Someone You Should Know: Janice Millican

In our Someone You Should Know series, we interview Faith members to help us get to know them, see how God is working in their lives, and make new connections within our community. In this episode we get to know Janice Millican.

• Automated Transcription

• Seth Weber 0:00
  Today on faith matters. Janice Milliken joins us for someone you should know.
  
  Seth Weber 0:11
  I'm Seth Weber, and you're listening to faith matters, a podcast designed to help you think biblically in matters of the Christian faith and update you on matters of faith, Bible, church, you
  
  Seth Weber 0:37
  Janice Milliken, Mrs. Milliken, yes,
  
  Janice Millican 0:43
  good to be here.
  
  Seth Weber 0:49
  Tell us, where were you born and where did you
  
  Janice Millican 0:52
  grow up? Yes, so I was born in Walla, Walla, Washington. They had to name it twice. They did. They had to name it twice. I grew up with I was one of six children, and mom and dad, Ed and Lorraine were married just over 50 years before dad had passed away. So yeah, grew up there, went through the Catholic school system all the way from grade school through high school.
  
  Seth Weber 1:17
  You have any fun childhood memories? So
  
  Speaker 1 1:20
  I was blessed in my family. My youngest sister, Mary Ellen, was born Down syndrome, and so she was quite a favorite to me. And so my favorite childhood memories were summer times being able to participate with her in special recreational activities in the city and go through some special olympics and things like that with her. So that was very fun. So
  
  Seth Weber 1:43
  tell me about your your educational path after you went go to high school at the Catholic school, right? What do you do after that? Right?
  
  Janice Millican 1:53
  So I went to Walla, Walla Community College for just a semester, okay, and then realized that I was ready to move away from home, and ended up applying at ew. And so that's, that's where I took off to, okay? And was there, and, gosh, for till I was a junior, at least, yeah, studying, let's see, it was special ed and Adapted PE at the time. Okay, so it was physical education adapted to it was like what was called mainstreaming back then, where special needs or disabled folks students were integrated into regular classrooms. And so I got to take some studies that way, and then my degree changed a bit later. So
  
  Seth Weber 2:39
  okay, so then what did you end up ultimately pursuing after after your junior year?
  
  Janice Millican 2:45
  Yeah. So after my junior year, we, we Bob and I had met, so we, I stopped my education there at Eastern we got married, and within about a year and a half, Caleb was born. Now
  
  Seth Weber 2:58
  Bob mentioned you remembered something about when you met that he that he couldn't remember. Tell us that story. How did you guys meet?
  
  Janice Millican 3:05
  Okay, so I thought that we met at a retreat for the recreation department at UW Okay, he didn't remember that. So probably the next time that we ended up really meeting up again was we were both in a winter recreation program, and so it was called skiing for the handicap. And so Bob and I each had an opportunity to be part of the class that drove up together in different vehicles, skied on Mount Spokane for free, after we taught our our students, our special needs students, how to ski Nice. So I had a downs boy that I just loved, and so we were training them and helping them, and they got to compete in the Special Olympics. So that was a really cool time for Bob and I to really mesh, you know as seeing one another's hearts and our interests in disability. Yeah, it
  
  Seth Weber 4:05
  seems like you guys have that shared passion for people with disabilities. It's wonderful. So you mentioned you had kids. Tell us about tell us about your boys. Okay,
  
  Janice Millican 4:15
  all right, so let's see Caleb. We have Caleb, Keegan, Corey, Ethan and Jarrod. And Caleb is an RN at Eastern State Hospital. He's married to Amanda, and they have two boys, CJ and Gavin and Keegan. He is a demolition specialist. He is no longer married. Has Jackson and Raiden and they are wonderful attending here at the church, actually, so that's very exciting. Yeah, and then Corey and Laura. Corey is a pastor down at Gold Country Baptist in Shingle Springs, and so he and Laura have Adelaide and a. Olivia and Hudson and Audrey Yes, therefore, yes, yes, she's a little peach. And so Caleb, Kean Corey, Ethan and crystal. Ethan is a businessman, and he and Crystal have Mavic and VEDA. They live out in the ED wall area. So and then Jared, of course, Jared and Claire, they have their four little sweet Well, number four is in the oven, due in July. So yeah, Bennett and Millie, Joe and little Caleb, and then Annie will be their little girl. So very
  
  Seth Weber 5:36
  excited, yes, yeah. So tell us. How did you come to know Jesus? Okay?
  
  Janice Millican 5:42
  Well, as I said earlier, I was raised in a traditional Catholic Church, and so I had never actually heard a clear gospel message. I loved a lot of the high sacraments of the church, and was never fearful of the Lord. Just just believed that he existed. I just didn't know I could have a relationship with him until after we were married and we went Bob and I went to a large non denominational church service, and the gospel was very clearly proclaimed that that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that it was only by grace, through faith that I could be saved, and that the blood of Christ is is what redeemed us back, for those who would believe, what redeemed us back To God Himself and a relationship with Him, which is what he's always wanted. And so I knew I was a sinner. I knew I had never confessed Christ as Savior. And so there was an opportunity during this service that we went to to do an altar call, which we had never experienced before. So those of us that wanted to receive Christ as Savior and start living for him. Come on down, you know? And so a prayer was prayed for us. I knew my life was immediately different. Knew my my heart was immediately different. And we were counseled very strongly to get involved in a Bible teaching church right away. Okay? And so that's what we did after we got home, we sought out our church, and come to find out, it wasn't very far away from where we lived. So start, started learning the Bible, and Pastor Ed Underhill was the pastor at the time at fourth Memorial, whom how we really grew up to love and to fact, he always visited me in the hospital after each of our boys were born. That was very sweet, wonderful.
  
  Seth Weber 7:43
  Yeah, so tell us about the ways in which you've been involved in ministry at faith over the years.
  
  Janice Millican 7:51
  Oh, sure, sure. So gosh, back in the early days, Bob and I were in what was called a young marrieds class, okay, and I'm thinking maybe your grandpa George and yeah, I think grandma Doreen were part of the leadership in that, and rocky and ADA and Joe and Marilyn, so many. And that was a real encouraging time. We were involved in that as as participants. And then over time, oh, the Women's World Bible studies on Tuesday mornings, because I was a stay home mom. God blessed me with being able to be home with the boys. So was involved in attending those classes for many, many years. And then in time, got to help with some vacation Bible school. And gosh, raising the boys, I had to step back for a bit. We were in ASAP, in the worship ministry and in the National Association of New City counselors. It was called nanc and Earl Dan and Nancy had headed up that vision that God had given them for coming alongside mentoring and counseling other other folks. So Bob and I frequently did that with younger couples from marriage counseling just beyond and boy, it's amazing to look back over that time
  
  Seth Weber 9:15
  and raising your boys. That's a big minister. Well, it was, it was huge.
  
  Janice Millican 9:18
  It was like that was my greatest and most wonderful opportunity for evangelism. So that was just a sweet, sweet season of time. And then in time, God grew us through some hardships, some grief, some joys, all kinds of life. And now I've well I was, was working, actually, outside of the home for about 13 years in various capacities, and now that I'm retired, able to participate in aspiring women and teaching the class in collat. We developed the class for Colossians and Philemon and that just ended up last Wednesday. Thiry was our last class there, and mom life. Love serving with mom life and being a mentor mom. Little did I know, back in those days of raising all those boys and just keeping them alive for one more day, you know that God would use that to come you know? But that's what the church is, is coming alongside one another and encouraging, by the very means we've been encouraged. So, yeah, yeah.
  
  Seth Weber 10:26
  So you mentioned that you worked outside the home in various capacities over the years. Tell us a little bit about that
  
  Janice Millican 10:32
  I did. So there's a little priest story there. Seth, so the boys started graduating from high school, and at the time, Caleb and Keegan were both at community college here, and so there was an opportunity where, you know, Bob and I started praying. So now what is my role as wife and mom at home raising sons now that they're all in school all day long. Of course, we had ministries that we were involved in at church, but it was like pretty soon, the Lord brought opportunity to apply to go back to finish that degree that I didn't finish, like 23 years earlier. And so I applied to the Continuing Studies program at Whitworth, Bob and I prayed. We talked to the boys about it. We got some wise counsel from a brother in the Lord. And sure enough, I I was accepted to the Continuing Studies program at Whitworth. It was a bachelor's in social services. And so that was, that was a really sweet thing that that God did for us. And so in time, after I finished that degree, I was given the opportunity to take some jobs outside of the home. And so that was we prayed. It was really scary to trust the Lord in a whole new way and to not lean on our own understanding and in all our ways acknowledge him and he would make our path straight. And so, sure enough, he did and and one of the very first jobs that I did was at Whitworth, in fact, in the office of the president. I just did a temporary position there in the office, and that was just something I enjoyed. I've always liked coming in contact with the public and and having opportunities that way. So we did that for a little bit, and that was just at the end of finishing that degree there at Whitworth, and then Dave Syme, here at FBC, was working at Partners international at the time, and he encouraged me to apply for a position with partners International. And so I worked there for three or four years, doing some project I assisted a project manager, okay, and so that was, that was a really wonderful opportunity. And while I was there, got to take part in partners international women's ministry, where we developed, there was a group of us of about eight ladies, and we developed some encouraging messages to help the wives of pastors in India to just encourage them and and come alongside them in the Lord. And so we traveled there for about two and a half weeks, and were able to serve in India among just the beautiful churches there, and those people are in my heart forever, forever and everything opportunity. Oh, my goodness, I had no idea God provided the means. We all raised our support. So that was, that was sweet. And it wasn't long after that the Bob and I actually were part of the English camp in Czech Republic that following year. So that was really cool. You know, now that Jared and Claire are over there, it's just it was, it was really sweet to partake in that. But after partners International, there had been a recession in our economy, and so they had to make some cutbacks. And so we prayed some more and sought some wise counsel again. And you know, we raised our boys going to Spokane Public Schools. I thought, Well, why not Bob? What do you think? Should I go ahead and apply for a position at Spokane Public Schools. And sure enough, there had been a position created that had never existed before in human resources. And so I applied for it, and by God's grace, I got to get that job. Wow, and it was, it was so great because it was coming in contact with the public, encouraging new applicants, people that were kind of nervous about applying for a teaching position or just any positions. Okay? And so I was the applicant desk, desk secretary, and could just help them walk through, getting the application done and answering their questions and following up with testing and things like that that they needed. But in the end, I was at HR for about nine years, and then COVID and I had an injury at work, and ended up that I could take a job at North Central High School in the Student Office. And so loved that I supported the principals that dealt with truancy and attendance with. Some kids, and so there was a lot of activity in that office, you can imagine, but I loved it, and just retired from there about a year and a half ago now, and it was so great to come, God did this in such a great way, to come full circle in the school district, starting in HR, which I loved. I love the staff. I love working with the people that came to that office, but we never got to see the students. And so to finish this career, if you want to call it that, in in the school district at North Central High School, I it was a precious, precious day when I when I retired, and just knowing that God did that, did that for us and for our family so amazing, it brought opportunities of ministry that I never would have imagined. And so during those employment years, I wasn't involved as much in women's ministry as I had hoped. But God had a different path for me in ministry out in you know, we all have our own mission field outside of the church, and so that was, that was part of it. So it was, it was just great. So now I'm retired and enjoying that very much as well. So wonderful. Yeah,
  
  Seth Weber 16:13
  what has God been teaching you through all that lately?
  
  Janice Millican 16:16
  Oh, my, oh my. I've learned, and I'm continually learning and encouraging other women that when we as wives and particularly stay in the tension of growing in Christ under the leadership of our husbands, being the moms that we're called to be the grandparents, when we stay in the tensions, the hard times, then getting on the other side of that tension you, it's like God just shows you. Look at me again. Look at my faithfulness again. Look what I've done for you, in you, through you. And so just staying in the tension of life, but realizing God is good all the time, and he really, he does use His Word, His Word is sufficient for everything in our lives. And and then through Colossians, I just had the privilege of one of the lessons I did was through Colossians, 115, to 23, I believe it was Seth, please share. There's a gospel message there that is so clear and and beautiful. I'm just blessed to have to have had the privilege of of working with the aspiring women group and Marty turnquist, it's just been a humbling, wonderful, thing to go through. And
  
  Seth Weber 17:42
  so how can we be praying for you? Thank you.
  
  Janice Millican 17:46
  Thank you. So always get emotional regarding our loved ones and those that we desire to to see come to Christ, and so we pray for the souls of our of our family and extended family and our grandchildren to come to know Him, grateful for this season of life that Bob and I are so excited about in retirement. And actually, I would say a praise is that God has put the body of Christ together for such marvelous good works in his name that we must continually pray for the body of Christ worldwide, that that his glory would be seen and that that that evangelism would just be natural, would just come from our lips and from our lives. For for the glory of the Lord,
  
  Seth Weber 18:49
  amen. Amen. Okay, well, jarring transition here, all right, for the speed. All right, all right. All right,
  
  Janice Millican 18:56
  sitting up tall, okay, here we go. You.
  
  Seth Weber 19:05
  Cats or dogs. Dogs, pineapple on pizza? Nope. Favorite book besides the Bible,
  
  Janice Millican 19:09
  so most recently would probably be dark clouds, deep mercy. Okay, it's it teaches about lament. And an older book is Hinds, feet on high places. By Hannah hernard, favorite band. I love mercy me. I love the heart behind their music. And Lauren Daigle, why there's so many city
  
  Seth Weber 19:32
  alight. Favorite movie or TV show? Okay,
  
  Janice Millican 19:35
  well, I do like the Mission Impossible ones. I just love high action movies. And so SWAT is a TV show that I like watching on Netflix. That's just me. You just like action and, yeah, it's all these guys, these young men around here shooting things I don't know.
  
  Seth Weber 19:54
  Best surprise gift you've ever gotten.
  
  Janice Millican 19:57
  We didn't know if I. If we were going to have a fifth son, or if we were going to have a little girl for the first time when we were pregnant with our fifth child. And the best surprise was finding out that not only was Jared Jared, but that we thought that there had been a possibility of him having a disability, and that never happened. And so that was a great surprise gift.
  
  Seth Weber 20:24
  If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with all the extra time? I would travel
  
  Janice Millican 20:29
  more to see our children in Czech Republic and in California, but also probably paint my whole house and put in a whole different garden space. I don't know. We just love being outside. You've been in our backyard, so you know, it's, it's a it's lots to do, but we love doing it. And I would have Bob right by my side. So
  
  Seth Weber 20:52
  favorite place to eat out in Spokane. We have
  
  Janice Millican 20:55
  eaten at the Davenport grand a couple of times on special occasions, and that's right up there. And I have to cheat a little bit, but the combination kitchen in Coeur d'Alene is right up there.
  
  Seth Weber 21:09
  Okay, yeah, I'll accept two okay, just for you. Okay, just for you. Thank you. Thank you.
  
  Seth Weber 21:15
  All right, well, it's been a pleasure to have you here. Thank you. And faith, Bible, church, Janice Milliken is someone you should know. Thanks, Seth, you

Janice Millican

Janice and her husband, Bob, have been at Faith since the beginning and have five grown sons. Janice worked at Spokane Public Schools for over a decade before retiring in 2024.

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Seth Weber

Seth is the Communications Director at Faith Bible Church and loves anything to do with design, video, audio and tech. He and his wife Kaitlyn have four children.

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