Cindy Quarles: Led to Lead

Andrew and Cindy Quarles, Director of CBC-Chicago (Click to enlarge)Like many people, Cindy Quarles was captivated by Andrew’s teaching when she first heard him on television. She recalls his clear and articulate teaching on the book of Romans and intuitively knowing that what Andrew was sharing was true, even though she had not heard anyone else teach as he did. Cindy looks back on that time as a pivotal point in her life, as she began her journey away from religion and toward a true relationship with God.

Despite the fact that Cindy had just entered a new career as a network administrator for an architectural firm in her hometown of Chicago, she found herself thinking a lot about what Andrew had been teaching on his Gospel Truth program. She soon gave in to the Lord’s prompting and realized that she had a strong desire to attend Charis Bible College (CBC) in Colorado Springs. Once she yielded to the idea, Cindy was ready to give up her job and her life in Chicago and move to Colorado.
Before making the move however, she discovered that graduates of CBC-Colorado, Mark and Tenese Bassett, were planning to open an extension school—in Chicago.

Cindy enrolled in CBC-Chicago and was part of the very first class, of the first CBC extension school in the United States. Happily for Cindy, her boss allowed her to schedule her work hours around her school schedule, so she was able to keep her job through her first year at CBC. When the time came for second year however, she decided to give her full attention to her studies and she left her job. Cindy knew at that point that God was leading her in a different direction.

While on a mission trip to Uganda with a team from CBC-Chicago, Cindy and the team had the opportunity to pray for this young man. He was deaf and dumb, and now he can hear and speak! Praise God!
(Click to enlarge)As a CBC student, Cindy had the opportunity to serve as a prayer minister at Andrew's annual Gospel Truth Seminar (GTS) in Chicago. Cindy recalls ministering to a lady who was having a difficult time receiving her healing. The woman believed that she had been cursed as a child and offered this as an explanation to Cindy, for her inability to receive. Cindy remembers being frustrated with the darkness surrounding the woman and crying out to God praying, “Lord, a prayer is not going to help her. She needs her mind renewed. Help her to get her
mind renewed.”

Students in class at CBC-Chicago
(Click to enlarge)The GTS came and went, and in September of 2006, Cindy heard God say, “You are going to be the next Director of CBC-Chicago, and I want you to prepare yourself for it.” Cindy recalls being a bit frightened by the enormous responsibility associated with the position and wasn’t sure she wanted it. Yet God was sure of His choice, and true to His patient and loving nature, He had an amazing confirmation on the way to encourage her.

In October of 2006, Cindy attended Andrew and Jamie’s Minister’s Conference in Colorado. As she walked into the auditorium at the Conference, Cindy spotted a bright, joyful lady across the room. She looked familiar, but Cindy couldn't place her. Cindy went over to introduce herself and the woman knew who Cindy was. In that instant, Cindy realized that the woman she was speaking with was the same woman whom she had prayed for to receive healing and a renewed mind at the Chicago GTS. She discovered that the woman was now a second year student at CBC-Colorado, and the darkness that had surrounded her in Chicago was completely gone. God had answered Cindy's prayer, and in doing so had given her the confirmation she needed to confidently accept the position to which He had called her.

Cindy teaching class at CBC-Chicago
(Click to enlarge) Cindy went on and became the Director of CBC-Chicago in 2007. As director, she enjoys watching the Lord transform each student as they study and renew their minds to the Word of God (Romans 12:2). The same transformation that Cindy experienced, she now facilitates through her position as Director. “As they [students] get to know the true nature of God through His Word, they begin to trust Him. And as they begin to trust, an intimacy comes that they have never experienced before,” Cindy said. “It is a truth we say often, but it cannot be said too much.”