Troy's first full time ministry was at the First Church of Christ of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. We moved there when Abigail was not yet 2 and Nathanael was 5 months old. Not long after we moved there, Troy had the privilege of baptizing Michelle, her sister and her dad. It was a wonderful day for her family.
Troy was the only minister on staff so he did it all. Preaching, counseling, teaching, and youth ministry. We invested a lot of our time, energy and heart into the teens....mostly because they were the most receptive to teaching about living holy lives. One of the first things we really got to do with them was go to PCTC (PA Christian Teen Convention). At that time, there was an obvious divide in the group caused; there were 4 older kids and a bunch of younger ones. A lot of the teaching at the convention was about purity in dating...not dating non-Christians and purity of actions within dating relationships. During our group time, the discussion naturally turned toward that subject. All four of our older kids (Tyler, Blake, Laura and Michelle) were in a dating relationship. Blake's girlfriend professed Christ as her Savior...but she was the only one. Our discussion was emotional, at times uncomfortable (we had only known these kids for 4 months) and honest. We really challenged them with the truth of God's Word. We told them that God's Word is clear on the subject so the choice is more about how willing each of them is to follow God. After our talk, the kids holed up in the hotel bathroom. They cried and talked...they were a tight group. Laura broke up with her boyfriend that weekend.
It was that weekend that we first learned about Josh, and that he had been dating Michelle for 3 or 4 years at this point. Josh did not attend our church or any other. He was not a Christian. Obviously, Michelle was upset by our discussion...so was her mom (a youth sponsor). She wanted to be who God desired for her to be, but she loved Josh. Her compromise...she brought Josh to church...every time she came...which was every time there was something going on; she brought him to Bible study at our house and youth group. Michelle and Josh were also fixtures in our home. My kids have always known Josh and Michelle. They love them like family. About 9 months after PCTC, Troy had the privilege of talking with Josh and baptizing him. The following summer Josh was called to ministry at CIY. To his family this was a radical, unfamiliar and unwise choice. Josh applied to Johnson. Troy took him to visit the school. Josh and Michelle both ended up going to Johnson. When Josh came home, Troy would let him preach and teach him with each experience. By the time they left for Johnson, Michelle and Josh were engaged. The next summer Troy married them with all three of my kids in the ceremony. The summer after that Troy and Josh made official a relationship they have always had when Josh came to be the first New Beginnings intern.
There were a lot of things wrong with that first ministry...the relationship we formed with Josh and Michelle was something very right.
Ian: "Mom, are Michelle and Josh part of our family?"
My no-but-yes answer confused him.
Ian: "Well, they feel like my family, and I love them."
Later he told his dad they were his "heart family."
Relationships created by God are our heart family!
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