Interview With Lori Vober

by Rita Prochazka and Deborah Malone

Questions from Rita

Lori can you share some of your testimony?

I grew up in both Methodist and Presbyterian churches as we moved every two or three years with my father’s career, during my childhood. We moved to Texas during my freshman year of high school, and my high school was situated across the street from a Baptist church. A high school friend invited me to church my senior year and that is the first time I understood the personal relationship with God. I accepted God as my personal Savior the summer after high school graduation and was baptized in Believer’s Baptism. I believe that was the start of my faith journey but my growth and dependence on God has truly been an amazing journey over time and through many challenges.

In your walk with God in this season of your life, what have you learned that you can share with our readers?

I have truly learned so much over the years, but you often don’t realize, while you are on the journey, how much you are truly growing and what God is teaching you until you reflect back. I am a stroke survivor at the age of 29 in January 2003 so at this stage, I have learned so much of our lives don’t go according to our plans, but they always go according to God’s, and nothing is a surprise to Him. We can’t look back and try to redo, but we can learn from the past and strive to be better each day. One of my goals at this stage is always keeping in mind the legacy I am striving to leave behind and how I am using what I have gone through to encourage others, depend on God myself, and point others to Him.

Lori, how have you prepared/been prepared for your ministry?

I believe a lot of my preparation was grounded first in faith, then in dependence on God through each new challenge. These challenges included medical challenges of stroke, epilepsy, and pre-diagnosis of ovarian cancer with a hysterectomy. Other trials included job losses, international adoption, and challenging parenting. After I felt called to take it one step further and share my journey with others, my preparation included writing and speaking conferences to learn more.

Questions by Deborah

What would be your advice to other “seasoned” women on ways to stay active in ministry?

One thing I would advise is really pray about what you feel God is calling you to do, what you are passionate about, and what you enjoy doing. As we get older our energy is often less, so it is important we are putting our time, energy, and resources into the things that really matter. I would encourage others to look outside the box and if there is something they are passionate about, but that ministry does not currently exist within their church body or community, try and create it because other women may really have that same want or need.

Lori, tell us a little about your ministry.

I am an author and speaker and felt that by sharing my journey of both medical and adoption experiences with others, I could encourage and share with others what I have learned along the way. We all start out with dreams and plans of how life will turn out and when unexpected challenges take place, we often feel out of control and get easily stuck. I speak to quite a few stroke survivor groups, by my experiences are relatable to everyone. We all go through tough challenges but always have a choice of how we react to our circumstances.

What challenges have you had to overcome in this time of your “seasoned” ministry?

I believe anytime we make a conscious effort to serve God, one challenge to overcome is always negative thoughts Satan puts in our mind. That is why a good support system and sisters that will pray for you is so important. Just because we decide we want to share our journey, embrace a calling, start or be a part of a ministry, doesn’t mean that the rest of our obligations disappear. We may still have family needs to meet or health concerns to take care of. So, one of the challenges I am still learning is to effectively juggle everything and stop when I need to rest. Sometimes our hearts are bigger than our bodies will allow for us to accomplish, and we must learn how to be alright with that.

Lori this is Deborah. Thank you so much for sharing some of your journey with us. It was an encouragement to me, and I know it will be to other women as well.

Bio: Lori is a survivor, overcomer, connector, and encourager. She suffered a hemorrhagic stroke at age twenty-nine, and then developed epilepsy from the stroke. Lori is passionate about choices, and even in our trials, we can still find hope, joy, and new success. With the right perspective, attitude, and perseverance, we can stay unstuck and keep moving forward. Even with her difficulties, Lori and her husband, Dainis, were able to become adoptive parents to a sibling group of three.

She published her first book, CHOICES: When You Are Faced With A Challange, What Choice Will You Make? in March 2022 and has been connecting and encouraging others to choose to survive and thrive. Her book received the 2023 Reader’s Choice Awards from The Christian Literary Awards in the categories of Christian Living and Testimonial.