Grace Hensley

Testimony

“For we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him
and are called according to His purposes.” Romans 8:28

Hi my name is Grace, I have grown up in beautiful Bullhead City, Arizona. I graduated from Calvary Chapel Bible College May 2005.

I have had the privilege of growing up always knowing, and believing in Jesus as my personal Savior. When I was 17 I went on my first mission trip to Mexico, and the Lord confirmed His calling in my life to be a missionary. Upon graduating from High school I went to Austria for a year where I completed my first two semesters of Bible College. I had the privilage of traveling all over Eastern and Western Europe. Through these experiances the Lord continued to show me His great love for all people.

After a year in Europe I came back to Bullhead not intending on finishing Bible College. God supplied me with a great job when I got home teaching Abstinence Only Education in the public High Schools. What a great experience! Then the next year I taught Bully Prevention. Another wonderful time in my life. I was also going to college at night, and learning spanish as I desired to be able to communicate with the Latino people in my community as well as the people in Mexico. One day as I was looking through a Calvary Chapel Magazine I saw an advertisement for Calvary Chapel Bible College Jerusalem. In that moment I knew that the Lord was calling me to go there.

So I saved my money and about 6 months later I was in Israel for my 3rd semester. Wow, now that was a life changing experience. I was able to not only read about the places where Jesus went and taught but actually go there myself. The Lord also placed an indescribable love in my heart for the Jewish and Arabic people of that Holy land. I came back home after that semester and worked at a domestic violence shelter. God showed me over and over through that experiance His blessings in my life that I have so taken for granted. After 8 months in the states…I was off to my last semester in Sydney, Austrailia with my mom.

As I completed my last semester I prayed that the Lord would direct me to where He would have me serve him as I knew that I wanted to spend my life as a missionary. I contacted Calvary Chapel Jerusalem/ For Zion’s Sake which is a Christian Humanitarian Aid organization and applied to serve there for 6 months.

September 11, 2005 I set off to serve the Lord’s people in the Holy Land. As I turned this chapter in my life, I knew that I was doing what I was created to do. Upon my arrival I was greeted not with “Shalom”, but with “Hola!” There was a Peruvian Messianic Jewish family in the congregation and they were just learning Hebrew and didn’t speak any other languages but spanish. So the Lord blessed me with being able to translate the sermons into spanish. Also through spanish we were able to reach out in the name of Jesus and bless many new Latino Jewish immigrants which were returning to Israel.

During my time in Israel I could see how the Lord was using me to minister in the lives of the Latino Jews and I started corresponding with the Pastor and missionaries serving in Peru. The Lord confirmed in my heart to go and serve in Peru. After completeing my six months commitment I didn’t want to leave Israel, but because of a visa issue it was the best option. So I returned, and started preparing to go to Peru.

Because of several different circumstances my trip was extended. I didn’t understand at first why the Lord wasn’t allowing me to go when I wanted to go. But now looking back I see exactally what He was doing. While I was serving in Israel I was teaching English as a Second Language, but hadn’t had any training as to how teach it. So when I returned to the states I went to the Community college and asked if I could observe or volunteer as to how to teach English. God is so amazing, instead I received my teaching degree and started teaching English as a Second Language at the College. So for the past year the Lord has been training me. Also I have been blessed to teach Tobacco Prevention in the public schools. I know that the Lord will use all of this education for His glory in the future.

There are a million other details that I haven’t mentioned, but just wanted to give you an brief synopsis of my life up till now. God still has a lot to teach me and I have a lot to learn.

May God bless you and keep you,

Grace