David and Tina Hopkins grew up in nominal Christian homes but slipped away from God as the cares of living pulled them into survival mode. But there was a longing in their hearts for the Lord. Something was missing.
One day they received a "Revelation Unleashed" flier for a series of meetings at the Spokane (Wash.) Valley Adventist Church. They attended, along with their 18-year-old daughter, Heather.
A week after the meetings began, Brian Smith and Curtis Rittenour, pastor, visited the Hopkins. During the visit Tina shared, "My appetite for the Bible was sparked and we just had to keep coming back for more! The meetings open the word of God up to us. It is all so clear and helpful."
But when it came right down to it, Tina was afraid to make a decision for God. She had experienced some difficult things with her father's religion and hesitated to make a deep commitment.
In a prayer session with the pastors a few weeks later, Tina gathered up all her concerns, put them in a box and handed them over to Jesus. On Nov. 28, 2009, Tina and daughter Heather were baptized. David came into the church family by profession of faith. After the baptism, as they were introduced to the church, there was a beaming smile on David's face as he looked at his wife and daughter.
"This is where God wants us," says David.
