Jane Hinrichs has a passion for Jesus and a calling to the ministry God has entrusted to her.
BLUNT, S.D. – Jane Hinrichs has a passion for Jesus and a calling to the ministry God has entrusted to her.
Jane says she would gladly serve God in any capacity in any place, but He has called her to be a wife to Shannon and a mom to Ryan, Cheyenne, Hawken, Magdalena, and Peter in Blunt, S.D. She is living like a missionary.
“I’d love to go to Africa,” she says, “but God has called me to ministry to my family.”
Jane met Jesus when she was a young college student; He became the central focus of her life. She did go to Africa after that, as an Army journalist, and it was there beneath the sparkling Somalian stars that she met her husband Shannon, who was an Army interrogator. Upon their return to the States, they married, and now have five children. He’s now a state trooper with the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Having a family has deepened and increased her faith, Jane says.
“I depend on Him so much more,” she explains. “I understand more about how God is our Father – His dedication and commitment.”
The Hinrichs have Ryan, 13, Cheyenne, 11, Hawken, 9, and Magdalena and Peter, who are 7. She lifts each one up in prayer each day before the Father. You can hear the dedication and commitment in her voice as she explains how all their needs are different, how she comforts and counsels each one, how she shares her love for Jesus with them.
“My main desire is for all my kids to follow Jesus, to learn that they are loved by God and that He has a special purpose for each one,” she explains. “I think it affects society as a whole when moms have a ministry to their own family.”
Jane home-schools Hawken, who has several disabilities that totally changed the Hinrich’s lives and deepened their faith. When he was three months old, Hawken began having seizures and his skill development stopped. He continues to have daily seizures, some that last up to 45 minutes. He cannot speak or hold anything. But Jane and the Hinrichs family have seen how God’s hand is at work despite these difficulties.
“God created Hawken just the way he is,” Jane says. “Some people have prayed for God to heal him, but I’ve seen God use [his disabilities] to touch lives in a way that He doesn’t use other people.”
Jane and her husband, Shannon, decided to adopt their two younger children, Maggie and Peter, as a result of Hawken’s disabilities. Both of the younger children were destined for institutions in their mother countries of Bulgaria and Russia, but now, they are happy, miraculous members of the Hinrichs household.
God has also used Hawken to open the hearts of the Hinrich’s extended family. Before, they were never “into Jesus,” but after Hawken began having health problems, all the family mentioned that they were praying for him.
“We’re just grateful for everything God has done,” Jane says, “We forget about the disabilities. I’ve realized that I’m helpless with God – just like Hawken is helpless.”
In addition to five children, the Hinrichs also claim three cats, three dogs, seven goats, plus chickens, horses, and a mule as part of the family. One of the cats, a fat yellow one, is a reminder to the family that God answers prayer.
Night after night, Magdalena prayed for a “fat, yellow cat,” and after a few months of that, one showed up. The goats are milking goats because the goat milk is beneficial for Hawken.
Jane milks the goats herself twice a day and even takes the time to make goat milk soap and creams.
Even the way the Hinrichs began attending Calvary Baptist Church points to the sovereignty of God over their lives. The children attended Bible school two summers ago, when the Hinrichs were members at a different local church, and Jane noticed on family night that the aisle was too narrow to admit Hawken’s wheelchair.
She thought to herself that they would never be able to attend Calvary as a family.
But last year, when she attended the parent’s night, one of the church members pointed out to her that a summer group had widened the aisle. It was just wide enough to admit the wheelchair! God led Jane and Shannon to begin attending Calvary shortly thereafter.
“Our church family loves my family. They embraced our children – all of them,” Jane explains. “Joe Fanger, Hawken’s Sunday school teacher, came over and asked us how to best teach Hawken. No one has ever done that before.”
Jane uses everyday happenings to talk to her children about Jesus. In the kitchen, playing outside, eating a meal, she’s always watching for ways to point out His protection, His provision, and His love.
She shows them how His answers to the little prayers increase their faith.
She’s living like a missionary in the place where God has called her to the people that mean the most.
“Jesus is a part of our family,” she says, “I just talk about Him. It’s part of life with us.”