I came to know Christ after I walked through many dark trials during my childhood and young adult years. Once I came to know Him and the love He pours on us each day, He gave me a passion of sharing the Word of God and walking with others as we live out our messy lives. I lead a busy and sometimes chaotic life but have been happily married for ten years to the man who showed me to Christ. I am wife to Ryan and mother to Timothy, Peyton, Layla, and Mia. I am passionate about seeing lives changed through the love that can only come from our Lord and Savior.

I accepted Christ at an early age but don’t remember the moment or all the details about the day I was baptized. I’ve always believed in God but did not properly nurture and grow my relationship with Him until later. I’ve prayed many times to God, thanking him for sending his son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and saving me so I can spend eternity with Him in heaven. Jesus entered my heart and is my savior. I have many memories of these later prayers. They are powerful, peaceful, and have ignited my desire to grow and serve Him. My husband and I attend and serve the Lord at First Baptist Owensboro. We’ve been married for 10 years and have two children: Lane and Leah. I work as an IT professional at a manufacturing company. My passion for serving God through Connecting Ministries is in loving, inspiring, and supporting women.

Starla has been married to Joe for 12 years and is the mother of Thomas, Rowan, Rory, and Joshua. When she isn’t tripping over toy cars or drowning in a never-ending pile of laundry she likes to read, play cards with her husband, and geek-out over anything historical. She has been involved in both youth and children’s ministry and currently volunteers at the local pregnancy center where she ministers to pregnant women and mothers of young children. Starla currently resides in Canton, Georgia.

After high school, I attended the University of South Alabama where I studied Accounting and Oral Roberts University where I received my degree in Marketing/Business. I work with Kairos Insurance Agency, LLC in the property and casualty insurance business where I am an agent and csr. Prior to this, I worked offshore in the oil/gas/energy sector as a Merchant Mariner with Harvey Gulf International Marine. Ultimately, I made the decision to listen to God and leave my offshore career and this has proven to be one the best things I have ever done. Since then, I have become much more grounded in my faith, my relationship with Christ has flourished, and God has blessed me with a beautiful wife, Sarah, and a lovely daughter, Emma. Together, we are very active in our local church. We enjoy serving in our church, our community, and helping others. We feel our mission is to serve and point others to Christ. Thank God for His Grace and Mercy!!!

I am a sinner who asked God into his heart at a young age and who is thankful for His grace and forgiveness. I am husband to a beautiful woman named Cheryl and father to four crazy kids: Timothy, Peyton, Layla, and Mia. I have worked with Turner Construction since graduating from Auburn University in 2002. My family and I moved to Owensboro, KY in 2010 so that I could help manage the construction of the new Owensboro Health Hospital. I believe the move was an opportunity given to us by God to help our personal growth in Him and to help build bigger things (not structures). God has continued to open doors for Cheryl and I that allow His work to be done through us. We continue to grow as Christians and as a family. I am fearfully excited to see what God has planned for my family and me.

I am overwhelmed with the love and goodness of our God! I began my relationship with the Lord at an early age and have grown to love him more and more through his grace carrying me through some challenging times in my life. I graduated with an accounting degree from Auburn University in 2019 before also earning my master’s of accountancy in 2020. After working a year in public accounting, God led me back home to Decatur, AL in the fall of 2021 where I am currently serving as the finance director at my home church. I am thrilled to be joining the Connecting Ministries team and am excited to see the incredible work God does in the hearts of women through this ministry!

Leigha grew up in Murray, KY, where she and her family attended church sporadically. Although she was baptized as a child, she feels that she didn’t really accept Christ as her Lord and Savior until she began attending church as an adult. She and her husband, Sam, have been married for 17 years and have two children, Kiersten and Reece. Her family attends and serves the Lord at First Baptist Church Owensboro. Leigha is the Senior Director of Development for Kentucky Wesleyan College, a private Christian college in Owensboro, KY. Prior to working for the college, she was the Executive Director of Boulware Mission, a local shelter and recovery program for men. Leigha loves CM and has served in various volunteer capacities with CM since its first conference in Owensboro.

Ashlee became a Christian when she was 20 years old after coming to know Jesus’ love and grace.  Ashlee desires to live her life according to Jesus, be an example and show Christ’s love through her actions and work. She has been married to Sam for 19 years and has three very active boys, Noah, Micah, and Isaiah; 18, 14, and 12.  She stays busy with Connecting Ministries, taking care of the kiddos, and running her own marketing business, Canyon Peak Group.  Ashlee is genuinely thankful for Connecting Ministries and the personal impact it has had on her life!