I was born, July 1, 1974 into a godly Christian home in Opelika, AL. My Daddy was attending Auburn University and as a family we attended Philadelphia Baptist Church where my Mama played the organ. I am the youngest of 3 girls. Wendy, the oldest, is married with 4 sweet children (Jared, Cady, Jeremy and Cayla) and lives in Hastings, FL with her husband, Jeb, who is first a Pastor of God’s Way Baptist Church then second a farmer. Cindy is married to Tim and has a son, Hunter. They live in Gainesville, FL while Cindy works in Ocala, FL as a Dental Hygenist.
I grew up in Ocala, FL where we were actively involved in church at Central Baptist Church. My sisters and I were a trio called ‘The Poole Sisters’ and we travelled often singing together. We also were active in 4-H. I showed 13 steers and owned several Polled Hereford cattle. My dream in life was to become a Veternarian.
I was saved at the age of 6 under the direction of my parents (Johnny and Brenda Poole). I remember clearly being sure that if I were to die that night I would not go to Heaven. It was one of those nights that my parents had put us to bed, and knowing that I should NOT get out of bed, I didn’t. I remember that night, specifically, my sisters had gotten up (maybe my parents were eating pop corn or something), but I knew that they had gotten in trouble, so, I was not going to get up. I can’t remember if it was the next night or weeks later, but I know that there was another evening the same conviction came over my life that I knew I had to ‘break the rules’ and get out of bed. My Mama was doing the laundry and I told her that I needed to be saved. She sent me into their bedroom where my Daddy was. It was there that they both knelt by their bed with me as I trusted Christ to be the Lord and Saviour of my life. Boy, was I excited. It wasn’t long after that that I was baptized (by Dr. Jessie Bloom, who was my pastor).
I didn’t always live for the Lord though. I was always sensitive to the Lord, but definately not surrendered. There were times that I got things ‘right’, but I never stuck with those decisions. As I drifted away from the Lord more and more, He continued to work in my heart. At one point, under great conviction, I got sick and knew that I HAD to get right with Him or He’d NEVER use me.
God saw fit to work in my heart my Senior year at the University of Florida. I had been invited to Sammy Allen’s Camp meeting where I heard a message from Dr. Phil Kidd on “The Difference Between Good and Godly Children”. That message thoroughly described me (although, not ‘good’ by any means…just ‘good’ according to the world’s standard). I realized that I needed desperately to be godly. It was at that point that I surrendered to do whatever the Lord wanted.
Shortly after the full surrender I moved home to be with my parents and then shortly after that, I met Billy. I know looking back, that I would have never met Billy had I not been surrendered to the Lord. I never dreamed that I would marry a preacher when I met Billy as I still thought that maybe I would continue my college while living at home with my parents, but the Lord knew different. Billy and I began to write and see each other and knew that the Lord was in the furtherance of a relationship.
We married June 7, 1997 and moved to Woodridge, IL where Billy became a Youth Pastor/Music Director. We certainly loved our new ministry together, and I have always said, that the members of First Baptist of Woodridge were the closest church family members we had ever experienced. We still have contact with many of them and love each of them dearly. But this was a true training ground for us. Our next ministry was in Manchester, TN at Temple Baptist Church, under Pastor Bill Adams. Again, what a training ground for us as we were young in the ministry and learning so much. It was during the end of our term at Temple that Billy was beginning to discern that the Lord was doing more in his life, but was unsure of the direction. Pastor Adams had also wondered if the Lord had gifted Billy with that of the Evangelist. Billy felt strongly that the Lord may have been calling him into Evangelism.
It was at this time, we moved to Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, WI to be under Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen. I was able to teach in the Academy (4th Grade) while Billy was in charge of the Bus Ministry and several other duties. The following year of our arrival to Falls, the college affiliated with the church, Baptist College of Ministry, began their Seminary and Billy enrolled. It was at Falls that the calling into Evangelism was confirmed. Oh, if we had only known the gifting Billy had would have helped tremendously in the previous ministries. Nevertheless, we were excited to see what the Lord was doing.
Graduating in 2004, Billy started out in Evangelism (8 months a year) and with Minutemen Ministries (the remaining 3-4 months). We learned so much these first few years as we travelled in the Minutemen van, staying in peoples homes and travelling with a team part of the time. We were so blessed by all that we were learning. In the Fall of 2008 we ended Minutemen and felt strongly about the ministry the Lord had given us toward Preaching for Revival.
The Lord has not given us children up to this point, but we are praying that He will. We are asked often if we would like kids, and the answer is always, ‘yes’. Although no children, Billy bought me a dog, a pit-bull puppy, for my birthday in 2007. Her name is Mesa and she travels with us wherever we go. We got her in Farmington, NM at 4 weeks, 4 pounds. She’s a delight to have around and we’re pretty sure she knows English by now (and sometimes, we think she can spell : )
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