E.I.T. LaRan Miles-Anthony

Blessings and Peace,

My name is E.I.T. LaRan Miles-Anthony, and I am a devoted, though certainly not perfect, disciple of Jesus Christ. My love for God shapes the rhythm of my life, and I count it a privilege to share the Gospel, encourage others, and remind people that they are loved, valued, and never beyond the reach of God.

I am the proud mother of three daughters, ages 36, 33, and 26, and I am deeply grateful that both of my parents are still living. My mother is 85, and, if God allows, my father will celebrate his 85th birthday on Christmas Eve. Their lives, faithfulness, perseverance, and commitment to family continue to remind me that God gives us opportunities throughout every season of life to love, serve, and make a difference.

Professionally, I serve as a parent liaison/paraprofessional at a wonderful school. I earned my associate degree in religious studies from Beulah University, completed my Child Development Associate training through Waldorf University, and I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies at Grand Canyon University. Each part of my journey has helped shape the way I see people, especially those who need encouragement, patience, advocacy, and someone willing to believe in them.

In ministry, I presently serve as an Elder in Training, Minister, Intercessor, and Director of both the Outreach Ministry and Adult Choir at Thy Kingdom Has Come International Ministries under the leadership of Bishop Thomas and Bishopess Teresa Goggins.

When I think about why I said “yes” to missions, my answer begins with my own story. When I was fifteen years old, there was someone who took a chance on me someone who tried to tell me about Jesus and lead me toward Him. They did not have to. And throughout my life, when I walked away, God continued to extend His hand. He sent people who reached back, pulled me up, and helped reconnect me to Jesus.

So, when I say yes to missions, I am really saying yes to the opportunity to be that person for someone else. I love serving through missions because I know what it feels like to need someone to reach down, reach over, or simply remind you that Jesus loves you and that your life matters. I have had the privilege of serving people in my own community those experiencing homelessness, individuals struggling with addiction, young mothers who are discouraged, young fathers who have chosen difficult paths, and others who may feel forgotten or overlooked. I have learned that sometimes ministry begins with something as simple as compassion, a listening ear, a kind word, or the willingness to stand beside someone without judgment.

One of the greatest experiences that has changed me personally is recognizing that God can use a willing vessel, even one who does not feel perfectly prepared or qualified. I am not a seasoned traveler, but I have learned that missions are not simply about traveling to another place. It is about carrying the heart of Christ wherever God sends you. Whether I am standing in the streets of my own community or serving across the globe, I want people to encounter the love of Jesus through my words, my actions, and my willingness to serve.

I wish more people understood that missionary work is not about the missionary—it is about the mission God has entrusted to us. It is about people. It is about souls. It is about meeting people where they are and allowing God to use us as instruments of His love. Missions may look different from person to person, but the heart remains the same: to serve, to love, to encourage, and to share the Gospel.

That is also why donations matter so deeply. Every gift, whether large or small, helps make it possible for those called to go where they may not otherwise be able to go. A donation can help provide the practical support needed to reach people, serve communities, share resources, and carry the Gospel beyond the walls of our churches and our homes. When someone gives toward missions, they are not simply giving money they are partnering with the work God is doing through those who have been called to go.

And if someone thinks, “My small donation cannot make a difference,” I would lovingly say, please think again. We should never underestimate what God can do with what we are willing to place in His hands. A small seed can produce something much greater than its size suggests. Your gift may be one piece of larger work that reaches a person, a family, or even a community. You may not see the full impact, but God does.

And you do not have to travel to the mission field to be part of the mission. You can pray. You can give. You can encourage. You can serve right where you are. You can share Jesus with the person sitting beside you, the neighbor down the street, the coworker who is hurting, or the stranger who simply needs someone to show them kindness. The mission field is not always thousands of miles away. Sometimes it is right outside our door.

For anyone considering their first mission trip, I would say: Go with a willing heart and an open spirit. Do not worry about having all the answers. Do not assume you have to be perfect or have years of experience. Come ready to listen, learn, serve, and allow God to stretch you. You may go thinking that you are going to help someone else, only to discover that God changes something inside of you along the way.

That is part of what I am most looking forward to on this upcoming mission. I am excited about the opportunity to see what God will do when willing people come together for His purpose. I look forward to meeting people, hearing their stories, sharing the love of Christ, serving wherever I am needed, and being reminded that God's love is not limited by geography, culture, circumstance, or distance.

My greatest prayer for this mission is that Jesus would be seen and glorified in everything we do. I am praying that hearts will be encouraged, lives will be touched, hope will be restored, and people will come to know that they are loved by God and that they matter. I am praying that those who feel forgotten will realize they have not been forgotten by Him. I am praying that God will give us humility, wisdom, compassion, strength, and discernment as we serve.

Most of all, I am praying that we will never become so focused on the work that we forget the people. At sixty-two, some may wonder why I would choose such a demanding and sometimes tiring way of life. My answer remains simple: because somebody reached back for me. Somebody cared enough to tell me about Jesus, willing to extend a hand. and God, in His mercy, continued to reach for me even when I did not reach for Him. So now, it is my desire to do the same and I do not take any of these assignments lightly.

It is my plight to pour out love and kindness through the Word of God, while remaining humble enough to recognize that it is God who chooses to use me for His glory. I am simply grateful to be available. My hope is that twenty years from now, if God grants me the strength and opportunity, I will still be carrying His Word across streets, communities, cities, and nations. I may not know exactly where the road will lead, but I know who called me to walk it.

Somewhere, there is another person who may feel broken, who may believe nobody cares, who may simply need somebody to reach back, and if God is willing to use me, I want to be willing to reach them I want people to know what I’ve come to know through the years, that Jesus loves them. They matter, they are not forgotten, and their story is not over.

This is why I serve, why I go, why I give, why I pray, and this is why I say yes to missions.

To God be all the glory.

Thank you kindly,

E.I.T. LaRan Miles-Anthony