Vanessa Pizzuto encourages believers to recognize and share everyday “squirrel moments.”
March 1, 2026 | Miami, Florida, United States | Inter-American Division News
With a simple story, lives can be changed and hearts opened to hear God’s voice in new ways, said Vanessa Pizzuto, communication director of the Trans-European Division (TED), during the fourth episode of the Creative Disciples video series.
“With something as simple as a story, you can change another person’s life and help them hear the voice of God like never before,” Pizzuto said as she introduced her message on the power of storytelling in mission.
Originally from Argentina and now based in England, Pizzuto serves as a writer and communication leader for the division. In this latest episode, she reflected on how personal stories can help others recognize God’s presence in unexpected ways.
Stories That Open Spiritual Windows
Pizzuto shared an experience from her time coordinating a journalism club at an Adventist school in England, where she and her students interviewed Christian author Rachel Gardner. During the interview, Gardner spoke about responding to God’s calling despite fear.
“She told me, ‘There is a song that every time I hear it, it reminds me of God’s calling,’” Pizzuto recalled. Though the song was not a Christian piece, its lyrics reminded Gardner to “fix your eyes forward” and join God in the “dance of faith.”
Years later, when Pizzuto herself faced hesitation about joining an Adventist radio project in London, the same song unexpectedly played as she entered a training studio.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, God is speaking to me here. God is winking at me, smiling at me so I know He is with me,’” she said.
That moment, she explained, became meaningful because someone had once shared a story that expanded her understanding of how God might communicate.
“When we share stories, we give another person something like a second spiritual language,” Pizzuto said. “We are saying, ‘God can speak here too.’”
Recognizing Everyday “Squirrel Moments”
Pizzuto challenged viewers not to search for dramatic, extraordinary testimonies but instead to recognize what she called “squirrel moments”—simple, everyday experiences where God’s presence becomes evident.
Drawing from a writing class illustration, she compared the tendency to seek “kangaroo stories,” exotic and impressive testimonies, to overlooking the ordinary squirrels in one’s own garden.
“We all want the kangaroo story, but we don’t realize that when Australians visit England, they are fascinated by the squirrels,” she said. “Let’s not look for an exotic story that may belong to someone else, but for the authentic story of our own squirrel.”
She encouraged believers to pay attention to small details, such as a coworker unexpectedly gifting her a book by Henri Nouwen just as she had been considering reading one.
“That is a squirrel moment,” she said. “When we share these things, we teach others that God cares about the everyday details of life.”
Pizzuto invited viewers to intentionally form small groups and share at least two “squirrel moments” each week as a way of cultivating spiritual awareness and strengthening faith communities.
A Biblical Model for Storytelling
Closing her message, Pizzuto referenced the biblical account of the demon-possessed man of Gadara, whom Jesus instructed to return home and tell what the Lord had done for him.
“Because our stories are the most powerful thing we have,” she said. “So I invite you to do the same this week.”
Transformative witness does not always begin with extraordinary experiences, Pizzuto said, but often starts with faithfully sharing everyday encounters with God.
The Creative Disciples Training Series continues next week on March 8, 2026.
To view the 10-week special series, visit webcast.interamerica.org every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Miami time, from Feb. 8 to Apr. 12, 2026.