Carla Bellis - God Putting Me Where I Needed To Be

Carla Bellis is the president of the Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and a member of the Orange Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Missouri. In our conversation, she speaks about her faith, family, career, forming a prayer group, and serving the Church.
T.J.:

You are listening to the Cumberland Road, and I'm your host, TJ Malinoski. My guest this week is Carla Bellis. She is the president of the Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She is a member of the Orange Cumberland Presbyterian Congregation in Missouri. In our faith conversation, Carla speaks about her faith, her family, her career, forming a prayer group, and serving the church. We pack a lot of information in our time together. So now, my friends, enjoy this conversation with Carla Bellis.

T.J.:

Carla, you are the President of the Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. What is the ministry council and what is your role as president?

Carla:

Well, the ministry council is a term that is used a lot now, for the last few years, but not everyone knows exactly what it means when they use it. Most of the time in a very positive way, sometimes, maybe not. But there are are, sort of 2 to me big parts of it. We have the staff that, is the Ministry Council and these would be, the team leaders, the director of ministries, and other staff that work either full or part time for the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. Then there are elected members, on the Ministry Council and together, the elected members as Edith has explained it to me, are basically like a corporate board.

Carla:

We we function as a corporate board in this in the state of Tennessee. So the purpose of the ministry council is to, is elected members, is to vision for the church to to get good ideas and and look ahead to the future. But also, we work with the budget, which is not so much fun, but it's very very important and we, try to be a support to the staff, but also the staff is accountable to the elected members because it's the board. So it's kind of like a flowing back and forth thing, really. You know, when I think about that, whenever I came on the ministry council a little over 6 years ago, I had no idea what I was getting into.

Carla:

And that I, and I I've been a part of the church all my life and I have been on other kinds of committees or functions in the denominational level, but I had not been, on this. And, so it was a learning curve at the beginning. Mhmm. But from the beginning, I was, you know, very committed, very interested, wanted to do my best on that. So this this is beginning my 3rd term.

Carla:

You can serve 3 terms of 3 years and then after that, you know, you go off. You can't be back on again. So

T.J.:

So elected members we'll come back to the president question. The Yes. Elected members are, individuals, lay Mhmm. And ordained Yes. Who are representatives throughout the denomination.

Carla:

Yes. And I think there's a and I couldn't quote all the guidelines, but there are guidelines to be sure that it's it's, there's a equal, a fair representation of laity and clergy, and a fair representation on gender, and a fair representation across geographically.

T.J.:

Okay.

Carla:

So so all of those things are considered in the in the guidelines for that.

T.J.:

And the staff, part time and full time Mhmm. Are denominational employees Yes. Generally speaking, what is the focus of the, the denominational employees and the staff in terms of the denomination at large?

Carla:

Well, and that gets tricky on people understanding as well because, several years ago, I won't quote the exact number, the ministry council was formed and established. And there are agencies that operate in a general assembly that are not part of the ministry council and there and and yet the ministry council itself does operate under the general assembly. So, we deal and the ministry council staff and members to promote and support and the ministries of the church. And I know that gets a little murky too, but if you think about the different branches, then you it will make more sense. So if you you have the missions component, which is a missions ministry team and that would be global missions as well as missions, you know, amongst the congregations.

Carla:

Then you have discipleship ministry team, which is the education and support of Christians in the church. And then you have the pastoral development team which helps, encourages, and gives resources for ordained clergy. And then you have the communicate communications ministry team which deals with all things communication wise. You know, the magazines, the, the website presence, the technical part of that. I, for example, like to say, okay, well, what's not under Ministry Council?

Carla:

Well, you know, the office of the General Assembly is not a part of the Ministry Council. Okay? The historical foundation is not a part of the council. So those are examples of things you may have heard of or worked with and you go, oh, okay. You know, so that there are others, but that's those are examples people may have heard of her work.

T.J.:

Yeah. But, the Board of Stewardship, not part of the ministry council. Yeah. Alright. I realize that's a loaded question.

T.J.:

I was asking a question that I somewhat know the answer to. But I wanted to hear it from you as president and which leads into that part of the question that I don't necessarily know the answer to. What is the role of the president of the ministry council?

Carla:

Well, I'll do my best. The as I mentioned before, the ministry council elected members form actually a corporate board. That's the legal terminology for that in the state of Tennessee. And as a part of a corporate board You do have officers of that board and those are elected annually amongst the elected members So, in the spring there will be like a nominating committee from the Ministry Council and they will come up with names that they will wait to do the report till after GA because there may be new people coming on or people that are up for reelection to the Ministry Council might get voted down at GA. So so so therefore then in August then we elect officers for the year.

Carla:

There's a president, a first vice president, a second vice president, and a secretary. And the treasurer is not the lucky chair that, Edith serves as treasurer as far as I'm understanding as the director of ministry. So that's interesting kind of sidebar there too. But the the president will run the meetings just like you would say. I mean, I grew up in 4 h, so I have 4 h club skills when I was 9 years old and you go back to the president, the president ran the meeting.

Carla:

So, you know, I learned to make a motion and all those things and vote whenever I was very young. And so it's really that, I mean, the president will facilitate the meeting. One thing that I learned more recently that gets gets confusing when people, compare it to things like the Presbyterian or GA or like other, organizations. The president can vote on this corporate board. They do not have to wait for a tie.

Carla:

I learned that just this past year. I didn't realize that, but, you're still part of the corporate board, so you still have a vote differently than, like, say at Presbyterian, the moderator who's moderating the session, you know, only breaks a tie. So it really gets murky on those those kinds of rules, but but that they run the meetings. In between though, the whole officer team serves as as the executive sort of branch of that. So the executive officers might meet, more often on a on a Zoom call or on a phone conference and maybe sit work with the agenda for the next meeting, that type of thing.

Carla:

This past year though, every 2 weeks, I, I have a phone call with Edith, director of ministries, Edith Busby Olds, director of ministries, and we every 2 weeks we talk, to keep me updated on what's going on, for me to be able to express questions or concerns to her. That's not always done but that's something she has done sometimes with presidents who also felt that was important and we've done it the last year and we'll continue that for this next year. And it's been very helpful to keep my head in the game and to keep us both communicating.

T.J.:

What perks, what power do you have as the president? Well,

Carla:

I don't know of any perks, really.

T.J.:

Are you providing And

Carla:

then I've I've I've become really good friends with a lot of people or at least, like, got to know people really well from intense conversations.

T.J.:

You're not provided a vehicle or

Carla:

or No. And state what happened? The other thing I learned no. No. One thing I also learned on that this corporate board thing is is how corporate boards are supposed to function in nonprofits is we're really supposed to bring money in and give money.

Carla:

I didn't know that when I filled a signed up either. I did not know that. So we are encouraged to donate back even our mileage and, our things, you know, some things. So no, No, I drive my van or rent a car depending which is cheaper. When I go to when I do drive to Memphis to meetings.

Carla:

Yeah And I and I almost I donate back a lot. So

T.J.:

How important is fundraising for a Christian organization like the ministry council Yeah. Within a denomination?

Carla:

Gosh. It it more important than I ever realized either, You know, when you're younger and you're doing things, you're volunteering here, there, and everywhere, you you really don't think about that that much. You're just doing stuff, you know, always doing stuff and the older you get and the more you realize, oh, somebody's gotta pay for that and someone's gotta give that money, you know. So, it's really important. It's important on on the Ministry Council level, on the big scale, but it's also important, on the presbytery level, on your congregational level.

Carla:

I I'm also currently, co business manager for our presbytery camp. I've been doing that for a little over a year and Things of course now when I take that on everything costs more groceries are more paper towels are more. And so, I'm having to like, you know, figure we're figuring out ways to save or to get people to donate more so that we can have church camp and get your treats and all those things, you know, so everybody always needs the money.

T.J.:

Did you imagine at any point that you would be serving the church, the denomination and the capacity that you are now?

Carla:

No. No. Not like this at all. I, Gosh, I've always been really really involved, you know on the local and the and and so once I was an adult on the on the present here on regional level I've been very very involved in women's ministry since I was You know 18 years old. I was I've been involved in those things and and on the on that level you know, but but probably the first gosh.

Carla:

Go way back. In women's ministries, I gradually was involved a lot. I was in a task force when things were reorganized. And that was like a 3 year thing, a big big thing in the eighties and and, on past that. And then, then became convention president later, which really surprised me too, but still that was not out of realm.

Carla:

But this whole thing, this this ministry council thing is it's crazy. I crazy. I don't know how to even describe how crazy it is. And I and I remember, okay, this might go into another question later about like ways you see God working. But, and I and I did serve on the nominating community through nominations several years ago too and that was another crazy experience.

Carla:

But, this ministry council thing, I never would have just volunteered for this. But I had people say it. Why don't you consider? Why don't you consider? No.

Carla:

Please consider this. And I remember, really thinking, oh my gosh, at this stage, I'm like, I'm not sure. But I wanted I've had the feeling if if God wanted me to do it, I was willing to do it. Talk to my husband, talk to friends, pray for me. I will, you know, so and I won't go into all the details that happened, but it was just one of those deals that in spite of me, you know, it just, you know, it happened.

Carla:

It happened kind of beyond any comprehension to where I knew it was the thing I needed to do. But it it it it scared me a little bit because I knew there was a whole deal. My sister was involved with the district council before that and then the GA council before that and I heard her talking about it and I just thought, this this is like really important and really big deal and I don't know, you know. So

T.J.:

So it

Carla:

Here I am. You

T.J.:

You see how important it is. And, can I ask you a it's probably a silly question, but in the different areas that you just mentioned in terms of service in the church locally and then, you know, with various judicatories and boards and agencies, do ministers I'm gonna throw myself in this group? Do you find them to be let me rephrase it. Do you find us to be intimidating in these types of, meetings and roles over the course of your time? Or you just how does that work?

T.J.:

Yeah. How does that work for you? Are we nice or are we nasty?

Carla:

It well, it depends on on the time and place and person, but it is intimidating for laity to sit with clergy in general, I think. I I I didn't see it again in women's ministry stuff I did, you know, there was few clergy women involved early on. And so really it was, it was a bunch of really committed, wonderful women that wanted to do things. And it was, it was just almost always a very, very pleasant experience, inspiring friendships, building, doing amazing things together. So that so you come on, like, say for instance, when I was on the nominating committee for the job nation those 3 years, That that was a jump in the darkness, you know, and that that was tricky.

Carla:

But then the ministry council in particular, because you've got quite a few people on the council and by and large, when I've at the times I've been on it, most of the men are clergy and most of the women have been lay people. It just has worked out geographically. And so you had the gender and the lady clergy thing kind of going on and it's, it's a struggle at times. Because, and I, and I get that sorted because I've, I've been an educator all my career up to 30, 35 years of education and a room full of teachers can be just as intimidating. If you are, you know, you get, you get into like, like speaking to a group of teachers and they don't listen, they don't raise their hand, they don't put their names on their paper.

Carla:

They don't do any of the things they want their kids to do because they're used to running their classroom. They're like, this is my and I'm gonna do, my doggies, what I'm gonna do. And that and they need to be able to do that to a degree. Well, I kinda think it it reminds me a little bit of of pastors because with them, you know, there may be some exceptions, but generally they, they have their own church. They had their own thing.

Carla:

They're in charge. They're speaking to the group. They're, they're doing things and they struggle with listening in a group or thinking that Laity know much about like church, theology or church, government or like running a meeting. So, yeah, I've I've had some challenges, especially as president, you know.

T.J.:

Yeah. I bet. But aren't those those tensions are wonderful because it gives that opportunity for give and take and you're forced in those types of meetings, I would imagine, to embrace another perspective or context because of the different places that you're coming from in life and theologically, all those different things here. Because business has to be conducted. Yeah.

T.J.:

You can't leave until it's concluded. So, yeah, there has to be so in those ways, I think that the tensions would be they're wonderful in a sense because it is a collaboration and a working together with those diverse perspectives and viewpoints, but also just backgrounds as well.

Carla:

Mhmm. Yes. You know, and I just got a sort of vision of of when you mentioned that it, that's very true. And also I'm thinking like, it's like a microcosm of the church

T.J.:

Mhmm.

Carla:

Because you know, we're representing in in lots of ways the denomination in this way. So denomination itself is clergy and laity men and women from different geographical areas, different cultures and different, interpretations sometimes of theology. So if we have the goal of collaborating and coming up, you know, then that, you know, with one would hope that the church as a whole would do the same thing and could could be doing that.

T.J.:

Yeah. Yeah. You were telling me off mic that you've spent 45 years in the public school system.

Carla:

35, not 45.

T.J.:

You were telling me off mic that you

Carla:

Yeah. You were telling

T.J.:

me off mic.

Carla:

Is that right? Yeah.

T.J.:

Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Let me try this again. Carla, you were telling me off mic that you've spent 35 years in the public school system.

T.J.:

What did you do and, what was that like?

Carla:

I, taught English for 3 years. My bachelor's degree is English education. And so I taught 2 years of high school, 1 year of junior high and, the very first year of teaching I already because I'm an overachiever most of the time I started grad school and, and knew within a semester of teaching English that I wanted to be a school counselor. So I started the counseling program alongside that. I found early in my 1st year of teaching that I I had a lot more interest in helping kids with their lives and their careers than necessarily teaching them how to write, which is really hard to do people.

Carla:

It's a really hard job because teachers have. I've been teaching high school students how to do research papers, not fun and games. But but anyway, so and I also because I had a little picture of that because whenever I was in high school, I worked 2 summers in the counselor's office and, saw what they did. And, and, that's in the days when they used typewriters to type grade cards and schedules with 6 carbon. And so I learned that's what I did.

Carla:

I typed I typed schedules, on 6 copy carbon and blank grade cards on 4 copies carton and help record great grades by pen and ink. But I saw what they did and I, they were, so I really liked the counselors and I'm like, so when I started teaching, I'm like, I could do that. And I just had a real excitement. So, so therefore then I started to teach, I taught English for 3 years and then, later, when I finished my degree, there was an overabundance of school counselors in the state of Missouri when I graduated with my degree. And so I didn't think I could get a job and I I, started working at a bank and, there weren't any English jobs open and then a little quick story is that you know out of, out of the blue my father saw two lines of an advertisement in the Springfield newspapers.

Carla:

It's a really big newspaper Springfield was right for part time counselor and you got a lot of room on your high school. And he called me and I and I was working at a bank just, you know, as a secretary just kind of doing my thing and I had had had a new baby and all this stuff going on. So I'm like, woah, that's weird. So I called them. I'm like, and I lived like 60 miles away.

Carla:

So this wasn't gonna be a commute That it that is a shortage of cancellers, but I call I call the principal's office. Did you

T.J.:

call them from the bank?

Carla:

I call that's a good question. And I don't remember. I think I called real early in the morning and I caught somebody. I don't remember. I know that I I called and I asked about it and they and they said, well, we're getting ready to recommend someone to the board tonight.

Carla:

Can you come this morning? And then this morning I mean, in the morning at 7:30. That was what they were yeah. The next morning and I'm like, yes. And so I drove to drove to the school, met with the principal, and at the end of the conversation, and I said, I've gotta go to work.

Carla:

I've got I can't lose my job. He's okay. He said, could you come back this afternoon and talk to the superintendent because he's gone today, but I want he says, I want you to talk to him. I think I'd like to recommend you. He already ready to recommend somebody else.

Carla:

This was just so weird. Wow. So I went back to the bank, worked to the bank, came back, talked to the superintendent. He says, you know, the board's meeting tonight. He says, I'd like to recommend you for this job.

Carla:

Can you come back? And I'm like, so I went home and I came back and, it was just a crazy thing. I was there I I started out part time and in January they put me to full time and, then I stayed, for 3 more years after that and then their opening came up closer to home. So I was at Mount Vernon High School, that's I will go into that long story. There's another story there about God putting me where he wanted me to be, but I was there for like 28 years at Mount Vernon High School as school counselor.

Carla:

So I I it was a great, great, great experience.

T.J.:

Wonder what happened to the other person? They were ready to No. No.

Carla:

They were. They were ready to do that. It was just clear. It was just so weird. It was, I don't know.

Carla:

And I don't know. But, it it's sort of a sidebar to that whole counseling thing when that when there weren't any openings and I was really finishing my degree, I was like, you know, what did I I thought you wanted me to be a counselor and he and I'm like And I remember at one point in my conversation with God, he he asked me, he says, are you willing to not be a counselor and follow me wherever I lead you? And I that was really hard, but I I said, okay. And I remember I gave that I think, okay, you know, and it was very not long after that that this came up. I you know?

Carla:

And, it it was just cool.

T.J.:

What stands out to you from your school counseling career? What was most meaningful?

Carla:

That's a big question. You know, I really saw children's lives changed. I mean, I was I was always like I was the, you know only counselor, grades 9 through 12 So you see them coming as freshmen and then you know, you hope to see them graduate in person unless they moved away, you know, and some didn't, most did. And to see the changes in people and and to be there in and as a school counselor, at least around here, you're you're really involved with graduation time count, you know, getting them ready. You graduate the seniors and all that stuff and at the ceremony even, and you got to see them and see people graduate that, you know, you would have not given a nickel for maybe in 9th grade.

Carla:

It's not gonna make a difference, but you see that. And probably in the later years the the kids with the most problems were the most interesting to me, you know that had the most to overcome that didn't have support. We had a, a Missouri Baptist Children's Home in our district and the whole time I was there in Mount Vernon and those kids came to school to us and these are kids who, you know, reader in foster care and placed there or parents couldn't deal with them when they were placed there. And,

T.J.:

and

Carla:

it, they were, you know, so that was, you saw some kids with some really serious issues and just seeing it making a difference. You know. It it it was amazing. And and and in different times, you really could see how you could you could share Jesus with them in a way that was appropriate, you know, to be loving and accepting. And and and it was, you know, very, very, fairly conservative school district and nobody was really getting into the ACLU problems or any of that stuff, you know.

Carla:

And I'm gonna have like you know, I could have like a little placard on my on my, bulletin board, you know, and, you know, things around my office that reflected my faith and sometimes they just, you know, like look at that and go, well, what's that about? You know, and you could just draw them out. And, and I think probably even a lot of the kids who were already Christians, who were in Christian situations, they felt comfortable there and they felt like they could talk and no one was going to critique them.

T.J.:

Mhmm.

Carla:

And they could share their their story and I could listen and they knew it was okay.

T.J.:

Yeah. Let's talk more about that. Help help me, maybe others, could only just be me. Help, shape my understanding of a school counselor beyond, how what phrase would I use? A career counselor.

T.J.:

Mhmm. And someone to help you fill out your college application. Mhmm. Because I know there's more to it than that, but that's what I recall. So Yeah.

T.J.:

Help expand this is your opportunity to expand that role that it's much more than that.

Carla:

Yeah. Yeah. It is and the older I got in the later years of my profession That was the least interesting to me because kids, you know, the the kids that were like really struggling, fascinating more, you know, to work with because you they needed you more, you know. Well, okay. In the state of Missouri, and I'm not sure about other states, they have what's called model guidance and there's components to the ideal situation for a school counselor and some school districts did this better than others.

Carla:

But that there was the career education is a portion of what you do and then academic planning, which is kind of different than career exploration and planning. In a high school level, you do more of that because it's just time for it. But also there's the component of, you know, really dealing with those kids and their, social emotional situations. You don't have time for therapy like long term therapy. There just isn't time.

Carla:

I was the only counselor of about 500 kids. So no. But you you were the first step to to target situations, to notice if somebody really did need referring on For some counts some intense counseling or just sort of like those incidents that happen and yet they just need somebody for the day or they need somebody for a couple days to just to help. You know, I think about situations like when we when we've had a death in the school like a a student in a car accident, you know, and and that or there or we've had through the years a teacher that died, when died at school. That was an interesting yeah.

Carla:

So you're managing to oh, yeah. I mean, kids came in and she was dead in her chair, had a heart attack. Yeah. So you have weird stuff like that and you work with the teachers and with the principals to manage those crisis situations.

T.J.:

Mhmm.

Carla:

But you you just have kids, you know, there's so many problems and so many situations. A lot of it too is like, to me like a mediator between teachers, parents and kids. So kids are like not doing well in class. Well, teachers parents tend to to not wanna call the teacher. So they would either call the principal and complain or they would call me and want me to fix it.

Carla:

Say, my child is not doing well and and can you you just need to do something about that. You know that happened all the time So trying to bring together, you know teaching helping kids know how to approach the teacher with a question parents to go to the teacher and so that and then teachers I spend a lot of time with teachers teachers would, be good The good ones would would notice when kids needed help and then be able to you know, say hey I'm worried about susie today. She's really different. Something's going on and then I could pull Susie in Susie is the name I use For like the generic girl in class, you know Susie comes in and then you can you can and then you can maybe check with other teachers. Like I would go through and check with mister Jones and missus Hanniver and all these different people, you know, to see how Susie doing in your class to see there's a pattern.

Carla:

So you you do that and then maybe you would pull the teachers in and go, yeah, you know, I, you know, this is blah blah blah. Did you know that Susie, you know, uncle passed away last week? You know, or something like that, so they kinda go, oh, I didn't know that. Or do she struggles with, or this is her mother died a year ago and this is the end of it. So I would do a lot of in between because the teachers are with the kids everyday and I can't be.

Carla:

So I try to or parents to get kids to talk to their parents or parents to talk to their teacher. Tons of time with that mediation between them, you know.

T.J.:

Yeah. And for all the Susie's out there listening and the mister Jones, Carla isn't speaking of you specifically. You're a great person. You're a great people.

Carla:

Yeah. In fact, yeah.

T.J.:

Just using the name as an example.

Carla:

I only have one Susie as a it's a family's name. Only one Susie as a student. It was my 1st year 1st senior teaching, not even as a counselor. And, she was great. She was great.

Carla:

So see, I can use that name pretty well and she'd know.

T.J.:

Okay. In in the field of counseling Mhmm. How did your Christian faith help you as an individual? And how did you see it impact the students and the teachers and staff, the faculty in in their day to day life as well. You had a you had a unique opportunity to be able to be in both the lives of the students and the lives of the faculty.

T.J.:

And not every role allows that in the school system.

Carla:

Mhmm.

T.J.:

So how did your faith help you in those heavy moments, but also how did how did your faith speak to the many people, young and those in the workforce, in their daily lives?

Carla:

I don't even know how I could have possibly done my job without being had been a christian that was Believed in prayer that believed that god was there Because it was a constant like you'd be going like weird stuff happened and it's been, you're like going, what can I do about that? I mean, the problems that kids would share with you sometimes like, oh my goodness. There's no way I had an answer for that on my own. So it was just vital to my to my career to have a prayer life, to have a faith, to, have a support system of people in my life that could help with that. I I was fortunate that a lot of the staff I work with, and most of the administrators I work with were Christian people who were not just I go to church, but were they they were there in that school because it to them it was a ministry also.

Carla:

It was an outreach. They cared about kids and they were real. And so so that you just knew that about certain people that they were there and they were there for you. There were there were some teachers that were not, you know, it's the same thing. But but it was but it was there was enough that you had a a good support system.

Carla:

But it was tricky because in your public education, you know, we we are required by law not to, you know, indoctrinate people politically or religiously. You know, we're we're supposed to not push our faith or our political opinions actually onto kids. They have to open the door, they have to so it was a little tricky at times. And I remember, early on in my struggling, like, when might I share my faith and not be, you know, And so it's not why I wasn't willing to do it even if it was, like, to get me in trouble because it would be more important for me to reach out to somebody as a Christian than it would be to get in trouble with my boss. But it was like, when's the right time?

Carla:

And I remember, again, early on, I was at Rogersville for 4 years and then 28 years at Mount Vernon as counselor. And sometimes having this urge to share something with somebody and not wanting to, but I wouldn't go away. And I I learned early on that one time I knew for sure I could share something with a kid or even a and their teacher or anyone was whenever I really didn't want to, but God wouldn't let it go. And it's like, it gotta be God because I don't wanna do it, and yet it was a good thing, you know, like it was scary sort of like, should I say that? And it it it never came back to bite me those times.

Carla:

You just knew this is the thing. Other than that, usually just giving a space for kids to express their own doubts and concerns and questions and just, you know, guiding them to their own journey

T.J.:

Yeah. Would work. Alright. So let me ask you a broader question. Mhmm.

T.J.:

Yeah. We all struggle with when is it appropriate to be able to to share my faith with a neighbor, a coworker, an acquaintance, maybe even a stranger. Mhmm. Is that a gut feeling for you? You you said, you know, God wouldn't, you know, let you be if if you didn't.

Carla:

Yeah. Yeah.

T.J.:

Is there another way

Carla:

And that would be true for a lot of things that first God wanting me to do something or not do something like, things I've prayed for or asked about, like, should I do this or you don't like this? And it's not I don't know how it's it's so hard for anyone any one person described as someone else that God speaks to them because, like, it's really it's it's like, how do you put that in words? It's even if you're an audible voice, but in my head, it's to me, it's like not a good thing. It's in my head. I just hear the, you know, it's I'm not I don't think I'm schizophrenic.

Carla:

Pretty sure I'm not, but the voices I hear in my head are not not a mental illness, they are, you know, my thoughts And and occasionally, it's reconfirmations from other people. I I would have to say scripture or other people, you know, like reiterating to you things that, you know, you should be doing, but but by and large, I have a lot of thoughts on my own and I and I and I don't want to blurt out thoughts on my own that aren't timely. Mhmm. I'm sure I have done that. I mean, I'm sure I have done that.

Carla:

I know I have done that because I always have thoughts. But, true but I truly know it's it's the thing. It's it's like I hear a thought and I thought that doesn't sound like anything I wanna say. I don't know. You know, or like whatever.

Carla:

When I know that, then I, then I know If it won't go away and it's not something that I typically because I would say I'm not super great at just sharing my faith with just anybody. As far as I'm not, I don't it's different at my school because those are my students and I knew them and or that was my role. I care about them. And so that was not scary to me, but out in the world, you know, like there are people who are just really good at that. I think they're a real spiritual gift of just like, Hey, you know, and me it's more, if I, if like in a setting where I started a relationship like at church camp or Bible school or church or just at you know, another organization somewhere that I feel sort of comfortable then I'm way better at encouraging or supporting people in their faith than I am like, hey, you know, do you know Jesus?

Carla:

I'm really bad at that. I I I'm like, what? You know, this stranger, you know.

T.J.:

I think the environment and the circumstances do do lend itself in terms of where our comfort level is. Mhmm. Not just not just with our faith, but everything in general. But but, you know, back to our faith, you know, there's a risk or a potential risk of of, saying the wrong thing Mhmm. Or maybe that person is is not receptive and we we don't want to face rejection.

T.J.:

But there are moments, and you've alluded to them as a counselor of, like, nothing else speaks to this moment better than the Christ that I believe and follow. You know, this reminds me of a parable or the Yeah. The the fountain of love or the outpouring of grace that comes with this faith that we have. Okay. I don't wanna get into preaching here.

T.J.:

But, so I'll I'll change change the subject a little bit.

Carla:

Okay.

T.J.:

Carla, have you always been in the church? Was there a pivotal moment in in in your faith or a profession of faith or what what does that look like for you?

Carla:

Well, yeah. I've I've always been in a church. I had never just like, oh, you know. I I was, raised by Christian parents Who had christian parents who had christian, you know way back?

T.J.:

Okay,

Carla:

and not all cumberland my my, father's mother's people are Cumberland. And then his father's people were Christian Church, Church of Christ. In other words, they had music, but basically it was Church of Christ with pianos and, very strong in that. So that wasn't, you know, as I grew up, you know, listening to that and that, you know, like there that was kind of its own story there. And my mother, was raised methodist and when my parents married and they very young.

Carla:

I was very they my mother was 17 and my dad was 19. And, then I wasn't born until I was 25, which was very unusual. I thought she was late having babies, you know, 25 and, she was working. No. Yeah.

Carla:

I know that crazy man. You're like, well, you know, but that was the world, you know, in the, in the, in the forties and the, in the fifties

T.J.:

and

Carla:

all that. So she, so they, but they, since my dad's parents sort of like went back and forth on the churches, like his, there was a, there was a church should we attend? And there was tension. He said, you know, he and my mom were like, you know, we're gonna pick a church and we're gonna go together. You know, so anyway, the Cumberland church, my mom felt comfortable with that and my dad's mother's people did in that.

Carla:

So he'd gone there part of the time. My mother came, so they came together and I was raised, you know, completely with that. My, and then my husband, his parents were both Cumberland. They were both at least at that generation. And then we've had a church camp and so our children, you know, it's the whole thing.

Carla:

So I've never always been a part of the Cumberland church. Never, never joined another church. I was a member of quite a pond in Lebanon and then when, Jim and I got married and and we lived in Aurora then I Transferred my membership to orange and that's been at 2 churches my whole life all Cumberland. So

T.J.:

Alright. You said that you met your future husband at camp?

Carla:

Yes.

T.J.:

Oh, tell that story.

Carla:

Oh, gosh. Yeah. Well, church camp, I'm still really glad because I've mentioned before. I'm business manager. I've I've been director many years and worked on Camp Step.

Carla:

We met, actually not we were children, children, but I was a teenager and he's 3 years older than I am. And so it was kinda like his kind of end of the year. Like I, I think it was more like even like at our, our youth 3 convocation. We're like junior high and high school together. So I knew his cousins and his brother and sister first and then, then that summer before my senior year.

Carla:

That's right because he I think back about that. He he was already working and so he came to visit a lot. And those days, you know, lots of people came down local for the best for services every night, so he kept coming down. And so we became friends and, you know, my senior of high school, along about, you know, December, you know, we've been writing letters because then people wrote letters, you know, like on paper with ink. And we didn't nobody called long distance that was cost money.

Carla:

So so we wrote letters a lot. And we were really good friends and and, talked about our faith and and that type of thing. And so so, we started dating, you know, in December, went to a he he invited me to come come by our school and go to our high school play that my sister was in and stuff and so. But we had kind of always a long distance, you know. We he was in college and I was in high school and then and then, he would come from University of Missouri and drive through and go out on a date or something.

Carla:

He'd go on home and,

T.J.:

you

Carla:

know, so it was it was like our faith brought us together and, we became good friends and then it was just like pretty quickly, we're like, perfect friends. I remember. You know? Because then I'm like, it was like it was

T.J.:

and I

Carla:

think it was pretty pretty pretty quick. It's like, this is a person. Because I remember this is like again, he would come through and we were we were sitting in his car outside of my music. My music teacher was like a she was like this young high school music teacher. She was a Christian and she'd be really going to her house, the kids in the choir and stuff like that.

Carla:

So we were I was we were getting up her the park lot by her apartment and we were gonna go in with some beer to my friends. And and he says, like he goes, you know, he said, you're probably the kind of person I would like to marry. You know, that's how he he said it. And I'm like, I think so too. It's just like we were just like, you know, really it was just, you know, and, so then we didn't get formally engaged until the next fall.

Carla:

And so I just started college. I mean, I was just 18 years old. So, you know, and, we got married the next summer and I know my my mom was just absolutely sure I'd quit college and it was gonna, you know, she loved gym, but she didn't think about, she left us too young. I look back now and think, holy cow, I was pretty young. And no wonder the poor woman was afraid I quit college, but then I was like, I'm not great in college and it kills me.

Carla:

It could be wrong, mom. You know? So we got married and and, yeah.

T.J.:

Yeah. You and your husband have raised 3 children who are now adults. And all 3 of them are very active in their church, and they're involved in various events and just the life of the denomination. So what advice do you have for encouraging and fostering participation, with children, youth, and adults in the life of the church? What's your secret?

Carla:

Well, I feel very blessed that my children are are involved in church and they've they've never they really never stopped either. You know? They grew up at the Orange Cumberland Presbyterian Church. I mentioned that my husband grew up in and that we've been in all their lives and went to church camp where we went to church camp and met at Camp Cumberland. And early, you know, raising kids is tough and teenage kids are tough.

Carla:

And, you know, there's the normal struggles of, you know, communication and in grades and stupid boyfriends that, you know, that you need to go out with. I won't name any names of anybody, but, you know, just all those things and then peer pressures of of other people. But all the time, you know, church was, you know, I think, you know, no matter what, our their local congregation, they knew they were loved. They knew they were accepted. And because it was a small rural church, everybody did everything.

Carla:

I mean, kids are and that's still true at Orange, you know, yet kids and teenagers had lots of involvement and leadership early on because that's, everything happened together, we did everything, things together, and so they were always, I think, would have felt, validated and involved and, essential, you know, to the life of the church. They, you know, then went to church camp, they went to CBYC. In fact, in in then Joanna in particular, in the middle children, you know, they do their own thing and she's always on her own thing, but she not only was involved, but she like joined the youth group at the Baptist Church in Mount Vernon was in that and she was in extra stuff beyond our church as well. You know, I guess she was in a Christian singing group. I mean, she was just all the extra subject.

Carla:

And I think, you know, the others, Jonathan, also, when he was in high school, he was also joined a youth group in town with his friends. It's just all of these being kind of, I don't know, it's just what they did. And I just think providing the opportunities for them, making sure that they, you know, got to camp, that they got to the I think those activities and those involvements with other peers of Christians, are just vital, you know, to that. And then I just talked to my kids. Her well, my granddaughter will say, well, grandma, you talk all the time.

Carla:

Anyway, well, that's true. But I I don't know. I I talked to my kids today. I've probably we talked to ask questions. We talked in the car, you know, what you think about this, you know.

Carla:

I don't know. But, and pray for I don't know. I'm and the older I get, the more I pray. I'm just praying for your kids. Pray for them.

Carla:

Make sure, you know, do whatever you can to walk alongside them in it. But I see, I know I see parents whose grown kids are kind of faded away from the child. I don't know. I don't know for sure what mattered. I just know that what we did, you know, did the best I could.

Carla:

And it's just a blessing to see them serve God and serve the church now and watch them be leaders in their own ways, and all and all 3 of them are. That's for sure.

T.J.:

Carla, where are you experiencing God's presence in this world today? You personally. Mhmm. Where you see where you seeing God's activity? Where are you where are you feeling God's presence in your own personal life?

Carla:

I think bringing things down, but to the to congregational level and personal, I see a lot there right now. Our our little church is really pretty pretty vital. I mean, it's it's, you know, COVID was hard, you know, like for everybody. But we've come out of that and we just, we have new people coming. We have new things happening.

Carla:

One thing that started over a year ago, I had had I had a bible a women's bible study in my home for about 5 years previous to COVID. And, you know, it would differ it would come, oh, 7 or 8 people, sometimes 5 or 6 people through the years, and some people were always in it. Some people go 1 year and they do it. It's just come but it kinda came true. It was like, this was before COVID even.

Carla:

It it was like this was kind of that thing was done for now, you know, like this has done its thing. But I missed kind of a that and I had this sort of like idea that I'd like to have some kind of really, really smaller prayer group just really focusing on prayer. So long story short, over a year ago, 2 ladies in my church, one's our pastor's wife and a really good friend who's just a little bit younger than me and then an older lady in our church who who's in her eighties. And the 3 of us have met most every week for over a year at at my house. Once in a while, we've done some other things like met somewhere else or sometimes we've gone and visited people too, but primarily prayer and we pray.

Carla:

And we're there, it's about 3 hours and people go, you pray for 3 hours? And it's like you don't sit and close your eyes for 3 hours. What we do, that would be really like the Quakers. I don't know. I couldn't do that.

Carla:

Or or some people

T.J.:

just call that a nap.

Carla:

I know. Exactly. But what we do is we we come together and we and we share concerns. We are, it is like you have to do this, I think you have to have a really small group and you have to have people who are really confidential beyond anything you could put. They're just had that nature about that.

Carla:

They understand this is confidential, so it's safe. So we so it's that, very much that way. And so we we share people that we know that need prayer and we talk about specifically and we tell the back story that we know and we try we create a story and a picture so that we really know the people and the situation. And we all share that and then that takes over an hour. Really, it does because we talk about that and then, you know, then we I don't have the scribes because then we talk before and should agree to and share our own burdens and, you know, that kind of thing.

Carla:

But, then we pray very specifically that then we divide up the things we've talked about and then we pray out loud specifically for all those things in detail. And it has just been an incredible journey. I don't know how to describe it. That's just been amazing and, if we can't meet a certain week, we miss it. We, 3 of us miss it completely.

Carla:

You know, and and it's like, when we started, it's like, how do we, you know, like, make not people feel left out. But really, I I can't remember now how we did it, but it just we just knew those 3. We didn't really need a lot of other people. We didn't want other people. We just needed that.

Carla:

So it's worked really well. That's been life changing. Another thing that just in my own devotions, morning's best for me and I always it has been there all my adult life and I've done different things. But one thing about 2 years ago I started, which really changed my prayer life in the mornings is journaling those prayers. And I know a lot of people have that journaling and I read does it differently, but for me, no one could read it later.

Carla:

My handwriting, I just I'm writing, but by it and it's they don't need to read it later. I fill books, you know, I'm sure. And I don't write every word, but as I pray, if I'm writing the prayer, it helps me focus. Otherwise, my mind is going like crazy, all these different places. But because I I write it, it's just maybe focused on the prayer and, I don't know if I'll ever stop that.

Carla:

I mean, it just has made a huge difference in my ability to pray in the morning.

T.J.:

Do you what do you pray for? Do you pray or pray for people? Do you pray for events? Do you pray for future stuff? Do you pray for current?

T.J.:

What does that I mean, you don't have to, like, name names,

Carla:

but I pray for Susie. Yep.

T.J.:

Yeah. Susie mister Jones.

Carla:

Susie mister Jones. So any or above the all, and every day is a little different, you know, because it just is, I don't know. So sometimes, almost always praying for somebody else in that, you know, there's usually some 1 or 2 people, at least if not lots that I'm on my mind, but, the day, you know, like and then usually praying that whatever is coming that day that, you know, God will give me the right, you know, accomplish what needs to be accomplished, not worry about what not is not need to be worried about, you know, the words, the safety. But sometimes it's the world, sometimes it's, you know, I mean, there's usually I run out of time for all the things. So, like, I I get up early, but then you're, like, writing and writing and something happens, you have to, like, close it off.

Carla:

But, any or any of all those things, it it varies from day to day really kind of what what might be the main focus of that.

T.J.:

What does it do for you and your relationship with God? That that prayer and that journaling?

Carla:

Well, it's like even through the day, I'll kind of then better remember I prayed about that so that I don't worry about something like,

T.J.:

Okay. Why?

Carla:

I got all these things done, but, oh, yeah. I prayed about that. It's okay. You know, it makes a difference in in my day, you know, that I did. And I also like, you know, I don't like to say I'll pray for somebody and then forget because I because I, you know, you forget those things.

Carla:

Like, whenever I noticed we have a pretty active, Facebook page and group in our church and people put prayer requests on there at different times and people will say they're praying and stuff. And and I don't know who they are or not, but I I don't wanna say I am if I'm not because that's just part of my personality. I don't like to break promises for a lie. Alright. And so I'll tend to then like, if I see it and I say it, I I just, I mean, that very second, I pray for that person.

Carla:

And if I never remember it again, then at least I have. And, but by doing that, then I might remember, and then the prayer group itself that we meet weekly helps me remember people.

T.J.:

Mhmm.

Carla:

So therefore, it reinforces, you know, who who I am praying for. And if I'm and then we see results. I think writing things down and doing it more consciously, it's like when you see a clear answer that really seem especially when it seems like really out of the blue, like, or anything like bigger than you thought. It's like, wow.

T.J.:

Mhmm.

Carla:

Wow. Increases your faith.

T.J.:

Okay. Another silly question. You know, a lot of churches have on their bulletins or like a newsletter or whatever, they'll have their prayer concerns and they have a list of people and families, and those can get kind of lengthy. Does your weekly prayer time with your prayer partners, do you does that list just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger over the years? Or do you take do you take events or people or things off?

T.J.:

What how does that work?

Carla:

Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I'm not sure if this is the right way, but what's kind of happened is there are certain it's kind of whatever we bring to it. Like like, we don't, like, keep a long list and then we always bring it back. Like Okay.

Carla:

Each time we meet, you know, but whatever is, like, burdening that person, if it's still burdening them and they still feel that person needs prayer, but then we write it down that that week.

T.J.:

Okay.

Carla:

And, I think maybe my two friends might take their papers home and read on frame again. I ripped mine up and go on because that's like, this is that was that day, you know, and I and I start over. So and I maybe, I don't know if it's kind of quirky, but who God brings to our mind, my mind, specifically me, it's like, who's bringing them to my mind and, and if I there, if I, or who's burdened, you know, who am I burdened for? Then we bring that together. Now our church has, you know, we have prayer concerns that we have during the worship service and are shared and, our pastor keeps a list of those.

Carla:

And then our then also our our person who does our bulletin keeps, writes those down. So there's like a, if it's a church wide sort of concern, it might stay on the list for a while, you know. Okay. But

T.J.:

back to your your group though Mhmm. Each each partner, each person

Carla:

Mhmm.

T.J.:

Brings fresh prayer concerns to that meeting. And there may be something or someone from the previous time

Carla:

Yes.

T.J.:

But when you when you enter into the room together, it it's a it's a new day.

Carla:

It's a new day every time. We rip out the steno pad and then we start over. What's our list, you know?

T.J.:

Okay. Alright.

Carla:

That day. Mhmm.

T.J.:

That's helpful. Because I I was just picturing, man, if you do this weekly Yeah. It made me think of those bulletins and newsletters that really just get

Carla:

And nobody ever comes off. I know. Yeah. Yeah. No.

Carla:

We yeah. We just start over. It's a new day every day. Yeah.

T.J.:

I think that's helpful because, you know, if others are are thinking about that, that would be a positive way, and it would be a good way to try if you hadn't done prayer partners before. Mhmm. Yeah. Because I could see that getting lengthy. Carla, let's talk about the church for a few minutes.

T.J.:

Mhmm. Where do you see the presence of the church, in the future in our world? What do you think that will look like?

Carla:

Well, I can say for sure what I hope it looks like. I mean, you know, I don't know. But the the church when you think about the church in the future, I have to think too about the church in the past. Like, if you think about from the church through the ages, you know, and and how how it began and how some things just pierce through and are all, I mean, it's just like, that is the way it is. I mean, that is Jesus and that is Jesus.

Carla:

Jesus Christ is saying the name forever. You're like going

T.J.:

Yeah.

Carla:

Yeah. That's Jesus. You know, and that, you know, there's certain things that they have to be real because they've stood the test of time in such an incredible way. You know, you know, they're they're just so real. Then other things that depending as the church has grown and expanded through the globe and as lives have, you know, like the world changes, things that, you know, practices or traditions change because the, you know, it's different place and it's different time.

Carla:

And I it has to. You know, we don't all wear robes anymore, you know, except maybe the choir robes. I don't know, you know? You know, we our clothes change, our hair changes, our food changes, you know, the way we travel changes. So all those things change, and so the church changes.

Carla:

So I so I think in the future, we have to hang on to Jesus. You know, we have to that and I think about, like, how you put it, like, I really no. I didn't grow up memorizing the apostle's creed, and I don't can't even remember the whole thing now. But I do think that when people have asked me, what do you think about this issue or that issue? Well, I tend to be more like, well, I don't know.

Carla:

You know, I I feel I'm like, I think this or think that, but I'm open to God, you know, like I I, you know, but what but what I can say is, my doggies, I can I can stand on the apostle's creed? I can say, the Trinity, Jesus died, he rose again. He lives forever. He's coming back. You know, that I can stand on, you know?

Carla:

And so I the church, to be the church has to be that, I think, or it's not the church. I think you have to have that. Mhmm. You know, you have to have that common deal. The church is the body of Christ.

Carla:

And so how does that play out? Well, but the but the but the world does change and and gosh, after after the COVID thing and then we have so much technology, electronics in our world and our, I've done a lot of research in the past over generational, studies, you know, sociologically. You know, you've got your, you know, baby boomers that are still living. You have my parents' age group that's basically gone, you know, that that they call it military age or the, you know, that that that grew up, you know, through the wars, you know, First World War and Second World War, they're gone. Baby boomers, big group of us.

Carla:

And then you got your gen X and your millennials and your gen Z. And then these younger ones, my goodness, you know, everything so electronic, so individual. We have to address that. We have to reach those people. And it's not just about having more technology, it's really about understanding where they're coming from and how they think and what their needs are.

Carla:

So we have to address those. I think we need to understand it. And then after the COVID thing, it really, you know, kind of shifted us into, Oh, we gotta rethink, how do we have church? You know, churches met in homes in the early days, They met underground. They met in the streets and the valleys.

Carla:

You know, in later times, we built buildings or whatever, but, I I just in our own presbytery talking to just ministers I know or people I know, you know, how to rethink. There are people that after COVID just never really came back to the building even though and part of it is the older people that then, you know, I know our church, you know, through that older generation, you know, they got they said they had to go home, blah blah blah. And so then then just kinda gotten used to be in there. And or they have other health problems or whatever, and they're they're still now really super worried about germs and all that. So I think that's part of it.

Carla:

But then there's what really concerns me are the maybe the millennials who some of them are like my own children are super involved, you know, super involved. But I also see some that just kind of got unused to being involved in the church. They just kinda got they they stayed home and then they did things with their kids outside. Well, now they're back in school, they're back to their activities, but it by by and large, you don't there are some of them that, you know, church is kinda like, well, you know, if we have time. But used to maybe be more involved.

Carla:

And so, then you got the people who weren't in church to begin with and it was always the challenge in getting in there. Now I think it's even more. So I think we have to rethink how do, what are the, what are the needs of the people or the community, both. And then how do we meet those needs? And do they have to be at the building?

Carla:

Well, maybe, maybe not, but really not just assume. Oh, well, they just they're not coming back to church every week, so they should just come, you know. Well, they might not. So anyway, so so, like, for one for one thing, like, with their own congregation, we we are attempting to start a couple of home groups to that meet on, like, every other Wednesday night, to try to have a different different focus and try to reach out there, you know, and we do other things as well that we've been doing, but that's kind of a new thing. But even that is a challenge because people it's a week night when people don't have a meeting, you know.

Carla:

So it's always a challenge to get people involved. Our our own our own community of our church does our best work when we find something to do together, to help other people, and that's been the biggest thing. You know, we we have a really great bible school, even though we don't have maybe we have, like, 6 kids in our church, but at bible school, people are reaching out to their community. They're bringing them in, and we do a great Bible school. We do partner with some other churches in town to do a summer feeding program.

Carla:

Our people are there, like, mopping up and cooking and doing all that stuff. You know, and so it's like if you if, you know, for some people, it's just, you know, getting them involved in doing something for others, not just going and sitting and listening so much. But I I I just hope that as a church that we can do that, that we can meet the needs of a new generation. Then the other thing I just hope is that when I mentioned that apostle's creed, that that we can, as a church, focus on the gospel of Jesus and really get that right and really bring that to the world. Because if we do that, the other stuff that we disagree about or that we worry about or whatever, it'll come it it it'll it'll it'll it'll come along.

Carla:

That stuff, you know, because really the church is about Jesus dying for us and rising again and coming back. That's what it's about. It's the only thing that I remember one thing I was thinking about. The only thing you think about, like, okay, today in the world,

T.J.:

what,

Carla:

there's a lot of evil in the world, there's a lot of pain and suffering in the world. And I've thought more recently, you know, really Jesus does have the only answer to that. If there's not salvation, and if there's not atonement, if there's not a regeneration, it's the only thing that will battle evil. We can't battle evil with, you know, laws or or good intentions. The only way to battle evil is to transform with the grace of God.

T.J.:

You had mentioned earlier about the children in the school system, you know, entering school in 9th grade and watching them transform by the time they graduated. How have you changed? How have you been transformed by the love and grace of God in Jesus Christ?

Carla:

Because that's like a long journey because I became a Christian. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So like you it's like it's like it's bits and pieces along the way.

Carla:

Yeah. I think, you know, the the lesson I've learned better and keep learning is, yeah, I used to get mad at people would have the prayers and not my will, but thine be done because I think, well, that's not very much faith. When I was, like, a teenager or a young adult, like, we can say say that as, like, oh, well, whatever. You know? But but in later years, I'm like, I I kinda get that better.

Carla:

You know? That, you know, be I I really believe be if we really wanna know God better, he wants us to know him better. Okay? So if we really wanna know him better, we have to be willing to listen and we have to be willing to give up our own conceptions or frustrations or whatever, and be ready and willing to follow. And so so many times in my life, I thought, I really want this thing or that thing, you know.

Carla:

But being willing to not have that thing, if that's what he asked, is huge to the next thing and trusting that even though things seem all the way around that he's got it, you know. There are times I'm just really glad I was raised Presbyterian because I believe I think we need that sovereignty of god thing. You know, it's like, I'm really I'm good with that. Yeah. It's like

T.J.:

So that looking over the course of your faith journey, that's where you see those those transformations, little chipping away Oh, yes. Yeah. Of less of Carla and Carla's will Mhmm. And a little more of the humility of seeking out what God's will is. Mhmm.

Carla:

Yep. Yeah.

T.J.:

One last question. We were talking off, Mike, about some of the things that you're involved in now. Mhmm. So I wanted to ask you, to close out our conversation, What does the season of your life look like now? What are you involved in?

Carla:

Oh, yes, because I I retired from school counseling in 2017. And that was kind of an interesting thing because I loved my job until I didn't and it was like, yeah and it's true. It's just, that's so true. It's just like, I loved it and there were, lots of family things that issues that were needing my attention, health concerns of family members, you know, my children's business that was growing and I just was needed and I kept being pulled and I was like not, I never not I wanted to give my all and I always did in my career. I mean, I like wanted to be there.

Carla:

I get my gone. I wanted to do it well. I didn't wanna not do it well. So I was feeling pulled, but I still was like, I don't know. It's like been one forever.

Carla:

What would happen? And so I remember praying, God, if you want me to retire after this year, because it's like a I mean, it'd been like the, you know, you don't just, you know, quit your job in September at a school that doesn't work very well. Yeah.

T.J.:

You could. You could, but

Carla:

it's not very nice to those people at the time, you know? So I'm like, if you, if this is it, take away my desire to, and, and I'm telling you what TJ, I mean, it was like the next day it was done. Mhmm. And I mean, I'm like, and, so then I'm like, then I just like said, get used to the idea. And then I was like thinking about it.

Carla:

And I didn't really talk to anybody about it. I just in my mind, I was thinking that I could see it. And later on my good friends that worked at the school too, she's a teacher. She was saying, I could see there were changes. She she could see it and but she didn't ask.

Carla:

She just let me do her thing. And, like and I remember talking to my husband about it sometime along late fall and seeing what you I, you know, because he'd said before when you were retired, it's fine. You know, we'll do some, you know, whatever. And he's like, yeah, whatever you want. I'm like, okay.

Carla:

So once I told him, then I told my kids and then, then I had to tell my secretary who'd been my secretary and is still a really good friend of mine for like of the 28 years, like 25 of them. And that was really strong. That's, that was hard. She did not do all of that. And, that's another whole story.

Carla:

She's precious friends, but she's like, you're leaving me. But anyway, it, it, it was just like that year I I wrote up my descriptions, I got my house in order. I mean, I was just like, it's done. I know I'm done and I'm done, you know, did it just like evolve the jobs. So I'm out here and I was really afraid like, what is gonna happen?

Carla:

I'm like, you know, what people are, you know, it was a weird adjustment. But jumping into, it's just like a full. My life is just like crazy full and I, work with my daughter's business. I do all the accounting, bookkeeping, and business energy for my daughter's, shared business and that takes up quite a bit. I do all the farm records and money for our farm.

Carla:

And, then at the time, my mother and my mother-in-law were both living and did a lot of elder care and pain management, they've since passed away. And then the grandchildren came. So now I'm working with the grandchildren and Dan super involved in church stuff. Went on them, you know, been on the ministry council, business camp manager, camp director, church stuff. Is it just just full?

Carla:

And then just being available. I really like this whole thing of, like, okay, you know, like, I can go to the hospital and visit somebody. I can go help someone take I mean, I really wanna help people. Mhmm. And because I have my teacher retirement and I earned that and it's coming to me, I can do all these things to help people and and still buy groceries, which is great.

T.J.:

Are you enjoying this season of your life?

Carla:

Oh, yes. I I love it. I really do. I I really do. I, I never get bored.

Carla:

And that's one thing when people say how do you like being a school counselor? I say well, I never get bored and I remember was It's crazy every day. And this is I never get bored now because there's always a bunch of things on my list of things I could do if I wasn't doing that Whatever that that is at that moment, which is here talking to you or you know, whatever.

T.J.:

Carla, I've enjoyed our conversation. You're my new fast talking friend.

Carla:

I hope I hope I hope that people can understand me. I'm I I just can't slow down very well.

T.J.:

No. We were we were able to, as we're talking off mic, I I was looking forward to it because I just figured we could pack in more information and the Yeah. Same amount of time that we could spend just with your fast talking. And you didn't really do it that often. You were so worried about it.

T.J.:

There was no worry.

Carla:

I hope so.

T.J.:

Thank you for bringing me into your life, and thank you for sharing your faith and how you're living that out. And thank you for serving on the ministry council.

Carla:

You're welcome. I I want my last cup you know, couple of years to just be that on there to do the very best I can for the church because I I I mean, I love the church. It's it's, you know, it's all I'd ever know.

T.J.:

Well, shake it up.

Carla:

Okay. There we go.

T.J.:

In good ways. Mhmm. In good ways. Carla, thank you. Thank you so much.

Carla:

You're quite welcome. I've enjoyed it.

T.J.:

Thank you for listening to the Cumberland Road. If you enjoyed this podcast, follow it on Apple, Google, Spotify, your favorite podcasting site. In conversing with Carla, she talked about how important prayer is in her life. In closing, share 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 verses 14 and 15. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and I'll heal their land. Now my eyes will be open, and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

Carla Bellis - God Putting Me Where I Needed To Be
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