When Angel Phillips' mother passed away, her father George Phillips was left to raise his daughter alone. Realizing her son needed help, Helen Puterbaugh moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana. When she arrived, Helen asked George to drive her to church on Sabbath. George dutifully drove his mother to church and slowly but surely discovered a place where he could grow in Christ. It wasn't long before George was baptized and became an active disciple of Jesus. Led to Christ by his mother, it was only natural for George to lead his daughter Angel to Jesus as well. About a year later, Angel was baptized into the family of God.

In a discipleship class, their pastor challenged Angel, George, and Helen to do something for Jesus. So they attended a ShareHim training seminar presented by trainer Ben Kochenower, and Indiana Conference ministerial secretary, Peter Neri. Ben asked for volunteers to come forward to experience what it was like to be a speaker. Angel went forward, and under Ben's guidance she tried out a sermon while sifting through the assorted slides and presentation materials required of each speaker. Initially tentative, yet willing to be a servant that God could use, Angel proceeded as many looked on and admired her courage and willingness to be a vessel shaped by God.

Angel was molded into a powerful witness for Jesus. In a stunning act of faith, Angel completed her first evangelistic series about the same time she finished the fifth grade at the Aboite Adventist Elementary School in Fort Wayne. Angel spoke on a variety of topics centered on Jesus during five weekends in May and June at the Fort Wayne Church.

Angel said, "I asked God to help me because when God helps you, you really see it. You may make a few mistakes here and there, but He still helps you." All in all, she held 15 meetings with an average attendance of 25 people, and quite a few were first-time visitors. Angel said about her preaching in the ShareHim program, "I hope that some other people may get interested. I really would like that. My dad told me that we all know that the time is really short (before Jesus will come again)."

Angel's pastor, Ramon Ulangca, remarked, "When I think of angels, I think of the messengers of God. That's what Angel became when she answered God's call to be a witness for Him. She lived up to her name and became a messenger for God. And what a powerful messenger she is! She showed us that when you are connected with Jesus, all things are possible in His strength. I pray that God will continue to bless her, and her father and grandmother, as they continue to fulfill the Gospel Commission our Lord gave us to do."

Angel and her family plan to continue to serve the Lord by preaching and teaching the greatest message ever given by God to the world.

Brett McAllister is the Fort Wayne Seventh-day Adventist Church communication secretary.