Soul Journey: On the Wings of the Wind

By Carolyn Sue Tyler

On the Wings of the Wind is for anyone who has ever had experiences that left them wondering about the real presence of God. It is also for anyone who has ever had fears about what some might call, going crazy. It is for women pastors who have faced issues of being the first woman pastor in a congregation. It is for those who volunteer or work with committed volunteers and brave survivors following natural disasters. It is for mothers who long for their children to live close to God and know His divine care and providence. It is for those who might doubt their own destiny and that God has a plan for their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512712650

Carolyn Sue Tyler

Carolyn Sue Tyler writes from a unique experience of interfaith life as a woman in ministry. Her call first led her to Benedictine monastic life and later to ordained Protestant ministry. She earned three Masters’ Degrees, two from United Theological Seminary and also a Doctor of Ministry degree from Eden Theological Seminary. She has served as pastor in local churches in Arkansas and Kentucky and as Director of Interfaith Disaster Recovery programs after tornadoes and hurricanes throughout the South. In her retirement years, she now serves as full-time Social Worker and volunteer preacher, liturgist, and pianist for the Salvation Army in northern Virginia.

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Copyright © 2015 Carolyn S. Tyler, D. Min.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-1264-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-1266-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-1265-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015915133

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/27/2015

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Prologue

PART ONE

Wings

Amazed by God

Blessed by the Benedictines

Carried by Children

Driven by the Spirit

Engaged in Ministry

Favored with Dreams

Glorybound

PART TWO

Roots

Childhood Memories From A – Z

Epilogue

I Know Not Why

End Notes

Photo Notes

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my parents, William Edgar and Catherine Tyler, who planted the first seeds of faith in my heart and to my only sister, Dorothy, whose life of faith was an inspiration to me and to others who knew her.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to thank the people, without whom, I would never have made this writing journey.

My daughter Becca Moix gave me her time and attention to encourage and keep me on task. I thank her for helping me with the editing also.

My daughters, Jennifer Moix, Bridget Moix, and Andrea Pendergraft, affirmed and encouraged me throughout this writing journey.

My brother, Ed Tyler, checked out legal aspects of all agreements for me to keep me safe.

A brother in ministry and in the Lord, Len Sweet, encouraged me with helpful thoughts in the beginning of this journey. His encouraging words, Keep writing! incentivized me as they echoed in my mind when I needed them.

A tech friend, Dan Copsey, cleaned up and restored pictures, some 70 years old, for me.

Allen Saterlee first published a small part of this work, encouraging me on the Journey ahead.

Tyler Elliot and the Westbow staff have worked continuously with me with sweet patience.

My friends and family members, co-workers and those we assisted, are all part of this story and have made the writing of it possible. Their presence (whether recalled or not in this work) along with God’s presence, have made this journey one of much joy and endless blessings.

My brother Bob encouraged me and assisted in helping me in the photo release process.

The Faulkner County Museum staff and volunteers, led by Lynita Langley-Ware, worked diligently in a search of the Fausett Collection, assisting in the release of some old photos.

The University of Central Arkansas archives, through the work of staffperson Aryn Denette, also spent some hours researching old photos in their collection of Fausett photos.

Many thanks.

And to God be all thanks and praise for carrying me through this writing journey. With Fanny Crosby, I now sing:To God be the glory, great things He has done….Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory; great things He has done.

Fanny Crosby, 1875

PROLOGUE

"This is my story; this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long."

-Fanny Crosby, 1873

My Spiritual Journey is written as praise and thanksgiving to God for the many gifts bestowed on me throughout my lifetime. I am especially grateful for the spiritual gift of salvation and for the most precious and everlasting gift of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit throughout a lifetime of unexpected undeserved blessings. There is no way I can ever thank God enough for the gifts given me in the blessings of four beautiful daughters and five special grandsons. My children have been the sure and strong source of love and encouragement: my cheerleaders through it all, as one pastor once called them. Without their constant and continuing love, this Journey might have aborted long ago. I have counted on their love to strengthen me and keep me focused throughout the years of abundant blessings and life’s crises. So, it is for my precious daughters and grandsons that I write and leave this Journey as a legacy. It is with the hope for that day when we will all be gathered together forever in everlasting peace, praise, and thanksgiving to God our Creator from whose love we have all come.

Everyone’s spiritual journey is as unique as each person’s personality. The Spirit works with each one of us in a wondrous and mysterious way guiding us in the path designed only for us. At every moment, God meets us just where and as we are and the Spirit moves us by grace onto a next chosen part of God’s plan for us. Jesus speaks of this mystery of the Holy Spirit’s action when he speaks these words to Nicodemus in John 3:7-8: You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

As a small Catholic child growing up active in a Catholic parish in Arkansas, I never would have imagined the variety of places and people I would be blessed to encounter in my life. Since then I have been surprised by the Spirit’s work many times and blessed to love and serve God in various roles given me in life. These roles are like a boxed gift from God, given me to open throughout my life. They include the following ways of life given me: as a child of God, first and foremost; as a Benedictine nun and as teacher and counselor; as a mother, grandmother, and sponsor of a Vietnamese family; as protestant pastor and United Methodist elder; as an Interfaith Disaster Recovery director; and now as a Salvation Army soldier as chaplain and social worker.

My heart is full thinking of it all. What a wonderful journey I’ve been given!

"I want to tell you what the Lord has done for me"

-Sidney Cox

PART ONE

Wings

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.

- Isaiah 40:31

Amazed by God

As a child attending Catholic school, I heard a lot about the Holy Ghost, and I always wondered why I wasn’t learning more about this Holy Ghost. I was always hearing in our daily religion classes much more about Jesus Christ and God the Father. I began to feel some childhood empathy for this left-out one of the three persons of the Trinity, the one who seemed to receive much less attention than the others. Now I realize that, all the while I wondered about Him, He knew of my wondering about Him and was paying attention to my concerns. I know this because of the ways God has continued to reveal His Holy Spirit at work in my life over the years.

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As a young child, amazed by God

When I was only about seven years old, I found myself sitting in sadness, leaning against a big tree in Uncle Tony’s woods behind our house. Mom had corrected me about a kitchen mopping job; I was feeling sorry for myself as I sat there alone and unhappy. Then, slowly I began to sense a strong loving presence surrounding me. I felt loved with an assurance that I was not alone, that I would always be loved and cared for. This was the beginning of a lifetime of learning about God’s presence and the Holy Spirit’s work in my life. I realized, in those moments under the tree and through other awakening moments in my life, that I really am never alone and that God’s love will always surround me and keep me safe. This became especially important