August 14, 2015
2
mycalling
Captain Matt
Cunningham
I love the fact that God is such a personal God
that he calls us each individually and specifically.
During and after college I was working in my
dream career as a firefighter while my wife and I
soldiered at the Dalton, Georgia. Corps. We were
active soldiers and happy where we were. I grew
up in an officer household and saw the worthwhile
sacrifice, but it wasn’t for me.
As God kept asking for more of me, I kept
compromising. I did whatever was needed in
the corps without submitting to what God really
wanted. God kept telling me through other people,
prayer and devotion times that he wanted me in full
time ministry as an officer.
As I look back on college, marriage and our
early careers, I see divine intervention. I studied
communication arts in college because I didn’t want
to take business math. That major consists of public
speaking, public relations and many other facets
of officership that I do on a daily and weekly basis.
After all, I thought that I only went to college to put
off adulthood for four more years. As a firefighter
I learned how to work under pressure, on a team,
and really grew into being a man. Also, during this
time I got to learn how to be a responsible man and
husband to my wife. Danielle didn’t need as much
work as I did; she pretty much had it all together.
She was a teacher and basketball coach and loved
working with her children and fellow teachers
daily. God absolutely gave us the desires of our
hearts for that season, but I realize now that he was
preparing us for the plans he had for our lives.
I started wrestling with God’s call to officership.
Finally, after an amazing shift at the fire
department, the kind that people join up for, I came
home and told my wife that I was ready to submit
my will to his. She looked at me and smiled and
said, “About time! I have been praying and waiting
for you to recognize our calling.”
My calling is firm and there is no more
compromising even in the fleeting moments when
ministry isn’t easy. God, who called and prepared
me, has been and will continue to be faithful
as he promised. He has also provided amazing
opportunities to love people and see the ministry of
The Salvation Army change lives. There is no better
place than being a servant in his Army, and I get to
serve with my family. Blessed!
Major Eleanor Bush
Major Eleanor Bush was
promoted to Glory July 5, 2015,
from her home in Fortson, Georgia.
A funeral service was held July 9 at
the Columbus, Georgia, Corps. Lt.
Colonel Jack T. Waters and Major
Leonard Taylor led the service.
Born July 29, 1929, in Franklinton,
North Carolina, Eleanor began coming to The
Salvation Army through the Girl Guards program and
Sunday school. She later felt called to officership and
was commissioned with the Intercessors session May
12, 1952.
She had appointments as a single officer in
the Carolinas Division until her marriage to
Lieutenant Kenneth Bush. They were corps officers
in the Carolinas, Georgia and Kentucky-Tennessee
divisions and served in adult rehabilitation centers
in St. Petersburg, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and
Richmond, Virginia; before returning as corps officers
in Columbus, Georgia; and Midland, Texas. Before
retiring in 2000, they served on the Texas divisional
staff.
Kenneth was promoted to Glory in 2005.
Eleanor continued to serve as a retired officer in
the Columbus, Georgia, Corps. She is survived by
children Kenneth (Teresa), Sharon (Hal Taylor) and
Cindy (Lee Chissus); seven grandchildren; brother
Avon Bowes; and niece Frances Winstead.
Christmas Card Project: a call for creativity
If that most wonderful
time of the year makes your
creative powers kick in, Project
Christmas Card may be just the
outlet for you. The Southern
Territory will again sponsor a
contest giving the artistically
inclined the opportunity
to design a Christmas
card that will serve as the
holiday greetings sent out by
Commissioners Don and Debi
Bell and Colonels Brad and
Heidi Bailey.
Any design or theme will be
considered, but the suggested
theme is “Peace on Earth,” and
judges will give preference to
entries using that theme. Art
donated by Laura Gesner is
again being made available
to contest entrants and may
be accessed at http://www.
salvationarmygreetingcards.
com/login.php. Designs
utilizing original art are also
welcomed, however. Group
submissions, such as those
submitted by Sunday school
classes are also welcomed, but
only one prize will be awarded
for winning group entries.
The first-place prize is an
iPad 4 16GB tablet sponsored
by Office Depot, and secondand third-place prizes are gift
cards.
The first-place design will
be used as the commissioners’
Christmas card, and secondand third-place winners will
be made available for