Thank you for dedicating your life to the Lord.

Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

I believe the Lord has both married and unmarried servants working in the harvest. I believe the Lord himself is the one that places in our hearts the desire to find a mate. I also believe it is of the utmost importance you as a laborer find a mate that has a desire to serve in the harvest. The scripture above is very dear to my heart, because I believe we are living in the end times, and the laborers are few. 

 I started my walk with the Lord after meeting my late husband, Cecil L. Barnes Jr. He was an amazing man with a deep love for the Lord and was in ministry for over twenty years before we met. I know the Lord uses his servants in a multitude of ways and I believe that he used my beloved to show me the way. 

We met through Sheila’s Friends (a dating service in the newspaper before internet dating was popular) after months of writing back and forth, we decided it was time to meet face to face.  He did not feel it would be right for me to spend money to meet him, so he sent me a ticket to meet him in Alaska.

 I remember the first time I laid eyes on him.   As I rushed through the airport looking for some well dressed man, I turned around and there he was, holding a lavender corsage in one hand a balloon that said “Welcome” far above his head, and in the other hand a coffee cup that said “friends”.

I did not know what to make of him. My first thought was “what have I done” There he stood dressed like something out of this world. Red plaid western shirt, O D Green pants with pockets from top to bottom and the most highly polished dress shoes I had ever seen. One part of me wanted to turn around and run back to the plane with my hands waving over my head crying, “Wait for me”, but there was something about his eyes that stopped me. His eyes were so different and compelling as if he knew something I did not know. His eyes were filled with a peace that I had never known and I felt comfortable just being in his presence. I did not understand what it was all about, but I knew I had to find out.  I never knew what he truly thought of me at our first meeting because he was always to thoughtful to say. He knew my career was in the fashion field, but I am sure I must have shocked him with my appearance, flaming red hair, wearing skintight jeans, and a fur coat draped across my shoulders. For whatever reason he did not run away and I have always been thankful for that.

For the first few days he talked endlessly about the Lord and I would listen with one half of my mind still wondering what it was about his eyes that was so comforting, compelling until it hit me with a force so hard that it took my breath away. I could see Jesus in his eyes.

I felt as if Jesus himself was setting there looking at me and I did not want him to see me. I cried out Oh my God and jumped off the couch, I wanted to run, to hide myself away from his all-knowing eyes, and at the same time I wanted to stay, I wanted what I could see in Cecil’s eyes, the love, understanding and the forgiveness of the Lord. I thought of all the things I had done in my life and felt so ashamed. I had never been so afraid and at the same time felt so comforted, it was as if the Lord was saying to me it okay don’t be afraid I forgive you. I thank the Lord daily for sending his beloved servant to show me the way. Not a day passes by that I am not reminded of the grace and mercy the Lord extended to a sinner such as I.

Our time together was short in man eyes, but the blessings we shared will last throughout eternity. If I were, to wish for anything in my life it would be that all could see Christ in me as I was able to see Christ in my beloveds eyes.      

I invite you to join FindSinglesinMinistry.com in hopes you too will find a loving and blessed relationship.

Carolyn Barnes
 Founder of FindSinglesinMinistry.com