Get to know the staff

Amanda Ranck

ELEMENTARY COORDINATOR

Preparing Sunday lessons for the first through fourth grade classes and working alongside our shepherds to teach the Bible to our kids and encourage them to grow in their love for the Lord.

Email:

Family: Married to Tyler and mom to three elementary age kids - Leah, Adalyn and Carson

Education: Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Messiah College

Previous Lines of Work: Learning Support Teacher in ELANCO School District; Stay-at-Home Momma at the Ranck Family home =)


FAVORITES:

• Food: Mediterranean food, Dark Chocolate, Fox Meadow's ice-cream
• Books: Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, A Severe Mercy, Evidence Not Seen, The Hiding Place
• Podcast or Streaming Content: Journeywoman Podcast, Knowing Faith Podcast
• Worship Song/Hymn: It is Well with my Soul; the Doxology
• Place for Day of Prayer, or Place to Pray: On my couch before starting the day, in the car, on a walk - I'm really just so thankful that we can come to Him anytime and any place!
• Season of the year: Summer
• Sports team: Thanks to my husband, I am an Orioles and Colts fan
• Hobby, Recreational Activity, or Sport to Play: Cross stitching/embroidery

LEAST FAVORITE:

• Food: Anything spicy
• Season: Winter

GET TO KNOW ME:

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?: A dental hygienist or a marine biologist (basically so I could swim with dolphins)

One of my greatest experiences with God: The peace I felt as the Lord held me close when my mom passed away and my second daughter was born, all within 24 hours of each other.

Most people don’t know this about me: I was on the Today Show (for 3 seconds!) after a plane I was on had to make an emergency landing because of smoke in the cockpit.

A bucket list item I would like to accomplish before I die: Visit the Holy Lands

Joy Desiato

RECEPTIONIST

Email: 

Family:  Married to Nick with four children: Silas, Asher, Eden and Charis.

Education: Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Bachelor of Science in Bible from Cairn University

Previous Places of Work: Social Worker/Case Manager for Alphacare in Philadelphia, PA

One thing that I find fascinating: God's ability to listen to and attend to the prayers of thousands (millions?) at the same time. I can't even listen to two of my kids at the same time!

FAVORITES:

• Food(s):  Pizza and cake. (Basically, I'm in my glory at an 8-year-old's birthday party!)
  
• Beverage: Black coffee
  
• Books: Fiction: At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols; Biography: Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas; Non-Fiction: Money, Possessions and Eternity by Randy Alcorn.
• Children's Books: Puff, Puff, Chugga, Chugga by Christopher Wormell
• Book of the Bible: Habakkuk is such a clear example of trusting in God's sovereignty and praising Him even when we don't understand what He's doing.
  
• Quote: "Abundance isn't God's provision for me to live in luxury, it's His provision for me to help others live. God entrusts me with his money not to build my kingdom on earth, but to build his kingdom in heaven."- Randy Alcorn
  
• TV Show: Most British Crime Dramas: Vera, Shetland, Line of Duty, Unforgotten.....I could go on!
  
• Time of day: Very early morning or the gloaming
  
• Season: Whichever one we're in!
  
• Hobbies: Reading!
  
• Family Tradition: Planting Jelly beans on Easter Eve to wake up and find they've sprouted into lollipop flowers overnight. It only works on Easter Eve!

GET TO KNOW ME:

Best thing someone said about me:  From 5-year-old son when I was about two decades removed from teenagerdom: "Mom, are you a grown-up or a teenager! You're a mom so you must be grown-up, but you look like a teenager!

What makes me laugh: It's a "who" not a "what": my husband Nick

Three people I'd like to meet: Corrie Ten Boom, Randy Alcorn and my great-great-great grandmom to find out what life was like for her and to see the roots of our family's legacy of faith.

How does God speak to me: Persistently! (I don't always obey immediately.)

If I could do anything for a day: Read, drink coffee and snuggle my family

Bucket List Item: Visiting all 50 states and exploring the hidden gems that residents enjoy in each one.