Our woman in the spotlight has been in ministry for years, she is committed to marriage and family counseling. She also counsels at risk youths. She is the wife of a pastor and mother to two impressonable daughters. She is a native of Philadelphia who recently transfered to Hawii along with her husband who is also a serviceman.
Her name is Cherita Jones. Evangelist Jones admits that balancing Motherhood and Ministry has been an experience but she keeps going daily by the grace of God and from drawing inspiration from such strong women as, Rosa Parks and Corretta Scott King to name a few. She draws strength from her Faith in God knowing that greater is HE that is in her than he that is in the world. Cherita and her husband have future plans in expanding the ministry they share together as husband and wife, but right now she is committed to raising their two daughters and serving as the Lord leads. I rejoice in being able to share the interview I had with her with all of you.
W2W: Tell us a bit about yourself.
Cherita: My Name is Cherita Jones. I am a devoted wife to Pastor Josiah Jones. We have two lovely daughters Cassandra and Sierra. As an Evangelist, I have spent several years serving in the ministry as well as working in Education at several schools including the University of Pennsylvania. I have been committed to marriage and family counseling as well as counseing at-risk-youth.
W2W: Tell us about your transition from your hometown to Hawaii.
Cherita: Our transition from Philadelphia PA to Hawaii was not an easy task. Once my husband recieved orders to go to hawaii he left a month before me and I had to pack up the household goods and fly alone with my one year old daughter. I did not know what to expect in Hawaii. I felt very prepared to transition to a new place. I don't think that I had any fears. However, there are more than a few difficulties such as, lack of family being around, having to find a place to fellowship, finding a new job. etc... I knew that this is what I would have to face and I embraced it as an adventurious challenge. It has been interesting learing about the culture here in Hawaii and all of the different countries in the Pacific. The food, the stores as well as the customs are a bit different as well. It has been a joy having my second child born here to experience a different culture.
W2W: How do you balance motherhood and your ministry?
Cherita: Ballancing motherhood and ministry has been a learning experience. Most of the time, I would bring my children with me in everything that I did. Either they would sit near me as I taught a group or I would ask others to watch them as I ministered to congregation. God had blessed us with church family that we trust with our children so that we are free to be used. At first when we did not know anyone. My husband and I would take turns with the children. We set up a system that either he or I would be doing something and never at the same time. That way there would always be one of us free to keep an eye on them.
When we moved here, the Lord told me to be cautious of some of my neighbors. In the past the Lord has sent me everywhere and in every situation to minister to people in drug areas and involved in prostitution as well as other lifestyles. However, all of a sudden, I knew that this was a different situation. As I prayed for my neighbors from a distance. I found out that they were deeply rooted into witchcraft and wicka. When it comes to ministering to people, I had to be extremely cautious and prayerful. With young children, their spirit is so open and trusing that as parents we have to be their covering. We have to protect them. Ever since I have had children, my mission has changed from ministering to other people first, to taking care of my children and serving as the Lord leads.
W2W: How is your life as the wife of a serviceman?
Cherita: Life as an army wife is very interesting. All army wives are "married to the military". This life is very self-sacrificing. And many times the rewards that we get are not equivalent to the sacrifices made. Having to be away from you spouse for a year and-a-half. Having to uproot every couple of years can be very stressful. Most civilians don't understand what a military family goes through. However, there is a great deal of pride that each family has because they know that their loved one is protecting our nation and in a time when jobs are scarse and unreliable, it is a blessing to know that this is a sacrifice not made in vain.
W2W: What effect does it have on you and the girls with him being away for weeks at a time and how do you deal with it?
My youngest child was not cognizant of her father's absence. But when he returned she still had tendencies to go to me for everything. My oldest daughter took it pretty hard when her daddy deployed. She is so happy that he is back and she is as close to him now as before. Thank God for skype and other forms of technology, this deployment has been easier because you can call often and the girls were able to see their father through the computer.
W2W: Who or what inspires you to do what you do?
Cherita: Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Juanita Bynum are some of the women who inspire me. These women had to be strong and pray throughout everything that they have gone through. They all had faith in God. Greater is he that is in me than he that's in the world. And they were able to make an impact on their situations as well as impacting others lives.
W2W: What are some of your future goals?
Cherita: Currently, we are looking forward to starting our church in Hawaii.
W2W: What encouragement can you offer to other women who might be going through storms in their life?
Cherita: The darkest hour is right before dawn. As you go through your storm remember that no man is an island. Even if you get depressed never isolate yourself. We all need each other. Never hesitate to ask for prayer, guidance and assistance. Most of the time there are people around who have gone through the same things that we are going through. And many of them would be more than willing to help in anyway that they could. There are eagles out there sometimes we just have to find them and know that they can't be found in the chicken pen.
W2W: Cherita how can we your sisters in Christ be in prayer for you?
Cherita: Please pray that God's protection and blessings will be upon our family.
W2W Lounge thanks Evangelist Cherita Jones for this inspiring interview and for sharing from her heart with us.
Sherri Walker
Woman2Woman Lounge, Editor & Founder of
Moms Working for the Kingdom
http://www.momsworkingforthekingdom.webs.com
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