Hometown Living At Its Best 71
on his master’s. “That first year teaching was tough. You get
loaded with the worst kids in the school. I thought I was going
to get in a fight with a kid the first week. I had six kids sent to
alternative school that first semester.”
Carly took a job as a PR Rep for Serenity Hospice in
Milledgeville, which covered a 12-county area. Neither one
knew anyone in Dublin before moving there. “We started a
couple of Bible studies and made some great friends,” said
Bradley. “Every weekend we were doing something with our
new friends.”
When Bradley was offered a job as the head wrestling
coach at Toombs County High School in 2013, it seemed as
if the stars had aligned. “This was my dream position,” said
Bradley. “My Alma Mater. I was also hired to teach history,
which was my major.”
Carly took a position with Technical Financial Solutions,
a company based in Savannah, a job she was able to do from
home. “Moving home also meant having family nearby, which
was perfect timing. We had just decided we wanted to start a
family,” said Carly.
The move home wasn’t exactly as they had imagined.
With a new baby and new jobs, Bradley and Carly struggled
to reconnect in the community. “We tried starting a Bible
study,” said Bradley, “but eventually fell out of touch with
others.” Worse still, they fell out of touch with one other. “I
found myself cycling through the same selfishness that had
separated me from Carly when we were in college.”
Those early years of marriage can be the most difficult
and lead many to feel certain they’ve married the wrong
person, which is true. We all marry the wrong person. The
vows we make are to an idealized version of the person to
whom we are committing our love. And as the closeness of
ABOVE Bradley pastors the Connection Church in Dublin,
Georgia.
RIGHT Carly is now the director of The Mercy Ministries.