Kathy Jackson
h2o
Orlando, FL
I grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio where I attended
church with my family, but it was not until high school that I accepted
Christ as my Savior and saw Him begin transforming my life. When I left
home to attend Eastern Michigan University, my desire was to find a
fellowship or Bible study that I could get involved in and would help
nurture my young relationship with Christ. Within the first few
weeks of school, I got involved with GCM (known at that time as Great
Commission Students). I graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in Fashion Merchandising and worked for a couple years in both
retail and the travel industry, volunteering my free time doing
ministry on campus. In 1992, I decided to pursue full-time campus
ministry with GCM at the neighboring Big Ten school - the University of
Michigan. I loved my time in campus ministry! God was showing me over
and over again, that despite my weaknesses and limitations, He was
using me to advance His Kingdom!
After 8 years of campus ministry, I felt God’s leading to work in
GCM’s National Headquarters in Orlando, Florida, with hopes that
this would include being more involved with our women staff. My heart
was to encourage and support the GCM women because I knew how difficult
it had been for me to be the only single woman on an ever-growing staff
team of men (most of whom were married). The guys I co-labored with
were great, but I often felt isolated and had hit a wall as to what my
role in campus ministry would look like over the following 5-10 years.
It was also increasingly difficult in my season of life (single, early
30’s) to be available (on weekends & evenings) to spend time
with peers. I had heard other women on staff struggle as well and my
heart went out to them.
So, I left Michigan in the fall of 2000, to start my new “career” with GCM at the Headquarters. For the next 5 years, I spent my 40 hours each week supporting missionaries all over
the world through Human Resources, New Staff Training, and some MTD
coaching. The dream of working with women, in particular, was starting
to form into reality with others who had a passion for the same thing!
GCM’s National Women’s Ministry (NWM) was born!
As time went by, there were still more changes and room for growth in
my life. I got married to Mitch Jackson in 2005 and started to think
about returning to “field” ministry once again. After
months of prayer and input, I officially left my HR role in Spring of
2006 and joined the staff of h2o Orlando. I have been working for them
ever since! Approximately 80% of my time is devoted to local ministry
and the rest to NWM.
Life in ministry full-time has been an adventure! Life on staff with
GCM for 15 years has been a journey! The rest of the story is yet to be
written! The chapter that Mitch and I are in right now? We are
currently in the adoption process and hope to be parents soon! As this
chapter unfolds, my desire is still to encourage and support the women
of GCM, in whatever capacity the Lord provides.