Betty Hoffman

Interview by Diana Gipson

"She has probably lifted you up in prayer!"

Betty Hoffman, besides being my aunt, is a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother!  Here at Sugar Grove Church, where she has attended since childhood, Betty leads the ladies' Precept Bible studies, has taught the first grade Sunday school class for fifty years and, this past summer, worked in Vacation Bible School for the 62nd year!  What I and many others appreciate most about Betty is her commitment to prayer.  She understands how vital it is and takes the discipline very seriously.

Betty grew up on the family farm in Jefferson Township.  She had three siblings, Christine and John, who were older, and a younger sister, Donna.  Betty's mom would always pray with her at bed time, and Betty's sister and brother-in-law (Christine and Frank Lynn) set a wonderful example of how to have daily devotions. 

At the age of twelve, Betty was saved at a special revival meeting here at SGC. Her older sister, Christine asked if she wanted to be saved and walked the aisle with Betty.  When she was eighteen years old, she went to hear Billy Graham in Winona Lake, IN.  There she rededicated her life to Christ.   

Both Betty and her now-husband, Don, grew up attending Sugar Grove Church.  After high school, Betty worked at the 4-H extension office and Don was in the service.  On a weekend pass, on September 7, 1951, they married at SGC.  Their honeymoon consisted of one night in Chicago and one in Wisconsin before Don returned to Germany, and didn't return for over a year.  He was in the first group drafted for the Korean War.

Learning from the example set by Christine and Frank, Don and Betty began from day one to start every day together with devotions and prayer.  Fifty-nine years later, a day doesn't seem right without starting out this way.  Their prayer list has increased over the years, as their family and church family have grown!   They have three grown children, Kay (Bjurstrom), Ross, and Joy (Nystrand); nine grandchildren (one of whom is our own Pastor Kent), and two great-grandchildren, with one on the way.

Betty has been a busy lady over the years, serving at SGC.  Besides the ministries already mentioned, Betty has been the secretary for the congregation, worked on the history booklet of SGC (a must-read you can find in the church office), served on many women's committees (including starting the Christmas Breakfast, which I love!), taught Good News Club, and helped in youth group and Awana.  There are probably many more, but I had a hard time getting this many out of her!

Mostly I see her as a Prayer Warrior.  She is a faithful attendee of the Wednesday night prayer meetings and prayer is such an important part of her life.  I know I have benefited from those prayers, as have many of you.  The joy of her prayers is felt and, even if you don't know her, she has probably lifted you up in prayer.

When asked how she would advise a new believer in beginning a prayer life, Betty replied, "You need to know God's Word.  Be in it every day.  Determine to get up every morning and be in His Word."  Betty likes mornings because it's easy to fill other parts of the day with other things, even if you make a plan to spend time with the Lord.  There are so many things that can change your plans, and spare time always seems to get filled.

Among Betty's favorite things to do are reading, crafts, gardening, sudoku puzzles, eating out and, of course, vacations.  Betty and Don have been to Hawaii, taken Alaskan and Caribbean cruises, driven all the way to California and stayed in cottages in Michigan, to name a few.  Her favorite vacations were the ones taken as a family.

One of Betty's favorite Bible passages is Hebrews 13:5,6:    Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,  "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

May we all follow the example of this prayer warrior!