Dawn Snellenberger interviewed Class of 1998 alumna Carrie (Benson) Butler. Carrie lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Greg, and children Luke, Maddie, and Jacob. She teaches Humanities and Writing at Laconia Christian School.

When Carrie was young, she and her family lived in the Berkshires, but she had family ties in Manchester where her grand-mother owned a children’s clothing store on Main Street.  One day Evelyn Banning, a CCS board member at that time, entered the grandmother’s shop, and they struck up a conversation about Christian schools.  Even though the shop was on the same street as CCS, Carrie's grandmother had never heard about Cornerstone! Evelyn encouraged the grandmother to find out more about the school.

On that recommendation, her parents investigated CCS, compared it with other Christian schools, and eventually enrolled her.  This was a huge decision, as it required Carrie and her mom to stay with her grandmother during the week and only be reunited as a full family on the weekends; however, her parents were willing to make the sacrifice because they valued the Christian atmosphere, small class sizes and the individualized instruction.

Eventually, Carrie's family relocated to Connecticut, and she was able to graduate from CCS. Carrie said she loved the core of students from her class, because they felt like an extended family. That's a big deal when you're an only child! She also felt loved and cared for by her teachers, and she was well prepared for the rigors of college after graduation.

She began attending college at Gordon College and then transferred to UCONN, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. She then went on to receive her Masters of Education degree, where she hoped to become a teacher and follow in the footsteps of her CCS English teacher, Karen Orfitelli.

After graduation, Carrie realized her goal of becoming a high school English teacher!  She also realized two other large milestones:  marriage and motherhood.  In time she enrolled her oldest son, Luke, in preschool at CCS.  During that school year, her husband felt a call to full-time ministry, so they moved to New Hampshire where Greg began working for a church.  While in New Hampshire, their family expanded.  They also chose Christian education for their own children.

In November, 2016, Carrie received horrifying news that she had breast cancer.  With her characteristic optimism, she tackled the biopsies and treatments while holding onto her faith.  At times the treatments made her unable to read or focus, but she was able to recall the memory verses she tucked away in her heart while at CCS.  Her parents didn’t know at the time that God would use their investment in their daughter’s education to strengthen her through her illness.

Today Carrie is feeling stronger and taking life day by day.  She said, “Bad things happen.  Life doesn’t ever go back to the way it was, but we make adjustments.”  She chooses to live in the present and does so by reminding herself of the important verse found in Exodus 14:14:  “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Thanks, Carrie, for your willingness to share how God used CCS to shape and prepare you for where you are today. If you would like to share your CCS story with us, we would love to hear it.  You can reach Dawn Snellenberger at dsnellenberger@contactccs.org.

“It is all about COMMUNITY. Community is about friendship-- true, godly friendship. It is about bearing your soul to the godly people that He has placed around you. It is about being honest about your struggles...and letting others be honest with you, without judgment or quick advice. It is about celebrating others, often and well, and letting others celebrate you. It is ALL about community, because it is true that real friends are hard to find.

They are the ones that stick closer than family, the ones who often know you better than family. They pray bigger things for you than you pray for yourself. They believe with you when your faith is weak. They make space for you when life falls apart, and they rejoice with you when all is well. Most importantly, true friends remind you in every encounter who and what is most important.

The true essence of Christian friendship is companionship founded on two great things. The first is that only Jesus can satisfy the soul, and the second is that His kingdom alone is worth living for. Christian friendship is a treasure because it helps us cling to our greatest Treasure. Jesus is our Bread of Life, our Living Water, our Pearl of Great Price, our Light, our Resurrection, our very Life.

Secondly, true friends expose the sin in us that keeps us from God. 'Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.' (Proverbs 27:6)

Sin deceives us. It darkens our understanding and makes us foolish...so much so that we may be walking in sin and convinced that we are obeying God (like the Pharisees). This is why we desperately need friends.

Third, true friends encourage us to obey God. Hebrews 10:24 says, 'Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.' While it is true we need friends to help us see our disobedience, we also need them to spur us on to obedience. Often, obedience to God takes more courage than we can muster alone. Without the faithful cheerleading of Christian friends, we easily shrink back into stagnant apathy, not wanting to willfully disobey, but also too afraid to step out in faith.

So, who did I rely on throughout the wild ups and downs of high school? My 15 best friends--my class. Whose house did we go to for dinner throughout high school and many years after? My math teacher: Carol Jones. Who did I fall in love with and marry? My high school sweetheart: Robbie May. Who stood beside me as I married Robbie? My high school best friend: Rachel Monahan. Who did we move in with when we first got married? Our Bible teacher: Beth Russell. Who did we share our entire lives with and pour out our all to start a business with? Our guidance counselor: Tammy Gerhard. Who did I run to with questions about adoption? My middle school teacher and cheerleading coach, Wonderwoman Joy Press.

You see, the biggest thing that I was able to take away from my time at Cornerstone, was my community. Because...true friends are hard to find, and when you find them, you have to keep them.”

Q:  How old were you when you began attending CCS?

A:  I began attending in 7th grade.  I asked my parents if I could either go to CCS or be homeschooled because I didn’t want to go to the large public middle school in town.  I knew I wouldn’t thrive there because I was shy and would get lost in the crowd.  My parents said yes and I was thrilled.

Q:  How did you feel about the school after you started attending?

A:  I loved the family "feel" of the school! Everyone felt like a brother or sister to me.  I loved the arts focus at the time.  We were encouraged to be expressive through our writing, acting and singing.  We had many opportunities to stand in front of others, whether in class, chapel, or in a major production called Narnia.  It was great for me because it forced me out of my shell. The teachers also made learning fun, because they interacted with us.

Q: So after graduation from CCS, what did you do?

A: I went to Cedarville College (now University) in Ohio. I felt very prepared by the education I received at CCS.  In fact, I was able to CLEP (College Level Examination Program) out of classes, which allowed me to take other classes instead of the prerequisites.  I majored in Exercise Science and graduated in 2000.

A few years after graduation, I met and married Barry and started having children (Logan, Tate and Vivian).  I felt a call to homeschool them, but I also had ambition to have my own business.  I became a fitness trainer and started a home business which focused on sales.  I was then introduced to a product called Juice Plus.  I started using the supplements and eventually invited others to try the products for themselves.  In no time, I had developed my own business.

Now, I use the communication skills I learned at CCS in a variety of ways.  I talk to groups of people about the benefits of a plant-based diet and also share my faith with others.  My husband and I are both active in our church, serving on the worship team and helping with a Bible club called the Olympians every Friday night. We place a high emphasis on how to communicate, serve and use our gifts.

Thanks, Becky, for sharing your insights with me!  I appreciate hearing your story of how your parents’ investment of Christian education has paid off in your life. 

If you would be willing  to share your story with me, please contact me at dsnellenberger@contactccs.org.