By: Brittney Mangum
Reporter
“Just lean on Jesus in all your troubles in life and all the problems that you have,” advised Lindsey Followell. “He is the answer, and you’re not going to solve it on your own. Whatever you’re going through, good or bad, just know that Jesus is in control and lean on him.”
Lindsey Followell has a strong faith and believes in following God’s plan for her life and trusting Him no matter what happens. She is very active in her church, Love Now Community Church in Meridian.
“My husband is the mission’s pastor and is in charge of all the missions’ projects. We’re both really active, and I sing in the praise band,” explained Lindsey. “Our church has been involved in a lot of different things to help minister to the community. We’ve served at Love’s Kitchen before. We try to do Valentine’s Banquets every year at nursing homes. We’ve had a free for all on a recent weekend. We really do try to reach out to the community.”
Her faith and desire to serve others and share Christ are not limited to church, however. She has also taken something she has always loved and made her career doing that, and her job allows her the chance to talk with others and offer encouragement and wisdom as well.
“I’ve always loved hair and been a girly girl. When I was little, I would always play with my hair in front of the mirror. When I got older, I wanted to be able to serve God and talk about Him through whatever I did. Nowadays, you’re restricted in some places where you can’t do that. I still juggled back and forth thinking about benefits and money and all that, but I kept feeling like the Lord was drawing me to one thing: doing hair,” recalled Linsey. “I went to MCC for probably three and a half years because I kept juggling what I wanted to do. I really wanted to do hair full time, but then I would think I wanted to do nursing or teaching, so I went through all the basics for everything before I finally decided that I really just wanted to do hair. I got my Associate’s Degree from MCC.”
Once she graduated and was able to start off with the career of her dreams, she was blessed with a position working alongside a friend and quickly built up her clientele, who are more like family to her now.
“I started doing this nine years ago and started working at JC Penny first. Then, Chasity Blackburn was one of my good friends and did my hair, and the Lord really worked through her to give me the business that I have. She invited me to work alongside her and has blessed me so much and has mentored me and given me customers. I really feel like this is where I’m supposed to be, and it’s just such a good opportunity. I’m very blessed,” expressed Lindsey. “It’s just so much more than a business; this is a ministry. It’s like my second family; everybody that sits in the chair is like a family. They pour out what they’re going through in their lives: things that are happy or struggles or praises. It’s just such a joy to be able to hear that and serve those people. Even if I can just give advice that points to Jesus if they don’t know the Lord, it’s just such a blessing to be able to do that. I definitely feel like this is just something God has called me to do, and I enjoy it so much.”
While she hasn’t always had the smoothest journey, she was able to see where God was always working in her life and teaching her different lessons through everything she was facing. She married at a young age, and God used her young marriage to help grow her and her faith even more.
“I got married at 19. Right after I got married, I started hair school,” proclaimed Lindsey. “That was a struggle because my husband had just lost his job, but it was such a great time of growth. I wouldn’t change it if I could go back. We just lived in a little bedroom apartment just living on love.”
Since she’s been married, she and her husband have started a beautiful family together. While she does stay busy through the ministry with her church and her job, she makes sure to also be involved and devoted to her family.
“I mainly stay busy with the kids and my husband. They’re my goal right now,” declared Lindsey. “My little girl is five and is involved in things already. We’ve done T-Ball and dance and all that. My family is just my goal right now. I feel like they’re who I’m supposed to be pouring into.”
No matter what she is doing each day, it can be guaranteed that Lindsey will greet those around her with a joyful smile and do everything she can to share the love of Christ to everyone through her actions and kindness. She will continue to give to those around her while simultaneously pouring herself into her amazing family.
If you would like to nominate someone for Person of the Week, contact Brittney Mangum at 601-776-3726
