Continuing in our series introducing our interns, we want you to meet Teresa! Teresa is one of our eight junior interns who came in July. Like the other juniors, she is growing day by day into her new role here.
My name is Teresa Conbeer and I am from Fonda, NY, a small country village along the Mohawk River about an hour west of Albany, NY. Before coming to VOH, I worked for a small law firm as a legal assistant and also for my parents on our organic produce farm. I enjoy working outside, growing things, working with children and the elderly, painting, sewing, reading, traveling, and visiting new places and people. I also have a heart for ministry, particularly discipleship, and have served in my local church in several ways. I attended a year at Word of Life Bible Institute and have participated in several foreign missions trips.
I trusted Jesus Christ at the age of 7 years old. I had grown up in a Christian home where I was taught the gospel however God chose to open my eyes to His truth and saving grace at a Day Camp that I attended and under the guidance of a counselor who taught me more about who Jesus is and all that He had done for me. I understood that day the sin in my heart and my helpless state and how Jesus had died and rose again in my place so I can have a relationship with God and live forever with Him! It was not until between 14 and 16 years old that I realized I needed to make my faith my own, stop hiding behind others under the name of “Christianity” and stand for and follow Christ with my whole heart. I realized I needed to allow Christ to be Lord over ALL of my life and allow His Word to impact how I live. Since then, God has used a series of ups and downs to draw me closer to Himself and make me more like Christ! To Him be the glory!
How did you hear about the VOH internship? What are you excited to learn and grow in at VOH?
I heard about VOH through attending Faith Church’s Biblical Counseling Training Conference for several years and hearing the testimonies of staff and residents. I believe the Lord has given me a heart and passion for discipleship, to take what I’ve learned from God’s Word and other godly people and mentors and pour into the lives of others. This opportunity to intern with VOH has been on my heart and in the works for a few years now. I attended several ACBC conferences and through VOH testimonies, the Lord just laid this on my heart as an opportunity to serve, grow and become better equipped for future ministry. Because the need is so prevalent around me, I desire to work particularly with young girls and women, understanding how to love biblically, point them to Christ, apply God’s truth to our lives and to learn better how to walk faithfully with these ladies and with our Lord. I’ve been given the opportunity to work with girls in the past and found that there were many things about their struggles that I did not understand and therefore I want to gain a better understanding of these issues, what the Bible says about them and how a person can experience victory. Another desire is that the Lord would perform His work in MY heart and teach me to be continually obedient to Him.
Why were you interested in coming here to serve for a year?
In the future, I would like to be in ministry in some capacity. What that will look like right now, I am unsure. I have done some missions work in Mexico and really have a desire to go back and possibly use this biblical counseling training there. Something also that has been on my heart is to start or work in either a camp setting or treatment center in my home town. I would love to help my local church better develop a biblical counseling philosophy and ministry as well. Even just building relationships in my community and church and working besides, that would be great too- my desire is in whatever way the Lord has me to serve in the future, that my life would point others to Christ.
If we had a fun themed day at VOH, what would you want the theme to be and why?
If we did a fun day here at VOH, I think it would be neat to pick a cultural theme, a theme from another country- possibly dress up, cook food, and plan activities according to that culture. I just love learning more about other countries and cultures and how they do things!
We are glad to have Teresa learning, growing and serving here as she dreams and prays about long-term future ministry opportunities!
