Susie Wingler brings Christ into the marketplace. Stepping out of her
comfort zone and praying with people on the spot has made a big difference in
her life and for those with whom she prays.
By Veronica Stoneall, Living Stones News writer
Susie Wingler and her husband and best friend of 31 years, Gerry, are the third
generation to run Shipley’s Laundry and Dry Cleaners in Sioux Falls, S.D. This
family business is l05 years old, and is one of a handful of businesses there to
reach the century mark and remain in the original family.
Susie Wingler and her husband, Gerry, run a laundry and dry cleaning
business in Sioux Falls, S.D. — a place where they strive to share the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and pray for the needs of their customers,
employees and vendors. |
“Jesus Christ is the CEO of our business,” Wingler said. “Christ has laid the
foundation for His love to be shared throughout our business, which has resulted
in many employees, vendors and customers experiencing life-changing events.”
Wingler can recount hundreds of miracles where God has touched the lives of
those around her in numerous ways. Many have experienced physical healing.
Others have opened their hearts to Christ, and many people have experienced
God’s divine grace and intervention.
“God just keeps opening doors and challenging me. He is limitless, and I have
come to always expect the unexpected from Him,” Wingler said.
Wingler grew up in Sioux Falls and still lives there with Gerry and their two
daughters, Stacy and Jennifer. Although Wingler was raised Episcopalian, she had
never experienced a personal relationship with Jesus until she was 16 years old,
when Gerry introduced her to the Lord.
“On our first date, we visited his church and discussed Bible verses,” Wingler
said.
About a year ago, God convicted Wingler to begin praying for physical healing
for others. She said she has witnessed God’s power and grace moving in an
awesome way in people’s lives. Numerous backs, necks, bones, joints, shoulders,
knees, etc., have been healed and restored by Christ.
This past summer at a Holy Spirit conference, Wingler was overjoyed when her
daughter, Jennifer, was miraculously healed of Crohn’s disease. When people are
healed physically by Christ, Wingler said they receive a burning desire to learn
more about Jesus who has healed them.
Becoming involved with the Sioux Falls ministry known as Command 2, a
prayer-based organization that strives to bring Christ into the workplace, has
been fulfilling for Wingler. From her association with the ministry, she said
she has caught the vision of the marketplace as a mission field. The concept is
to use prayer along with personal interaction to introduce others to Christ’s
love wherever you go. The marketplace infers that the mission field could be
anything from the grocery store to your workplace or even in an airplane.
Wherever people are becomes a marketplace.
Every Tuesday the Command 2 ministry hosts a luncheon at the Firehouse
Underground. It is a gathering of like-minded Christians for fellowship and
discussion about spreading the Good News in the marketplace and throughout the
community. Command 2 also dispatches prayer teams to businesses. They use a
program called “Tread” that involves people gathering in the downtown area to
prayer walk the city, often stopping along the way to minister to the prayer
needs of those on the streets.
One of Wingler’s goals is to help instill in others the same passion for prayer
that God has placed in her heart. It is her belief that she must be obedient to
God’s nudging when she encounters someone who needs the touch of the Lord. There
is always an opportunity to pray for people.
One such occasion arose when...
...Wingler was visiting her parents in Florida. She
had the privilege to pray for and share the love of God with a caregiver who had
been experiencing much anguish and grief, and as a result, she could see no hope
for her future. While praying with the caregiver, Wingler said God imparted a
peace to the woman, which opened the door for Wingler to share the Gospel
message. Wingler said the woman’s life was changed instantly.
God engineered another encounter when carpeting was being installed in Wingler’s
home. The installer was quite late getting to the job and as a result, Wingler
was running behind getting to work. However, she said she felt led by the Holy
Spirit to stay and talk with the man. He began to share how for years he had
been running from God because of the heartaches in his life. Ironically, while
he was on his knees installing carpet, Wingler was able to pray with him. She
said she is always amazed at God’s perfect timing.
“It is great to see how the Lord takes the brokenhearted and restores them
physically, emotionally and spiritually. He helps them find true joy,” Wingler
said. “One of the most important things is spending time with the Lord. This
results in a friendship that moves into intimacy. That is when God imparts His
personality, His ways and His desires into you.
“I strive to be sensitive to people’s needs so I can discern how to share God’s
love for them. Everyone needs love. When you seek it, God will implant in your
heart a genuine love for others that cannot be explained by worldly terms.”
Wingler’s favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:3 -- “Let love and faithfulness
never leave you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your
heart.”
“I can’t wait to get up in the morning to see what God has planned for me,”
Wingler said. “It is a true honor to serve the Lord.”
