I am just beside myself about something. The LifeWay event team (in charge of all the Living Proof Lives, Going Beyonds, Abundance events, etc) thought up such fun ideas for the booklet that participants will get at the LPL Simulcast on September 15, 2012. One of them involves you. They want to hear testimonies from you about how you are living proof that God’s Word is alive and active and that His Son redeems. (This is not meant to have anything to do with me or with this ministry. It’s about YOUR own personal story with Jesus.) They are going to go through each one of them, find a great cross section of testimonies, select 5 stories and add them to the booklet for the whole simulcast community to read! And, that, Sister, will be a batch of women from all over the place. Ā
Here’s what you do: In a comment to this post, write a 200-250 word testimony about how God has accomplished a work in you or through you that leaves no other viable explanation (in your eyes) than Himself. Use your words carefully and save them all for your testimony! You might consider doing it on a word document then cutting and pasting it into a comment so you can really think about what you want to say. Your participation through a comment will act as your automatic release for the publication of your testimony if yours is selected, SO, be sure, Sweet Thing, that you don’t say more than you mean to. You know your blog mama’s trying to protect you here.
Listen, these will be such a blast because, even if only 5 get to be selected for the booklet, just think how we are going to encourage one another and build up each other’s faith! NOT ONE STORY WILL BE WASTED. Thousands of eyes see these posts and comments. Girlfriend, T-E-S-T-I-F-Y! I will be sitting on pins and needles to watch these come in. Let’s call the deadline for your entries midnight on Thursday, April 26th.
The five who are selected will be contacted by LifeWay and will win the following:
- Free registration of the 2012 Living Proof Live simulcast for a small group of 7-14 of your friends!
- Free copy of Praying Godās Word
- Free James member book (I realize lots of you may already have one of these but I’ll get these five signed if you want.)
- A special section in the Living Proof Live simulcast listening guide including YOUR story, Girlfriend! (We’ll want your picture, too, if you’re willing to submit it to us. You’ll be contacted and asked for it if you are selected.)
One of the things we’re so excited about this year for our Living Proof Live Simulcast is that, for the very first time, small groups and INDIVIDUALS are able to participate. If it’s anything like previous years, women will be joining us from church buildings, military bases, and prisons, but this year for the FIRST TIME, also from living rooms and couches. You can watch all day in your jammies if you want to!
If this event sounds fun to you, go ahead and get that thing on the calendar: September 15, 2012. We are believing God to permeate walls, embattled minds, and rock-hard hearts and speak words of life, freedom, redemption, ministry. AND UNITY, for crying out loud.You game??
Ā I love you guys so much. Can’t wait to hear from you!
From LifeWay:
If you would like more information about the simulcast or how you can be a host, visit www.lifeway.com/lplsimulcast.Ā
Living Proof ā me? Yes, I am! He pulled me out of the pit of insecurity and comparison to walk in His ways. I was the girl who wanted everyone to like her. My insecurities owned me & crippled my relationship with Jesus. I was so fearful of not fitting in I would lie and twist the truth in hopes others would think I had it all together. I did this while serving in my local church.
A new couple joined the leadership of our church and I made it my business to be her friendā¦ her BEST friend. I thought this friendship would give me the status and confidence I so desired. I was so wrong. It only caused pain and heartache.
But God is good. He used that unhealthy friendship to teach me that itās ONLY in Him that I find my acceptance and my worth.
I stopped trying so hard to be perfect, threw up my hands cried ā Jesus, I canāt be GOOD enough.ā My heart finally understood what my head had long known ā Only Jesus is good enough. My worth is ONLY in Him. His love redeems me. I am His masterpiece and He calls me to walk in His glorious light.
Today I walk fully in the knowledge that in Jesus I am holy, beloved, redeemed, forgiven and accepted.
I AM Living Proof that Godās perfect love is the only security needed.
I know my vote doesn’t count…..but I vote for this one!
We can go through the worst experience imaginable and at the same time we can also experience the unimaginable wonder of a faithful God. I did! When I lost my son to an accident, God was the only answer and I saw Him clearly in many ways, but this was the most profound work He did. Thereās no other explanation. God provided a view of the unseen world to heal me.
I was at one of my lowest points in my grief and felt hopeless. God gave me a vision. I didn’t even believe in visions, but it was as real as if I physically experienced it. In the vision, I was on a sports field. The stands were filled with Satan’s ugly demons. When I would lose heart and stop believing God; the demons would cheer wildly, then when I would trust Jesus again, believing His Word despite my pain the demons would slump in their seats, dejected. It was so real, I was undone. This vision made me so angry and sad that I would give Satan pleasure with my unbelief. As life has gone on, this vision has impacted me beyond words. I choose NOT to give Satan pleasure through unbelief. Praise HIS Holy Name, my God loves me so much!
JESUS HUGS
Last July my husband of 41 Ā½ years shocked me by telling me he was divorcing me. No one, including me, saw this coming. I moved to an apartment and began the process of trying to figure out living on my own after separation and divorce. I clung to my faith and Godās living and active Word. My trust and faith in Him grew daily as I struggled with my grief and disappointment. I was loved and cared for by my Bible study group, the Early Girlies (EGās). God used them and many others to carry me in the darkest days of my life. I knew I would have to go to back to work. God quickly supplied a job working in an elementary school. It was hard to get back into the work force, but the children brought life into me daily by giving me a purpose. A difficult thing for me was not having a person at home after work to love me, to hug me. One of the EGās put it as āJesus with skin on.ā A great benefit of working with children is receiving many hugs throughout the day. I decided I would recognize those hugs as my āJesus hugsā every time they hugged me. I count them daily. I am grateful and expectant of every one of them. They keep me focused on what He is doing daily in my life. I am LIVING PROOF of Godās active Word and Jesusā faithfulness.
I was a Preachers child, raised in church and married a Preachers son, went from being able to hear a pin drop (Baptist) to marching and getting down right happy in church in a Godly way (Pentacostal). We traveled as a gospel group for 14 years. I was learning to play the Fiddle and My Husband bought me a new one. He divorced me after 32 years of marriage and I pawned the Fiddle for money to pay bills, too embarrassed to ask my children. I went through severe depression, was even hospitalized several times for thoughts and actions I attempted while dwelling in the darkness. I felt my life was over even though I had 3 wonderful children and 6 grandkids that loved me dearly. I just felt God could have prevented my husband leaving and marrying another. As I struggled with returning to a normal life after divorce I began getting involved in my daughterās church and helping with the sound and computer system. I enjoyed it so much my heart began to yearn for the music I once played and sang. I had my old fiddle that needed some items to work so I went to the music store to buy what I needed to fix it up, felt a strong leading of the Lord to do this now that I finally learned to listen again. Live in a small town so they did not have what I needed. It was as if the Lord spoke to me gentle, go to the pawn shop and just see what they have, it had been 4 years since I pawned my fiddle and even though Iād thought about checking many times I just never could bring myself to do it. As I entered the pawn shop and my eyes caught the instruments there at the end of the row sat MY FIDDLE just like it was when I pawned it even had all my things I had left in the compartment, I was in total shock!! I bought it and when I got in my truck to leave I burst into tears God had truly performed a Miracle in my life that day. You might put God away but he is waiting right where you left him with loving arms wide open. This has totally changed me God allows us to made decisions, right or wrong, he canāt force anyone to love you but he does and that is where I put all my faith. A Miracle happened but really Iām just a Miracle, Godās Miracle
I spent most of my life in church & accepted Christ as a young teen. I knew that God had a plan for my life and that all life is precious. BUT, at the age of 18 I became pregnant and I made the rash decision to “fix the problem” by having an abortion. I spent the next twelve years out of relationship with God and other believers and with too much alcohol, too many boyfriends and very little self-respect or direction. During that whole time I justified my decision to end my baby’s life to myself and anyone who would listen. BUT God knew I was broken by my choice and needed to be delivered from a burden I didn’t even realize I was carrying. Through a song, a book and a man at a church service who prayed and prophesied over me, God delivered me. “What was barren has been made whole” is what MY GOD spoke over me that night through a man I had never met, at a church I had never attended! Although the pain and regret of the decision I made will never fully leave me, the shame and guilt are gone forever. My baby is safe in the arms of Jesus waiting for me. The accuser tried to devour me but MY GOD was, is and will always be MY DELIVERER!! Will you let Him be yours?
My heart sank when I saw that the pregnancy test came up positive. Satan immediately whispered in my ear, “Go get an abortion! Then your life will go back to normal!” I couldn’t imagine listening to this evil advice when all my life I was taught the importance of standing up for the unborn. As my pregnancy progressed, that evil thought kept creeping up in my mind, sometimes through others’ words, sometimes from the voice of Satan himself. Just like Satan wanted, I hid my unspeakable fear and confusion. Since I was only a teenager, a few of my loved ones suggested I consider adoption. Satan jumped on the opportunity to discourage me again by whispering, “Don’t make yourself suffer longer than you have to! End it now while you can!” With all of the chaos going on around me, I looked to Jesus for answers. While praying, Jesus compassionately reminded me of Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apartā¦” Jesus opened my eyes to what choice would be the best for me and my baby: adoption. I still had a long road ahead, and the adoption didn’t take place until my daughter was a month old. She is now with a beautiful, loving couple who will teach her that her mommy chose life. Only Jesus could have shown me the way. All of His children are precious in His sight, and I will praise Him forever!
Here is one of my many testimonies. God has saved me over and over and over again. He is so faithful. I do not intend to enter the contest but this is an amazing avenue to share what God has done for me.
http://morningswithjesus.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/what-the-lord-has-done-for-me/
My husband came across some old papers recently and brought them to me reluctantly.
āWow,ā he said, āI canāt believe you[we] went through that.ā
The papers were from 1998, scribbled in cathartic haste on several sheets of wrinkled loose-leaf. Page after angry page of recorded wrongs done to me-venom for my parents, the church and the truth in general. It was painful to read. While some of the things I bemoaned were true; I had been abused and neglected by various authorities and it did make my life harder, much of it was miserably selfish, blaming and judgmental. I didnāt limit my wrath to paper expression. I complained about my upbringing and the church whenever I got the chance.
Just a short time after that was written, my anger at authority and my desperation for it, brought me to a place of mental and emotional misery so great that Jesus was the only Way out. He put people in my life that taught me about salvation. My heart was ready and He was waiting to rush in! Today, I love my parents, the church and the Truth!
Twelve years later, much study, learning and love later, I often get frustrated by the gap between myself and who I strive to be in Christ. But this gift of a glimpse into my unsaved heart reminded me that the desire I had for a perfect hero, a protector and Savior led me to Him then and keeps me close today!
John 10:27-28 says: āMy sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.ā
Twelve years ago, the Lord proved to me through His rescue of me that these verses are without a shadow of doubt completely true. I had allowed my heart to be lead astray from God and while I was a believer, I was not following Him. As a result, I lose sight of not only who I was, but Whose I was. A long spiral downward led me to waking up in a mental health hospital for the 2nd time in 2 months. I refer to that morning as my reawakening. I had clarity like I hadnāt had in years. Through a variety of painful yet necessary and cleansing events, the Lord in His infinite mercy rescued me from the mess I had made of my life. He placed positive, godly influences in my life to help me get back on His path. Less than year later, I moved 1200 miles away from anyone I knew to go to seminary. I had nearly fallen into the hands of the enemy that dark night with a handful of pills in my hand. But He did not allow the enemy to snatch me away. In His gracious love, He allowed me to hear His voice and follow Him once again.
I was saved at 7 and baptised at 12, then GOD gave me His Word at 19, and it has been my foundation for all my life; even when I have not actively used it, or claimed it, or acknowledged it. This Word came on a pizza box lid and I have held it all these years.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD: not your plans; not seeking your approval; prepared plans; good plans; predestined plans; Knowledge and Wisdom are Mine; I know you better than you think; you are on My mind; you are discussed in My presence; I prepared the Way.
plans to prosper you: in all you do; with all My goodness; not necessarily monetary; with love and mercy; with knowledge of Who I AM; in relationship with Me.
and (plans) to not harm you: contrary to what you sometimes feel; ignore the lies – accept My truth; when harm comes, do not see it as My hand – check for rebellion within; GOD is love!
plans to give you hope: started with Calvary; Jesus is His Name; look in My Word; sometimes hope is dreams; I AM generous; joy comes with hope; family; work; education; success; I declared from the beginning of time; sometimes hope is not grand, but it always is truth.
(plans) for a future: First with Jesus-Savior, then by the Holy Spirit indwelling, and ultimately with the Father; eternity; todayās full day of future; all your tomorrows; the mundane days; the exciting days; what you hoped for; I AM the Alpha and the Omega!
Then you will call on Me: sometimes it will be frantic; sometimes loud; sometimes in pain; sometimes frustrated; sometimes alone; your heart will need Me; with all your heart; one day it will be just because you love Me; many days to hang out with Me; to have communion with Me; I await your call!
and come and pray to Me: Just as you are; on your knees; on your face; with all your heart; in desperate plea; to get your way; to hear My say; because you are Mine!
I will listen to you: My promise; My joy; the good days; the bad days; the long days; the infuriating days; your long pleas; your quiet inner pleas; when you drone on; when you are fearful to ask; I hear you!
You will seek Me and find Me: Seek and the door will be opened; look heaven bound; My promises are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus; choose to obey; when your heart lays open; I sought you out, you are Mine!
When: started the day you accepted My Son as your Savior; the moment you placed your care into My care; the days you submit to My Will; the hectic days that you lay at My feet; everyday; all day; will it be today?
You seek me with all your heart: make Me your first priority; commit your ways to Me; proclaim the goodness of the LORD; humble yourself under Godās hand; rejoice in the LORD; pray!
I will be found by you, declares the LORD: Promise! El Shaddai; Jehovah Jireh; YHWH Shammah!
will bring you back from captivity: My willingness = My longing; even when you did not realize your captivity; from the idols you upheld ā television, internet, friends, family, busyness, self reliance; I AM GOD and there is no other!
I was raised Mormon and did not grow up knowing who Jesus was, but instead grew up with a lot of expectations of ābeing perfect,ā and a lot of other religious dos and donāts. My parents split up when I was about fifteen and after that we left the Mormon church because we felt ostracized and no longer fit in. I spent the next six years very lost. I knew I could not be perfect and gave up on trying to figure out who God was. In my mind, God set me up for failure and I did not want anything to do with him. I ran away a lot, got in trouble with the law, relied heavily on drugs and alcohol and bad relationships to fill all the holes in my heart, and started believing and practicing New Age spirituality. God had His hand on me the whole time and started putting people in my life to speak truth to me. I started going to a Christian church and reading the New Testament and began realizing who this Jesus was and that He loved me unconditionally. I started studying out grace and realizing that only my belief in Him could get me to heaven, not my works or being perfect. I have been saved for almost eight years now and the person I am today is completely different than before I gave my life to the Lord. He continues to grow and change me for His glory and purpose!
Since I was about sixteen I have felt called into Godās ministry as a
Pastor. It has been a difficult journey trying to live the life that God has created for me and to show his love and compassion to everyone, not just those I love with my fleshly heart. I am definitely not a perfect person and would never claim to be, but I am loved by a perfect God. I have had trouble with being able to stay in school due to finances and this past fall was a gift straight from God! I had applied for the spring semester to be a religion major; but, after a conversation with my pastor we decided that if it was meant to be, there was no reason to wait it out a whole semester. So, as I begun the process of getting accepted I found many obstacles to overcome. I had no way of getting all the paperwork and my transcripts in time, as it was summer time and no one was in the high school offices. Then I ran into problems with money, as well as getting my previous college to release those transcripts. But with every problem that arose, I just prayed that God would make a way if it was His will. Then a month before school started, I got accepted!. Only God could have made this possible and I know that it is indeed Godās will for me to become a pastor and love His people!
As a shy, easily embarrassed, even prudish middle aged woman, I would have been voted the person least likely to be a counselor at a crisis pregnancy center! It was totally out of my comfort zone! And so obvious that my own daughter called me aside to say. āIām worried about you working there.ā Totally unprepared to hear that I asked āWhy?ā She replied, āIām just afraid youāll learn things that will shock you! Everybody doesnāt live like you do Mama!ā I had to cover my mouth and laugh! But she was so right. I led a very sheltered life and was very naĆÆve about many things. Many āthingsā I could not even bring myself to say out loud. Blushing still comes easily for me!
But God can change our comfort zones! For seven years now I have volunteered one day a week at the pregnancy center and can hardly recognize myself in the degree of comfort God gives me when counseling our clients. Some look at their lives and believe there is no hope for anything except heartache and defeat. But I love to be able to take them in the counseling room and say to themā¦āI canāt fix what is wrong with youā¦I may not even know the answer to your problems, but I know the One who does and His name is Jesusā.
What I could never believed I could do is one of the great passions in my life today.
Marilyn,
What part of Misissippi are you from, if you don’t mind me asking? My parents are from Laurel, Ms.
I’ve been serving the Lord all my life, but it has just been a little over a year that my life ha dramatically changed. I’m currently on staff at the Freedom Women’s Center Teen Challenge here in the Monterey Bay, and quite frankly, I would have never made it one day if God had not done such a dramatic work in the area of my healing. Healing not physically, but healing for the wounds and hurts deep within me. I didn’t realize that there could be such freedom from the pain of rejection, abuse and trauma. Through the power of Jesus, I have realized such healing on the open sores and wounds in my soul, created from the rejection and ultimate divorce 20 years ago when my husband abandoned me, nine months pregnant with a six year old boy. Those wounds have traumatized me all these years. And then another terrible wound. My father was sent to prison 15 years ago because of molestation, causing complete devastation in my family. He later died in prison. Not only have I had to climb out of the rubble of divorce, but survive one of the most traumatic events a person can experience. Through prayer, concentrated worship and Bible studies, I have experienced many major breakthroughs in my life. Thankfully I can minister to the ladies at Teen Challenge, and point them to freedom in Jesus!
Pruning is Painful! I just didnāt get it! Why was God doing this to me; I had been obedient. I did what He led me to do. I gave up my āperfectā world to do His will! Obviously somewhere along the way there had been a breakdown in communication/ understanding between me and God!
I went from being a Christian who āknewā (head knowledge) God would work out all the kinks to a Christian who considered her life to be over. Never again would I know happiness or have a hope. I soon began to believe Satanās lies that God had tricked me. I was so beaten down that for years I cried myself to sleep every night begging my heavenly Father to take me home if this was the life I was going to have to live. God listened and every day the Holy Spirit brought me to the Word. Every day I read the Word and every day I told God I did NOT want to do what He was calling me to do! I wanted my āperfectā life back. Finally, surrender came. I could not fight God any longer. I either had to trust ALL His Word or continue to live in my misery. I surrendered my will to His even though it meant staying exactly where He had put me.
Yes, it was a painful āpruningā; I had challenged God every āsnipā of the way. God had shown me my heart; it was not a pretty sight. I had unknowingly left my First Love and He wanted me back. My head knowledge has turned into āheartā knowledge – my God IS faithful and CAN be trusted with my all! God is concerned about my holiness. The joy and happiness can only come from total surrender to His will. I would not take away one single Holy āsnipā!
I used to believe that I planned my life and that God would take cues from me when needed. When I found myself pregnant at 19, I reached for His help. From that point on, He carried my precious baby boy and me as I trusted in Him (though I still owned the blue prints to my life). I married a godly man and finished college. God blew my mind with his goodness to me, but I still didnāt surrender full control to Him. In 2007 I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, Drew. Our joy was quickly shattered as his lungs did not transition from womb to air as expected, and he died the next day. My world was crushed, my dreams broken. God spoke boldly to my spirit telling me to trust Him to work this for my good. Itās been 5 years since Drew died, but God used that pain to call me out into the deep with Him. My longing for my baby pushed me into a relentless pursuit of God, wanting to know for certain that He was who He said He was… By His grace alone, I can stand here today with two more babies on my hip, and a song in my SURRENDERED heart that only He could have written. Five years ago I said, āHow could you?ā and today I can truly say, āIt is well with my soul; ALL that I have and ALL that I am is Yours alone.ā
Dear Beth, Just got home from the hospital we nearly lost our son afew days ago and my life has been chaotic to say the least. I am composing my testimony and I can not for the life of me get it below 548 words is it okay to send or do I need to clip out some more? I am afraid it is gona ruin it is I can not get those 48 extra words!!!!!What’d you think??? Please tell me soon so I can submit soon! Love ya, Betty
Dear Beth,
I squeezed and I pulled and I shoved and I DID IT! Watch for it!!! Love ya, Betty M
I accepted Christ around the age of twelve. I had been in church all of my life. What was missing in my life was a relationship with Christ. I lived worldly for many years and by many probably 40years. About ten years ago my husband and I were in church and the minister was teaching on Abraham, he said God called him his friend, and he calls us his friend. That was the beginning of my relationship with Christ, growing and learning and knowing who Christ is.
(I sure hope I’m not submitting this twice! The first one I sent looked like I didn’t copy it all from my document. This one is the full submission, thanks!)
Once our kids left home, I recognized trouble in my marriage. My husband and I tolerated each other like polite strangers. He busily refereed kidās games after work most evenings. I knew he liked to be active, but his absence still hurt. I felt abandoned and retaliated by isolating myself. I experienced much anxiety and fear, and I hid it.
What I didnāt realize was that I had grown lazy, complacent, and thoughtless. I didnāt speak up when my feelings were hurt, or when I needed to tell the truth. I wrongly thought I should avoid conflict and stuff my hurt. I rationalized I was denying self and taking up my cross.
After another conflict, I broke. It was time for change, to put my faith to the test. I would either fully believe in God and accept His help, or I would give up faith.
I took the risk and determined to read Scripture, struggle to understand it, and act on it. I got a Bible study on marriage and devoured it, paying close attention and implementing what I learned.
Things are changing, just like Ephesians 4:17-32 says. My attitude and perspective are lighter. Hope is back. I am learning how to speak truth in love, that my opinions count, and obedience to God brings further guidance.
I am excited about God. Best of all – I donāt have to have it all figured out. I just surrender each day to Jesus and work with what comes to me.
I became a christian very early in life and pretty much cruised through a lot of years. I thought I was managing my life pretty well. Then my oldest daughter went to a college that was eight hours away. During the first year, she began to show signs of anorexia that continued for the next two years. This trial became heart-wrenching for me. I blamed myself and tried everything I could think of to find healing for her. I cried out to God for healing, peace, comfort and answers. I prayed to God for healing and peace but allowed fear and worry to rule me after rising from my knees. One particular day, I was outside in prayer on my sidewalk pouring out my heart and my tears to God when I finally came to the end of myself. I told God that I knew He loved my daughter more than I, and that I trusted Him to heal her in this life or the next. God graciously gave me a sense of His presence that I had never felt before and have not felt to that same degree since. I physically felt His love for me. He didn’t tell me that he would heal my daughter. I did know in that moment that He loved me and He was in control. He would get me through, no matter what the outcome. Amazing grace!
Conceived in an act of drunken marital rape, my father tried to kill me in my motherās womb, the ultimate child abuse. Another man promised her financial stability so she married him. My story of childhood includes words like suburbs, homelessness, abandonment, horrific abuse, divorce, suicide attempts, drugs. School offered me a safe place from myself and my world. Still, two separate times as a teenager, āmenā attempted to rape me. I survived, clutching my virginity but not my dignity. It was the only thing I felt I had left; I wasnāt eager to give it away. The Lord got a hold of me one year to the day of the last molestation. I heard the echo of His voice in my heart at college, āWill you trust me, Lisa?ā Two months later, I answered, āYes, Lord!ā I went to a church that weekend and they told me how I could accept Jesus as my Savior and that I could trust Him even when I couldnāt trust others. My ex-step-dad accepted salvation that same year. It was 3 years since we had spoken but Jesus gave us a new relationship based on love and respect the last two years of his life. God healed my heart and set my thinking right. With virginity wounded but intact, I married my best friend ten years ago. We now have 3 dynamic homeschooled children. I recently wrote a book and God has used it to save lives and restore relationships. Not a single pain wasted!
Three years ago, I was spared from unknown horrors when I escaped a kidnapping attempt. Despite being rescued I suffered from things like extreme fear, nightmares, etc. I really struggled with the fact that God says ādo not be afraidā yet I couldnāt stop my body from trembling when it got dark outside. I couldnāt stop myself from being afraid. I couldnāt stuff my fear. I felt so helpless. One night I had an exceptionally terrible dream and I woke up in a panic. It was one of those dreams where you wake up to a puddle of sweat and tears, and your whole body is shaking violently. I felt God tug at my heart to open His Word, so after turning on all my lights I got my bible. I said a simple prayer and asked God that if He was willing He would give me peace. My bible fell open to John 14 and immediately my eyes went to verse 27. This is where Jesus says āPeace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.ā When I read it, it was as if the Spirit spoke it over me and the peace of God Himself filled my room. His Word truly is alive and active! He is faithful! He is able to give us peace, even when it logically doesnāt make sense! Praise His Name!
Last May I attended my first Living Proof Live Conference. The previous six months I was in an emotionally abusive relationship that wounded me to the core. My heart felt like it had been shredded. I was so broken inside. My nights were spent crying out to God to save me. This was also compounded by a history of childhood abuse. At the LPL conference after the worship and message, Beth gave an altar call for those severely afflicted. At the altar Beth came and embraced me. Because I felt such incredible shame at my wretched condition I couldn’t look Beth in the eye. I just looked at the floor. Beth gently took my face in her hands and tilted my face to meet hers until her eyes met mine. No one had ever done that before. Beth looked into my eyes with such love and compassion. But what touched me the most was the love of Christ I saw reflected in her face. I have read of physical healing by laying on of hands but for me it was God’s healing that touched my heart in that moment. It was like Jesus turned a light on in my soul. I went from barely hanging on to standing on the foundation that Jesus the lover of my soul was holding onto me and not letting go. God used Beth Moore to show me He takes the time to lift the head that’s hanging down so that I could look up and see where surely my help comes from. God saved my life that day. I will be forever grateful.
My mother committed suicide when I was15 almost 16, I married a boy I was seeing, it was a physical & emotional abusive marriage, much like what I grew up in. I had a beautiful baby boy because I wanted someone to love me. We were soon divorced. I began an affair with a married man, who later told me he flipped a coin with one of his buddies to see which one would go after me. I began dating my prince in shining armor or so I thought. We began building a house, I was 7 months pregnant with a baby girl. Our home burned right after we moved in. Later I would find out he burned it because he was way over his head and couldn’t pay for it. My daughter was born a month earlier because of the stress I was under. We rebuilt the house with insurance money but would only live in it 6 months and sell it. We moved into an older home and began going to church, I became committed to my Lord and Savior. 2 years later a man broke into our home and attempted to rape me and almost killed me. Jesus was with me. I underwent brain surgery to repair a skull fracture n hand surgery to repair my finger which was almost severed off. God was so good. We became even more involved in our church. My husband taught 5th n 6th grade boys Sunday school, we both sang in the choir and my children were involved in young youth groups. After 19 years of marriage I found out my husband had been having an affair for 2 years. I was totally destroyed. I tried to kill myself with an overdose of medication. Again my Lord and Savior was with me. God saved me so many times, he had a purpose for me. The sad thing was I had never dealt with anything that had ever happened to me. I was depressed and reaching out for my Savior. Thru the divorced I started seeing a Christian psychologist who helped me deal with my past. I have since remarried a Christian man, have 2 grown children who are both in church and have 3 beautiful grandchildren with another on the way. I love my Jesus, he has had his hand on me my whole life leading me and protecting me even when I did not understand why I had gone thru so many tragedies. Jesus has shown me I am a survivor, that he will never leave me or forsake me. He experienced every feeling and emotion I have ever felt. He too lived thu many tragedies. I am to try to be a witness for him and share him with as many people that I can. Even if it’s only a smile, A kind word or my testimony. I am living proof that my Lord and Savior will not only saved you from hell He will save you from life. Praise God for his goodness!!!!
My faith in Jesus was tested 6 Ā½ years ago when our oldest son was diagnosed with a rare cancer that was already in Stage 4 when it was discovered.
Up until that time my walk with him was pretty much just going to church on Sunday and sitting in the pew listing to the words, when the service was over on Sunday and Wednesday I would go back to my day to day routine which consisted of being defiant towards my husband. I was very involved in the churches we attended āfor a showā.
In January of 2006 it all changed, believe me God got my attention, he could have chose to take our son to heaven and use him mightily there, but he used his cancer diagnosis to launch me into a season in my life that I am so thankful to be experiencing still.
Shane, our son was diagnosed with Burkettās Lymphoma a very rare cancer that affects boys between the age of 9 & 16, for 1 week he was put in a drug induced coma to administer heavy doses of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, and that it did. During that time Shane was in that coma he tells of feeling the presence of God.
As a parent of a child whose life was just turned upside down, the peace I felt was overwhelming I knew Shane would beat cancer and he did!!! Hallelujah.
My walk was forever changed and I live everyday for Christ.
Lord,
Are You there? I canāt breathe. Do you hear me? Iām sinking slowly in quicksand called infertility. My heart isnāt breaking. Itās shredding piece by piece. With every Doctorās visit, blood test and painful reality of life lost once again, youāre losing me.
You saved me from myself years ago; and we have walked in a beautiful Father, daughter relationship ever sense. You have always been so vocal. Why canāt I hear You now, in my darkest time of need?
Did You know they asked me to sign paper work today saying I would give them permission to perform an abortion? Yes, I know her heart has stopped. I was there during the sonogram, but I canāt do it. Please Jesus, take her for me. I donāt want to be a part of this. Where are You?
I hear all the well meaning Christians telling me to ālet go and let Godā but what if that doesnāt get me through the days of depression and nights of torment.
Years go by, and time does not heal. He begins to speak in soft whispers, but itās not what I want to hear. So I rage on. I am offered medication and I say no thank you.
My husband prays for me and holds tightly to my hand as I cry myself to sleepā¦night after night.
My soul begins to wander. Iām embarrassed to admit thatā¦ and it scares me into reality.
OK Jesusā¦ Iām done. I surrender. Your will not mine.
The Doctor, āThere is no medical explanation for why you cannot carry a child to full term.ā
I reply, āYes. I heard you. Thank you for your time. No, I do not need to make a follow up appointment.ā
Two years of healing my broken heart through endless prayer and submission to the Lord in endless ways that would far exceed 250 wordsā¦ And then Jesus.
āCongratulations Allison, itās a girl.ā
This is just the beginning of my God story.
If it spoke to just one sister in Christ, it was worth it.
~Allison
āJesus Savesā
In late fall 2008, I took a walk āup the laneā on my parentās farm in Wisconsin. I picked up a large stick and started writing in the snow āa perfect canvas for my musings. Then I remembered that my Dad and brothers pass by these fields ā so why not write something that MEANS something? I wrote āJesus savesā in snow.
Fast forward to late summer 2010. In an email, my Mom mentions that the corn is extraordinarily good this year. Instead of āknee high by the 4th of July ā it is āwaist high.ā Fall harvest came, and the corn is harvested.
On Saturday morning in October of that year, we are back on the farm and I took another walk up the lane. To my great surprise, I saw a single golden cornstalk, standing upright in the field ā the same field I had written āJesus Savesā on. All around the cornstalk, stumps of harvested corn, but there in the middle, a single stalk of dried golden corn, still standing ā about 12 feet tall.
With eyes of faith, I wrote āJesus savesā on a field, and that field produced extraordinary corn. God is eternally faithful because He can be no other, and sometimes, He will go to outstanding lengths to show it. He preserved His mighty works ā a miracle in the corn — so that my eyes could see it. Not because I deserve it, but because He is gracious.
Glory. Yes, Jesus, you do save.
[PS ā I have a photo of the harvested field and cornstalk with my husband/sons standing by it.)
I am the kind of person that when people hear a little bit of my past, they cannot believe that I am so “put together”. Even during my teen and young adult years, I did not rebel against the trauma that I was enduring by using drugs or alcohol or self-destructive endeavors. Instead, what I vividly remember doing is praying to God as if he were my Daddy. I talked to Him and listened to His prompting ALL OF THE TIME. I knew talking to Him about my feelings and thoughts was keeping me from self-destruction. I would have conversations of asking for His guidance, His grace, His protection during the years of trauma all the while endless tears streamed down my face. Somehow, I knew that adding addictions to my world would keep me from Him and I knew that my life was nothing without Him. However, Satan used my mind against me. For about 20 years or so, Satan whispered thoughts of suicide to me. Because, after all, I was a mess in Satan’s eyes due to my experiences. Satan was very convincing that those around me would be better off without me. Yet, in those 20 years, I never once attempted suicide. I could feel Satan’s frustration and he seemed to ramp up his lies from whispers to yelling. It took finishing two Believing God book studies as well as two Breaking Free book studies to be free of Satan’s deceptions. The deceiving whispers are now faint memories. In its place are strong words of hope and a purpose. God has connected me in a ministry at our church and in my profession and shown me my worth to this world. Satan wanted to destroy my purpose for being here in this generation. And you know what I did time after time? I spoke out loud through tears and deep pain, Ephesians 6:11. Over and over again. I also recited the Believing God statements time and time again until one day, the dark cloak of Satan’s lies came off. I know that I must continue to pray Ephesians 6:11 and not become complacent, but I am free and am able to actively search for God’s purpose for me each day. One day at a time. Amen!
When was the first time my ears heard Your Name?
Was it from my mother when she knelt down to pray?
I didnāt know then as a fetus so small
That Your Name could move mountains and make kingdoms fall.
A little while later Your Name in a song;
I learned that You love me and that You are strong.
And not only me, but all the children;
Red, yellow, black, white-I started loving You then.
My faith became sight in that Sunday School room.
On Miss Ruthās flannel board where I first saw You.
A man with a beard and a long, striped robe;
Your eyes always smiling, I loved You even more.
Then in the 6th grade I first heard Your voice.
You called me to missions, but I had a choice.
You wouldnāt force it, but inside I knew
Your plans were my best; My love only grew.
Now in the ministry helping Your Bride
Youāre proving You love me with refining fire.
I donāt like the process of breaking my will,
But when it is over Iāll love You still.
And in the face of my babies I saw
Your fingerprints clearly there werenāt any flaws
Through being a mother my eyes were opened.
āYou love me like this?ā my love for You deepened.
And with my husband down through the years
As we learn to forgive I can see through my tears
That You gave him to me as a shadow of Your love.
My cup runneth over; now itās starting to flood.
And then when I pass through the portals of earth,
Iāll come to find that Youāre truly worth,
More than the pain and the joys all combined.
Youāre more than I imagined I had been blind.
I grew up in a Christian home. I started praying for my future husband when I was 12 years old. My prayers were very simple back then, but God honored them. I met my husband in college and we had strong sense from the Lord that we were meant to get married. But my husband got away from God when we were engaged. I married him anyways and spent years praying for him. Through moves, his depression battles, 3 kids and moreā¦ his spiritual lack drove me to God out of desperation over and over again. While I prayed for him, God kept doing things in my life to change ME. I wondered, āGod, what are you doing? Iām praying for someone else here?!ā. But the changes in me were essential so that I could submit; ducking low enough that God could take a shot at my husband! I didnāt see that at the time, but God showed me what I needed to do to obey. And even though I couldnāt always see results with my eyes, I had to hold onto the faith that it was doing some good. After 16 years of praying, God restored my husbandās relationship with Him! This renewed our marriage too, of course. God amazes me. I only had about a mustard seed of faith left, but He said thatās all it takes. Donāt ever stop praying. This is my motto now.
I was raised “going to church”, but somehow missed Jesus in the process; however, the Enemy was fully aware of it. He showed up for me early in life. I was a good girl on the outside, but privately I was involved in a sexually abusive relationship with a man at church. This went on for so long I began to think it was normal. I learned to be a world-class hypocrite: play the part on the outside and then live however you want in private and maybe no one will ever know who the real you is.
Stay in the dark – it’s safe there, right?
I grew up, got married and had a family. I did the right things on the outside but inside I was a captive to the Enemy. When my secrets and hypocrisy finally caught up with me and my family nearly imploded from my destructive behavior, that’s when Jesus showed up. When you have been in the dark for so long, the Light seems scary at first – I was terrified to surrender myself to Him for fear He would reject me. However, Jesus knew the real me all along. I jumped – He caught me. I confessed everything to my husband, fearing more rejection but received healing and restoration. God gave me my dignity and innocence back.
Years later we went into ministry – we had to share what the Lord had done in our lives with others. At first, I thought either God had finally gotten to the point of ‘scraping the bottom of the barrel’ when it came to sending workers into the field, or HE IS EXACTLY WHO HE SAYS HE IS. I believe the latter.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the POWER OF GOD for the salvation of everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16a
I Am…
Learning to let go and give control of my life to God.
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7
In faith, believing God for my children.
“I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” Isaiah 44:3
Victorious over fear.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your Godā¦” Isaiah 41:10
In need of Godās compassion and mercy every single day.
“Through the LORDās mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morningā¦” Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV
Never alone, for Godās Spirit lives within me.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you foreverā¦ he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
Growing in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” II Peter 3:18
Praising God in my suffering, knowing He will…
Restore me, making me strong, firm and steadfast.
“And the God of all grace ā¦ after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I Peter 5:10
Overcoming insecurity in my relationships.
“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him.” Deuteronomy 33:12
Only looking to Jesus to meet my deepest needs.
“My soul finds rest in God aloneā¦” Psalm 62:1
Free to love, because He first loved me.
“We love because he first loved us.” I John 4:19
**PLEASE NOTE: this is an acrostic with the first letter of each line spelling out “LIVING PROOF”
I married an alcoholic, I didn’t think he was when I first married him, even though I knew he drank, and smoked pot, as the years went on, I grew angry and bitter, my Mom became ill, with parkinsons disease, and i brought her to live with me, so I have a sick Mom, an alcoholic husband and my twin daughters had got in bad relatiohships and started using Meth, and they had moved back home, there was alot of turmoil, my Mom was bed fast, she was a very good Christian woman, and I know she laid in that bed and prayed for me, my heart began to soften, and my bitterness went away, my anger went away, God did that, without me even realizing what was happening, God is awesome.
A broken woman, a broken little girlā¦Godās setting to perform a miracle! Years ago I found out that my husband had an affair. We were junior high sweethearts and he was the love of my life. Beyond devastated, I found myself spiraling back to when I was a little girl when my daddy left my mom and six children. James 1 became my lifeās hope. I didnāt just believe in God, I believed Abba Daddyās promise, āFor we know, He works all things together for good for those that love Him.ā At the time, when I truly didnāt know what my future held, God did! After two years of a roller coaster ride of emotions and despair. Prevailing in prayer, counseling and clinging to the hem of Jesus, I took my eyes off my husband and asked Father to come heal my broken heart and change me. In a miraculous way, my husband did the same thing and both of our lives were transformed by God; our marriage was not only be restored but taken to a beautiful place we have never experienced before. Father went beyond what I ever knew to pray for or dream. I have now been married to my beloved husband for 38 years. We are blessed to minister to couples that need hope. My husband is now a church pastor! Do I believe in miraclesā¦ Do I believe God can turn ashes into beauty and heal the brokenhearted… Does my Redeemer liveā¦OH YES HE DOES!
p.s. For those of you who do not have a restored marriage, Abba Father has a redeemed love story He is writing just for you. TRUST HIM!
Oh, Brenda,
What a miraculous story…truly beautiful how God worked in your life! Wow! Love your story!
God has been protecting me my whole life, even before I knew Him personally. I was the sparrow; His eyes were on me and in my own mind I was only as valuable as the infamous biblical bird.
I was a child of divorce who was required to have weekend visitations with my father. He did the best he could, but alcohol was his spouse and drugs were his closest friends. I saw things a child should never see and went to places a young, innocent girl should never go. As I look back, I know my God was watching me.
I felt unimportant to my father as he never kept his word. I felt like the worthless nuisance the world viewed the sparrow as. The enemy continued to set me up to feel rejected by many close friends. I began to strive for approval from those in authority. I tirelessly worked to attain favor from friends and family.
Praise God that He saw the downward spiral this sparrow was on. One feather at a time, He has plucked away at the pain, insecurity, rejection, and people pleasing tendencies to leave me basking in the sun of freedom. Not just freedom from my sins with eternity as my home, but freedom to live on earth, be all He has called me to be and share with all He leads me too.
So, yes, His eye was on this sparrow; He watched over me because to Him, I was highly valuable!
Since I became a Christian at a young age, and I hardly remember life before it, I can testify more to Godās faithful carrying me along in life through one storm or another. My perfectionist, deep thinking and often over-thinking personality, along with some lies here and there have set me up for quite a few disappointments. It would be so much easier if the Lord just snatched me out of these periods of darkness and perhaps even made my personality different, but he chooses not to. And I have to believe that is his grace. Rather than fight him in my weakness, I believe he woos me to himself in these moments, to find his grace to be sufficient. The āthornsā in my flesh are often painful, but they are also kind reminders of his grace. Because they show me that he is enough. He is enough for me.
Living life looking for love and acceptance I found myself at age 40 ending my third marriage. I was worn out and beat up with guilt and shame. All I ever wanted was to be loved and valued. So far my choices in relationships proved to be very poor. Abuse, betrayal, rejection a broken heart, mind and body drove me to a life of lies trying to cover my past.
I was lost but now I am found. Someone thought I was worth sharing their Jesus with. I was at the end of myself. There I found was my Savior. I turned my life over to Him, He received me right where I was. Stinking, dirty with sin, residue of this dark world all over me. My sin forgiven, washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
God’s Word breathed life into me. I turned toward the Light and He shined His Truth into my darkness. Life for death, love for bitterness, joy for despair, peace for torment. I was am a new creature…the old is gone, the new has come.
The “one” that shared their Jesus with me became my friend…then my true love. We married and now we share our Jesus. Shinning light in a dark world, holding out the Word of Life to all. We celebrated our 20th Anniversary in December of 2011.
I am living proof of God’s amazing grace, forgiveness and His unfailing love.
Simply His,
Alta
My journey of Christ becoming my first Love began on Mar. 12, 2011. I married the love of my life 23 years ago on that day and thatās the day that my husband moved out. That day was the beginning of a transformation in me that has been worth every ounce of pain that I endure. God knows exactly what we make idols in our lives and all my life all I wanted was to be a wife. I love that God has stripped so much away from my life to get my attention, so that I would learn to make Him, my first Love. In my grief and pain I ran to God for help, surrendering all that I am to Him. Iāve had a personal relationship with God for years but Iāve never surrendered everything to Him. Iād given Him parts of my life but I wasnāt willing to give Him control of all my life. I put my God in a box and made Him so small. Iāve found that I have a God of miracles but I wasnāt praying or living like it. Iām praying and waiting on God to restore my husband and bring him back to us. For the God that Iāve come to know and serve, this is what He does best! Redeems, Resurrects and Restores! Iām waiting for my miracle and I grow to love my God more and more every day as I pray and wait on His perfect timing!
Every girl wants to be loved the way Jack loved Rose in Titanic. I married my “Jack” 8 years ago, and God has used my marriage to transform me. Iām a 34 yr-old wife & mom of 3, I SO love Jesus, and my story is still being written.
My husband is a Palestinian-American man who cusses a lot, but he has a good heart and I don’t laugh with anyone like I do with him. I have never hated someone I loved so much. Due to the loss of a very good job literally the day we got back from our honeymoon, my husband started a downward spiral of excessive weight gain, cynicism and depression. Combine that with me, a recovering ārage-aholicā, and you had yourself one explosive combination.
Today, we find ourselves in a situation where we have been stripped of nearly everything but our health and family. We have no control over the next step in our life, and I am witnessing a miracle unfold before my eyes. My husband, for the first time ever, is seeking the Lord in a sincere and humbling way, and I have never been closer to Jesus who is in me. He is my hope, my joy, my song, my everything. I suppose we have a very long way to go for our young marriage is only just beginning. But now, I see it through the lenses of survival and great expectations because of my sweet and mighty and powerful Jesus.
As a teenager, I entered into an abusive relationship that lasted three years and resulted in many emotional scars. After leaving the relationship, I spent the next seven years making a few more bad choices trying to āhealā those scars. My efforts just led to more pain, but God placed several people in my life to lead me to true healing – Jesus Christ. I accepted Christ as my Savior, but I lived the next fourteen years in shame and guilt over those past mistakes. Three years ago, I participated in Beth Moore’s Esther study and I also started reading Breaking Free. Through this, God spoke to me very clearly. I finally understood that I needed to forgive those who hurt me and I needed to truly accept the Grace that had been extended to me through Jesus Christ. Today, I know that I am forgiven and I am redeemed. I am a loved child of God. I am a work-in-progress, but I am living proof that God is involved in the tiny details of my life and He knows my pain. He wants me to live victoriously and not in shame. Since that time, I have had to opportunity to share my testimony with our youth and have become actively involved in our Preteen Ministry. It is my prayer and desire that I can share the love of Christ with our preteens so they know how to live victoriously through Jesus Christ. He.Is.Life!
In eighth grade, I understood the power of the Gospel for the first time. Jesus transformed my heart in the two years that followed, and I became a testimony to the saving grace that can revolutionize a young life. However, this time of spiritual development did not last. After a breakup that absolutely crushed my 16 year-old heart, I began to drift. I stopped reading my Bible or praying to God at all, and by the end of high school I found myself in a destructive pattern of giving my heart away to guy after guy, just to have it handed back to me a broken mess. Sin had won a stronghold in my life, and while I knew that Jesusā bloodshed covered my transgressions, I didnāt know how to return to my intimate relationship with God.
At my lowest point, an older woman (who I hardly knew) stepped in and told me that the Holy Spirit had been pressing her to talk with me about the direction of my life. I couldnāt ignore such a divine encounter, and soon after I began to pray the simple prayer, āLORD, reveal Yourself to me.ā Oh, how He answered that prayer! I began to see how He grieved each one of my harmful decisions and was eager to restore and revive me. Today, I am once again walking with my Heavenly Father, and my life is filled with the abundant grace that can only come from our LORD and Savior!
Jesus drew me in when I was a child, long before I would realize the magnitude of who He is and how deeply He loves me. Growing up, our family was not the church-going type, but Jesus saw me anyway. I was around the age of ten when I began going to my small-town church alone. It was there I learned about Jesus and chose to follow Him. But I soon found out this would not be an easy path to take. As much as I love Jesus, I have stumbled along this walk more than I have skipped. But in His faithfulness, He has sent many strong, believing women to help me grow. Now I have four beautiful children of my own and a grace-filled husband. It is our desire to change our family tree and create a legacy for generations to come that includes Christ.
About a year ago I felt a calling to serve those impoverished around the world. Dentistry is my profession and the area in which I have a gift to offer. James has spoken to me that the time to act is now. Last September our office had our first annual day of providing free dentistry to our community. This year I decided to include an overseas mission trip, so we will be traveling to Jamaica to serve those who desperately need care. I know these are small steps to help the underserved, but I believe they are the important first steps in an exciting journey. And I canāt wait to see what adventures Jesus has in store for us!
I began a business relationship Ruth, one of my customers in 1985 that turned into a unique friendship. (Her children are my age.) She retired in 1995 and set out to travel the lower 48 states with her husband in their motor home. My husband and I would meet them at various places for short visits about once each year for the first few years. Over this entire time, she had no interest in discussing spiritual matters. I prayed for them. When my husband and I retired in 2010, my husband wanted to retire (completely coincidentally) in the same neighborhood ā on the same street (!) where my friend and her husband had settled down in a brick home. This location was 550 miles away from all of our family including grown children and young grandchildren and I was torn apart about what God would have us to do. After much prayer and Jesus, 90 Days With the One and Only, by Beth Moore, I felt sure that God intended for me to support my husband’s wishes. (Whew! What timing!) As soon as we had reconnected with my friend of what was now 25 years, she told me that she was ready to study the Bible and asked me to help her. We struggled for almost a year and found it difficult. God led me to invite 3 other women to join us in the Beth Moore study, Living Beyond Yourself. My friend Ruth was deeply moved as every lesson dug into her heart. She diligently completed all of her homework and established a habit of daily Bible reading. She realized she had never made a personal decision for Christ, made that decision and was immersed in the waters of baptism at the age of 80. My prayers were answered after 25 years of praying for her and praying that God would use me in a meaningful way.
What a wonderful testimony of persistent prayer. Thank you for sharing.
I am the lady who told everyone I did not believe in God. During my life I went to church with friends and also went so far as to be Baptized. But no matter how I tried I just never really got the God thing. On a January night about 2 years ago My Father in-law went to Heaven and God put me there to watch as he entered his new home. I watched his face as it filled with peace. I can not put my finger on what it was exactly, but I just felt it, something wonderful, something I wanted to learn more about and be a part of. I began learning more about Jesus, I found a church and the next thing I knew I found myself in love with Jesus. I gave my life to him about a month later. Since that time a lot has happened I had a lot of health issues over the past 2 years one included losing my vision in one eye. When the doctor said vision could not be regained, prayer and faith said it could & I received the gift and miracle of my sight back. He showed me how something bad turns into something good. I see beauty around me now that I never saw before. Several of my friends and family have now found Christ too. When I didn’t believe in him he believed in me. He still loved me, He waited for me, He saved me š
I barely noticed the beautiful morning as I walked. āHow will we get thru this?ā Always before, I pushed thru with hard work and determination, but not this time. It had been a rough summer, but we were making it. After Dadās 2nd leg amputation, we learned to use the Hoyer lift for transfers from hospital bed to wheelchair and sliding board for transfers from wheelchair to carchair.
But now?
The painful breast lump Mom discovered was probably a cyst. Afterall, we had no family history.
She called from the mammogram saying, āThey want to do a biopsy, but I have to get your Dad from dialysis.ā I replied, āNo, you stay. Iāll get Dadā.
A few days passed. I answered the phone to Momās sobs āItās cancer. What will we do?ā The evaluation came quickly: Stage 3 breast cancer with recommendation to move quickly to chemotherapy and surgery.
āLord, help!ā I cried as I walked and wept. The peace became almost palpable. Within the hour, my brother called to say he was flying in to help, a friend called to say he was bringing dinner, a stranger called to read Godās word aloud, and the youth from a nearby church came knocking, asking for prayer concerns.
Only You Lord Jesus!
Dad died that year. We surrounded him in love as he slipped away. Mom fought hard and has been declared cancer free, not once, but twice.
As for me, I am here to testify each and every day – ā Oh, how He loves us!ā
Jesus amazes me in the simple things anymore. Over the past couple of months I have been working on an afghan for my step-daughterās wedding. As of today, I have 14 days before the wedding, and technically, Iām only half-way done with the afghan. To say that Iām stressed about this would be an understatement. This project was beginning to consume me. I was rushing through everything so I had time to spend on it. Rushing through even my quiet time in order to work on the afghan, or skipping it altogether. I was anxious during work, wanting it to pass quickly so I could work it. On Friday, I woke up a little grumpy (which would be somewhat of an understatement since I donāt do things ālittleā), but I prayed for help. I got through Friday at work without sinning and was praising Jesus for that miracle, when I found myself getting frustrated with the little traffic I had to deal with, and the fact that I promised my husband I would help him with his project. Just then, the song āSomething Beautifulā from Natalie Grant came on my Pandora radio. Then it hit me. Just like the song said, I didnāt want one minute to pass by without making it beautiful. This was my chance. And everything calmed down once more. Iām not here to make the afghan. Iām here to live for Christ. The afghan is just once piece of the puzzle. Christ, He makes everything beautiful. Even my attitude.
I moved to Memphis in January 2011 for a teaching position. I left with my clothes and little else. I booked a hotel suite for a week with no plan after that. I had very little money. People say that I was brave and courageous to make the move to a new city on my own. What they donāt understand is that I could not have done what I did before I did it. Everyplace I had been before I had known someone. That security was holding me back. I had to set out on my own, to be forced out of my comfort zone. My job was not what I had hoped for; I was in a hopeless and hostile situation. With no support close at hand I felt defeated, alone, utterly lost, ready to give up. I cried out to God in my distress and He heard my prayers. Thatās when I found Hope, a church like none I had ever been in before. All through this time I talked to God. Silently, out loud, on my knees, while I was driving, all throughout the day in my heart at work. Although my work situation remained difficult and emotionally draining; God blessed me with Christian friends and mentors, a newfound inner strength, and a close, intimate relationship with Him. It is through Godās love and grace that I am alive today. Without God the only way out was complete emotional breakdown. Praise God!
My God Story and how he has shown me a heavenly father’s love. I grew up in a very broken and dysfunctional home by a single parent. My father being an alcoholic had physically left when I was 5 years of age but checked out long before that. I was a very shy and withdrawn little girl whom lived with much rage and chaos. I would eventually suffer sexual abuse from the age of 5 till 7 by an elderly neighbor whom my mother would entrust to babysit me. I would spend hours at his home playing cards games, talking on the front porch and running through the sprinkler on the warm summer days. This was the only sane person I thought I had in my life whom showed me attention and what I thought love. Years went by, while being raised by an enraged mother I began to act out in every way I could not knowing I was searching for my heavenly fathers love all along. While not knowing how to deal with me, my mother would throw me out on the streets with no where to go living out of paper bags. God spared me through all those years and delivered me from one abusive marriage during the process. God had great plans for me in the years to come even though some were very painful. God would bring into my life my current husband whom would be Jesus with skin on. I know God’s plan was to provide me with a wonderful husband but to also show me HIMSELF and HIS love for me through him. While my husband is not perfect he has loved me through some of my ugliest times in my life.One year into our marriage I would admit myself into a psychiatric unit for depression, we would spend the first 5 years in couples therapy and go through many more years of my acting out and addictions. My husband has shown me grace, mercy, love and forgiveness over and over. The Lord opened my eyes to show me this is how HE has loved and been with me all my 43 years. I can say today I have found my heavenly father and I know that I know that he truly loves me and is redeeming my life !! I PRAISE HIM CAUSE HE ALONE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DO THAT KIND OF WORK.GOD TRULY WILL MAKE GOOD OUT OF EVERY SIN, HURT AND PAIN. PRAISE YOU LORD.
I am a survivor of childhood abuse and last year I was able to extend forgiveness to my abuser, my stepfather. Iād been praying for years that I would be able to and when he fell ill, I knew it was time.
The Monday night before he died, I visited him. We sat in silence for a bit and I told him Iād forgiven him. He thanked me. He didnāt apologize but I didnāt expect him to. On the drive home, I felt such a sense of freedom. But that was just the first step of forgiveness.
His health deteriorated immediately and by the end of the week, he was placed in a nursing facility. He couldnāt be left alone because he kept trying to get out of bed. He needed someone to sit with him all night, so he wouldnāt hurt himself. My stepsister, who had spent the day with him, couldnāt stay all night. So I said I would.
I arrived at the facility at 11:00 pm and stayed until 7:00 am. I read to him from Travis Cottrellās book, āSurprised by Worshipā. I helped him lay down every time he tried to get up. I held his hand and told him that everything would be ok, and that it was time to rest. I ministered to the one who had molested me. Iām living proof of what God can do because by the power of Christ, I served the one who had hurt me so deeply.
What an amazing testimony of God’s healing power. Thank you for sharing. Reading this really encouraged me š
Emily,
Thank you for your comment. You see, just this morning while praying, I told the Lord that I’d really like to know if telling my story helped someone. And then you commented today and answered that request. You have blessed me. Our God is so very GOOD! He is so gracious in the ways He encourages us.
wow. this encouraged me too. only God…
Spiritual battles are real and they don’t play fair. I began my relationship with Jesus as a child and wanted to make him happy. I heard in church what the Bible said about God in the Old Testament and how He hates sin, and my tender conscience began to see my daily sin and errors and the Evil One began his work. Fear set in and raged a battle that I didn’t know how to fight. My love for God became a relationship driven by fear and repentance. Fear would grip me for months on end and I tried to bargain with God and earn His mercy by doing whatever I thought might make Him happy. In junior high I memorized his word as part of the church quiz team and relief came in greater measure. In public high school I read his word and believed it and the battles were small, victories triumphed! I graduated and went to a Christian College and grew in leaps and bounds but how to know for sure God’s “perfect” will? Fear set in again with a vengeance as I fought to please a God who had “one perfect will for my life.” His truth again set me free as I poured over scripture. You would think I would get the picture by this time, but fast forward to my life as a young mom with children and all the “what ifs” of life. My fears of “what if” settled on me and I was sure I had multiple sclerosis since my fingers tingled and then my throat seemed to close in so I could barely breath. I went to the doctor thinking he would say I had thyroid cancer but instead he told me I was having panic attacks and he could give me some medication. I went home without the medication asking myself what I was doing wrong. I decided to memorize scripture instead of to medicate myself because if what the Bible said was true (and I had claimed to base my life on it) then IT had to work to deliver me. Sweet Jesus delivered!! His word is true and powerful!! The attacks still come because where there’s a scar, the enemy knows there’s a weakness, but I FINALLY know how to respond. I stand on the powerful word of God and let His promises do the work. I memorize, recite, repeat, and pray until the battle lessens. When it hits again I memorize, recite, repeat, and pray. I will stand; I will not give in; I will BELIEVE and rest in my loving Savior.