Tiki Caldwell

My life started out pretty crazy! When I was very young, my dad took me and my two siblings aside and told us he had to go away for a while. What I didn’t realize at the time was that he had been involved in a robbery and ended up fleeing the state to avoid jail. Long story short, he eventually got tired of running and turned himself in. While he was in jail, he gave his life to Christ. Now, I know you might be thinking, “Whose testimony is this anyway?” But I have to lay the groundwork—this is part of my story, too. While my dad was running and later in jail, we lived with my grandparents and attended church with them. They were the first example of Christians I remember. But even then, I didn’t fully understand what that meant. I learned songs, memorized Scripture, and heard Bible stories—but to me, that’s all they were: stories.

 

My biggest memories of church at that age were the candy my pap brought to share and building houses out of hymnbooks for the little toys I snuck in. When my dad got out of jail, he started working and attending college to become a pastor. Around the age of 8 or 9—I'm not sure exactly what triggered it, and I don’t remember the date—it was very late, and we were supposed to be in bed, but God was speaking to my heart. I needed to pray. I wanted what my parents and others had talked about. I had my first real “God moment” in the middle of a triple bunk bed while my brother and sister slept above and below me. I don’t remember much about that night except how I felt—I felt God. He was my God now.

 

The year I turned 10, we moved from Ohio to central Louisiana so my dad could pastor a church. God kept working on me, growing my faith through small things and big ones. I started helping with kids’ church and VBS. At some point, I got baptized (in a bayou—with an alligator!). I wish I could say everything was perfect after that. But then I met a guy. That’s a story in itself. The beginning of our marriage was rocky. There were times I didn’t know if we’d make it. But God had a plan! Once we realized a person-centered marriage with God “on a shelf” wasn’t working, and instead put Him at the center of our everyday, everything life He started doing things we never could have imagined. We followed God to a small church, where we spent about eight years. We helped with kids’ ministry nearly the whole time.

 

I had four babies (who are not babies anymore—each one is a gift from God and honestly the best kids on earth), and besides homeschooling them, that church was a huge part of our lives. Until God let us know it was time to move on. That was the hardest thing we’ve ever done. I remember we had company over that night, and my husband called me crying. Something had happened at work, and it was the confirmation our hearts needed. We left our guests downstairs, went up to the attic, and cried together. But we kept our hand in God’s. He brought us to a new church, where we’ve been for almost two years now. Since attending, I’ve grown in ways I didn’t even know I needed to. God has done some major weeding in my heart—things I didn’t know were even there. He led my husband to leave his job of nearly 11 years and blessed him with a new one. That transition, combined with the new church, led us to Life with Christ Ministries, where I started volunteering with All In Youth. My husband ended up changing jobs again, which required him to be away a LOT for about six months, and during that time, All In Youth was such a blessing to me.

 

God has worked things out again and again—even when it didn’t make sense, even when it hurt. He knows exactly what I need. He knows the path I should be on. He took a broken little girl who didn't know what her worth was, stitched her family back together, and He didn't stop there. He proved to her over and over again that He loved her. Picked her. Wanted a relationship with her. He fixed her marriage. The mess she made of her life. He turned it all beautiful. I have learned to trust Him even when it's hard. I've learned that His ways are better than mine. I know I am not perfect and I'm thankful for grace everyday. All hardships aside, God's got me. Any messes I make, I can run to Him and He's got me. I don't ever doubt that. I ditto the words of the Psalmist: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.” (Psalm 115:1)