Annette Nettles

President of Family Compass
Religious Studies Certification, Central WA University of the Incarnate Word

Compassionate. Respectful. Inspiring. Determined to protect others. These are all traits the world needs more of, and the very same traits that Pastor Annette Nettles can count as gifts God has given her. Compassion is also her favorite word because, much like a diamond shining in the light, there are many facets of it. She defines compassion as having patience, kindness, and love for someone—even if you don’t agree with them. In place of shame or blame, compassion is about listening deeply. And that is what Pastor Annette is about too.

Pastor Annette’s passion in life is love. Love is kindness and patience. Love covers a multitude of faults. It’s not judging or labeling the journeys of others—whatever you or they are going through. 

With Family Compass she is creating a legacy, much like her sister Sharon’s legacy was to advocate for those who couldn’t advocate for themselves. Family Compass fits her to a “T” because she believes that every human being deserves to have access to food, shelter, education, resources, employment, and healthcare. Those are not optional—those are human rights.

Her favorite memory is when her mother taught her that even when no one else is there for you, Jesus Christ is your friend. And even though no one can see Jesus, she could see her sisters and she could see her mother. After that important lesion, she never worried about being accepted or rejected, loved or unloved. She knew she would be OK. And that is what she wants for others.

The people who know her best, her family, understand that her passion is about following God’s calling. As Pastor Annette would say, we are in this journey together—in unity and in love—because that is what Christ commissioned us to do.