"Surely the morning light will come."

I was born the oldest of seven children on September 8, 1952 in Stella, Missouri, to Singer sewing machine salesman/Holiness preacher Billy Joe Dodson and elementary school teacher Edith Nickle Dodson. I had a large extended family and all of them were people of faith. We spent a lot of time with my grandparents and other relatives. While Sunday School and church were always part of our Sundays, we often attended Sunday and Wednesday evening services as well. We learned about Jesus, memorized Bible verses and sang rousing songs about the power of the Cross and the Precious Blood.

When I was 11, my parents divorced and my mother raised us all alone.  She was a very gifted seamstress and quite artistic.  Education and excellence were important to her. She was a good cook and a visionary also. My father was very outgoing and the life of the party.  From a young age, I used to sing with him (as well as alone) at church.

Following graduation from Memorial High School in Joplin, Missouri, I completed a BS in Speech Communications with a history minor at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. I especially liked poetry; my other favorite subjects were the arts, music, spirituality and world religions.  I was always looking for "Truth" and "True Love," not necessarily in that order. I knew I was bound to find Prince Charming. (My Prince did not even have to be perfect because God and I could correct his deficiencies!)  I met and married the man who would be the father of my two children, satisfied that God would help me fix him up. When that didn¹t work, I tried to perfect my second husband with even less success!  So I became a single parent and focused on raising my son Samuel (born in 1976) and my daughter Julia (born in 1978).  I worked as a medical transcriptionist and part-time volunteer pastoral musician. By this time, we had become Catholic during the Easter Vigil in 1989 and found ourselves in Oklahoma. We joined St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Moore, Oklahoma. My children graduated from Mt. St. Mary Catholic High School.

At St. Andrew's, I met my first Adorers: Sisters Ursula Schones and Paulette Schiffelbein. Sr. Ursula used to pray with people one-on-one after Mass and counsel them. I noticed that she prayed like she believed God would answer, and I observed that He did indeed! I came to believe in the power of prayer. When the sisters started an Associate group, I was delighted to get involved. I felt a common bond in the adoring, redeeming love of Jesus, and the power of the Cross and of His Precious Blood.  I read all I could about Blessed Maria and St. Gaspar.  Sr. Elizabeth Determan often taught how their message was timely for us today. Thus my life-giving connection to the ASCs, which I began as an Associate, continues to this day.

I have always had a vivid imagination and have often thought of becoming a sister. For as long as I can remember, religious life attracted me. I believed religious lived their lives dedicated to God, loving others and they got to go to church every day! However, I never gave serious thought to the idea until I considered what I would do with my life once my children were grown.

When my son went away to college and my daughter got married I entered a new phase in life. I wanted to devote the second half of my life to more focus on God and becoming an instrument of God's peace as a religious sister. But it didn't seem possible because of many of my previous experiences. After all, nuns were not married, nor did they have children, etc.  And they seemed so holy! I knew I was not so holy. I went to see Sr. Diana Rawlings, sure that she would discourage me. Her response: "I don't see any reason we can't continue the process, do you?"

My journey continued as I began the application process. I attended the Gathering of Women in San Antonio in the fall of 2000. Wow! Early one morning I got up to sit outside in the dark and pray. I noticed how quietly and yet how surely the morning light came. I realized that's how it was with me and my idea of joining the ASCs.  I just have to "be there" and "wait" and the light will surely dawn.

I had changed careers in 1997 and begun parish work as a pastoral associate/parish music director. Father Jack Feehily was instrumental and I am grateful for his support in this transition.   I loved the people in my parish and my work but felt drawn to something more with the community.  I attended the Ignatian Retreat in Daily Life to see if the idea of religious life would go away. It did not.

After much soul-searching, I decided to move to Wichita, where I was invited to be part of the St. Joseph local community with Sr. Joann Stuever (also a former Associate and one who encouraged me), Sr. Lucille Kerschen, Sr. Elizabeth Ann Schmidt, Sr. Florence Seib and Sr. Janet Rowley.  I became an Affiliate at this point with a closer connection to the community while awaiting my annulment and applying for Candidacy.

During this time, I have become a grandmother, which is another wonderful, life-altering experience. My work is as a medical transcriptionist at Via Christi St. Joseph Radiology Department and teaching Mary Kay skin care.  I am in the choir at the Wichita Province Center, sometimes serving as cantor or keyboard accompanist.

I assumed at some point God would hand me a script and I could learn my part, clearly seeing His plan. However, my experience is more like that morning in San Antonio: Just be with God and He will bring the light quietly, gradually, but very surely! I am so grateful to God for letting me come to this place in my life and for all of your prayers and love. Love and blessings in return!