Jan Grote has a heart for helping others. It was her motivation for initially choosing nursing as a career. But after her children were grown and her husband unexpectedly passed away, Jan started searching for ways she could have a bigger impact in helping people learn about true health. She no longer wanted to just pass out medicines and have only brief moments with patients.
She worked part time at a lifestyle center in Missouri and as the nurse at Black Hills Health & Education Center, but she wanted to do more and she wanted to be living in her country home and helping her community. Jan’s sister and her cousin were both massage therapists with thriving practices, and they encouraged her to take a close look at massage. About that time, though, her mother was scheduled to have surgery; so instead of heading to school Jan went to care for her mother for several months.
Meanwhile, a friend who lived near her, Kira Reoh, came to the Black Hills to study massage and graduated in July of 2018. Jan has a special skill of bringing people together and she played matchmaker for her sister. This led to her sister getting married, moving out of town, and turning over her practice to Kira right after Kira’s graduation.
While caring for her mother Jan continued playing matchmaker, introducing the son of another friend to the young (and single) chef at Black Hills. That match was also successful, but before marriage the chef was convinced to learn massage as well.
Both “the chef” and Jan joined the 2019 massage class in one of the coldest springs in recent memories! There was a wedding in the middle of the term, followed by graduation in September.
Never a better time
Fall of 2019 found Jan back in Missouri ready to go to work. She joined Kira in her practice and added a small kitchen to the clinic. Now she is both chef as well as therapist. She tries to make time to prepare a plant-based lunch on Thursdays that is available to the community. Occasionally she offers a “Massage and Green Smoothie” special to her clients.
Jan also teaches health classes in the meeting room at the clinic. Last September she, along with other members of her church, hosted a weekend event called Abundant Life. The event included lectures by a special guest who is an expert in healthy living God’s way, delicious plant-based meals (she grows the greens and other veggies in her garden), hydrotherapy and of course massage!
While Jan is enjoying doing what she feels God called her to do—sharing the wonderful laws of health with her community—she also believes there has never been a better time to be working for the Lord in the field of health.
Sidebar:
BHHEC: The #1 Christian Massage School
In the world of massage schools, Black Hills School of Massage is everything few schools want to be. Unique. Different. Unashamedly Christian. “Old Age.” In Google vernacular, we are positioned at number one for Christian massage schools in the country. Not because of SEO’s but because Christian massage schools are almost non-existent.
We teach massage as a tool for ministry. It’s an opportunity to learn a skill that provides income and an open door to teach the health message to others through touch and perhaps other means such as health classes in the community. Each student chooses to share Christ in their own unique way. Chelsea and Jan are just two of those who have found a way.
Wherever you are, we encourage you to allow God to use you or develop your skills to be used by Him to share the good news of true health and Christ’s soon return with others.
—Al Trace directs the School of Massage at BHHEC in Hermosa, South Dakota.
website: bhhec.org/school-of-massage/2732390
phone: 605.255.4101
email: info@bhhec.org
