"Who am I?"

Listen here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/2be1a609/who-am-i-can-y...

Who Am I?

Besides being a woman, created in the image of God - without doubt, Who Am I? leads to Why am I Here? What is my Purpose? If you have not already answered those questions for yourself, perhaps this will be a good prompt to do so!

One summer afternoon I was sitting in the bleachers watching one of my sons play baseball when I overheard a woman behind me say, ‘…I haven’t met this lady, but someone forwards me her stuff.  I don’t know too much about her, but I like what she writes--Christine DiJee-uh-komo, something like that?’ I smiled, turned around and introduced myself.  [Thank goodness, she was saying something nice, right?]  

She wanted to know more about me--who I am, who I represent, my purpose in writing, etc.  Since others regularly ask, here we go!  My name is Christine DiGiacomo, born and raised in California, but moved to Wake Forest, North Carolina, four years ago. yes, there's a story, but I can't go into it now!

"Who Am I?" The following is a basic framework for my answer.

For three decades, I have led, written and taught women's Bible studies.

Huh, I keenly remember the day I was teaching on the life cycle of the soul,

(something I had been pondering for a bit);

my right hand was in mid-air, and it hit me: this is what I was meant to do.

This is my God-given purpose - to teach God's Word.

That led to serving on the pastoral staff of a non-denominational church in San Clemente for some years, where I was licensed as a pastor, mostly so I could go into hospitals/ICU units to pray for folks in great need, and to officiate at the funerals and memorial services for which I was sought after.

I stepped away from that position in June, 2008. Less than a week later, a business acquaintance asked me some deep questions about making his company "count for more than just the bottom line." We want it to count for the kingdom of God, " he said.

Taking notes on a lined yellow pad as he spoke, I asked about his Christian convictions: Bible reading and prayer, his family in a local church, and personal accountability in these arenas, for these were the foundation of a business 'counting for God.'  My phone rang again: 'would I meet with him and his business partner about these matters?' You see, both of them wanted to be disciplined and growing in the things of God, but they were 'always on airplanes'. 'Lord, please guide them,' I prayed, 'and if there is anything I am meant to do, show me.'

Very soon after I began writing daily Bible studies from the book of James and sending them via e-mail to the two men.  A little more than a daily devotional, not as rigorous as in-depth study, I dubbed the writings “Morning Briefings” because I knew that

having a brief time with God each morning

revolutionizes one's life 

In short order, I became the Corporate Pastor to that company and served them for more than 16 years, holding regular Bible study meetings with top-level management,  a weekly international conference call prayer meeting; Morning Briefings sent to any and all of their interested employees, business associates, (including vendors and clients), and ministering individually when called.

Within a year, it became clear I needed some way to archive Morning Briefings, as I continued to teach through the Scripture, and sometimes addressed goings-on in our world from a biblical perspective; to do so, I had to set up a website. How to do it--how to pay for it? hmmm...

During this same time, I was also serving the street people of Long Beach.1

Ha, I remember being in the city park one day, (where many of my homeless friends slept), talking to a man about his relationship with God, while petting his pit bull. (A drug deal was going on a few yards behind me.) Another fellow happened onto the scene and started 'getting fresh' with me, when the first man stood up, whacked him on the shoulder and said, 'Dude, what's a matter with you? Come on, Ma--an, that's the pastor woman!' To which the fellow stood up, apologized and said, 'ah, no disrespect, Ma'am.' The name PastorWoman fit, as my corporate guys called me that too, so when I formed a 501c3—a nonprofit ministry-- in 2009, I used the name PastorWoman, not intended to be a 'statement' in any fashion.

[For the duration of my pastoral ministry to the company, the corporate guys contributed monthly to PastorWoman, which entirely paid for the cost of ministry plus a little, but the company was closed down this past October; funding gone.] 

What else besides women's studies, corporate guys and ministry to the Long Beach homeless? For almost four years, I lead a ‘huddle’ of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at nearby San Clemente High School, a large D-1 school with a high level of competition.  It was the hardest thing I ever undertook though I was privileged to see students come to know God, accept Jesus as their Savior, learn to lead their peers, and even get baptized.  (pictured at Riviera Beach below)

In February, 2020, I led a women's retreat, and several women came to know Christ. Feeling a keen responsibility to them, I couldn't shut things down, though our churches were ordered closed a month later because of Covid. First, I live-streamed Bible teaching from my home office, but then we were given access to nearby San Clemente Outlets parking lot, complete with an ocean view--where I taught from the back of a Ford Raptor! (pictured) A strange thing happened - since schools were closed, children came; since husbands were working remotely, they started coming on Thursday mornings. I had my FCA kids and local businessmen come and pray, God-honoring music, a biblical message, dogs on leashes . . . oh, we had it all. No longer just women, we became THRIVE. [Though I moved across the country, I have continued to teach - same day and time since 2001: 10 am, PST; you can join the Facebook group THRIVEOC2 and catch the livestream!]

In addition, there have been the Footsteps of Jesus journeys to Israel, and last year - Footsteps of Paul - anything to further the Word of God in the hearts and minds of people. When the door has opened to lead or encourage others to know God, I have prayed about it, then walked through the door, in many different contexts--even some very very challenging ones.

Personally, I am also a homemaker married to Dean—with four adult children, who I adore—three sons, a daughter, a son-in-law and five grandchildren, spread across four states.  I studied theology at Bethel and Simpson Colleges, have a bachelor’s degree in communications and a teaching credential as well, commissioned as a Colson Fellow in 2023.3  

I am a lifelong learner, with a passion to see people come to know and walk with the one true and living God. Christianity is the one faith you do not have to check your brain at the door, as it is true, and intellectually defensible.

I am sorry that was long, but all to say, I do what I do

because I was called and am equipped

to share the great love of God  

with a world who is looking for answers - looking for truth and meaning.

Last May, my Paul tour took us into magnificent Ephesus (modern-day Turkey), to whom Paul wrote these words:We are his workmanship [poema] created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2.10

                                           Another translation says it this way:

For we are God’s masterpiece.

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,

so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.4

Who Am I?

A woman passionate about living out my God-given purpose.

Who Are You, my friend?

Here's the ask: would you be willing to give monthly to this work , which reaches to 146 countries? When my corporate guys went away, I had thought I was finished, but God prompted people to give. Once again, I cast my eyes heavenward, this time breathing out, 'I guess you're not through with me yet!' a humble smile on my face, tears in my eyes.

Make my life a prayer to you, God! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNww8F6G9U8

Christine

1 - My writing on Long Beach is dubbed “Ministry Tales from the Street” at www.pastorwoman.net, Archives, Since You Asked, select 'Ministry from..."

2 - THRIVE (Orange County)

3 - ColsonFellows.org - excellent program to be able to master a biblical worldview

4 - Ephesians 2.10, NLT