Credit Union VP shares passion for evangelism & prayer

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—As a youngster Lillie Andrews remembers her mother would put drops in for her earache and tell her to “just keep praying.”

“I would fall asleep praying and wake up just fine,” Andrews recalled. “I have been blessed. God has just given me a good job with a wonderful family that I love and wonderful people who have overcome obstacles.”

Andrews, a member of Ridgewood Baptist Church in Orange Park, is the vice-president and acting CEO of Florida Baptist Credit Union where she has served for more than eight years. Before coming to Florida, Andrews worked at a number of military credit unions, beginning with one at Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, S.C. That was 31 years ago and Andrews was an administrative assistant to the president.

Today, Andrews said she is content to serve as vice-president at FBCU and acting CEO only “as long as it’s acting for a while.”

At FBCU, she oftentimes prays with employees and even clients about their concerns, something she didn’t regularly do, at least without raising a few eyebrows, at her other places of employment. And even while she’s directing human resources, serving as the credit manager, insuring compliance and overseeing all aspects of credit union operations, she enjoys her work.

“It’s triple as good as just a regular credit union,” Andrews said. “No, I don’t get to witness to people very often, but I do get to encourage and support people who are in ministry—and the credit union also tithes back, and supporting that work is fabulous.”

Steve Baumgardner, chairman of the board of the FBCU told the Witness Andrews is a leader both at work and at church.

“Lillie Andrews is a woman who manages to juggle church and work activities in a Christ-like way,” Baumgardner said. “Not only does she find time to participate in church visitation, Vacation Bible School and other Kingdom building activities, but she also provides great leadership to the Florida Baptist Credit Union, especially in the area of providing loans to members. It is obvious Lillie loves her work at the Florida Baptist Credit Union; however, her love for her Savior comes first.”

Andrews, indeed, is very involved in her church.

“My mother brought me up that way,” she said.

Born in Ohio and moving to Jefferson County when she was very young, Andrews said she remembers standing in her front yard under a tree with her pastor and asking the Lord to come into her life. She also remembers walking the aisle of her church to “Just As I Am” playing on the piano. Despite being so involved in church, however, Andrews said she feared sharing Christ with anyone herself.

“I was scared to death to try to lead someone to the Lord purposefully because I thought I would do it wrong and they would never go to heaven,” Andrews said. “In my head I knew that was wrong, but in my heart that’s how I felt.”

Now, when she goes out during her church’s Monday “Great Adventure” visitation night, Andrews said she asks people if they can remember a special time, or a “spot” they were at when they became a Christian. She credits her church’s pastor of evangelism and education with training her and others to share the Gospel through a variety of methods including using tracts and scripture verses.

“I went every Monday until I was comfortable and able and then it was like the best thing I ever did in my life,” Andrews said. “It was like, ‘Why have I been wasting all these years?’ And then I discovered when you purposefully go out and do what God wants you to do, that he bring people to you. I’ve led people to the Lord in all kinds of places.”

At work, at church and at home, Andrews said she feels the peace of knowing God has had a hand on her life all along.

Married to Darrell Andrews for 40 years, Lillie Andrews met him in high school and it was understood he would attend her church when they began dating. They were married when she was 20 and he had joined the Marine Corps.

“I had full trust,” Andrews said. “I had never been anywhere but with my family. Just got in the car and left. Didn’t have a house to live in or anything, but it was fine.”

The Andrews’ have one married daughter, Heather Beneff, and granddaughter, Chloe, 6. Andrews said she believes her role has been to take care of her daughter, primarily—but that she recognizes it can be difficult to set priorities.

“You know it goes for generations,” Andrews said. “My mother taught me a lot of things that I passed on and that Heather is passing on and those things might not happen if other things are more important.”