Say Hi to Sammie Hatfield

Art is a form of worship, she says. God gave Sammie gifts of creativity and communication, beautifully intertwining them into her profession. She is a freelance graphic and web designer. Sammie works with passion and excellence as the PennDel Women graphic and web designer. She is passionate about using art to communicate the love of the Father and the beauty of His world to others. She loves connecting people to His word through recreations of His creation. She says, "He is the original and greatest artist."

After marrying her best friend and military man, Nathaniel, Sammie is a joyful newlywed. The two became one on June 13, 2021, and it has been a whirlwind ever since. She is trying to navigate this season with complete trust. She says, "We haven't had too many answers turn out the way we expected." Sammie describes this season as one of patience as the Lord continues to teach them understanding. They continually seek and trust His will for their lives and pray it aligns with their military orders. Sammie says, "That is one of the hardest parts - trusting that what we are being told to do has ultimately come from the Lord." 

Within this past month, Sammie and Nathaniel have made an enormous life move, relocating across the country to Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA. They have two fur babies, Piper and Basil, which are more than enough in the middle of their already very hectic and transitioning lives. But Lord willing, having children is definitely in the plans and dreams eventually, she says with a smile. 

Sammie accepted Christ when she was a young girl in elementary school. And that decision developed into an honest and intimate relationship in high school and college that has become her lifeline and foundation for everything.

God has taught Sammie so much over her years pursuing Him and the call He placed on her life. Suppose Sammie was sitting across the table with a sister in Christ just beginning her pursuit in God's call. There would surely be some freshly baked cheesy pizza bubbling out of the oven, which happens to be one of her favorite things to make. Sammie would tell her, "God has equipped you for what He has called you, and what you feel like you don't know well enough, you will learn along the way as long as you continue to follow Him." As Sammie, herself has learned in many seasons. She had to walk forward, not knowing exactly how. Yet, the God of the universe always shows up. 

At 19 years old, Sammie lost her father. This defining moment changed Sammie forever. But her heavenly Father began to shape her into something more beautiful. "This was a turning point in my relationship with Christ, as I was forced to truly look at what it meant to have an everlasting Father in heaven while no longer having an earthly one." The loss was deep and difficult. Her dad was her best friend and mentor. But she felt the nearness of God, and He truly reconstructed what it meant for Him to be her Father. She says that being the only child of an only son meant that she had to grow up fast to care for her grandparents and mother. So grow up, she did. 

Sammie began a journey of God-discovery and self-discovery at this pivotal time in her life. She tried to understand the attributes of Christ at a deeper level as a way to process her grief and, very honestly, to understand herself more. At the time, she was still deciding what to do with her life. Going to college meant leaving her family behind. It was one of the most challenging decisions of her life. Yet, God used this brave decision to forge a path for her forward. This next step in life shaped Sammie into the woman God called her to be. 

At Liberty University, she met some of the very best friends she still has today. And where she met her wonderful husband. Liberty is also where she began to understand her heart for ministry. "I was given more opportunities to serve girls on my hall and learn how ministering to women is such a unique experience." This passion birthed in the dorms drove Sammie towards women's ministry. She says women's ministry is so unique and special. "As women, I believe we have a unique relationship with the Father and are given the opportunity to minister to each other in a more personal way." 

Sammie says that we need to set aside time for ourselves and time with other women going through similar life experiences. It's like sweet honey to our souls. We need each other. Our souls need to be tended to, watered, and cared for like gardens. 

Sammie is transparent about some of the hardest things she has walked through in life that are dearest to her- like losing her father. But, because she knows the power of sharing testimony, she doesn't want to keep that to herself or keep God from using her story to change and encourage another. She says,  "Our testimonies create a bond that cannot be broken when we open up to one another in a heartfelt way." 

Sammie wants to share her story, her talents, and skills. She loves educating women in ministry about graphic design principles and how to reach communities through art and the internet. She says, "I am always available to take questions about my area of expertise or even be a resource to help women find a graphic designer for their own projects."

Sammie wants you to know she is here for you. She is available, accessible, and always ready to help. Working with her closely on the Dream Team, she constantly answers questions, text messages, and phone calls no matter the time of day or night. And no matter how detailed or vague the questions are. Even if the question is inherently wrong based on a sheer lack of knowledge, Sammie is patient, kind, lavishly grace-filled, and calming. She truly has the heart to serve, explain and teach with compassion and patience. Sammie will help you get from point A to point B and then the C and D you didn't even know to ask about. To put it simply- talking to Sammie is like having a weight lifted. You leave her feeling like you just solved 99 problems, and the last one didn't even matter. Then you laugh about it. And talk about food or pretty things. That's my kind of girl. 

She says, "Even if you are just looking for advice on event branding or church branding, I love helping others understand design principles to further their message and outreach." 

As the PDW graphic and web designer, spring and summer are hectic times as the team looks forward to the Fall Conference in Hershey while also preparing for the Spring Tours. While the last couple of years looked different, Sammie is incredibly excited to be designing for all the conferences being in person this year! She says, "What I typically do is start with the promotional materials to get everyone excited about the different events. Then, we get into the more detail-oriented designs, such as the posters, day of graphics, and merchandise for the store. It is truly a fun process to see the events from start to finish as we go from brainstorming themes to hosting a huge event for thousands of women!"

Sammie's passions expand further outside these areas of expertise. Because of her loss, Sammie has a particular heart for widows and orphans. Unfortunately, she says, they may have been given a distorted view of the everlasting love of the Father because of their absence of an earthly one. She has a burden to help share the love of her heavenly Father that she has so tangly felt. It changed everything for her. Her heart is fierce about sharing the Father's steadfast love with others that feel fatherless. 

One of her current goals for the PDW is to engage the women currently attending conferences. At the same time, she wants to grow new attendees to keep transforming women's lives and expand our community of sisters in Christ. She says, "The challenge can sometimes be bridging the gap between the generations, but luckily I am not the one in charge of all the ideas! The Dream Team truly works together to make everything happen, and I am so blessed to be a part of these lovely and God-fearing ladies. It takes a village to pull off these big events, and as I always say, 'I just make the graphics.'"

But we know Sammie does so much more! So the next time you see some PDW merch, think about the incredible woman behind it, pouring her heart into that design to reflect God's nature and power.

The one thing Sammie wishes she could tell her little Sammie self is to cherish her time. "You don't get it back, and what you do with it matters. Use your time and talents for the Kingdom, and you will never regret it."  Currently, she is working on getting plugged into her brand-new community, and she is always passionate about serving in children's ministries and worship. Outside of the church, she likes to do anything artsy or crafty. Her creative side is always blooming. She loves being outside with her camera, reflecting God's creation by capturing His beauty of nature and people. 

The best piece of advice she's ever been given is, "Dig a hole for a garden, not a grave." God always uses His beautiful creation and wonder of nature to speak to Sammie. And she uses it to inspire others.

She loves the restaurant Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers. When she kicks it at home, she likes to make homemade pizza and stromboli, really anything bready or cheesy. She loves reading anything by Margret Atwood and the book of Ruth. One thing that surprises people about Sammie, possibly because of her smaller and petite frame, is her role as the Lacrosse goalie in high school. She continued to be an assistant coach after graduating. Sammie may be tiny, but her presence fills a goal post and a room. Her beautiful designs, logos, and merchandise fill PDW events. 

She is easy to reach and wants you to! You can find her on social media platforms through Facebook and Instagram @sammiek777. You can email her at sammie@penndelwomen.org.

Call or text at 717-798-4963. 

She is always available to mentor and guide in graphics and web design. If you want a load lifted off your shoulders and some creative inspiration, call Sammie.