As we introduced you all yo our wonderful team of interns, we realized it’s been a while since we introduced you to our staff team! Over the coming weeks you’ll have the chance to meet our dedicated staff members and learn a bit about them. First up is the newest member of our team, Emily Bray.
Em started serving as the Vision of Hope secretary at the end of September 2020. She is originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 2019 married her husband Jordan. Em has served in ministry in multiple areas, including being a small group leader, serving on missions trips, and participating in the worship team at Faith. Her favorite Bible verse is Matthew 6:28-30 because it reminds her that the Lord will provide everything she needs. She also loves Psalm 73 and how she sees David’s war within himself, but he still went into his sanctuary and remembered God.
Before Vision of Hope, Em had gotten a degree in paralegal studies and worked as a paralegal for four years. She specialized in family criminal law and that is where her passion for struggling people enflamed. She specifically has a heart for girls in high school that appear “normal” but are actually struggling, because that is a part of her own past as well.
Em was born into a family of unbelievers, but her parents eventually were saved later in life. Watching the transformation of her parents impacted Em greatly, and she herself became saved at a young age with the gospel becoming more and more clear. She comments, “From that, I’ve developed a realization that the gospel is for every age and everyone.” God has taught Em that despite how she is a sinner and may struggle, she can rest in the fact that God knows everything and chooses to love her anyway.
Em became connected with Vision of Hope after the COVID-19 pandemic started, although she originally heard about VOH from the 2014 BCTC. She had wanted to come serve as an intern, but it was not God’s timing for her. Down the road, God opened up the secretary position at Vision of Hope and Em was able to start serving.
Since becoming a secretary at VOH, Em considers her position to be “one of the best seats in the house.” She comments, “I get to see the Lord actively working in the residents, day in and day out. I love what Vision of Hope stands for. I know that the Bible is what changes people, so to be in a place where that is key is amazing.” Em’s favorite thing about Vision of Hope are the residents and staff. She loves interacting and checking in with the residents and getting to watch them grow. Em says that the “staff are incredible—just the way that they interact with each other. I can’t explain how different it is compared to the world’s way. . .It’s so clear the Holy Spirit is there.”
So far, Em has learned in her time at Vision of Hope that loving someone well doesn’t mean making sure they are happy, stating, “sometimes the most loving thing for someone is to point out their sin yet help them through it. What’s loving is when you walk beside them in that.” As she works at Vision of Hope, Em is also pursuing her ACBC certification so she can counsel people as well.
Vision of Hope is grateful for the service Em has provided and the impact she has had on the ministry thus far! They cannot wait to see how she progresses in the ministry and where God leads her during her time at VOH.
