New Castle Moments

Posted by Tia Ciferno and filed in Encouragement for Daily Living

New Castle Moments

It was the morning of December 12th, 2002. I was rushing around my home, gathering all I needed to make the hour drive to New Castle, Pennsylvania. I was invited to minister to the MOPS group at Harmony Baptist Church (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers). I was running behind when the phone rang. It was my father. In a soft somber tone he said, “Tia, Mom’s gone.”

My mother had battled lung cancer for six months, and the Lord called her home that morning. I called Tammi Dess from the church and told her that my mom had just passed away so I would not be coming. She promised me her group of ladies would be praying for us.

It was the morning of May 12 th, 2005. I was in the midst of my busiest music ministry season of the year, and had asked so many people to pray as I had over a dozen opportunities to share with women’s gatherings that month. That morning I was getting ready to go to a mothers’ group when the phone rang. It was the wife of my brother, Greg. He had died in the night. Our family gathered in the kitchen and held each other and cried. We were in shock. Greg was only 43.

We were also stunned by the fact that I would need to call Tammi Dess, since, of all places, my morning was to be spent with the MOPS group of Harmony Baptist church in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Out of over seventy concerts a year, I would be canceling this one again.

“Hello, Tammi? You’re not going to believe this. My brother just died. I think the Lord knows just who I need praying for our family when these losses come.”

Tammi cried. Then she promised prayers.

Soon after that, as my father and sister and I began the seven hour trip east to Greg’s home in Philadelphia, we drove past the exit for New Castle, Pennsylvania. Just what was the Lord doing in timing the loss of my mother and brother? I looked at the huge green sign with white letters that hung above the highway… “ New Castle.”

At that moment I knew that our King was giving me a peace and joy in realizing His perfect timing in taking two people who were very dear to me to their “ new castle” in Heaven.

How comforting to have His Presence and Sovereignty so evident in such a dark time. In the midst of all the questions, His multiple graces spoke to us that Greg’s death was not beyond His Hand. It did not take Him by surprise. The God-Incidence (not “coincidence”) of “ Harmony Baptist Church” carried us through the weeks ahead as a reminder of His perfect, loving Control of all things.