptized. She encourages others not to be afraid of working in the government. “God will prepare you for what He’s calling you to do,” she said. “Even if it’s outside of our comfort zone, we need to trust Him.” Elia Thomas God has called Elia Thomas to challenge negative ways of thinking. Thomas, who holds a Master of Social Work, currently serves as a clinician providing mental health services to children and families. “I could not do my work without the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” she said. “As clients are processing trauma, I’m praying. I’ve seen amazing miracles.” Outside of work, she helps others recognize harmful thought patterns and exchange them for helpful ones. She remembers a friend who was struggling with fear. “God helped her to replace negative beliefs with His Word. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit as she was replacing the beliefs the enemy had placed in her life,” said Thomas, whose husband pastors the Concord International/San Ramon Valley district. Thomas’s own life was by impacted after God led her to reconsider her preconceived ideas. Years after she had given up on the idea of higher education, a friend encouraged her to enroll at Pacific Union College. Thomas thought it was impossible, but then she experienced a revelation. “When I thought I was too old, God reminded me of Moses,” she
