Um Life audio. Hi from the Salvation Army and you're listening to Words of Life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. Hey, and welcome back to Words of Life.
For the next few weeks, we're going to be sharing a series of testimonies we were able to record during a recent Salvation Army event. These recordings took place in a makeshift studio that we had outside.
So at times you'll hear people kind of walking by and talking, but we just embraced the chaos. To offer a space for people to come and share a testimony about someone who has been an inspiration to them in their own walk with God. During the Salvation Army USA Southern Territories Commissioning 2025.
Soundcast offered a space for individuals to record testimonies about people who have been pillars of hope and guidance in their walk with God. These are their stories. I already knew it, but as soon as I saw this, I was like, you know, I have let me go. I am Gloria Diavangama. I currently serve as a Territorial Students Ministry Coordinator here in Atlanta.
Um And I know just I love it. love to serve the Lord. He's He's the love of my life. I am married. Yeah, he's the love of my life in it.
He's the love of my life in a different way. With Jesus, it's eternity. With Godao, my husband, it's still death to us part.
So he comes second. But I do love him. And I do have three children as well: Alex, Oliver, and Jessica. And um Yes, um, I could say a lot more, but this is, I guess, what I'm gonna say now. All right, well, I am Jessica Pierre.
I am an officer. I'm currently serving with my husband, Jimmy Pierre, with lieutenants in Burlington, North Carolina, but only for two more weeks. Then we'll be transitioning to Beaufort, South Carolina. And we have two children, they're toddlers, so pray for us. A four-year-old little girl who's going on 20, and then an almost two-year-old little boy.
Their names are Giselle and Jacoby.
So yeah. That's me. I am originally from Haiti, and when my family moved to North Carolina, my uncle got me connected to the Salvation Army.
So I was a nine-year-old immigrant girl, and in the Salvation Army, I felt seen, I felt loved, I felt welcomed. Um but of course there was just a lot of familial Trauma.
So I grew up knowing the Lord, but I don't know that I believe that it was real. And then had a lot of leaders in the Salvation Army, but Gloria meant the most to me because she had a model for discipleship that just. Involved us as teens in her life. And so we would, after church on a Sunday, we all would pack up in her car, go to her house, and we would just hang out. And it was so transformational for me because it was like, oh my goodness, this is real.
Like Christianity is real. The fact that she opened up her life and allowed us to see. How she mothered, how she was a wife, and like she included us in the tough times in her lives. And she was just, it was just open, like, hey, you can serve the resurrected Jesus for real. Like, this can be true.
I know as a 14-year-old, I needed to see that, to believe that, like, Yeah, Jesus' love is really transformational. This is not, you know what I mean? This is not just. For sure. Which, yeah.
And the biggest thing that I would say, well, not the biggest thing, one of the many things, one of the many ways that her and her family influenced me. In my family, I promise you, I don't think I've ever seen a healthy marriage. Like, it just, like, even in my mind as a young person, I was like, who wants to get married? Like, why? You know what I mean?
Like, who wants to do that? Like, I just never saw a healthy one. As an adult, now looking back, I'm like, man, like, it was so important for me to see her and her husband live out their faith as a union, as a couple. And it gave me hope that I could have that too. Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Army's Words of Life.
We're going to take a quick ad break and we'll be right back. At Thrive Ent, planning your finances is bigger than money. It's a way to support the people, causes, and community you love because helping you put your faith into action is at the heart of what we do. Thrive in, where money means more. Connect with us at Brivent.com.
My teen years were definitely it. I struggled a lot. I definitely lived a compartmentalized life. I was one way at church and then one way at school with friends. You know how it is to be a teenager.
But I will say one thing about Gloria: she was consistent. Even when I was choosing to not live the right way, like I always felt her accountability, if that makes sense.
So, like, even when I was sneaky and sneaking around, but I was like, I know if Gloria knew this, she would not approve. And there's a lot of ways that I would like. I choose to do the right thing because I looked up to her and I honored her and I wanted her. You know what I mean? During my college years, yeah, I definitely strayed away a bit.
And I remember when the Lord brought me back to. To Raleigh, he wasn't bringing me back to a building. He was bringing me back to a people. You know what I mean? I was coming back home to my family, you know, people that loved me.
And that's what discipleship is about. That's what. That's what the church is. It's people. Like, you know, she had a key to my house.
I did have a key to her house. No, legit. Like, I would. My kids still remember. Hello.
She was just walking. I did. And I would open their fridge. I'd eat their food. And, like, they walked back.
I remember. And I said it at her wedding. I remember When I first joined the Salvation Army, it was in 2005 because I didn't grow up a Salvationist. My husband is. Was born in the Savage Narme.
So he's the one that introduced me to the Savage New Army. And I just remember. Um just one time being in the core. Just looking out the window after the service and just seeing a group of teens. uh standing outside the the building And um I just remember feeling just this pull.
Towards them, but particularly, particularly Jessica. It's just, for me, it was. It I felt like From the beginning, the Lord was commissioning me to somehow look out, look after her. And I As she was saying, I had plenty of teens at my home just throughout the time that we were there. But with Jessica, it was just something just different.
It was just a different pool. I. Honestly. Believed that the Lord just wanted me somehow in her life to bring her up to where she is now. Um because honestly when when it's when after I think you you left the job that you that she had she left the job that she had after she graduated with the Masters.
Uh she worked for the city of Raleigh. But she left that job to take a pay cut and work for the Corps. And it was just a little bit after that that my husband, my family, and I were just. Called to move to Texas from Raleigh, North Carolina. And I really feel as I'm looking back at it that that was my mission there.
to um somehow just Put her on the path that the Lord wanted her on. And it's an honor. It's an honor for the Lord to put His servant, to put me in charge of His servant. You know, this is His. called servant and he's he's allowed me to be a part of Putting her on that path.
And I just feel so humbled by it. I remember a dream that Jessica had one time. This was a fun thing that we used to, I mean, we would have dreams, like, can I say she has dreams about me? She has dreams about me all the time. It's, yeah, like the Lord uses Arizona.
Somehow, and she's probably sending messages for each other through dreams. And one time she had a dream that she had made spaghetti and meatballs. I can't remember. Like, I was making spaghetti and meatballs. You made spaghetti.
And she was with another teen who's, I mean, she's also grown. Like, so another one that grew up with that, she was a part of the teens that were in my group. They were both there and I served The other girl had And then Jessica was just waiting. She was just like, okay, is she going to serve me too? And I was just like, no, you can go ahead and do it yourself now.
And so she, she, yeah, she came to me. I was going to say, she was like, I got. And I was like, no, I think the Lord is saying you're ready. Yeah. I just you know I I'm he Put me in both of y'all's life to raise you guys.
But I think that the Lord says you're ready. You really don't need me. You're ready for the journey now. I'm overwhelmed with just gratitude and just godly pride, whatever you want to call it. When I see the work that she's doing now, when I see her as a wife, as a mother, as a Faithful servant, that's an amazing speaker.
Amazing speaker. She's going to speak tomorrow. And I just, I can't wait. It's just, I'm just in awe of what the Lord is doing in her life. We pray that you're enjoying.
and being blessed by this conversation. We're going to take one more ad break and we'll be right back. For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrive Enchant, planning your finances is bigger than just money.
We help you put your plans into motion and faith into action.
so you can do more for the ones in your heart. Because sometimes all you need to make a difference is someone to help you make it happen. Private, where money means more. Connect with us at Thriving.com. One time I actually was a teen, I wasn't even in college yet, but I had snuck out of the house or I had gone somewhere.
Do you remember this? And my mom knew anytime I'm in trouble, she knew the way to like get me was to be like, I'm calling Gloria. And it was like, no, please don't. Yeah. Oh.
Let them know what I did. And so she ended up calling Gloria just for saying, like, hey, she didn't come. I don't, maybe I didn't come home that night. I don't know. No, you told her that you would come into our house.
That's what it was. Even worse. Yeah. And got caught. And I actually stayed with one of my girlfriends.
And we worked together.
So we just spent the night and then we ended up going to work. But Gloria ended up calling me. And immediately there were tears. But what I do remember is that it wasn't scolding. Like it wasn't like.
It was just reminding me of who I was and whose I was. And it was the accountability that I needed. You know what I mean? Like, she was firm, but it was very loving. I mean, kind of like what Jesus does.
You know what I mean? Like, he said to the woman who was about to get stoned, like, you're loved, but go and sin no more.
So it was that kind of love. And so you weren't scared of her being called because you thought she was going to stone you. No. You were scared of letting her down. Disappointing her.
I did not want to disappoint her because I know how she was training me to be. And I knew I wasn't living that way. You know what I mean? So I think. That that's the main meal reader possible for me.
I remember that. I'm pretty sure I've told you this before, Gloria, but I just, yeah, I just really thank you for just the way you loved me, a teen who was young and selfish and really just. didn't even know up from down and in your care and the fact that you opened up your home. You just allowed me into your life. You allowed me to see how to mother, how to be a wife.
You didn't shy away from showing me the difficulties and the tough times, which is really important.
So I, but I think the most influence that you had on me is to show me that yes, it's possible to live and follow the resurrected Jesus in a way that honors Him, that you don't have to live a compartmentalized life, a double life. You can, this God can really renew your mind in a way to where all of your life is reflecting Him. And I'd never seen that until you.
So I thank you, I honor you for giving me that. And it has been a huge foundation in my life.
Well, I made it without crying. I'm very proud of myself. I did. I'm watching you. I'm like, I'm not going to tear it.
Thank you guys. This was so good. And I know I don't know either of you personally, but I know who both of you are and just the impact that I know you make in the communities around you. You are both forces of nature for God.
So, like, just thank you for being you and just. Keep doing your thing. Amen. Thank you so much, Chris. Thank you.
And Chris. The Salvation Army's mission, doing the most good, means helping people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to offer your support. You can subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite podcast store or visit SalvationArmysoundcast.org.
Join us next time for the Salvation Army's Words of Life. Drive. These are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life.
We want to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeeaudio.com where you'll find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, and more. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.
Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with the ultra-durable LG X-Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG X Boom.
And for a limited time, save 25% at lg.com with code FALL25. Bring a bull. X Boom. Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom.
Hit the town with the ultra durable LG X Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG X Boom. And for a limited time, save 25% at LG.com with code FALL25. Bring the bowl.
X boom.
