Toni Henry, Founder of Lois' Lodge
By: Jamie Dean
Most people may not associate golf with ministry, but Lois’ Lodge board member Toni Henry says the two have at least one thing in common: Sometimes people are reluctant to step up and swing hard. What if they miss? What if it’s messy? In the end, timidity leads some to barely swing, or not swing at all.
"But God’s not called us to that," says Toni. "God’s called us to go and really take a swing."
Toni took a giant swing at ministry in 1994 when she began praying about starting a Christian maternity home in the Charlotte area. Though the Furman University graduate and mother of four had been a longtime pro-life activist, she knew little about starting a non-profit ministry, and less about creating a residential home for young women.
But during her years of pro-life work, including local marches and rallies, Toni developed a growing conviction. "I knew we were against abortion," she says. "But I began to ask: ‘What are we for?’" Though marches and rallies were valuable, Toni says, "I really began to feel like we needed to do more than just stand on the sidewalks. We needed to provide a place for these women."
The conviction grew stronger with the sudden death of a dear Christian teenager in Toni’s church. Jennifer Greene had been committed to personal purity, and had volunteered at the Charlotte Crisis Pregnancy Center uptown. Toni and a group of friends began praying about a way to honor Jennifer’s memory and her devotion to the pro-life cause.
The group wanted to follow the Bible’s admonition to care for the fatherless, and to provide a cup of cold water in Christ’s name, especially to young women facing unplanned pregnancies.
In the years that followed, the concept for Lois’ Lodge slowly began to take shape. Toni charged headlong into a steep learning curve that included navigating zoning laws and state regulations, and learning about successful Christian maternity homes.
After a period of "actively waiting" for the right setting, the Lois’ Lodge board moved to open the ministry’s first home in Matthews in 2003. Several board members, including Toni, rolled up their sleeves to help make the ministry work: They vacuumed, cleaned, and blew leaves off the sidewalk.
The board also provided guidance and direction, and moved the ministry to the Dilworth area in 2006. Over the years, Toni says she has been thankful for the 60-plus young women who have found care and gospel hope at Lois’ Lodge, and for the board’s consistent unity. "To me, that’s how you know the Holy Spirit is there," she says. "You walk away refreshed and encouraged."
In the coming months, Toni will join several others in rotating off the ministry’s board. She’s looking forward to helping other non-profits get started, and investing time in her family: The high-energy real estate agent is married to Tom Henry, director of World Serve, a local missions organization assisting indigenous pastors in needy countries. She’s also mom to four children, ages 20-24 (including twins), and eagerly anticipates welcoming her first grandchild this fall.
Toni says she’s also looking forward to watching Lois’ Lodge continue to grow and reach more young women with the hope of Christ. "I want us to always say: ‘We are for Jesus Christ and Him alone,’" she says. "We want people to come to Jesus Christ."
And Toni hopes that more people will step up and take a good, hard swing at ministry. Even if they don’t get a hole-in-one, at least they’ll get the ball off the ground.
