Interviewing Renee Paxton was an amazing experience, and one that I will never forget.
Renee has experienced many hardships in her life, but her faith in Jesus Christ has helped her through the tough times. She was born in Mississippi in the 1930s but currently resides in
Missouri. Renee is married to R. Paxton, and combined they have six children. Renee and her husband were both previously married but their families blended very well. Each of the two took on the other’s kids as their own.
Renee did not grow up going to church with her parents, but she knows in her heart that they were believers. Her father was very claustrophobic and was uncomfortable in crowded places; therefore, he did not like to attend church, but Renee attended regularly with her grandmother. She attended many different denominations of churches, including Methodist and
Episcopal, before she found her home in the Baptist faith. When asked about the specific moment she invited Jesus into her heart, she said it was in the third grade, but she did not feel truly connected to the Lord until she married her current husband. Renee was very “churched” as a child and young adult, but did not fully understand how important it was to have a relationship with Christ until a later age.
The lowest point in Renee’s faith journey occurred after her 19 year old son was killed in a car accident. Before he passed away, Renee was closer to God than she had ever been, but her faith was tested with her son’s death. She remembers sitting in the cemetery, asking herself if
God was real or if he was just something people believed in for comfort. Without the support of her church family and husband, she would have never made it through her son’s death. She began to dig into scripture and attend Bible studies, which allowed her to heal with the comfort of God. In the Bible, Jesus says, “One day you will be with me in paradise,” and this verse
Missouri State University Spring 2011 Religious Lives of Ozarks Women

2 comforted Renee. She knows that one day she will join her son in paradise and they can worship together.
As previously stated, church has always been a part of Renee’s life, and recently she has been a part of starting a new church in Rockaway Beach. She and her husband attended a First
Baptist Church (FBC) in Branson for 10 years, and the church decided to start a plant church.
The Paxtons were the oldest members of FBC who were a part of starting this new church. When asked why she decided to be a part of this new journey, she stated, “I just love to be used for the
Lord, and I knew in my heart this was the right step.” Bridge of Faith Church is a community that accepts people from all backgrounds. Many of the members are new believers and come from troubled home situations. The church focuses on helping children from troubled families by sending buses to their neighborhoods to pick them up for Wednesday night meals and Bible studies. Renee’s favorite part of the week are the Wednesday night dinners where she gets to spend time with the children, witnessing to them and loving on them.
Renee Paxton truly is an amazing woman. At age 80, she is still attending church numerous times a week, not only as a member, but also as a mentor to many younger women.
She lives each life for the glory of her Lord Jesus Christ, waking up each morning doing devotions and praying each evening with her husband before bed. Renee is a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who has been a Christian influence on all her family members. I plan on keeping in contact with Renee and attending her church sometime in the near future. My conversation with Renee was a wonderful experience, and I am thankful to have made a new friend in Renee Paxton.
Missouri State University Spring 2011 Religious Lives of Ozarks Women