Carman Cole’s life was a landscape of peaks and valleys. It was during a valley experience that she began searching for God’s next plan for her life. She opened her heart to God completely and asked Him to use her in whatever way He wanted. She had no idea what this would lead to.
A few months later, God opened the door for Cole. He led her to a family that asked if she would be willing to give their children baptismal classes. She was surprised because she had never conducted baptismal classes before. As she prayed about it, she came to believe that this was the ministry God had provided for her, so she agreed. They met once a week using the book It’s My Choice, by Steve and Marit Case. When they completed the book, two young people were baptized.
A few months later, another family mentioned that their daughter had been baptized earlier, but had never taken the baptismal course. They wanted Cole to take her and her sister through the course, and Cole agreed. Then three more families wanted their children included, which made six students.
The group was about halfway through the course when the church closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The classes were transitioned and completed on Zoom. Along the way, the Lord added one more family with two brothers. The students just kept coming!
In the last year and a half, six students have been baptized, and three more plan to be baptized as soon as arrangements can be made. Now they have incorporated a regular Friday night Bible study via Zoom, and several students have joined in.
God also sent a very special person who wanted Bible studies to Cole. It was her own mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law asked if she would be willing to teach her about the Bible.
Cole said, “I never expected this rich experience and I don’t know where it goes from here, but I know God always has a plan and He will include you in it if you ask!”
Kentucky-Tennessee | September 2020
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