Sherri Gaede

Which famous person would play you in a movie? 
Sandra Bullock?

What is your most embarrassing moment? 
When I was elected basketball queen in 8th grade and had to be kissed in front of a gym full of people between the boys game and the girls game.

What is your strongest quality? 
Kindness toward others.  

What is your biggest weakness? 
Not good a making decisions.  I guess it is wanting to be a people pleaser instead of being confident in myself.

What is your favorite movie and why? 
The Wizard of Oz because it still entertains children of many generations. 

What would you like to ask God when you get to heaven? 
Were you feeling OK when you created that platypus thing?  Just kidding.  I would be so humbled that I would ask how may I serve You?

What super power would you like to have and why? 
Wisdom, lets face it we could all use some, and if it was good enough for Solomon it is good enough for me.

What are your hobbies/interests? 
Riding horses/crafts

Who first introduced you to Jesus Christ? 
My parents

Who most influenced your walk with Christ and why? 
My Grandmother Lucille Barbre.  She was always humming Christian songs, she taught GA’s (Girls Auxiliary or Girls in Action depending on what generation you grew up in), and she took me to VBS.  She lived devoted to serving our Lord and it was very evident in her daily life.

Please tell us about your family. 
David and I have been married for 35 years.  We have a lovely daughter and a wonderful son.  We were blessed by adding 2 beautiful grandbabies to the family last year. 

Please tell us about your call to Central. 
After working for a company 10 years I found myself out of work.  I took it as an answer to prayer because I had been praying about quitting.  I had two calls from people offering me a job and I turned them down thinking I was not going to work for a while.  Then I got a call from church about working in the office part time.  I felt this was Gods way of saying I could work, have time at home and serve him too.  It has been a blessing that I did not see coming. 

Please tell us about your upbringing.
I’m part of a family of 5.   My parents married at a very young age.  We lived in a tiny town of Sasakwa.  We moved to Duncan where Dad had a Texaco station for over 20 years and my Mom had a beauty shop in our home.  We grew a vegetable garden every summer.  We were given a pass to the swimming pool for helping with the gardening chores.    My sister, brother and I would also go to our grandparent’s house every summer during the week of vacation Bible school.  We went to a little church where I was saved and baptized.  That was during the blue law days when Dad closed the station on Sundays so we could go to church.  My parents divorced when I was 14.  I moved to Texas for a while, then Meridian, OK to live with my sister for a while.  I graduated from high school and married just before my 20th birthday.

If you couldn’t do what you are doing now, what would you do? 
Stay home and play with the grandbabies.

What do you love the most about your job? 
The sweet Spirit that is evident in my fellow co-workers, and knowing that what we do touches the lives of many for Christ.  And we get to PRAY at work.

Please share your salvation experience in how you came to Christ. 
My family went to church on a regular basis when I was growing up.  One day as I heard the preaching of God’s word I understood that just going to church is not enough.  I was a sinner and Christ had to die because of my sin.  The Pastor gave an illustration that there was a stairway into heaven and Jesus was standing at the foot of the stairs holding out his hand calling for you to come with Him.  He had paid the price for my sins, and if I would only ask for his forgiveness He would accept me into His kingdom.  Then Jesus would walk with me always until the day He took my hand to lead me into heaven.  I have made many mistakes since that time, but Jesus is always there to offer forgiveness and gets me back on the right path of following him.  He is so good.