By: Laura Poff

After many years of wondering, considering and, ultimately, avoiding, Lindsey and Roger Galabeas are answering the call to become officers in The Salvation Army.

Lindsey and Roger were both raised in The Salvation Army with Lindsey's parents serving as officers when she was a child and Roger's entering training when he was a teenager.

"I kind of always knew that I would be an officer," Lindsey said. "But I didn't really want everyone else to know that."

After graduating from Asbury, Lindsey spent several years working in the Communications Bureau at territorial headquarters in Atlanta. During her time there, she considered officership, telling herself she would make a decision either way before turning 30, in 2017.

"I always knew I would make this decision, but it was such a hard thing to admit to myself or to God. Being an officer has to be one of the toughest jobs in the world and we want to have a modicum of control, but that's not how God works."

After studying music at South Texas College, Roger started working in corps ministry in Texas. He came to Atlanta for a special event weekend that Lindsey was working and the two met for the first time.

During one of the meetings, a speaker asked that those who were willing to do more for God to come forward. Lindsey watched Roger step to the platform in response to the call.

"The reason I reached out to him and wanted to get to know him more was because he went up for that call," Lindsey said. "I didn't even admit to myself that he had the same calling as me, I just said ‘here's a man who desires what God desires.'"

After marrying some time later, the two moved to Tyler, Texas, where Lindsey began working as the community and public relations coordinator and Roger as the corps assistant.

They both became heavily involved in corps ministry and felt fulfilled in their role as active and committed local officers. They made it clear to their corps officers that they planned to stay in Tyler, not enter officer training.

But this past June, they attended the commissioning events to support Lindsey's younger sister, now Lieutenant Chelsea Fleeman.

In one of the special men's rally meetings, Roger's feelings started to change.

"The speaker started talking about excuses, asking ‘Why do we continue making excuses and not allow God to use us?'" Roger said. "And it was like he was speaking to me."

After the meeting, he spoke to Lindsey about what he had heard.

"He was telling me all about this experience and I said, ‘Roger, I think I could be an officer.' And he said ‘Me too.'"

It was a realization that changed everything for the couple, who kept their confirmed calling private, returning home to first tell their officers, their families and, eventually, the Candidates Department.

"I kept running away from the responsibilities of officership," Roger said. "I felt like I couldn't do it on my own, but when Lindsey and I got married, that wall went away. God has continued to show us that we're not capable of officership on our own but he brought along someone to do it with me."

For Lindsey, giving up a career in communications was difficult – but it became easier as time passed.

"I am excited about ministry and laying down my crown and my expectations, my desires and all of my personal agendas, laying down my excuses to take up a future that is completely unknown. But I know it will be the most amazing thing that Roger and I will ever do. Bad days may come, but at the end of the day, we are still trusting the one who sent us."