Eva's Testimony - The Caudles to Native Alaska

Background and Salvation

My parents were saved when I was 4 years old, and began taking me to church where I made a profession of faith at age six.

When I was ten years old my parents joined an independent Baptist Church in our town and things began changing around our house. Most noticeably, my mother began a bus route in the inner-city of Buffalo, and also began taking me soulwinning with her. I saw the love of Christ as she ministered to those families.

By the time I was entering my teens, I was having serious doubts about my salvation. I remember Christmas of 1987 I looked down at a watch that I had received as a gift, something I had really wanted, and just thought "How empty this is" - how life seemed empty. I talked with my mom and she went through some assurance verses with me but I still couldn't get assurance. God’s word was a closed book to me – I had been involved in Awanas since I was very young, I had memorized hundreds of verses and won numerous awards, but it just wasn’t real in my heart.

Later that year there were "rumors" circulating that Christ would return on September 12, 1988 - I remember being in school that day terrified that when I went home my family wouldn't be there.

Well, over the next couple of weeks I became more and more disturbed, and finally on the morning of September 27th, 1988 my Mom came right out and asked me at the breakfast table "Are you sure you're saved?" , and I broke down and said "No!" so she brought her bible out and went through the plan of salvation once more. This time I knew I was ready - it finally "clicked" - salvation was for ME - that I needed to accept Christ personally - that I NEEDED Him and I needed to be forgiven for all the wicked things I had done. I bowed my head at the table that morning and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Since then I know I have a personal relationship with Him, I’ve seen His answers to prayer and direction in my life in a very real way which excites my heart and assures me that HE’S REAL!

Teen Years and College

Through my teen years I continued to work with my Mom on her bus route and serve in my local church, teaching 2's and 3's Sunday School.

I wish I could say I served God fervently through my entire teenage years, but I did have a period of 2 years where I was in church and still actively serving, but my heart was in rebellion against the Lord.

I thank God that He got a hold of my heart in the spring of 1993 at a youth conference, where I surrendered my area of rebellion to the Lord, and gave Him my whole heart. God began sanctifying my heart, and I really began to see the Lord working in my life in a special way now that I had fellowship with Him again.

The time came for me to begin contemplating where to attend college and I planned to attend Bible college far from home so I could teach in our church's Christian School. However, Preacher Don Hardman, an evangelist that preached revivals every year at our church, advised my Dad that he felt it wise that I remain under my parents roof until I married, and I should consider going to school locally. So I agreed with my parents and we all began praying for God to reveal His perfect will.

A local business college was offering a full-tuition scholarship to a limited number of students for the upcoming year and I prayed that if that was where God wanted me to go, that He would allow me to win the scholarship - well, God answered and I won the scholarship and had my tuition paid in full! Praise the Lord!

After finishing vocational school I began working in a local law office as a secretary. Not long after I began this job, an opening became available in our Christian school for me to teach - I was thrilled when I was asked to teach 1st and 2nd grade - God gave me the desire of my heart! AMEN! I was thrilled and began teaching in September of 1995.