Blog
A Story of Value
Posted by Shaylee Honey on January 05, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Today we're excited to have a guest post from Abilene Christian University student Karissa Sherry. Karissa writes of Nancy Miller's legacy.
A dad beams with pride and brags about his daughter's beautiful voice. This is the kind of joy Nancy Miller brought to many lives while fulfilling God's calling for her life. This woman was the first child Miller placed into an adoptive home.
Miller has served with Christian Homes & Family Services for 40 years. She is now retiring from her ministry of caring for women with unplanned pregnancies, placing children to be adopted into loving Christian homes, bringing encouragement to the people she worked with, and leading the organization as president for 32 years.
As a single woman, Miller was able to answer God's calling for her life and devote her entire time to the ministry of Christian Homes.
"I never questioned why God kept me single all these years," Miller said.
Since Miller doesn't have her own family to need her care, she has had the opportunity to dedicate her love and care to the staff and the clients of Christian Homes. In many ways, the staff has become her family.
"I couldn't have done it without the staff I've had," Miller said. "God blessed me with great people to work with. Many have been here for over 25 years and that gives clients a lot of confidence."
The staff is equally grateful.
"When I didn't think I could put one foot in front of the other, here came Nancy with a hug and a sweet smile," said Charlene Walker, former residential and maternity caseworker. "The warmth from her blessed me and wrapped me up. She was like a warm blanket."
God's calling and passion for kids allowed Miller to lead Christian Homes to have great success. The numbers say it all. During Miller's tenure, 2,180 birthmothers were given maternity care, 1,139 children were loved and cared for by committed foster parents, and 1,419 children were adopted by loving families.
One young man approached Miller at a dinner and thanked her for changing his life. He had been adopted from Christian Homes and is now serving in youth ministry. Another family adopted two boys and a little girl through Christian Homes, and they now have nine grandchildren. The first little girl that Miller helped place into a home is now 40 years old and is teaching at a junior college, making her dad proud. Stories such as these are what give Miller's work value.
"It is satisfying to see how those kids have been blessed by their adoptive families," Miller said, "and it is great seeing the birthmothers change their lives through our program. It's a huge decision, and it's a tough one to make. It's a maturing process for them; to see them grow up beautifully is pretty exciting."
Now Miller is entering a new season of her life as she retires from Christian Homes and Family Services. Miller said she wants to do some things she was unable to do while working full time. She is looking forward to visiting her family in College Station, Texas, and seeing her nieces and nephews play in their soccer games and perform in concerts. She also plans to travel to areas of the country she has not yet visited. She also admitted that she "wants to read a book without feeling guilty about it."
"Time flies, it doesn't feel like 40 years," Miller said. "It's been an awesome experience for me, a wonderful experience."
Miller's influence will not end with her retirement. She will continue to bring joy through her actions, through others she has influenced and through her story.
