Finding God, Hope and Sisters at Prestonwood
During the worst days of her life, Carol Sims somehow felt God guiding her to Prestonwood. Twenty-two years later, she's still amazed at how He led her to the place where she would find the truth of God's Word, unconditional love, life-long friendships and healing.
Suffering emotionally from the devastation of a divorce four years earlier, the mother of two girls says she had "no self confidence, was totally beaten down, and felt completely isolated." Though the people were kind and loving at the church she'd been attending, she felt out of place among the many married couples.
"I felt drawn to Prestonwood, like God had something for me here," she says of that day in 1986.
After service, she went to "In Touch," a Bible Fellowship class recommended by someone.
"I really felt like it took every bit of courage I had to walk into that room," Carol said. "I just didn't feel worthy. I didn't belong in anybody's world. When a painful divorce that involves adultery like that happens, you lose all your friends, and people don't know what to do for you.
"One sweet woman in the class came over and gave me a hug, and that was what I needed-to know that someone accepted me."
From that first day, the women of "In Touch" loved her like a sister.
"At that time, most of them were married, but they ministered to me, they blessed me, they were the arms of God around me," Carol recalled. "And the Word of God, the way it was taught, was so healing."
Carol had walked into that classroom not feeling worthy enough to wash the coffeepot, but God and her sisters didn't see her that way.
"God lifted me up and showed me I was precious to Him," Carol said. "As my faith grew, I saw Him using the class as a way for me to provide a ministry."
And in 1990, she was asked to take over the teaching. Now, for nearly 18 years, she has ministered to women who have walked into the classroom just as she did, and God's goodness and grace continues to amaze her.
"I still look upon the women as one of the greatest gifts God has given me," she said. "And over the years I've been able to reach out to women who are coming in with great pain.
"I've seen women whose husbands tried to kill them, who left them on the street with nothing, women who lived in their cars and had nowhere to turn. Then there have been women who are in wonderful marriages but just need the fellowship of God's sisters."
Last week, Carol taught "In Touch" for the last time. She is moving to Houston to be closer to her daughters and her grandchildren. The class Teaching Pastor David McKinley once referred to as "Prestonwood's Sister Act," wanted to provide something special to the woman who has taught them "Jesus wants to live in us and love others through us."
Current and former members knew of her dream to someday make the trip to Israel where Pastor Jack Graham leads the group in walking where Jesus walked. So in a shoebox they placed a used walking shoe.
It read: "To Carol, a little lady with a very big heart, to get retirement off to a fabulous start; grandkids move at rapid speeds so comfortable shoes are what you need."
Then on a play passport, they'd written: "But, first, you need a vacation." And a brochure for the June trip to Israel was below it.
"I was stunned," Carol said. "They have been a gift all these years. And that they would give me something that I've always prayed for, to visit Israel, is just such an incredible blessing. I still can't wrap my heart around it."
Carol is excited about the trip and the new life and ministry God has planned for her in Houston. And she's grateful for her past.
"Looking back at what I went through, the divorce, the pain, raising kids alone, I thank God," she said. "Nothing He ever allows in your life is wasted. He uses it to bring Him glory and to bless others. What an incredible base He gave me to teach from and reach women going through the same."
