Maria and Tom Donnelly- Chaplains to the Forgotten

Who is Maria Donnelly?

Maria has been married to her ministry partner, Tom, for 28 years and counting. They have a beautiful family with 4 sons, 2 daughter-in-laws and 2 grandsons. Maria is a longtime educator having taught elementary through college aged students. She is an ordained Assembly of God evangelist. She has a B.S. in Biology and a M.S. in Instructional Design. She loves Cross-fit and is a Masters Athlete. She also enjoys running, walking her Australian Shepherd rescue, hiking and playing racquetball with Tom. Maria is currently studying for her Doctor of Education Degree in Christian Leadership and Ministry. Most recently (March 2024,) Tom and Maria have become US Missionaries with Assembly of God US Missions. Their mission field is Cecil County Maryland, where they serve the local elementary school, assisted living facilities, and the local jail. Maria is the founder and director of Faith, Hope, & Joy Ministries.

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Life & Calling

Maria grew up in the inner city of Philadelphia where she first learned how to live in challenging circumstances. While from a broken home and dysfunctional family, Maria learned how to survive the inner city streets often characterized by drugs, alcohol, hostility, and racial tensions. Her goals were to break through poverty and be “somebody.” Only the second person in her family to graduate high school, Maria was able to attend the university and earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and becoming a researcher at a major cancer center. Within time , Maria realized that teaching others was her gift, and went onto graduate school where she endeavored to help poor city kids like herself in the public schools. She earned her Masters of Science in Instructional Design with a focus on Life Sciences.

As a prominent educator by the age of 23, Maria thought she had made it. She beat the reality of dysfunction and poverty and had everything she thought she wanted and needed. But it was not working. Her heart ached for something more.

Maria began asking God for answers. Why was she still empty when she was so successful?

It wasn’t long that Jesus gave Maria her answer. Maria gave her heart and life to Jesus and was radically changed. She went from living only to be successful, drowning the dull emptiness in her heart with all the things that leave you empty, to living victoriously and joyously now having received Jesus. Maria was radically saved and made new. Maria began working in Christian Education and devoted her life to serving her Savior. She gave up her high paying job as a public school educator and professor at the university, and began working at a local inner city Christian school.

Blessings, joy , and ministry were now Maria’s life. Within a few years after serving in Christian Education, Maria met her husband Tom. Tom too was from the inner city of Philadelphia and was saved from dysfunction, a family with drug and alcohol addiction, and gang life.

God wasn’t finished with Maria’s call. While she was holding her 1st son after a Sunday morning service, Maria heard an audible call from God, to Feed His Sheep. The Lord called Maria twice more after that through dreams and the call was confirmed by others around her.

This call necessitated a response and Maria began studying for the ministry. While raising a family and managing a home, Maria studied with the Assemblies of God to become a credentialed minister.

Maria’s call to ministry continued and she became certified, licensed, and then ordained in 2018. Maria served the church in Christian Education, Teaching, Preaching, Women’s Ministry, and Prayer and Altar Ministry. Maria also served bi-vocationally as Children’s pastor, Associate Pastor, and Student Ministries Pastor.

In 2020, the combined challenges of mental illness and the Covid-19 pandemic brought a tragedy into Maria’s family. Her youngest son, Danny, at the age 21, attempted to take his life in a suicide attempt by a gunshot to the face. Fortunately, death was not part of God’s plan, and the Lord intervened to save her son’s life. The miracles were remarkable for the next year as Maria’s son was physically restored. During this experience, the Lord called Maria to the field of evangelism. God’s story must be told, and Maria is called to tell it. Danny’s story continues to be astounding and Maria and Tom continue to support Danny as he struggles to live with severe mental illness and the numerous challenges that come with it.

Through her experiences, education, and especially through God’s Word and the Holy Spirit of God, Maria will encourage you not just to survive but to thrive. Maria will teach you to trust the Lord triumphantly in the midst of any trial or tragedy!

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

NIV, Jeremiah 32:17, Biblia (2011)