‘Meet-Cute’ At Carr P. Collins

The love story of Charlene and Julius Miller has all the elements for a great movie. Their “meet-cute” (a Hollywood term for a unique meeting of two people resulting in their “happily ever after” union) occurred in the chapel of the Carr P. Collins Harbor Light near downtown Dallas, Texas. The circumstances of how both first came to Christ, and then fell in love with one another, would make for a romantic classic.

The black screen fades in on Julius Miller, a Dallas native and Marine Corps veteran, struggling for years with addiction to alcohol. He checks into the program at Carr P. Collins, and in 2008 his taste for liquor vanishes when he surrenders his all to Christ. Even after graduating from the program and finding a home in nearby Irving, Texas, Julius returns to Carr P. Collins every day to volunteer full-time, six days a week, from morning till night, and on Sundays for worship services.

Three years later, cut to Charlene Lawrence loading her car up with all her earthly possessions and driving across the country, leaving her past behind her in Tampa, Florida. After miles of aimless driving, she finally ends up homeless in Dallas.

“I got off the highway and was looking for a women’s shelter,” Charlene says. “The Lord told me to turn left, then turn right, and to stop in a business area where there was not a shelter program in sight.”

She says the Lord insisted she go into one of the businesses. When the manager sees her, he asks if he can help her. The manager’s wife then enters and senses that Charlene is in trouble.

“I told her all about my situation and how I was looking for an emergency shelter,” Charlene explains. “She ended up paying for a night’s stay at the nearby Holiday Inn, and the next day I checked into the Carr P. Collins center.”

Cut to Carr P. Collins, where Charlene soon recommits her heart to Christ. Later, during a chapel service, Julius and his praise and worship team are leading the singing.

“A lady sitting next to me wrote a note for Julius, requesting a certain praise song (“I Love the Lord”). She handed the note to me to pass up to Julius.”

The camera follows Charlene and tilts up as she reaches Julius. “When Charlene handed me the note, our hands touched, and I felt a surge of something wonderful!”

Meet-Cute.

“I went home that night and couldn’t stop thinking about her,” Julius goes on. “I even dreamed about her that night. The next morning, I couldn’t wait to get to the center to tell her that God told me she would be my wife!”

Charlene adds with a laugh, “I responded quickly, ‘That’s funny, God hasn’t said anything to me about that!’”

Three weeks pass, and Julius still pursues her. Then one night, as Charlene opens her Bible, a life-changing verse crashes into her spirit: “Leviticus 19:32 stated that I would meet a grey-haired old man, and that I should honor him. That verse shook me to the core, and the next day I told Julius that I think God was now revealing something special to me.”

Quick montage: their first date is dinner, and four months later they head to the courthouse to get married.

“The judge told us all the [ceremony] rooms were occupied, so we went outside and took our vows under a beautiful tree,” Julius explains. “That was 15 glorious years ago.”

With that union, a combined ministry at the Carr P. Collins center begins, the couple ministering to approximately 360 clients mired in the same circumstances they emerged from once they came to Christ. The two appear so much in love that the staff affectionately refer to them with the nicknames “Rooster” and “Hen.” They were both enrolled as senior soldiers about six years ago.

Julius’ work runs the gamut of behind-the-scenes ministry, such as bus and truck driving, food distribution, and men’s activities. He continues to sing in the praise and worship team. He even regularly pops popcorn for all the residents to enjoy, for movie nights and special events.

Meanwhile, Charlene heads the Women’s Ministries program that meets on Thursdays. But all week long she mothers the ladies in the program, listening, advising, and counseling them. When the officers are away, the couple leads the meetings and Charlene preaches powerful sermons.

Together they have the joint calling of ministering to the people helped by the Carr P. Collins center, both knowing what it’s like to have a void in one’s life that can only be filled by the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

“Julius and Charlene both have a heart for the people of the Carr P. Collins Harbor Light,” states their corps officer, Captain Nicholas Hutchinson. “They have come through the program, and they know the value of the program.”

The captain adds that the Millers “are able to stand before the congregation every Sunday as a shining example of what God can do if you let Him have control.”

The screen fades to black and credits roll, giving God all the glory.