Brenda Halls


Special Events Coordinator
Contact Me At: (641)680-0701

     I first heard that Jesus Christ died for me when I was 12 years old. Shortly after that I went to the movie The Cross and the Switchblade. After the movie I went forward with several other girls that were with me and prayed the prayer of salvation. Shortly thereafter I was baptized and thought I was saved and would be spending eternity in heaven. My life after that time certainly did not show any changes. I went through my teenager years being disrespectful to all adults, smoking cigarettes, and drinking a lot of alcohol.  All I had to do was ask for forgiveness.  Little did I know that becoming a Christian takes more than hearing the salvation message, saying a prayer, and being baptized.  I had head knowledge no heart knowledge.  I knew the answers but did not live the life of a Christian.

     I was married when I was 21 and moved back to my home town. While I was fixing the house my husband and I purchased, I stayed with my parents. During the time I lived away from home, my father had become a Christian. He told me that he was very disappointed in how I was living my life and that if I was to stay at their place, I would be expected to go to church on Sundays.  A few weeks later during church there was a Baptism.  A lady gave her story of faith before being baptized and said, “If you want assurance of Jesus’ love, all you have to do is reach out and accept it.” I remember in my mind thinking, “I want that.” I had never had that assurance this lady was talking about.  I would think “Did I say the salvation prayer right? What if I left a word out? Etc.” I constantly did this. After that day I started noticing changes in my feelings, life, and responses.  I noticed I no longer had an uncontrollable urge to drink alcohol and many other bad behaviors I had been participating in. I now had an uncontrollable urge to attend church and read the Bible. I would tell anybody who would listen about how strong the” Holy Spirit” was at church that Sunday. Little did I realize at first, I had finally asked Jesus into my heart and life as my personal Lord and Savior. I had gone from head knowledge to heart knowledge.

     My life did not completely change at that time but I did make some major changes and started seeking God.  After a short time I became frustrated with going to church and let all of life’s ups and downs.  I stopped going to church and reading the Bible. Approximately 10 years ago a co-worker invited me to go to church with her and her family. I went once and then again several months later I went. During the time I was not attending church you would not have been able to tell the difference between me and someone who has not accepted Jesus as their Savoir. However, this time there was something different in me. I KNEW I was a Christian and that Jesus died for me. I did not question my salvation. I was in turmoil all of the time because I was not living the way the Lord intended.  I started attending church regularly and learning more about how to live a life according to God’s word.

     In December 2009 I went to town to finish up some Christmas shopping with my daughter. The weather was horrid. As we left one store we saw two young ladies sitting at a bake sale table with brochures and handouts. It was freezing rain and sleeting with a little snow mixed in. I remember thinking these ladies are crazy but I am going to buy some of their stuff so that they can get out of here sooner. I felt that they deserved something for their efforts at least. They quickly handed me their information and items I bought. I commented that they must feel very strongly about what they were doing to be having a bake sale on day like that day. In unison they emphatically said, “We do!” After I got to the car I looked at the information they gave me. It was about a Christian ladies conference in the spring. They were raising money to help defray costs of this conference. I thought “WOW, have I ever thought anything was that important?”

     I did attend the conference in the spring of 2010. I knew right away this was a group of women that I felt God was pulling me towards.  Before and during the conference in 2011, I prayed about my involvement with Life Empowered Women. I felt a very strong pulling to become part of the board and that God had directed me towards coordinating/leading special events with these women who want to take the Lord’s love to the community and world to teach them how He cares for us and wants us to live in victory in Him. Pray (ask), seek (discipleship), and knock (outreach) have developed a whole new meaning to me.

    On a personal note I have been married for 25 years to the love of my life, Ken Halls. I adopted my step-daughter around the age of 12. She now lives in Phoenix, AZ , works as a school teacher, and is an active foster parent.  I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and currently practice in Fairfield, IA.

I know my number one priority on earth is to love God with all my heart and soul and love my neighbor as myself. I pray that I can be Jesus’ hands and feet as I ask, seek, and knock as the Lord’s helper. May God richly bless you!



7 Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and [that] spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.