It’s a special thing to see a couple serve together in ministry, serving not only out of their individual love for Christ, but also together in their love for one another. So, we wanted to highlight 4 couples that have been volunteering with our ministry here at FFM on a regular basis…together!
To make a bit more fun, we gave them a short questionnaire to give us insight into their story as a couple and as FFM volunteers. Don’t miss out on these fun stories and details! Enjoy the read and consider serving together with your spouse, kids, and others in your life that you love. Click here to sign up: https://fullyfurnishedministries.org/volunteer.
Amira & Jason
1.) How long have you been married?
- We are going on 3 years of marriage.
2.) What’s your favorite date night?
- Our favorite date night is trying out a new restaurant in the Atlanta area.
3.) How long have you been serving together at Fully Furnished and in what area?
- We’ve been serving at FFM for 3 years and serve the moving department of the ministry.
4.) How did you start serving together?
- After taking pre-married life and during pre-married counseling, we realized serving together is something we felt was important to incorporate in our future marriage. We found FFM and decided to try it out. After our first time serving at FFM we loved purpose of the ministry and the rest is history.
5.) Why do you like to serve together?
- We like to serve together because it is a way for us to be together the whole day. During the week day we are both busy working and we don’t see each other until the evening. It is also a way for the both of us to look outside of ourselves, beyond our own problems, and make a positive difference on someone else life through FFM and ultimately through Christ.
6.) Share your favorite story/memory from serving together.
- We were at a delivery and the smiles on the family’s face was amazing! The family was recovering from a house fire and they were just so thankful to receive the furniture from FFM.
Mary & Merrill
1) How long have we been married?
- We recently celebrated 30 years.
2) What is your favorite date night?
- We love being outside, so going biking or hiking and then out for a casual dinner is a perfect evening.
3) How long have you been serving together at FFM and in which area do you serve?
- We’ve both been “around” the ministry for maybe 10+ years, as donors and on random volunteer projects with various groups. However, in the fall of 2019, while doing some furniture restoration work with Glenn Mahoney (board member and friend of Merrill) it came up that they needed better connections with current and new social service agencies (where furniture requests originate). Mary has a master’s in social work, so this was right up her alley and she jumped in connecting and surveying agencies on ways we could work better together. Shortly after Merrill was recruited to focus on the technical side of things. Since then, Jeff and Mary (Myers) keep finding new assignments (website, reporting, automation, flowcharts, videos) for us to tackle, and we keep accepting. Almost always we work on these together with each of us focusing on the part of the project that matches our skill set, and/or bouncing ideas off each other. We like it because we are always working on something new, we can do it together, and we get to see the impact of our work!
4) Why do you like to serve together and in this in ministry?
- First of all, this ministry is such a blessing to those experiencing furniture poverty. How can you make a home without furniture? The people receiving furniture feel blessed to receive and the people giving are blessed knowing their furniture is helping someone else. We have owned a few businesses so have learned to work well together. Merrill loves the technology side, which is not Mary’s strong suite. Mary prefers the people, organizing, creating, and communication side, we are Yin and Yang and almost every project needs some of both!
5) Do you have a favorite memory from serving together at FFM?
- Most of our work is “back of the house” but when we do get to go on a delivery, which is where we get recharged and get refocused on the “why” we volunteer. Most people do not realize that FFM clients are the working poor and if one thing goes wrong, they are living out of a motel, or on the street. One family we met was in a motel for over 2 years. They worked hard while caring for their child. Finally, after saving enough an agency was able to help them move back into an apartment. They were so thankful when the truck from FFM rolled up and we prayed together before leaving and you could see the joy and excitement, they felt for getting a new chance. That certainly energized us!
6) Any else to share?
- Praise God for the growth of the ministry. It has been one thing that has truly blossomed during this pandemic as FFM is serving so many more families that are moving typically from motels to apartments.
Luke & Emily
1) How long have you been married?
- 4+ years
2) What’s your favorite date night?
- Eating subs at home, but we have more fun during the day.
3) How long have you been serving together at FFM and in which area do you serve?
- Luke: 3 years, furniture delivery/pickup
- Emily: 7 months, furniture delivery/pickup (formerly furniture restoration)
3) How did you start serving together at FFM?
- Luke found FFM through Victory Church and loved it so much that eventually Emily decided to stop working on Saturdays and go with.
4) Why do you like to serve together in ministry?
- It’s fun and we get to meet new people together. It’s fun when different people ride in the truck with us.
5) Do you have a favorite memory from serving together at FFM?
- Just last weekend we delivered furniture to a couple with four children who expressed so much gratitude for everything we gave them – from their new sofa, to the new beds for their kids, and even to food and toilet paper. It was an extra stop after a long day, but it made us appreciate how lucky we are to be a small part of this ministry.
We also enjoyed the time James West had his FFM shirt on backwards and didn’t know it.
Sherry & Terrance
1) How long have you been married?
- 16 Years
2) What’s your favorite date night?
- Dinner & Movie
3) How long have you been serving together at FFM and in which area do you serve?
- 2 years – Hearts Team
4) How did you start serving together at FFM?
- Terrance started in 2017 when it was Movers & Shakers. If I remember correctly, John reached out to me (Sherry) since I am bilingual and my first-time volunteering, I was with Rosa, 2 years ago.
5) Why do you like to serve together in ministry?
- It’s a fun way to serve as a couple and serve our community together. There is such a wide range of emotions felt such as happiness when you see a child’s joy to have a bed, heart wrenching when a mom can’t open her door for her child’s safety, and we leave everything on the porch and pray outside her door. We experience laughter as well with FFM recipients and donors.
6) Do you have a favorite memory from serving together at FFM?
- Our favorite memory was when we went to a FFM recipient who had basically just arrived in US. They were so happy when the truck pulled up. They came out with smiles and helped unload. After all was in the home, they prayed for us and wanted to know how they can pay it forward and serve.