Good Monday morning, my favorite blog community on earth!
Soon you’ll be hearing from Curtis with some insights from your comments on Friday’s post. I’ve been out of town most of the weekend so I haven’t seen them yet but the Moores and Joneses had lunch together yesterday and they said the responses were terrific and some of them pretty eye-opening. You invest continually in the workings of this ministry whether or not you realize it. You equip us constantly to serve the Body of Christ in relevant ways and we are so grateful.
Until you hear from CJ, here’s something that’s been on my mind this weekend based on a wild thing God did on Friday. I awakened that morning with a pressing on my heart to send a certain new friend flowers for absolutely no occasion except that I couldn’t get her out of my mind. The fact that I could even have that clear impression on Friday is in itself a wonder because I was preparing five – count them, FIVE – messages for the Life Today taping we did in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend. I was also in a tailspin getting all the appropriate wardrobe packed. It made much more sense to wait until Monday to make arrangements for flowers, only I couldn’t let it go.
Come to find out that the flowers came to my new friend on her only child’s birthday, a son she’d raised to young adulthood then lost in a tragic accident. She’d been feeling literally sick at heart with grief as the day approached and had tried not to tell anybody. What’s more, instead of just sending a random bouquet of flowers like I normally would, this time I requested something very specific that just happened to hold extreme significance to my new friend. It was the exact kind of flower and color that her husband sent her for years before his equally untimely death. (No, it wasn’t your basic red.) Needless to say, Blonder-Than-She-Pays-to-Be had absolutely no idea. I sat bug-eyed when I read her response concerning all the things I “could not have known” and marveled over how Christ has gone out of His way to show her His enormous and exquisite love. In fact, He’s chasing her as hard as anybody I’ve ever known. My heart is so tender that He would allow me to be one small part of how He is showing His great affection and tender care to someone.
He is not only a God of the big things. Perhaps what astonishes us most in each of our private journeys with Him is that He is a God of the smallest, most intimate details. A God who does things with personal significance only He and we could have known. So, let’s boast in that very dimension of our God today. Give a one-paragraph story of how He went out of His way and far beyond coincidence to show You His love…OR, used you in some detailed way to demonstrate His love to someone else.
He is SO WORTHY.
I hate storms, and I hate being on airplanes. However, one January about 8 years ago, I was on a plane IN A STORM! I was terrified out of my mind. I kept praying, but couldn't find any peace. I finally placed my hand on the armrest of my seat and prayed, "God, just hold my hand. Just please hold my hand." I then bought a set of headphones from the flight attendant, thinking that listening to some music would help my racing thoughts (and heart). As soon as I plugged them in, I heard these exact words being sung: "I want to hold your hand. I want to hold your hand." It was a Beatles song (I Want to Hold Your Hand), and it came on in the exact place in the chorus where those words are sung! That's not all. When I was 12 or 13 years old, I was mad about the Beatles; had all their records and collectible cards, knew all the words to their every song. What a sweet and tender way for God to let me know he cares for me that that I am precious to Him.
BETH,
Thank you so much for this post you are so awesome you know what us seista's need. I have alot of blessings from God but I will just share one. Its kinda of hard to mention this because not to many people know what pit God pulled me out of but I am getting butterflies in my stomach writing this. Here goes in
1995 my life style was not good I will not go to much in detail but in about 1999 I started having bad panic attacks and was almost paralized with them one day I happen to be in my room listening to kflq a christian radio station here in Albuq. NM and I was sitting in the corner bawling my eyes out and rocking back and forth, the announcer on the radio said if you are in need of christian counseling or need to talk to someone here is a 1-800# to call, I was on the verge of wanting my life to end and did not care how it happen. So I called the phone # and got a hold of someone and they gave me a local # here in Albuq.NM called them and got into seeing a christian counselor. After a couple of yrs. of counseling she led me to the Lord in 2001. We are friends now we became very close. She did everything she could with the Lord help to bring me out of that pit of despair and wanting to end my life. There is more to this story but to long to put on here. Praise the Lord He pulled me out of the very pit of of despair. Also have to mention the counselor I had her and I started doing the work book breaking free and that helped me to not be afraid to take the step to freedom and to get out of the ugly ugly bondage I had been in for 5YRS and thinking I could not live without that person I had Love so much and thinking I could not live without them. BUT THANKS TO OUR SWEET SAVIOUR IT HAS BEEN 9YRS OF LOVING THE LORD AND THE SHACKLES FELL OFF NOW I CAN DANCE!!!!!!!!
Carol Albuquerque. NM
A distant relative of mine was put in prison, and God instructed me to begin writing him and sharing my faith with him. I was terribly frightened, but since I'm more frightened of disobeying God than I am of prisoners – I wrote. 2 years and 100's of letters later, this ex-drug addict/murderer received Christ as his personal Savior and continues to be a faithful follower of Jesus even as he awaits the death penalty. I am totally humbled that God used me in such a wild way, and that He generously blesses me, too, through this bizarre, God ordained friendship.
This will probably seem silly to some, but to me it was precious.
Last month the retreat ministry I am so blessed to be part of was speaking at a women's drug/alchohol facility here in Atlanta. We stayed in a fairly nice hotel in the Dunwoody area to be close. Early Saturday morning we met in the hotel cafe for breakfast. I do not eat much on conf. weekends. I just can't eat before I sing or speak. However, I CAN put away some Starbucks. This hotel just happened to brew the beloved Starbucks beans, and charged about twice as much as my local Starbucks. I ordered the tall latte and a bagel to stay well within my food budget. When the sweet young lady brought me my coffee, she said. "I know you ordered a tall, but I put it in a Venti." Then she winked, smiled and walked away.
I looked at my ministry buds who are very aware of my addiction to this particular drink and said "This my friends is nothing but the favor of the Lord."
And I want to say that on that Saturday, worshipping with women who really "get" what it means to be in captivity and then be set free, oh my goodness…His goodness just kept coming and it was a WHOLE lot better than that big ole' cup of coffee that He blessed me with that morning!!
Beth,
There have been so many things this year as I have been seeking to know Him with all my heart, but the most recent that comes to mind is back in May this year. I have a hard time opening up to new people, making a connection. But I had dreams of this specific lady at church days on end until I finally connected with her once. Then again a few weeks later- I was getting baptized and it was to be a very small private thing but I wanted to ask this lady-not sure why, but I called her and told her I was rededicating my life to God and was getting baptized again, knowing it was not for salvation sake but my own personal reasons and would she please be there. Her response was yes of course, and did I know that she had done the exact same thing for very similar reasons. This lead to an hour long or longer conversation that was unbelievable in the similarities between us. I was stunned. God is good, He puts people in my life that I need specifically for my growth in Him!
Thank you for asking! I am going to watch your simulcast in August from Cincinnati, Ohio and I hope to come to Memphis, Tn in October! I cant wait to see you live and hear the praise team with such a large group of people loving God, singing to Him!
I don't comment very often, but I couldn't pass this one up.
My first and only biological child died at birth on May 20, 2005. Beth, I had no idea what I was going to do. It was just a grief I had never known. I began going to a support group that summer, and the third time I went there was a new girl. She had just lost her baby at birth about nine weeks after I did. Our precious babies are buried in the same cemetery about 10 ft from each other – and it turned out, we live about six blocks apart. That was four years ago – my dear friend will be celebrating the fourth birthday of her stillborn daughter tomorrow – July 28.
We have become so much more than just two women that have something horrendous in common. We are the best of friends. We laugh together like nothing else you could imagine.
I have since adopted a daughter and she has had another daughter and son. Our girls love to play together.
When I think about how much God cared for us to bring us together, it doesn't take long for me to get just real emotional. He is such an Amazing God!
Last week I began a new "notebook journey" with God. While I journal my prayers each day, every now and then, He prompts me to pull out a little composition notebook and begin an additional daily journaling session about something specific He's working on with me. Just in this week alone, He has been proving Himself SO attentive to details…because I l-o-v-e that. And on the very first day of that journey I happened to catch you on Life Today talking about wrestling through to the other side and hanging in there to receive the new name He has promised. That was a huge part of that first journal entry because it was just the message I needed. Thanks for being in the detail of my journey, Beth!
There are so many little moments or things that happen that have literally took my breath away; had me crying at the overwhelming presence of Him and then over time I find myself saying oh don't be so silly…it wasn't really that big of a deal…but it was, it is. It did happen. It was God.
Beth, you wrote about this in a scripture memory post. It touched me so then as it does now.
One winter I woke to an injured deer curled up sleeping under a fir tree next to our house. She had had one of her legs shot almost off but not quite, so it was dangling. It was awful and so much blood. I felt so helpless. I called a ranger who told me she didn't stand a chance, being injured like that, and being seperated from her herd. She had no protection from any predators. He had tried to get close enough to put her out of her misery but she kept hobbling off.
Oh how often my thoughts went out to that deer, maybe because she had sought refuge at my home. I wondered how she would survive being all alone in the bitter cold and snow with her injury. I prayed for her quick and easy death.
The following year I saw a large herd of deer grazing in the yard as I always did, but this time…it was unmistakable, one of the deer had a dangling leg, grazing as peaceful and normal as could be….it just had to be her. It just had to be. How many deer have a dangling leg? And out of all places to be grazing she in my yard?
I could not stop crying as I watched her out there. I know it was just a deer, but I was so wrapped in feeling God's care and comfort and healing. And He protects, dangling leg and all, against all odds. And that He knows…
The Lord is watching over what we doing and always give us the things that we desire as we delight ourselves in him. Some of us sisters in Penang,Malaysia were going to do the Patriachs Bible Study . We didnt have the leader guide book. Praise God the Holy Spirit prompted me to email to lifeway. And it was the perfect timing .Ann of lifeway was coming to KL Malaysia and she brought the leader guide and God also send another Bro Edward from Canaanland Bookstore to bring me the study guide from KL to Penang as he was conducting the Sunday School Seminar in our church FGA. God really leave me breathless with all his surprises…sending two angels to bring me the Leader's Guideall the way from USA to Penang. We have completed the Bible Study –20 of us ladies and we were truly blessed. I have shared this testimony about 2 angels bring me the Leader Guide numerous time. All glory to Him
Oh Beth, there are two stories I really would like to share, but before I do I can't thank you enough for this post today. I've been trying so hard for the last six years to follow God. I don't always do a good job, but I know I am here to be the example for my family. My family includes two young children who I am trying to introduce to the Lord early in their lives. And also includes my husband & teenage daughter who have no interest in attending church with me. Enough said. With two spirited children under six, getting bible time is hard to come by for this new Christian. So I hope you can all understand I'm still trying to descern the voice of God!
So, after an especially trying trying time with my younger children, I kept thinking to myself Genesis 8, Genesis 8. God, is that you? You mean you'll really talk to little ol me? I ran to my bible and guess what Genesis 8 is about ~ Noah and his time on the ark. You know the ark ~ with two of every kind of animal. And a quick calculation works to over 200 days with those animals! That right there gave me all the strength I needed to make it to the bedtime hour with these two precious children God entrusted to me!
So my last story I'll try to make quick ~ we're almost coming up on the one year anniversary of a trip to the emergency room with my then five year old. The first dr. examined him and told us we'd need a few stitches on his wound ~ it was on his forehead OUCH. Of course he was scared but God told me to pray with my son right there in the exam room ~ in front of my husband & daughter who no more think of praying than Satan does. We prayed for minimal pain, for the dr. to make the right decision and for a quick trip home. No lie ~ three minutes later a "more experienced" doc came in the room and said it was a simple wound that could be glued back together with their medical "super glue". No pain, the right decision and a quick exit home ~ everything we prayed for!! I hope you're picturing the look on my husband's & daughter's face like I saw that day!!
O.k. so this is turned out to be really long but I don't have many people I can share my "God moments" with. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories. They are confirmation for me that yes, God is speaking to everyone of us.
One week I was feeling so down and bad about myself. I asked God in my quiet time to tell me He loved me. That same week I found a rock in my driveway in the shape of a heart. Then the next week I bought a bag of potatoes n one was also in the shape of a heart!!! He is the best of the best!!!
Something relatively minor happened in my marriage about 6 years ago, but I couldn't get past it. In fact, I stewed over it and made it so big that the truth was completely clouded because I was so sure I couldn't trust his story. I had talked myself into believing that it wouldn't be able to get back to normal and had a dark desperation to to the only thing that would end my torment. As dumb as that sounds typing it now, I know how real it felt to me at the time. Long story short, I cried out literally to God and begged for him to show me someone cared about what I was going through. Within a few short minutes, a Christian friend from across the other side of the United States called, "just to check on me." To bad for her I proceeded to dump my entire pathetic problem on her and told her what I was feeling like. She talked with me for a long time and by the time it was over, I was confident that God used her to show me his love for me.
I love small town rodeos in the summer. For the 4th of July, my family went up to Colorado where we have a cabin. I was pumped about their local 4th of July rodeo, but not about their price! It was going to be $30 for us all to go. I resided I didn't want to spend that much. My husband was kind and said it was worth the money. So we got there, (practically the only ones without a 4×4 diesel) and some guy handed us 5 front row, box seat tickets! My 3 year old son absolutely loved the horses, and I knew the Lord was being SO SWEET to me! Beth, these are all examples of the Lord's shocking favor (your message to Abq)! We are Hannah's! 🙂 Thank you for your hard work!
This is the best post!!! I love these stories and thankfully I have so many of how God has showered me with His grace. This is not as poignant as some of these sweet stories, but it happened last week and is fresh on my mind:
I have been praying about making it to Greensboro, NC this weekend for Deeper Still. I really love these events, but wasn't sure I should leave my family at this time. God provided a ticket, and then I read this quote….."We must tell people that no pit is so deep that He is not deeper still" Betsie ten Boom (from The Hiding Place).
What an awesome God that He would choose to speak to us so intimately. Praise You Lord!
I have so many but this is one of my favorites. I have a friend who doesn't know the Lord and He spoke to my heart a couple of years ago to be her friend. That's all, be her friend. We go places together sometimes and do girl stuff. On one of our adventures, we took off to a heritage day at a small town not far from us. When I awoke that morning my prayer was "Lord, show her Your Glory today. Please just show her Your Glory". That's all I said in my prayer for her. We took a picnic lunch and after a while we stopped by the porta-potties (yes, this was an event that you walked all over town). She & I used the restrooms and went on our way. When we got to the car to pull out our picnic, I realized I had left my purse inside the porta-pottie on the shelf. I ran up the hill praying the whole way. "Lord, you know where my purse is and I don't. Please lead me to it." When I got to the porta-potties, there on the ground next to the one I had used, laid my purse. Nothing touched. Nothing harmed. I praised the Lord all the way down the hill and when I got back to our car and my friend saw I had my purse, her mouth flew open in shock. She said "you are the only person I have ever known that has gotten their purse back with everything in it". I just smiled and said, It was Him, I am His child and He takes care of me…Boy did she see His Glory that day. Praise His Name!
Sorry this is so long. I cannot wait for Deeper Still, Greensboro. I just know the Glory will fall.
Marie, Lebanon
Here is my story. Right after my husband and I joined our church, where we are now on staff, we were having financial difficulties. It was Christmas time and we had no money for presents or even enough to travel home. We didn't tell anyone because frankly we were ashamed. Remember we had just joined this church and really didn't know anyone. Well on the Sunday before Christmas we sat down in our pew and found an envelope addressed to us just sitting there. We opened it and there was five one hundred dollar bills inside! No note just the cash! We have never discovered who felt lead to do this, but it was certainly a God thing!
Praise Him!
Love ya
Can't wait to "see" you at Deeper Still!
ANNOUNCEMENT SIESTAS! (There has been a change in location)
WE ARE MEETING AT SMOKEY BONES BARBECUE 3302 HIGH POINT ROAD GREENSBORO, NC AT 11:00 a.m. ON FRIDAY AUGUST 31st FOR LUNCH! HOPE SOME OF YOU CAN ATTEND THAT ARE COMING FOR DEEPER STILL! IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW THAT YOU ARE COMING THAT WOULD BE GREAT! HERE IS MY E-MAIL.
[email protected]
Can't wait to see you!
Love ya!
Kristi B.
I was in my nursing clinical and we were spending the day at an adult day care. I found a lady sitting at a table waiting for lunch to be served so I knelt down by her and put my hand on her arm. I asked her, "are you doing ok?" She responded. "I'm fine when you're here with me." I put my hand on her shoulder and said, "you're too sweet." Then she said, "everything's fine when your hand is on my shoulder."
Fast forward about a month. I was driving in to take a test and was praying a very desperate prayer to God because I felt unprepared. I told God I just need to know it's ok and here's what I felt him speak to my heart. "Everything's fine when my hand's on your shoulder." Gave me chills. And peace.
I can't think of anything but I love these kind of stories. God is so great!!
Beth,
I am a High school teacher- last year at the beginning of the year, several of us met for prayer in our media center to pray for the coming year (this is a PUBLIC high school and yes our principal is 100% in favor of this). I prayed during that prayer for God to send me one student that I could reach for Him. It did not take me long to realize who He had chosen. The girl, Brittany, became my shadow-she came to see me before school, after school. She found out where I went to church and started coming to church. Her homelife-I cannot talk about, but it is HORRIBLE. She was saved in April of this year and she is still in church. She has graduated from High School but she still calls me and thinks of me like a Mom to her. This year, I am asking God for a double portion and I want TWO students I can reach for Him.
Hi Beth,
Thank you for sharing your story. God is so loving and caring.
A few months ago a friend of mine who I had only known for a short time, emailed me asking for prayer. She didn't want to go into it but she was having some serious problems at home. I prayed for her immediately. The next morning was a very busy morning, but I felt just like you did during your busy day. I felt God telling me to stop what I was doing, sit down and write out a card for my friend. I have missed the blessing in the past by being "too busy" to listen to God. I wasn't about to be disobedient this time, I learned my lesson. I stopped what I was doing and found a card in my stash to send her. I started filling it out and then God just started giving me scripture addresses to put in her card. I still can't remember what those verses were but I will tell you that I couldn't write them down fast enough. I sent the card out that morning to make sure it was sent out that day. About 2 months later I received an email from my friend. She apologized for not telling me sooner but that she has read over those verses over and over again. She said that they have helped her and encouraged so much with what she was dealing with. God's word had begun to heal her hurt and bring resolution to her problems. She wasn't very familiar with her bible or with a relationship with God, but she knew that He was the one helping and loving her through it. She is now attending church and has joined a bible study. PRAISE GOD!!
P.S. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. I can't even begin to imagine going through what you have gone through. God loves you all so very much!
My sister 6 years ago the 19th of July lost a 5 month old girl in pregnancy. Her placenta abrupted in the middle of the night and the baby was subsiquently birthed and died in her bed at home. This was her 5th child and only girl. My sister was rushed to the hospital and survived the surgery and was released that next afternoon. Her 19 year old son and firstborn missed her by 15 minutes on her arrival home. An hour and a half later she got a phone call her oldest had been killed. Our family was wracked with a grief that I'm sure paled compared to hers. I had a bracelet made for her and presented it to her on his birthday a few weeks later. It had his name and stones on either side of his name that represented her and his fathers birth month. The second strand that was under his name had stones representing his siblings. My sister wears that bracelet every day still six years later. She says it is the most precious piece of jewlrey she owns…I believe God inspired me in the idea…When my sister had a friend that lost her son another specialized bracelet went out to a mourning mother…God cares for each of us so deeply I believe He inspires us to care for others during the very hardest of times…
I awoke one morning thinking of an acquaintance and thought I should send an email. I put it off and woke up the next morning with her name still on my mind. I composed a simple email letting her know I was thinking of and praying for her. In her response, she let me know that she received my email on the one year anniversary of her mother's passing and was extremely touched that God had laid her on my heart. We were both in awe at God's perfect timing!
Dear Beth
This just happened this morning –
I walk with my niece once a week, on her lunch hour. ( Her Mom and Dad (my brother) came to the Lord 8 years ago in our living-room. We are now praying for their kids )
My niece and I were having our usual casual talk, mostly about her kids and as we walked by the back of the courthouse, we passed a woman, whom we both thought was a secretary having a smoke break. As we said "Nice day", the lady said "I hope it gets better, it`s been terrible so far." With that, we stopped to hear her story about being at court. Her Mother, an alcoholic, had "gone berserk" and now her daughter was trying to get her out on bail, but was having difficulty getting to the right people. I kept thinking that I should pray with her, but hesitated because, after all, my niece might be embarrassed, etc., So I asked the lady`s name and said that I would pray for her. She started to cry and said that she had been praying all morning. I knew then! and asked my niece if she minded if I prayed with this lady. She said "Go ahead" – It was one of those prayers that you open your mouth and words you never thought came out. I finished by saying to the lady "You know that God is with you." She said "I know" As we walked away, I looked at my niece, who was crying!! She said "Aunt, that was incredible. I have never heard anything like that (prayer). I am so proud of you." She was so excited at the whole encounter. I don`t know who this was for, but it impacted ME, for sure…to listen to that still small voice and trust and obey.
Thanks for the opportunity to share. I love this blog!
God bless you incredibly as He uses you to bless so many.
Dear Beth,
A couple of months ago after dropping my kids off at school, I went back to my car and decided to do my "Believing God" study. As I settled in, I noticed the week I was doing was " You can do all things thought Christ." The moment I read that I said out loud pittifully "Oh no I cant!" And as my mind started filling with insecurity, I heard loud and clear "You can do it!" For a minute I thought it was the end of the world- and I was hearing God's voice but when I looked up I saw my son's class in the field completing a race and the kids were encouraging one another with shouts of " You can do it, Don't give up, You are almost there!" God through those kids began shouting to me that I was so wrong in what I thought of myself and He wasn't going to have it! I don't think I will ever forget that day- He went that out of His way just to tell me truth and to show me were doing my life, together.
I love Him so ( tearing up again)
Geri Kuyekndall
La Mirada
WOW! It never ceases to amaze me how these blog posts speak to the exact thing I am experiencing. Today, for instance, I was so encouraged by realizing how God is so into the details of my own life…and how He really does hear my prayers and speak to me.
I have been praying for God to strengthen my faith lately as I have felt bogged down in certain areas–especially with my thoughts. Today we had a speaker come to share with us at work but not all staff were required to go and listen. I was not planning to go since I was on vacation a few days last week and needed to catch up–but then they asked for a few more people to go over there just so it would be a good crowd. I took my Bible and my journal and started listening…and no joke, the speaker started sharing about how we need to pray that our faith does not fail…so that even if I fail, my faith will not fail…and my faith will pick me up. He shared that Satan desires to have me and that Jesus says, "that's not the end of the story–I have prayed for you" (Heb. 7:25). I felt so blessed to have the opportunity to listen to this teaching and learn ways I can study the Scriptures and preach the truth to myself! It was such a blessing to me to see God speak straight to me through that message on FAITH. God knows just what we need!
Two weeks before I was due with my now 3 and a half year old daughter, my husband and I went to the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia” out of town with some youth from our church. As a precautionary measure my husband and I drove separately from the kids since the hospital was in the same town as the movie (45 minutes from home). With about an hour left to go in the movie, I started having contractions that were 5 minutes apart. They didn’t hurt, but since they continued on for the remainder of the movie, I called the doctor. They decided to have me come in because of our distance from home. They would observe me for an hour, check my progress, and decide from there. After the hour, contractions were getting closer together but they still didn’t hurt and I hadn’t made much more progress. We were waiting for the doctor to come check me at any moment. Had he come down “on time”, it is very likely that I would have been sent home. However, he was delayed for about 3 hours. By the time he made it to me, I had made enough progress to stay. He didn’t expect my labor to last long at all. Once we knew I was staying, my husband went to the car to bring in our luggage and call our parents. The nurse was getting my IV ready and I was about to go get my epidural. So far everything was textbook perfect. Suddenly, I was like “This contraction is actually starting to hurt.” Which didn’t catch me off guard too much. It had to happen at some point. But it didn’t stop. The pain just kept intensifying to the point where my body was shocked. I was shaking and turning gray. The contraction never let up. I had a total placental abruption. (I learned after the fact that nobody knows what causes it. Out of his approximately 4,000 deliveries, the doctor said that this had only happened about 15 times, and he refused to say how many had happy endings, which implied that there weren’t many). Juliana’s heart rate immediately dropped. She was no longer getting any oxygen. Thankfully, the nurse was sitting right at my bedside when it happened and responded immediately. My husband returned from the car to an empty room. He asked where his wife was, they threw scrubs on him and let him stand in the doorway of the operating room. He got there in time to see Juliana be born via emergency c-section. I was unconscious for that part. It all took 6 minutes. The doc made the cut and pulled her out in 30 seconds. It was simply amazing to learn how God orchestrated everything perfectly. If one little detail had been out of place, the outcome would have been completely different. The doctor said that babies have a reserve of oxygen in their blood for about 10 minutes before brain damage will start to set in. Not only was the doctor already at the hospital when the emergency occurred, but he was right outside my door. He told us that if he had been at home and had to drive just 5 minutes to the hospital (or even on the other side of the hospital), Juliana would have been brain damaged or dead by the time he got there. Another blessing is that the anesthesiologist on call was also actually AT THE HOSPITAL. We were told that he NEVER stays over, but for some reason he decided to stay overnight that night. One of the operating technicians was already IN the operating room in exactly the right place. The nursing staff couldn’t get over how perfectly in place everything was. Had I been at home, there’s no way our little girl would have made it. If we had been on the road, we both would have died for sure. We had been prayed for throughout the whole journey… those prayers proved to be more necessary than we could have begun to imagine. Even the night nurses were praying for us. My friend Anna was restless that night and knew she had to pray for us even though she was unaware of the situation at the time. The whole hospital staff present even said that if they didn’t believe in miracles before, there was no denying it now. God is so awesome and we just can’t show Him enough gratitude. We are so humbled and grateful!
Oh, Siesta Mama, I am the wife of a 9 years ago stroke victim that takes a blood thinner and has many medical problems. One Sunday morning he complained about a toothache. He is on a blood thinner that he must be without for 4 days before any dental work can be done. Everytime he said something about the pain I would ask the Lord to remove the pain until something could be done . After about the 5th complaint and the 5th petition to God on his behalf he called me and handed me a wisdom tooth. My faith level at that time was no where near the place that I would expect God to pull the tooth. Good is good! He showed me at that moment that a little couple at the end of the road matter. He showed me that he had not forgotten us and he still had our lives in the palm of his hand. Oh, I love him more every day!!
Our family was hiking in the Grand Tetons and had been praising God from Ohio to Wyoming for all the things He was going to show us. We had our hearts set on a moose, but as we hiked in the heat, the girls were complaining and we found a path called "Moose Pond trail". I love it when God is so obvious. Anyway, we started down the path and on the the other side of the pond, a moose came up out of the water followed by her baby. We praised the Lord for preparing the way for us. We continued down the trail with me in front, girls in middle and hubs in back. The grass between the trail and the pond became taller than my husband, so he suggested we turn back. thankfully, God slapped his hand over my mouth before I could object or say anything. As we turned, we heard a BIG splash very close to us. I looked but could only see the grass. Meanwhile, my husband and older daughter were running back up the trail. I urgently encouraged my other daughter to run, run run! Once we got up the hill, we turned back and the bull moose came up out of that water with his head and rack above the +6 foot grass. I immediately told the Lord that was what He had brought us this far to see. How great is our God?
beth-it was a difficult day i grabbed a blanket and my Bible and i headed through the dunes to the beach. i knew that is what i needed to do (while my flesh wanted to rip someone's head off-for wronging my family) so a sobbing mess i start to read Job. why Job? it's just where i need to be. what would the Lord have for me today in Job???… sometime later i am to chapter 19. Vs 25 is blocked in black pen "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth." i phone my husband and ask if he and the kids would join me on the beach. as they arrive my daughter comes up to me and hands me a little purple flower. i look down in the fold of my Bible-right there in Job 19 is the same little flower pressed between the pages from sometime ago. i told her "look! honey look at the flower! He is right here! He's not some god out there-but our God right here! He is so mindful of us!" He showed me that day the power of His presence. I am not absent from His eye. my daughter was His flower deliverer that day.
Lovin life in Him-It's all good just hard these days-Lisa
sunny at the beach
For years I attempted to share Christ with a neighbor without any breakthrough. Three years ago she was going through an incredibly difficult time with an emotionally abusive husband and a defiant teenage boy. While on our 3x/week morning walk, she told me how she was struggling to respond without abusive anger toward her husband and son. I shared Gal 5:23-25 with her: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Her eyes got huge as she listened to the verse. She asked me to repeat the verse again and to say it more slowly. She responded saying those were the character traits she desperately needed.
"Coincidentally," my Bible study group was starting LIVING BEYOND YOURSELF Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit the next week. I invited Melanie to attend. She arrived joyfully each week and was overwhelmed with what she was learning. She had no idea there was a Holy Spirit and that he would live inside her and help her minute by minute each day if she would only submit to his leadership. Each member of the Bible study fell in love with Melanie because of her intense enthusiam! She soaked in the truth of the scripture with the unabashed excitement of a little child.
One night at Bible study, she yelled out during our discussion time, "I GET IT! I GET IT! The Holy Spirit is what makes Paula (me!) so different! I knew there was something special about Paula. I just didn't know it was the Holy Spirit." I nearly bawled my eyes out right there! I thought I had not done an adequate job of witnessing to Melanie, but God knew that she needed a quiet witness, not someone who would bang her over the head with a 10 pound Bible.
Three years later . . . Melanie still struggles with her son and husband, but the Holy Spirit has taken control of her life and she is a different person. She and I have done a multitude of Bible studies together. She is still an inspiration to others in the group. Her love and excitement for the truth of scripture has not grown cold. She is a joy and an inspiration to be around. I love her so much!
~Paula~ Muskegon, Michigan
Everyday that I wake up, I see my children and my husband, and I know that God has once again answered my prayers. In my line of work, I hear and see so many young people who have suffered through hardships. Children left motherless or fatherless at such a young age. Drug abuse, physical abuse and the list goes on. I thank my Heavenly Father consistenly every day, often, for His many blessings. Thank you for this wondeful community of believers.
A Blessed Bayou Girl
When my boys were toddlers we went for a visit to grandma's house. On the short journey home, they fell asleep, and I realized I needed to run to the post office to mail something my husband had asked me to mail for him. I knew the time was short, and I must get to the post office right away in order to keep my promise to my husband. But I really didn't want to awaken my boys! With a tiny amount of faith, I dared ask the impossible. "Lord, would you please put someone outside of the post office whom I know and trust–someone who will watch my kids as I leave my car running with the AC on?" Then I thought how silly I had been.
Anxiously I searched the front of the building as I drove up. Lo and behold, there stood our pastor's wife reading a newspaper–directly in front of the empty parking space I needed!!!
A small thing to most people, but huge to this weary mom.
I have never gotten over it!
The closest thing I have right now concerns you Beth. I have been dealing for several years with my abuse filled childhood. I have actually done a lot of work and received lots of healing from Believing God and Living Beyond Yourself Bible Studies. Still I get to a certain point and I'm right back in it. I think one reason it is so hard to heal is that no one in my family will acknowledge any of it.
Well, last Friday I went to the public library to look for a copy of a book a friend told me was reawlly good. It was checked out so I cfontinued to look around. Found GET OUT OF THE PIT. I think God had it all planned out. I was reading it today while my son was in the dentist. Beth this book was written for me. Thank you so much. Each word I read today (I'm only on chapt. 2) was written for me. I think after I read this I may do Breaking Free. By the way, I know you are right with the need to forgive. My dad has been gone for 3 years. It's time. Thanks for sharing your healing and faith.
Jan
A month ago, I ran into someone that I recognized from church at a local beauty supply store and found myself compelled to share the short version of my cancer testimony. (I was there celebrating my 6 year clean bill of health with a discount haircut … had a coupon … and a new bottle of nail polish.) I remember contemplating why I had shared so quickly … to someone that I really have not spent much time with … but quickly forgot about it as the rest of my day wrapped itself around me.
A week ago I I was fast forwarding through all the non-essential parts of So You Think You Can Dance … watching only the dances … (I have always been drawn to dance) … when I watched one that I just knew had to be about a woman with cancer. I rewound … don't you jut love Tivo? … and watched the part of the show that explains the dance and the choreographer's inspiration for creating it. The dance was to honor a friend of his who is currently fighting breast cancer … he just knew it was a subject that should be brought into the light. Anyway, the piece is amazing. Most of us have had to walk along side someone with this awful disease … so I am sure that most of us can relate with this dance. I did. It reminded me of my cancer walk with God. He was always there for me … holding me … lifting me … catching me … and lifting me when I could not walk a single step more. (Don't miss that little hop that she does at the end just before he picks her up and carries her on his shoulders? She has no more strength … he carries her.) It was as if the choreographer had captured my moments of weakness … moments of frustration when I too pounded my fists … the moments when I soared with God's help … and made them into a dance. I have watched it many a time … and it has reminded me of God's promise to walk in the trials with us … it reminded me about the emotions of the disease … and increased my compassion for those that are walking it now. It reminded me that I am a miracle with a purpose. That I am to put myself out there and be ready for opportunities to share what God has done. Little did I know what He was doing …
Two days ago The person that I ran into at the beauty supply place sought me out to tell me that our meeting had not been an accident, but rather one constructed by God. As it turned out, she had a mammogram two weeks later and found out that there is a lump in her breast. (Now… let me just say that this DOES NOT mean that she has cancer. Lumps happen. What it is, is much like a storm that one sees on the distant horizon … you just have to remain in God's shadow and wait for him to reveal how the storm will or will not affect you.) We talked, cried, and prayed together. I prayed the verse on the front of the bulletin that had stood out to me over her … "Do not fear … He has redeemed you. He has called you by name … you are His." All the compassion and love stirred in me by the video poured out as I held her and went to our Father's throne with her in prayer. And I could see how God had orchestrated all the little events together for this one moment in time.
PS .. Yesterday I read the last Isaiah 43:2 … the second part of the verse from the bulletin. I will be sending that to her in a card tomorrow. 🙂 God's weaving is never done.
It was Mother's Day, and in my Sunday School class I mentioned my grandmother and what a huge part of my life she had been. I have such wonderful memories of the times we spent together, and I am so much like her. When we got into church that morning, what song did we sing but her favorite hymn "How Great Thou Art"! I think God and my grandma were both hugging me that morning!
well, my story just happened….literally! i've been having a rough patch with my 14 yr old daughter. we are leaving on saturday for atlanta, ga…moving back home. she is so sad to leave her friends and seems to be projecting her sadness/anger onto us. everytime i try to talk to her it just ends ugly. she's a great, christian girl – we just seem to rub each other the wrong way. she is away sleeping over at a friends tonight. a friend of mine came unexpectedly to see me to say goodbye and pray with me. God used her in such a great way to speak specific encouragement into my situation. she gave me great advice and prayed the sweetest, most heartfelt prayer over me and my relationship with my daughter. i can't tell you how hopeful i feel, how uplifted and excited i am to love on my daughter and work on our relationship. just sent my daughter a text and she is excited about some plans i've made for us next week…and yes, the plans are in the middle of our move but she is so worth it!
God is good and He does care about the very details of our lives…He sent my friend to me tonight and oh how i love Him for it!
My father died in a car accident when I was two years old, April 24. 14 years later, after my mother remarried, I had a great adoptive dad, and life was normal for my 16-year old self, God gave me my husband-to-be. I nearly fell over when my new friend, and I exchanged birthdates. He was born on April 24 and had celebrated his 2nd birthday the day my father died. How about that for God showing me He loved me?
that is just "so God"! What a blessing to hear all of these.
I have to share one that sticks out, because it was during such a dark time in our lives about seven years ago, and God knew that we needed it so much. We had taken my teenage daughter to the hospital because she was having abdominal pain. (The hospital was outside a major city, so we are not talking "small town.) As soon as we got to the hospital my daughter shared that she was fighting suicidal thoughts, and from that point on, the nurses in the ER were very, very rude. It was like we were swimming in darkness. Later on that night, they moved her to a room upstairs. As soon as we reached the floor a nurse met us, and "low and behold" she was a woman from our Sunday School class (we were studying Job, which is a whole other "God Story"…), and she was simply "an angel of light" to our daughter. Words can't explain all the things or the ways that she ministered to us and our daughter that night. She spent at least an hour in that room, getting her settled in and just speaking God's love to her. She took her time putting medicine into an IV, so it would not burn her veins as it went in, and spoke God's love to her. She was not "horrified" to hear her speak of how she was feeling, and spoke God's love to her. I sent her an email the next day, sharing with her just how much God used her…She said things that she could not have known…things only God knew to say…
Thank you Debbie,for obeying God, and allowing Him to flow freely in you!!!!
Ladies, one of our siestas contacted me about her ticket to the Fargo Living Proof Live conference (August 14-15). She is not going to be able to use it now and would like to give it to someone who would like to attend but does not have the funds for it. If you'd like this ticket, please email me at [email protected].
I had one of these moments yesterday that just blew my mind. About 3 weeks ago, I met a girl that is one of my "blog friends." It was the first time we'd ever met face-to-face. Funny thing was that both of our husbands have the EXACT same first and last names. We got to talking and I busted out and asked her where she went to church. She looked sheepish as she answered that they didn't go anywhere. I felt embarrassed that I'd put her on the spot that way, but hoped I made her think anyhow. Well, this past Saturday I posted something on my facebook about how I hoped there would be cherry pie in Heaven. She answered back and said that "if" she made it to Heaven, she would bake them for me because they were her favorite too. My uncle answered her back with "If? You better know for sure!" It went back and forth between the two for a while. Next thing I know, Sunday night I see a Twitter post (golly, am I connected, or what?) from her saying that she has been "saved by grace forever and ever." I cautiously asked her what she meant. Apparently, she and her husband (who'd both never been members of a church before) got saved! I don't know if I had any part in planting any seeds, but it sure is good to see our Father working in people's lives!
Oh, and one other thing–I read this story today in the July 23 Alabama Baptist about a church youth group whose bus rolled over right in front of an Alabama National Guard unit bus that was full of soldiers that had JUST FINISHED training on what to do in the even of a bus rollover. That's not coincidence. That is God in ACTION! I can't find the Alabama Baptist article online, but here is the secular B'ham News article if you are interested: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/07/alabama_national_guard_unit_fr.html
Living Proof Live, Pittsburgh! I believe I shared this once before, but my memory is often faulty…
We've been through storms so huge and swirling in the past three years– and particularly this past year– that by spring I was so weather beaten it was hard to even find where God is. I'd heard about LP Live coming, but just did not feel at liberty to spend the energy or money on such a thing for myself. I put it out of my mind and forgot about it.
I hadn't been to the blog in a while when I decided kind of spur-of-the-moment to check and see what had been going on here. Front and center on the page, just posted, "PITTSBURGH". I felt immediately that it was a personal invitation. Then I scolded myself for such ego-centric thinking, and for thinking that I in any way deserved one of those free tickets. But the feeling persisted, and I knew it was the Lord reaching out to me. I had no idea what the topic was, but I knew I should get there.
When I got to the event and watched the video of the "perfect storm" and heard the topic, I just sobbed. That the Lord would reach out a hand to me so personally, just to show me that He IS there… Only the Lord could take an event for thousands of people and use it to speak intimately to an individual heart.
Thank you for being a conduit of His grace and love to me.
Tonight, I just broke up with my boyfriend of almost a year. It's been a rough night, but out of the blue my old youth leader for high school called. We talked things over, and he was just the encouragement I needed. I got off the phone, got down on my knees in prayer, and had some amazing worship. Didn't quite expect that response tonight. =)
Several years ago I was curled up in my bed one night and I told the Lord that He knew what I had been going through and that I really needed a hug!
The next day I was at my daughter's field day at school. A lady who I would call an acquaintance at most stopped and spoke to me and when we finished chatting as she was turning to walk off, she turned back around with a confused look on her face and said, "I really don't know why, but I just want to hug you!" Thank you God for my hug straight from Your arms!!
Wendy
I got a UPS package from God! He has such an enormous sense of humor.
Earlier in the day I was at Women's Bible Study and discussing the Lord's Prayer. After 12 years of Catholic school, I thought the prayer had little value for me and was memorized rather than internalized. I said it wasn't my "favorite" prayer.
When I got home I saw a UPS package on my doorstep, I did not order anything. When I opened the package in October, inside was a free Christmas ornament with a note attached. The three page note was entitled "How to Understand the Lord's Prayer." It was a line by line explaination of each verse from the prayer.
I laughed hysterically, thanked God and told Him I appreciated His humor. He made my day!
I'm sitting here, trying hard to think of something truly unique – because there certainly have been lots of "unique-nesses" in God's outpoured love for me. But, the most recent ones are how, when I just devote myself to putting His Word in me, no matter how "on the fly" it may feel to me, He SO meets me in those places and fills my heart with such peace and joy. I was on a five hour drive yesterday (and I didn't stop driving once in five hours – that is a miracle!) and was working on memorizing part of Hebrews 3 – and just was so filled with the kindness and Presence of the Lord. Talk about "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Amen to that!
When I was a Realtor, I helped a friend sell her home after her husband died suddenly. After she signed the contract on the house, we realized the address of the house was the last day she saw him alive: 11402, or Nov 4, 2002.
He hasn't done anything that specific, but I hope he does soon. If you read my comment to the random photos that Amanda put on then you'll know why.
My husband and I got pregnant in our first month of marriage – unexpectedly. My hubs then decided to switch jobs, which I wasn't in agreement with. He went to work for an international firm that was obviously very large. He had to work many hours which kept him away from me.
When our baby was born the dr heard a murmur. We took him back in at a week old and he still had a heart murmur. Two days later we were at Children's hospital for what we thought would be a routine visit. Nope – 45 min later we were being admitted to ICU. Our son had some very complicated issues with his heart and would need open heart surgery ASAP.
God is so good, not only did the surgery go well and our son is perfectly healthy. We paid ZERO dollars for his whole hospital stay cause our insurance was incredible!!
The Lord knew just where we needed to be to make sure our finances were protected. Thank you JESUS!
Oh boy He has done so much for me especially in the last 6 months. For the sake of space I will tell what I think is one of the coolest things He did for me. Last year at this time my job had me traveling a lot. I always traveled the same Interstate it cut threw the Catskill Mts. so it's a very natural and woody drive. My car radio died which made those long drives a little lonely so I would talk to the Lord like he was sitting next to me. Now I am one of those people that love nature. I get a thrill when I see a deer grazing on the side of the road. It seemed the more I traveled the more often I saw them sometimes singles sometimes moms and babies which stands to reason more traveling more deer sightings but a delight none the less and I gave him thanks and praise. On one of my drives I felt a nudge to look to my left and there flying next to my car was a beautiful Hawk. I had never seen one close up before. He stayed next to me for at least 3 miles. I kept watching him and the road. Them suddenly he flew past me and landed in a clearing on a small tree lying in the median and as I went by him we made eye contact that bird looked me dead in my face. All I could think was I saw God today.I got so excited that was the best delight the Lord ever gave me on the road, I'll never forget it. Then I cried. I am such a cry baby lately. Thank You Lord