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Loralie Crabtree
Staff Pastor

Loralie Crabtree successfully manages being a wife and mother of three with full-time ministry as connections pastor at Central Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri. Loralie finds her greatest satisfaction in pastoral ministry through helping people discover how best to use their God-given gifts, personality, and experiences in fulfilling service to God, the church, and the world. Related to this is loving people where they are, affirming them, and enabling them to experience grace, hope, and healing.

When asked about her greatest challenges in ministry, Loralie admits that one frustration is simply not having enough time to accomplish all the dreams in her heart and mind. She recognizes that positively experiencing life is a choice. So she has chosen to have positive experiences. One application of this attitude is recognizing that in real life there will always be problems, but that God will enable her to overcome them. Loralie confesses, however, that sometimes she feels a bit intimidated as a woman in a predominately male ministry world.

Asked about her spiritual growth through the years, Loralie states unequivocally that her father was the greatest spiritual influence in her life — as a role model, discipler, encourager, prayer warrior, and cheerleader. Her years at North Central Bible College (now University) in Minneapolis, Minn. stimulated exponential growth, which she greatly values. Steady growth through the years has occurred through daily Bible study and prayer.

It is clear that her family is her God-given priority. She states, "I only have one life to live and I have to carefully conclude how I want to spend the minutes, hours, days, and years of my life. Quite frankly, I don't want to exchange my life for a clean house. I want to invest my best energies in my family, friends, and church family." Fortunately, her husband Dan, a professor at Central Bible College, believes in sharing equally in the nurture and care of the children.

Unsurprisingly, besides flower gardening, for Loralie fun means family — cuddling with her 7-year-old daughter, occasional weekends with her husband at a bed-and-breakfast inn, watching her 13-year-old son play soccer, and having intellectual conversations with her 17-year-old son.

Loralie is a woman who has her priorities right and knows how to maintain a positive spirit. Because of these, she thoroughly enjoys God, family, ministry, and life.

--by Yen Sha Lim

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