The Hardest Goodbye...

     December 13, 2004 our little family of 6 left our comfortable life in Ohio, USA and moved across
the ocean to the country of England.  We moved to a little town called Carlisle on the Northwest coast bordering England and Scotland.  We knew no one in this city. We knew no one within 100 miles of this city.  We did not yet know the culture, but we did know that God had called us to start a church and to make a difference in this city.
     April 6, 2006 Lighthouse Baptist Church was started and has definitely seen it 's ups and downs.  There have been weeks where it was just our family sitting in the seats in the middle of the huge community centre hall.  Through it all God has blessed and we have been shown time and time again that it was 100% His leading that our family came to England and specifically the city of Carlisle.  We fell in love with the community, the culture, the country side, the language but most importantly, THE PEOPLE.

**Fast forward now, 9 1/2 years (and two more children:) and God has shown us that it is His time for us to leave the country of England.  **

After 33 years at our home church, my pastor father, Dr. David Curington, will be retiring from pastoring to move into a new roll in his ministry.  He will be traveling and speaking across the country as well as continuing to write his pastoral study materials/helps.  My mother will continue to write her children's lessons and make them available to churches nationwide as well. (www.pkpublications.com - check them out for great KJV 1611 study materials)  Our home church, Central Baptist Church of Amelia, Ohio voted to call Andy back as their new pastor!  Not a decision to be made lightly, Andy and I both fasted and prayed for God's clear guidance.  With utter peace in our hearts, Andy accepted the call to pastor Central Baptist Church.
     Lighthouse Baptist Church of Carlisle has been going from strength to strength!  We knew God would not have us leave the church here without a "shepherd" pastor to lead them.  We began to pray in earnest for God to send someone.  Enter the Keith and Kimberly Cashner family….
     Unknown to us, God was already moving in the hearts of Keith and Kimmy that they would be moving their ministry.  We spoke with Bro. Keith and Kimmy and within a couple of months, it was clear to us all that God would have them be the next pastor/family to lead at Lighthouse Baptist Church.  
     So began the process of telling our church members here in England.  Much dread, tears and time was spent telling these beloved folks that God was moving us on.  In the absence of any family close to us, the church members have filled our lives with love and caring just as any family would.  How difficult it has been to tell each of them that we are leaving and lay this precious ministry into the Cashner's capable hands. God has been in it each step of the way and for that we are ever thankful.
      The selling of our belongings, settling of affairs and packing up the house began and, as always, we thought we would have "loads of time"!  It went by all too swiftly! Tonight, we now sit in a hotel room in Manchester ready to fly out in the morning to move back to America for good!  How fast the time has gone!  Talking about what the future will hold is gone. The future is here now!  We are leaving England (as our home) for good!  There is definitely a surreal feeling tonight as we face certain changes.
     True, we are Americans, but almost 10 years of our lives have been lived outside of America and in a uniquely different culture.  Almost all of what my children know is British!  Most, if not all, of their lives have been spent in England.  They have all had their moments of tears.  They have all had their moments of excitement.  I believe, like Andy and I, they thought we would always be in England.  It is a strange, yet definitely exciting, time for our family as a whole.
     I, personally, have cried so much my eyes are sore.  I can handle selling off more than half of my worldly possessions.  That is just stuff!  What is hard, is leaving dear folks that have become like brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews to you.  Families that have become so dear to our every day lives. They are the ones that we are finding it so difficult to leave.  We are so blessed that they have expressed over and over how much they will miss us and that we have had an impact on their lives.


     We had been in England for a little over a year and wondered if we had left just then, would anyone even remember that we had been here.  We wanted to badly to make a difference for Christ where He had called us to minister.  We determined that we would put down deep roots and love the people around us - not just on Sundays, but every day.  We made sure that our home was always open. We tried to put the needs of the people above our own needs. We prayed for God to do a work in and around us.  Yesterday was our last Sunday and 50 people gathered at the Denton Holme Community Centre for services at Lighthouse Baptist Church!!!  What a blessing to know that there has been a difference made for the cause of Christ in the city of Carlisle, England.  Through my mind's eye, I can clearly seen each of the dear faces of the Lighthouse church family! They are each beloved to us!
 
  We are blessed to know that thanks to the tender hearts of the church family and the leadership of Pastor Cashner, the Lighthouse Baptist Church of Carlisle will go on as strong as ever even in our absence.  The church belongs to God and we know that He will continue to bless as they strive to know more of our Lord.
     Our hearts are so full of the emotions of the past few days.  We are sad to leave England, but excited to move into the new ministry God has called us to.  We love the folks of Carlisle, but our hearts are already full of love for the precious folks of Central Baptist Church of Amelia, Ohio.  We are humbled by all God has allowed us to see and experience through the ministry here in England and we are brought very low to think that He would allow us the privilege of serving the dear folks of our home church that has loved and supported us for so long.  We are blessed beyond comprehension!  A dream come true!
Our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness.
     Tomorrow we will board the plane that will take us from a land that we have loved for more than 14 years!  We are ever thankful for each experience and each friend made along the way.  What a journey we have been on and we look forward to the miles we will travel in our future service for our Lord!