Joanna Frank is one of those individuals who you might shy away from at church.  Be it the infamous poke, the northern accent or the ability to volunteer you for something before you even know what's going on, Joanna may give you cause to run the other way.  Now before I get to my point, allow me to demonstrate through photos how Joanna's direct and "in charge" appearance may turn you off.

Be sure to hold your mouse over each photo for captions!

Exhibit A:

Poking An Officer...Is That Allowed?Joanna Frank gives the low down on what these two first time volunteer officers might encounter as they interact with special needs families at the carnival.

Exhibit B:

Joanna Times 2This is a reflection back to a time when Joanna didn't want a shot taken of her. I do believe that she may have warmed up to the idea. Is that a smile I detect? Exhibit C:

Joanna Directs"Which side did you want that table on, Joanna?" Exhibit D:

"Why not?!"The look on Garet Chester when Joanna told him, "No, Garet. You can't do that!"

Now, let us consider the evidence presented...

Exhibit A: Joanna may have been a little forward with two of Hanover's finest that she had never before met.  This was their first time coming...They needed to be briefed!

Exhibit B: She got up in front of everyone and stressed the importance of the mission field you were about to enter.  She may have even teared up during that talk, and there may or may not have been a scary picture posted behind her during much of that talk.

Exhibit C: Joanna says, "Do this" or "Do that" and you DO it.

Exhibit D: Joanna says, "Don't do that" and you DON'T do that!

You may not know have known what she was getting you signed up for when you "volunteered" to work in God's Music.  You may not have known what was required of you when you committed to participate in the carnival.  Let me, however, suggest that ministry has occurred where you may have least expected it to.  If the evidence above gives you reason to run away from these kinds of ministries, let the photos below encourage you to run toward them.

Addison Takes a Break From the StandShe took a short break to spend some quality time with one of the many animals on site. Pure ExcitementA little one witnesses one of the baby pigs! A Piece of The PuzzleYears of service, love, and connection commemorated. "Take me to the next thing, Dad!"

And this is just skimming the surface of the last six years of photos!  This ministry, though it is all in good fun that I poke at her, is not about Joanna Frank.  It is about community.  It's about loving those who others would not.  It's about going where God called us to.  God has used many talented individuals to minister God's love to others during outreaches just like these.  Please consider being a part of this kind of ministry.  God uses leaders like Joanna to inspire you to reach out, but please also consider during your quiet time what Luke 14:12-14 means for you.

When you see Joanna Frank or someone like her who God could use to call you into ministry, do not shy away.  Be attentive to the place where He calls you.  Listen for that voice.  It may not be Joanna that He uses.  It could be Carter Goolsby.  It could be Dwayne Moore.  It could be Mitch Bennett.  How about Matt Hoole?  Daniel Susenbach?  Certainly any one of their better halves could usher you into God's work.  Maybe the Judy's, the Masons, the Pattersons, the Baughmans, or any one of the family's within our community will inspire you to do His will.

Connect with people who will encourage you in your faith, encourage you to do God's work and who will hold you accountable to what we are entrusted to.

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And last but not least, let me say that no Hanover County Police Officers where harmed in the making of these events!

Thank you to Hanover County Sheriff's Office, all the churches, organizations and all those who make events like the Resource Connection Carnival possible.