Bittersweet Memories

Throughout the last few years, I often wondered how I would feel when our time serving at Carlisle would end. I can't express how much Carlisle has blessed our family over the years. For sure, we have had our ups and downs and have suffered through some severe trials and heartache. But, we have also experienced some of the hugest blessings and greatest joy imaginable.

I remember when over 12 years ago (before my husband was saved) driving by "that church on the corner" each Sunday morning as I went to the laundry mat to wash our clothes. For 3 or 4 months, I'd drive by, and have the strongest urge to go there...like I was being pulled towards the church. Sometimes it was so strong, I would drive the long way to the laundry mat so that I could "ignore" the pull. I know now that it was the Holy Spirit pulling me towards that church. I was compelled to go...I could not ignore it. I finally gave into that pull, and took my son, who was 9 at the time, church on 4 July 1999. Who knew that day that 12 years later, we'd be starting a new church...let alone serving in ministry!

I was saved several years earlier, on Easter Sunday, 2006. But, I didn't really begin to grow in the Lord and start understanding His ways, until I began going to Carlisle. This church took me and Shane in with no judgment about Dave not attending church anywhere. They just loved me and Shane anyway. In 2001, the Lord got a hold of Dave's heart and radically changed him and healed our marriage. A year later, 2002, we went forward to let the church know that the Lord was calling us into ministry. I garantee you, that in 1999, when I stepped foot for the first time in that church, I had absolutely NO IDEA that the Lord would call us in this way.  Ministry was the FURTHEST thing from my mind!

Over the last nine years, we poured our hearts and lives into the Youth that came through our youth group. Its awesome to still be in contact with some of the Youth to see how some of them have grown in the Lord, got married and some are now starting families of their own. For sure, we made our share of mistakes but we loved them. Also, awesome is the number of youth that came to Christ throughout the years. The Lord blessed us even more in the last few months as we led two more of our youth to Christ, and several others have repented and turned back to Him.

This past Sunday night, Carlisle gave us a "good-bye party." As I shed some tears, I realized they were tears of love and compassion. I know that the Lord has moved us into a different area of ministry. Carlisle will forever be in my heart.  My heart and life is now with Lifeblood. Yes, this is a bittersweet time. I have complete peace.