Inspire, Summer 2001

Soon after arriving on campus I began to date another student, Craig Stillwell '72. His background,distant goals, and present pursuit offun matched mine. Unfortunately, his fun- seeking spirit, mixed with some poor choices,resulted in his dismissal from Cedarville in the spring of 1966. He then enlisted in the Air Force and was to be transferred to Washington,D.C.He asked me to marry him and join him as a military wife. We spent the next four years in the D.C. area. The pursuit of fun still dominated our decision-making. We did find a church home,yet our hearts and actions apart from church activities were far from pleasing to God. As Craig's time in the military drew to a close, he decided that he would like to complete his college education. Since his prior academic performance was poor,he could not find a college in the D.C. area which would accept him. Not really expecting a favorable response,Craig reapplied to Cedarville and was accepted. We arrived back on campus in January 1970. Our plans were to stay as briefly as possible, hoping only to improve Craig's grades and citizenship record in order to transfer to a secular university free from Cedarville's rules and regulations. However,God had other plans. We had been there only a few months when the Cedarville soccer team on which Craig played was asked to tour the eastern United States. During the day they played other teams and at night they held youth rallies and shared how people can 14 Summer 2001 My image ofGod was developing through the circumstances ofmy life. Nothing hadserved to challenge these images—untilnow. Martha Baldock Fellure '69N personally know God.The first night a young girl approached Craig and said,"I want to know God the way you do." He then sat down and led her to a relationship with Jesus that night. As she prayed,Craig realized that God was using him in spite of himself. So he began to pray, asking God to take control of his life and use it for His purposes—whatever that might entail. His next reaction was concern about how I would respond to this change in him,but God had that covered. That very same night I was home alone and miserable. I realized that I not only missed Craig, but I also missed God. I, too, prayed and asked God to take control of my life for His purposes. When Craig returned from his soccer tour, we had a joyous reunion as we shared what God had done.To our mutual delight, we discovered God's incredible timetable included our simultaneous return to the Shepherd of our souls. Craig graduated from Cedarville with a degree in psychology and began pursuing a master's degree. Soon afterward, we heard about a Christian organization that took troubled teens from the U.S.court system and placed them in a group home in Haiti. The organization needed houseparents, and we were approached to serve. We prayed about it and decided it was exactly what God wanted us to do.We arrived in Port au Prince in November 1972 as houseparents to five bright, but troubled,teenagers. One morning,a week after our arrival, Craig decided we all needed to take a swimming break.The boys had shown him how he could use the roof of our house as a diving platform into the pool. He climbed up,dove in,struck his head on the bottom ofthe pool,and broke his neck.After 17 hours in a coma,Craig left that broken body to be forever with our Lord. I returned to my parents'home in shock and confusion. My image of God was developing through the circumstances of my life. Nothing had served to challenge these images— until now. During that time of emotional recovery,God revealed Himselfin ways I could not imagine. Physical,financial, emotional,and spiritual needs were met in dramatic and supernatural ways.I decided I needed to share this with others. I wanted people to know that God wants to be intimately involved with all the details ofour lives—even when they include heartache,reversal, and pain.I began traveling and sharing my story. My speaking opportunities took me to Florida to visit Craig's parents. At their church I met a man who,having never met me,had prayed for me as Craig's widow.In time, we dated and married. Randy and I then entered the same ministry in which Craig and I had been involved. This time we went to