theordquiz.com

By Kate Wolf

   Darlene Psota is a force of nature….no, I don’t mean like a tornado or a hurricane. She’s too serene for that. She’s more like a bright spring day or the warmth of a summer sun. There’s just something about her that seems to dispel darkness, anger, sorrow, grief and all manner of negative emotions. She just brings out the best in people with her rock-solid faith, her caring for others who need help, and her positive perspective on the blessings of life. You might say it’s her God-given super power.

   A native of North Loup, NE, Darlene grew up the daughter of Vic and Ada King. Even as a child, she recognized that Jesus loved her and everyone, no matter what. She wanted to “reach into every house in the world” to spread that good news. Her husband, Duane, is the son of Leonard and Clara Psota, also from the North Loup area. Both attended North Loup-Scotia Schools and were high school sweethearts. After graduation in 1968, the couple married in 1970 and moved to Iowa where Duane had a high profile job in management at Earl May.

   While in Iowa, they first got a glimpse of their shared vision. The Living Word Outreach Center was established “as a place to help hurting people”. They were also instrumental in the foundation of a Bible college where Darlene’s personal ministry grew and she taught for two years. She facilitated getting pastors and clergymen who needed help into the Outreach Center from around the world by working for visas through various embassies. She also earned her own certification as a minister and spoke at several national conferences.

   Since 1987, Darlene has been writing a blog called “Heart Issues” (facebook.com/nl.heartissues), which features various spiritual meditations, as well as creating an online prayer group found at facebook.com/darlene.psota. You can click on Messenger for prayer requests. Both Psotas believe in the awesome power of prayer and miracles. She has also filled in at the Arcadia Methodist Church while the congregation seeks a new pastor. But the highlight of all her experiences was being invited to speak at an international conference in England attended by ministers and clergymen from all over the world.

   “As a country, we are too easily swayed by things of the world, things that are only temporary,” Psota remarked. “This inspired in me a passion to get people back to the Word. We can’t allow ourselves to be confused by this world. We are meant to be transformed by scripture. Faith is not an emotion. It’s a choice we make every single day.”

   In 2007, the Psotas moved back to North Loup to care for their aging fathers. They loved it here and decided to stay. They belonged to the North Loup Seventh Day Baptist Church where Darlene served as pianist and Duane served on the Church Camp Committee, taking care of maintenance and upgrades at Camp Riverview, a job he truly loved.

   In 2011, Darlene and Duane, Ruth and John Ryschon, who are all from North Loup, and Dan Williams of Scotia combined their organizational skills to found the Helping Hands Ministry with a goal of helping others, regardless of denomination or church affiliation, trying to assist those who typically do not ask for help. This might be in the form of financial or physical assistance, funeral expenses, emergency travel expenses, groceries, etc. They raised funds through the Helping Hands food booth during Popcorn Days, as well as through generous donations from organizations, the Big Give, and private individuals.

   Then, in 2022, the unimaginable happened: Darlene’s beloved, active, involved, highly respected, faith-filled husband, Duane, passed away unexpectedly and the loss was mourned by the entire community. Darlene was devastated and, in some ways, she still is. Grief is such a personal thing….time doesn’t “heal” it, you never really “get over it” or “move on” from it. You just learn to adapt and tolerate an ever-present kind of pain. But, through her faith and her own personal ministry, she has managed to navigate the grief by surrendering it to God and, with His help, assisting others to work through their own. Darlene has always had a soft spot in her heart for people who are hurting.

   “You have to be completely honest with yourself, if you’re going to help people. Every day I learn something new. I just want people to know God in a really intimate way,” she explained. “It’s not a once a week relationship. It’s an every single day relationship. You’re never too far gone or strayed too far off the path to find your way back.”

   Because God gave us a set of directions.