Now its my turn...
My family moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina in August of 1993. I had just graduated from high school and had a four month old baby. Prior to having my baby, I had dreams of going to college and becoming a psychologist. Little did I know that God had other plans for me and my "mistakes" would not stand in His way. My parents waited for us all to settle in to our new home and then immediately went looking for the "right" church. It took about three churches before we visited Cliffdale Christian Center and they drove out of the parking lot saying, "This is the one!" I had no clue what had just happened or how my life would forever be altered.
I remember the first time I ever saw Joshua Goodman. He was walking across the parking lot of the church shouting about somebody needing to order a pizza or something. I thought to myself, "What a big mouth!"My little sister went to youth and told me I really needed to go, because there was this really cute guy there. So, of course I went and she was right, but it was that big mouth guy! His little sister invited us out to Wendy's after church and thus began a long and illustrious relationship.
Did I mention I had no clue that this guy was the pastor's son? Well, let me tell you...I didn't know that Josh was the pastor's son and when I found out I was terrified. Remember what I said about my four month old baby? Pastor's kids don't go out with girls with babies. Somehow his parents agreed to this crazy relationship and I've got to hand it to them, they were high in the grace department. They had to put up with a lot from us. I will never forget when his dad realized we were serious and he leaned across the dinner table and said, "Amber, I raised my son to be in the ministry. Some men are plumbers and they raise their sons to be plumbers. My son is going to be a pastor. You need to know that right now."
And so my adventure began. Josh and I have served as youth pastors, missionaries to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and planted a church in the past 20 years. I've traveled to places with the ministry that I had only dreamed of before. I've learned that leading God's people is a serious undertaking, and not one for the faint of heart. Tomorrow Joshua is going to be set in as the next pastor of Cliffdale Christian Center and we are going to step into the next season of ministry together. I stand amazed at how God can take two flawed vessels and use them for His Glory. The best is yet to come!
I remember the first time I ever saw Joshua Goodman. He was walking across the parking lot of the church shouting about somebody needing to order a pizza or something. I thought to myself, "What a big mouth!"My little sister went to youth and told me I really needed to go, because there was this really cute guy there. So, of course I went and she was right, but it was that big mouth guy! His little sister invited us out to Wendy's after church and thus began a long and illustrious relationship.
Did I mention I had no clue that this guy was the pastor's son? Well, let me tell you...I didn't know that Josh was the pastor's son and when I found out I was terrified. Remember what I said about my four month old baby? Pastor's kids don't go out with girls with babies. Somehow his parents agreed to this crazy relationship and I've got to hand it to them, they were high in the grace department. They had to put up with a lot from us. I will never forget when his dad realized we were serious and he leaned across the dinner table and said, "Amber, I raised my son to be in the ministry. Some men are plumbers and they raise their sons to be plumbers. My son is going to be a pastor. You need to know that right now."
And so my adventure began. Josh and I have served as youth pastors, missionaries to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and planted a church in the past 20 years. I've traveled to places with the ministry that I had only dreamed of before. I've learned that leading God's people is a serious undertaking, and not one for the faint of heart. Tomorrow Joshua is going to be set in as the next pastor of Cliffdale Christian Center and we are going to step into the next season of ministry together. I stand amazed at how God can take two flawed vessels and use them for His Glory. The best is yet to come!
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