First person: Always and forever close to this grateful ‘Smother’s’ heart

By Annette Brown
Recently retired guest services coordinator

It was a God thing! I needed a job, and Jennifer needed a guest services coordinator. Just imagine a job where I would be able to greet and mingle with guests and make them feel at home. I was in heaven. This job had me written all over it.

I began this happy journey in September 2019. From the first day I walked into that house at TAB, it became a home. A loving, caring home. A home full of grace.

The people immediately became my family, and since I was old enough to be several of the young ladies’ grandmother, I eventually became a “smother” to many of them. I’d tell them things like, “don’t stay out too late,” “call me when you get home” and “be safe driving home.”

‘Oh, the fun we had’

Oh, the fun we had while putting out two Baptist papers! I’ve played Beth Moore and been a Pac-Man character. Our retreats were legendary — from writing and singing jingles and rapping competitions to playing physical games like Nerf wars with legit Nerf guns, takeaway and pickleball. The competition was intense and always fun.

We also loved each other like a family. We prayed for each other and our individual families. And like real families, we lost people close to us and celebrated the birth of babies and grandbabies.

But a home like this only exists when you have a leader who loves and cares for her employees. And Jennifer Rash is the one who makes The Alabama Baptist such a loving home.

Jennifer is a servant-leader who relies on God’s power and wisdom. She encourages those under her leadership to share their faith, and there were many a day we would have an impromptu Bible study or a time to share our life stories and how God had worked in our lives.

But just as God led me to TAB, He recently opened up a new opportunity for me to retire and start a new journey being a full-time grandmother to our three grandchildren Liam, Millie and Walker.

I absolutely loved every minute and season of my time in that house and will hold this family close to my heart forever.

I’m so grateful to our Lord for leading me and allowing me to attach my heart to The Alabama Baptist.