Who am I?
I am MaryEllen Baumgardner-Black, a graduate of Mid-America Christian School and a former student of Marshall University. I am a 62-year-old mom of two wonderful daughters (Annie and Abi) and one son-in-law (Nathan), and I am the Oma of a sweeter-than-sweet, almost 3-year-old grandson (Lincoln). Aside from my relationship with God, they are the greatest joys of my life and are numbered among the many gifts of grace God has given me!
Employment
I am blessed to work at my church (Lewis Memorial Baptist) as an administrative assistant and content editor/writer for our monthly publication, the Connect magazine.
Faith
I believe that we are saved by the grace of God through faith in His son, Jesus Christ. I believe that this grace is a gift that can neither be lost nor taken away. I believe that when we come to Christ, we are made new; the old is gone, and the new has come. I believe that God changes us from the inside out through His Word, through His Spirit, through His Love, and through life experiences – and when He does, we are never the same again.
Life Verse:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17
I’ve been a believer since I was six years old – that’s a total of 56 years. Being a believer since six, in no way means that I have walked the walk or talked the talk for all of those years. The long and short of it is this: I got off track along the way and landed in the ‘wilderness’ – but because of that wilderness, I can tell you with certainty that God is the faithful God that His Word proclaims Him to be, and that His Word is truly a lamp that guided my feet back to solid ground. At the age of 28, God used His Word and a body of believers to help me understand the true and powerful meaning of His grace, mercy, and love to show me what it looks like to be a true and faithful follower of Christ. Through them, God taught me that Christianity is more than a religion – it is a living and vibrant relationship with God, the Father – the Son – and the Holy Spirit.
God (the Father, Son, and Spirit) is my rescuer, the faithful lover of my soul who pursued me, made a way where there was no way and saved me from a life of sin and shame. He has broken chains and pulled me from pits so that I might walk in the freedom of His grace. Through His grace, mercy, and love, He has truly changed me from the inside out. He continually teaches me to live one day at a time and frequently reminds me to remember that He’s still working on me, shaping me into His faithful follower, preparing and equipping me with all I need for life and godliness – and forever reminding me that I am utterly and forever, totally dependent on Him.
His Calling On My Life
As with all believers, God has called me to ‘go and make disciples’. However, at the age of 30, God called me to minister to women – specifically to encourage, equip, and empower women with His Word. Since that time. He has equipped me to minister not only to women who want to grow in their walk of faith but also to be a listening ear or offer words of hope and comfort to those facing specific challenges, such as divorce, infertility, and anxiety, as well as those who have lost loved ones, and those who have children with cancer or birth defects and most recently Currently, He is preparing me to equip and encourage those who have parents with dementia. I believe this is a part of how God works in all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.2 Corinthians 1:4
Comments or questions: Message me at mryelnb@aol.com (subject line: “Re: mefromthensideout”)
Me From the Inside Out 