Holding safe spaces for people to have conversation around God is how Isabella (Bella) Hines lives out her personal faith in action. After calling Minnesota home for the past two years, and hopefully one day her forever home, Bella has found her church, the Lakewood Temple corps, located in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, a place where she feels safe to experience and live out faith in community. 

Moving to Minnesota created fear within Bella. New places, new people, new school, left a lot to be discovered which has the ability to create uncertainty. However, it’s in this move that Bella has found her favorite place, and some of her favorite people. Connecting with people is one of Bella’s gifts. Making friends and making others feel comfortable comes naturally, and God uses that to provide connection and safe places to those around her. 

Bella sees that the world is lacking safe places for her peers to spend time. “Most people nowadays don’t feel safe at home or school, so creating one at church is important,” Bella shares. She plays an active part in promoting programming for her church so that more people will know that they have a place to be that wants them there. It’s through conversations at school that Bella finds many of her encounters to share about Jesus. It’s not imposing or intrusive, but rather sharing about Him in everyday conversations, like how God shows up in her daily life at school. 

When asked about what Bella loves about her church, she enthusiastically shares her love for social ministry that the church has. Ministries to people in need, whether it be shelter, food, or basic needs, are a priority for her within her faith expression. The Salvation Army’s integrated ministry model allows Bella the opportunity to engage in the call Christ gives to help those in need. 

God has placed a desire in Bella to serve in ministry. What that looks like, she hasn’t quite figured out. Right now, it looks like creating these safe spaces for her friends and peers at school to experience God and ask questions.