Mrs. Deana Elizabeth Young McAllister, a strong woman of faith, loves the Lord and boldly acknowledges Him as the true center of her life. Led by the Holy Spirit, she is convinced that there is no greater way to love, magnify, and follow Christ than by devoted, compassionate service to humankind. She lives and models the words of Jesus Christ, found in John 13:34-35: Now, I am giving you a new commandment:  Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. Mrs. McAllister  is a third generation first lady of the African Methodist Episcopal Church  who embraces her divine calling as a pastor’s wife. For nearly thirty years she has exercised her passion for service by partnering with her husband, the Reverend Dr. Julius H. McAllister, Jr., Senior Minister of Bethel AME Church, Tallahassee, FL, whose thirty-year transformative ministry has enriched the lives of thousands of people by complying with Christ’s exhortation  to provide for “the least of these,” and by preserving the AME Church tradition of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. For this cause, First Lady McAllister  has planned and implemented programs that provided  essential items for hundreds of homeless shelter residents and has organized and coordinated shopping sprees for children of all ages from challenging backgrounds.  Her penchant for service can be observed through her exceptional work as a member of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) of the AME Church. Her dedication to emulating Christ’s love and compassion for others, through WMS,  over the course of thirty-five years, was no doubt inspired by  her grandmother, Mrs. Lois Young, who served for many years as a first lady