Southern Spirit September 30, 2014 | Page 4

September 30, 2014 2 God refused to give up until I gave in to him Major Kelly English I always felt that I would be in ministry from the age of 7. Mom and Dad would always see fit that we would find ourselves in a house of worship. I can’t count the number of times I would walk by Mom and Dad’s room and see Dad on his knees praying for the family. Or the times that Mom sat with us just before bedtime and had my sister and me praying for each other, whether we liked it or not. Talk about Jesus was not foreign in the English household. We were always challenged about our faith to see where we stood. Fertile holy ground is what I like to call it, and Mom and Dad were its perfect guardians. The Salvation Army came into my young reality the day I heard the booming voice of Captain Marshall Clary and felt the loving embrace of Captain Barbara Clary. The beautiful spirits of the Hawley family mixed in with the overwhelming love of everyone else in the Roanoke Corps, and we could tell that their love was as genuine as the day is long. Love always breeds more love, and that is exactly what happened. We fell in love with The Salvation Army and, more important, mycalling we grew deeper in our own relationship with Jesus. What I did not see was the fire that God had ignited in my heart. I felt it sometimes in Sunday school class, or sometimes when I heard the sermon, or sometimes when I prayed. The relentless fire that could only be kindled by God himself grew and grew, and there was no stopping it. Time and typical teenager years went by. The calling, however, never did. I wanted to shake it and do my own thing. I thought that being obedient would ruin all of life’s fun. So I made a vain and feeble attempt at running, even going to another church for a few weeks. But I remember hearing the voice of God saying to me, “It is not here that I need you … you know where you are supposed to be.” “But God, can’t I do this elsewhere?” I asked. The answer was silence and knowing. Finally, I gave in. I sat at the back of the chapel in defiance. “O.K., God you got me back here, but this is as far as it goes,” I thought. But as Captain Dean Hinson began the altar call, the Spirit spoke to me: “Go now and accept your call.” I stiffened and again heard the Spirit say, “Go and accept your call.” Still I refused to move, thinking, “Man, this altar call sure is taking a long time.” I asked God to leave me alone but again I heard, “Go now and accept your call. If you do not, then this will be the last time I will ask.” Then, things turned supernatural and I saw myself standing in front of Jesus in a fantastic place, asking, “So what was it in your life that was greater than what I had in store for you?” I had no answer. Nothing. I knelt, I accepted and I felt the weight of a thousand years lift from my shoulders, and I knew that at that moment the prayers of so many people in my life were being answered. I felt a familiar hand on my shoulder. Captain Hinson met me at the altar and asked,“So what is God saying to you, Kelly?” My answer: “ I am called.” honoredretirement Majors Cape and Brenda Grice Majors Cape and Brenda Grice were honored Aug. 23, 2014, for their combined 72 years of service to God through The Salvation Army at a retirement luncheon in Columbia, S.C. The retirement celebration, presided over by Lt. Colonel James Seiler, North-South Carolina divisional commander, provided friends and family an opportunity to pay tribute to Majors Grice for their dedication and service to God. As part of the retirement ceremony, conducted by Lt. Colonel Raymond Wood, the Grices were acknowledged for being true servants, with hearts and hands dedicated to Christ. Cape and Brenda Grice, both second-generation Salvationists, were married on July 31, 1971. Brenda is the daughter of Majors Jasper and Annie Harper. Cape came to The Salvation Army through his mother’s faithful attendance in Columbia, S.C., and Fayetteville, S.C. Prior to becoming officers, Cape was the plant manager for Eastern Equipment & Chemical Company and Brenda was a directory assistance operator for Southern Bell. In August 1976, they entered officer training in Atlanta from the Columbia Corps. Lieutenants Cape and Brenda Grice were commissioned June 4, 1978. They have since served in Charleston and Princeton, W.Va.; Fredericksburg, Va; Louisville and Frankfort, Ky.; Majors Cape and Brenda Grice receive their retirement certificate from Lt. Colonel Raymond Wood. Raleigh, Kinston, Durham, Wilson an