She Magazine APRIL 2016 | Page 120

She’s Extraordinary in every issue Story by Ferebe Gasque Pearce • Laura McBryde Photography betsy bird h EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN OF FAITH Her journey towards earning the accolade, Woman of Faith, began when she was a very young girl. Betsy Banks grew up in Darlington, South Carolina, where she, her parents, and her sister attended church regularly. After graduating from high school, Betsy attended Columbia College. When she was a junior, she met and married Jim Bird, a handsome Citadel graduate. Shortly after their wedding, Jim was assigned to a post in Germany. Though life was good for the newlyweds, there was something missing in Betsy’s life. She had always attended church but struggled with things she had been taught in college. One day while Jim was at work, Betsy cried out to God, alone in the quietness of their small home. It was then that He changed her life. She became hungry for His Word. Together, Jim and Betsy decided that the prospects of raising two young children in a military environment (especially with frequent deployments) would not be the best thing for their family. So, Jim left active duty after eight years to pursue civilian employment. However, he remained in the United States Army Reserves and retired after thirty years of service. After several years of success in the insurance industry, Jim and Betsy were presented with the opportunity to work with Precept Ministries. In the twenty years since her dramatic conversion, Betsy had been soaking up God’s Word. It was the right move at the right time. They relocated to Chattanooga, where they invested their lives for the next eighteen years. Betsy was Director of Training and Jim was International Director. They traveled extensively, teaching others how to study and teach the Word.