Carlie Venkler readily acknowledges that spirituality has always been an important part of her life.

“I don’t know any other way to live,” she said.  “I was raised in church and in a godly home.  My parents were actually children’s pastors, and they always took us back to what the Lord says.”

They also instilled in her a desire to serve, which led her to her current position as financial secretary for Victory Christian Church and School, where she also coordinates events, works with the school’s dance line, and, with her husband Chris, serves as an assistant pastor.

“What I love about what I do is just that I get to serve,” the Pell City resident said.  “I don’t say, ‘I have to go do the monthly reports or talk with a student about a dress code.’  I say, ‘I get to prepare the report for the church or have an opportunity to help a student.”

Taking a moment from her schedule on a recent morning, Venkler spoke more about how her parents influenced her, identified two of her favorite Bible verses, and explained why she considers reading a guilty pleasure.

The best advice she ever received:  “I can’t put it word for word because it’s something I learned watching my parents raise my sister and I.  All the sacrifices they made for us and all the times they put their foot down, it showed how important we were to them and how important family is.  God has always seemed to surround me with very wise people, and my parents demonstrated for me the importance of my relationship with my husband and my relationship with my children and how important they both are to a healthy family unit.”

Her family:  The Venklers have been married for 16 years and have two children, a freshman and a seventh grader.  As assistant pastors, Chris and Carlie oversee Victory Christian’s Young Marrieds Ministry and Freedoms Ministry.

Her primary philosophy:  “I try to be very realistic.  Facts are facts, but life is made up of choices.  I can choose to look at negatives, or I can recognize that, yes, this might be a hard time, but the truth is that God is there for me, and it’s a fact that if I apply the truth to it, it will make it better.”

Two of her favorite scriptures:  “Ruth 2:12, which says, ‘May the Lord repay back to you what you have given out.’  And Hebrews 12:1, 2, because I strongly believe everybody has a race to run.  There will be obstacles to overcome, but we have to run the race.”

Working with Victory’s dance line:  “I absolutely love it.  I cheered and danced in high school, and now I get to work with an amazing group of girls and parents.  These girls work very hard.   We have a fantastic cheerleading team here, but I’m glad that dance offers another option and avenue for girls at our school.”

Her favorite guilty pleasure:  “Getting a really good book and secluding myself.  I don’t get a lot of that, so when I can, it’s definitely a guilty pleasure.  I love to read.  The Kindle is one of the greatest inventions ever.”

Her favorite indulgence:  “My mind automatically goes to food.  Chips, cheese and salsa would be very high on the list.”

Her favorite getaway:  “The beach.  That’s our thing.  We love to go to St. George Island, which is off the coast of Apalachicola.  My husband is from Florida, and it’s one of his old surfing towns.  It’s part of The Forgotten Coast and not very touristy.”

How she describes herself:  “I can be reserved, but I like to be bubbly and outgoing.”

Carlie Venkler style:  “I am going to gracefully enter my 40s.  I’m not much of a girly girl.  I love accessories, but not dresses, and bold colors, but not pastels.  I like styles that are comfortable but fashionable.  I know I’ve gotten it right when my 14-year-old says, ‘You look really good today, Mom.’”