Personal Life Story Of Vesta Danielson
I was raised in a family of five, my 
parents, one brother and one sister. We lived on a farm. It was not a Christian home and we did not attend church, but we had strong moral values. A great uncle took the three of us to Sunday School at the school.
When I was 10 years of age the Southern Baptist Church in town held a Vacation Bible School in our community, and there I accepted the Lord as my Savior. I was baptized at age 12, and shortly thereafter surrendered to missionary service. We had a strong kids and youth program in which I was active.
At age 17 I went to Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis to become a nurse for missionary service. Shortly before I graduated a minister that came to talk to the students said there was no such thing as being called. I disagreed and moved to attend Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma. After I was there about a week I was called in and told I would only receive one year’s credit (30 hours) for my three years of training, instead of the 60 hours they had first said. I was pretty tired of school and thought I would work and take classes to work on my BSN. I returned home and worked in the local hospital. Later I moved to Wichita and then Kansas City. I finally received my BSN 19 years later and got five hours of credit that were classified as First Aide. I later got my Master’s in nursing at Kansas University in 1989.
I married in 1961, had two girls, and attended church fairly regularly. Nine years later we were divorced. Once again I moved home. I was too ashamed and embarrassed to attend church.
Six years later I married Dan. He had previously been married and had a five-year old son, Danny, who lived in Alabama. I took my girls to church and attended when I wasn’t working. Both of them accepted Christ as Savior.
At 17 Danny dropped out of school, got married, and had a son. When he was 18 he was in a wreck and had brain damage. After a week he was removed from the ventilator. We were able to donate his organs, and that was a big comfort to me. A friend of his called and told me Danny had accepted Christ as his Savior. It was shortly after his death that I returned to the Lord. You might say Danny’s death was a wake-up call.
I had joined First Baptist in 1988 and had been a pew warmer. After Danny’s death I attended Sunday School, church, and helped with Vacation Bible School.
In 1997 I started working in AWANA.
In 2004 my youngest daughter collapsed and lived two weeks. I grew in the Lord during that time. I felt so helpless and knew I wasn’t in control; God was. By the time Kris died I was at peace that this is what God wanted. Since then I have been trying to say, “Yes, Lord” whenever He wants me to do something.
Even though my journey wasn’t what I expected, I do think God used me in many ways in my nursing practice – it wasn’t the Foreign Missions I had expected, but what He wanted. Showing me one more time He is in control.
I believe in children and youth programs. The Scripture verses l learned as a child are still with me. I may not know where it is found, but I know the verse.
It amazes me that God can use an old woman in spite of what she thinks. I am hard of hearing and have poor vision, but I cling to the verse of Jeremiah 29:11. “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you to give you hope and a future.” And He continues to do that.
I hope that your life’s story will have a happy ending. It can no matter what your circumstances. God loves you and has a great plan for your life. But because of sin in your life, you are separated from God. “We are all sinners” (Romans 3:23). The price for sin is death (Romans 6:23). But the price is already paid! “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Jesus is the only answer. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). It’s your choice. You must decide for yourself if you are willing to turn from your sins and ask Jesus into your life (Romans 10:9 & John 1:12). Contact us for more information about how to become a Christian.
