DIANE
I was born in Denver, Colorado. My parents had three girls – I am the youngest. Rebecca, along with her husband Gary and their two kids, lives near San Francisco. Beth, along with her husband Brad and their two kids, lives near Indianapolis. My mom and stepfather, Peggy and Jim Cramer, live in rural southwest Iowa. My dad and stepmother, Jim and Paulette Fisher, live near Indianapolis.
A Brownie and Girl Scout growing up near Denver, my family moved to Ames, Iowa, then to Omaha, Nebraska. I graduated from Millard Senior High School in Omaha in 1979.
After a year of work in Omaha, I moved to Fort Worth, TX, where I worked at Color Tile, Inc. I had been there for almost two years when Ruth came to work in the same office. I began accepting her invitations to a small group meeting and met other women in her church. As I met the people that Ruth introduced me to, I realized they shared some characteristics that were very attractive. One night Ruth clearly explained to me how I could have a personal relationship with God and asked if I wanted to commit my life to Christ and begin a growing relationship with the Lord. I prayed with her in her bedroom in her apartment on July 28, 1982. This is absolutely my happiest experience as an adult! I was baptized that September, and became a member of Hope Community Church.
Two of my next roommates, Chris and Sandy, were students at a seminary. God used them to play an integral role in establishing a heart for overseas work early in my Christian walk. Chris and Sandy would have “overseas work nights” at our house, where we learned about, wrote to, and prayed for overseas workers. That was the beginning of God’s call for me to go into overseas work. Since then, I have always felt as though I would be going overseas somewhere, someday.
I moved back to Omaha, working at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and an architectural firm for two years while attending Westside Church, pastored by Calvin Miller. In 1987, God led me to move to Lincoln, specifically to be part of two-year-old New Covenant Community Church. During the next five years, working at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, God continued to draw my heart toward overseas work, and I had the opportunity to lead some international students to faith in Jesus.
In the states I was involved with Bible Study Fellowship, children’s ministry, ministry to the poor, Angel Tree Project, worship ministry, and women’s ministry.
I enjoy helping out at the kids’ school, building relationships over coffee, reading, aerobics, and connecting people with others and with resources that meet their needs.
In June 1996, God strongly impressed upon me that He wanted us to pursue full-time overseas work. My only overseas experience at that time had been five weeks in France in 1978 with my high school French class. God “tapped” me, and said Go.