Category Archives: Stories Of Faith

REJOICING IN SMALL BEGINNINGS

August 16, 2013 3:42 pm , 6 Comments ,

We were ecstatic when my husband Michael was hired by a small German company after a two and half year season of him being without full-time work. But as we began to ponder the details, we realized that it wasn’t exactly what we had planned for. After all, my husband had returned to college and worked tirelessly earning a Biomedical Engineering degree. We had expected to have a better salary, better benefits, and most definitely hadn’t planned on Michael having to live in Germany for three months of training.

Without medical coverage for me and the kids, Michael worried that he may have been making a mistake by accepting this job. I wondered, “How in the world will I handle everything with my husband in another country?” After some time of wrestling with God, we surrendered to what we believed was his divine plan for our family, but not without reservations. It was hard to let go of our concerns without all of the dots connecting.

Still, we moved forward with faith. As I trusted God, I could hear His encouraging voice in my spirit. He reminded me of a scripture in Zechariah. “Do not despise small beginnings…”

Looking back, I am beyond grateful that I chose to trust God during that season of small beginnings. If we had not, our family would have missed, perhaps, the greatest blessing of our lives. Within months of Michael accepting the job with the German company, it was bought out by one of the largest corporations in the world. We were blown away by the medical benefits, the increased salary, the opportunity for promotion and growth. Who would have dreamed that our obedience in following Christ in the small things could lead to such grand, new things?

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Small.” Today, I wrote for about twelve minutes, trying to find a good stopping point.

 

Five Minute Friday

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UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS

June 4, 2013 1:15 pm , Leave a Comment ,

I could’ve never dreamed of the blessings that would come from my involvement in a neighborhood Bible study. I hadn’t planned to be a part of a Bible study group. I got involved in a roundabout way. The Bible study group I got involved with blessed my life in unimaginable ways.

It all started when my boss approached me at my job, saying, “Amy, would you be interested in being the babysitter for the neighborhood Bible study where I attend?”

I worked at a children’s gymnastics facility and loved children. So I excitedly wrote down the name and telephone number of the leader of the study, and got in touch with her within a few days.

I’ll never forget the first conversation I had with the leader, Laurie. When we talked I could hear the enthusiasm in her voice. She began telling me how they had prayed for God to send a new children’s caregiver to the study.

With excitement, Laurie said, “Our previous babysitter was named Amy. She was a compassionate and caring lady. We’ve been praying for God to send us another “Amy” and He literally sent us another Amy!” We chuckled together as she said, “God has a sense of humor, doesn’t He?”

When we walk close with God, there are no coincidences. He divinely plans each detail in our lives. I knew in that moment that God had orchestrated for me to be a part of this Bible study group. But I had no way of foreseeing all the incredible ways God would lavish His love on me through this group of women. They became the community that I needed to be a part of while I was going through some very challenging trials in my life.

While the ladies were having their Bible study time, I was in another area caring for the children of the moms that were attending the meetings. I got to know the moms very well through sharing and talking each week. They encouraged me, prayed for me, and grew to be my cherished friends. I was a part of that group for seven years. The fruit of those years is still growing in my life today. Women’s Bible study groups cultivate long-lasting, true friendships and help us grow strong in our faith.

God works in mysterious ways. He amazes me in the way He weaves things together in our lives. I would encourage any woman who’s considering attending or hosting a Bible study to dive in wholeheartedly. I know from experience that you’ll look back one day and be amazed at all the awesome blessings that came out of your commitment to begin studying the Bible with your neighbors.

If you’re looking for a way to connect with people of faith, I would recommend attending or hosting a Bible study group. There’s a great website with resources for those seeking to host a neighborhood Bible study…www.nbs2go.com

 

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The Birth of Compassion

May 24, 2013 7:45 pm , 2 Comments ,

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I opened an e-mail and began reading about Rehema. The tears flowed down my face as I focused on her birth date. She was born the same day as I was. I knew at that moment God had divinely chosen this woman for me to support financially through a sponsorship. It wasn’t a coincidence. It couldn’t be, I thought. But still, I wanted a confirmation to know for sure.

I contacted Lisa, the sponsorship coordinator, and left a voice mail message. “Did you know that Rehema had the same birthday as mine?”

“No I did not know that was your birthday!!!! Yes, God wanted you to sponsor her. I am sure,” Lisa wrote to me in an e-mail.

I wept as I celebrated this milestone in my life, and thanked God for matching me with a woman who shares my birthday as a sign of His sovereign power. This is truly a celebratory week for me. Rehema is a house mother at the Hands of Love Orphanage in Uganda, East Africa. She’s the mother of five children, and has been caring for orphans for two years. She’s a dedicated volunteer that works up to fifteen hours each day for no money.

I had signed up to be a staff sponsor through Hands of Love USA, a non-profit organization that helps fund two orphanages in Kampala, Uganda. I attended a Hands of Love event in 2011 and began sponsoring one of the children back then.

My heart is drawn toward helping the poor and the orphaned children more than any other cause. God placed these desires in my heart many years ago when I didn’t have the means to help meet the needs of orphans. I share this story not to boast about myself, but to bring honor to Christ and share of His ability to turn our pain into a life of purpose.

I remember lying awake at night years ago praying and asking God to redeem my broken life. My heart was filled with questions for God during those painful times for our family. Why has my husband been laid off from work four times? Why have we had three failed businesses? Why are we left in a situation where we can’t afford health insurance? Why am I battling chronic stomach illness?

In those quiet moments of desperate prayer, I heard the still, small voice of the Lord saying, “These hardships are preparing you for the work I have for you to do.” It was then that I learned that our greatest need as humans is the need to give. We were created to give, and when we have little to give it hurts deeply.

In those moments of experiencing a true lack of resources, I shifted my focus off of myself and would think of the children in Africa who don’t even have clean water to drink, a roof over their head, or clothes to wear. Thinking of the ones with much greater pain lessened my own suffering.

Many times, in my spirit, I heard God confirming His will for me as He spoke so softly. “I’m preparing you for your destiny, a life of giving to those in Africa—to those who are in much greater need than you’ll ever be.” His words always brought me comfort because I knew my struggles were not in vain.

My dream of helping African people came to fruition after my husband earned a college degree and began working in the medical diagnostics field in the summer of 2010. We began working hard to pay off the mountain of credit card debt we had attained during the years of famine. We are now 100% out of debt other than our house payment. We are free to fight the injustices of the world.

Every time I look at the photo of Rehema I get weepy because I know the intense joy she is experiencing in knowing Christ has provided for her needs. I envision meeting her some day. I can only imagine the joy and tears we both will experience as we rejoice together over what Christ has done.

I celebrate the fact that I was once impoverished and in lack. It was during those times of need that I drew nearer to the heart of Christ. My suffering allowed me to feel His heartbeat and know the yearnings of His soul.

It’s easy to question the goodness of God when we are suffering—especially when there are tragedies like the tornado that recently devastated families in Moore, Oklahoma. Nobody can fully understand these kinds of disasters.

For me, I choose to believe that God is good no matter what happens on this earth. Christ loves us deeper than our hearts and minds can comprehend (Ephesians 3:17-19).

God is love (1 John 4:8). God is light (John 8:22). God desires to give us good things (Matthew 7:11).

There is a fierce battle going on at all times in the spirit world. The dark side wants us to be tormented eternally. The heavenly realm wants us to live in harmony with God, and to walk in oneness with Him eternally.

When bad things happen, we can cling to God, or we can run from Him and live in darkness. It’s when we’re surrendered to Christ that we see how He takes the most devastating circumstances, turns them around, and uses them for good in our lives.

He uses our pain and our losses to birth the compassion of Christ in our hearts. It’s in our suffering that we begin to take on the very nature of Christ, and love others like He loves us.

I have a compassionate heart now that I could’ve never attained without going through what I did. True compassion is birthed out of getting a glimpse of what others have experienced. So if it takes suffering to grow closer to the heart of Christ, I welcome it and embrace it.

As I was finishing typing this story, I felt the Lord nudging me to look up the meaning of the name, Rehema. I smiled and got teary, but I wasn’t surprised at all when I saw on Google that her name means, “Empathy; Compassion.”

God did it again—He confirmed to me that He knew all along where He was leading me to when I was suffering.

“Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.” 1 Peter 4: 12-13 (The Message)

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Hidden Treasure

May 16, 2013 10:34 am , Leave a Comment ,

 

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I woke up and looked out the window of the beach house we had rented. Something was compelling me to go out to the seashore. We’d been staying right on the ocean all week, and this was our last full day to be there. Most days that week I had waited until after breakfast before I headed outside. But this day was different. I was drawn to the sacredness of the peaceful water. Shortly after 8 a.m. I rushed out to the edge of the sea, and was amazed at what I saw. I yelled to my mom, who was sitting outside on the deck of the house.

“Mama, come look at this; there are so many seashells!”

It looked like thousands of beautiful seashells on the beach. She walked over to see, and the words spilled off her lips that had already been in my head. “God did this for us.”

Call it a coincidence if you want to. But if you were there, you would’ve agreed with us. It was so obvious that God had pushed these shells to the shore just for us.

We had walked for miles up and down the beach all week. And there were barely any shells around before. That morning it was like the seashells were strategically placed directly in front of where we were staying. I had heard about beaches that were known for having countless seashells, and I had even seen a few of those places. But I’d seen nothing like this before.  Instead of being spread out over a large area of beach, they were densely confined to a small area.

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I hollered for my husband to come see, and he brought me a bag for collecting the shells I wanted to keep. As I was looking through the shells I heard the Lord’s still, small voice speaking to my heart.

 “My Kingdom is like these piles of seashells. There are countless, hidden treasures to be found. Search for them and you will find them.”

While carefully looking amongst these treasures, I found some of the most beautiful, perfect seashells I’ve ever seen. I could have spent hours and hours looking at what seemed like a never-ending supply of shells.

God is amazing. He longs for us to look for His treasures. He’s always waiting for us to open our hearts like a little child would. He wants to fill us with awe and show us His signs and wonders. His Kingdom is a never-ending source of goodness and joy— just like the seashells on the beach that day. His love never ends. We’ll never stop discovering new and fresh signs of His love for us.

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45:3 (NIV)

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A Woman After God’s Heart

May 12, 2013 11:01 am , Leave a Comment ,

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Anyone who knows my mother knows why I’ve always wanted to be like her. During the hardest season, my mother was the wind beneath my wings. She taught me the most valuable lessons of my life.

Today, I am remembering the years after my dad divorced my mother, recalling how she turned to Christ to help her restore and renew her life. I truly believe it is what I witnessed during those years that made me the woman I am today. What stands out in my mind the most is how my mom depended on God. While watching my mother, I saw a hurting woman turn to Jesus for her every need. She was a young, beautiful woman and she could’ve easily turned to other men in her desperation. With amazement, I watched her closely as she sought God. Most importantly, I watched how a woman’s passionate love for God could make a bad situation turn into something good (Romans 8:28).

My mother was the first person I ever saw fall deeply in love with God. Since she no longer had a husband, she depended on Christ for everything. I can still vividly remember my mom sitting with her Bible in her hands and reading it for hours. She was always seeking to know God better. Her life was a true testament (and still is) of the goodness of God. Her love for Him, while I was growing up, was evident by the fruit in her life. I saw the fruit of the Spirit growing daily as I watched my mom’s example.

I saw a woman giving sacrificially, like no other person in my life. One time, she literally gave away the jacket on her back. It was her favorite jacket, the one she wore all the time. She gave it to a young teenage girl because the Lord had asked her to. In that moment, I remember thinking, “I want to be like Mama.”

I learned from my mother that following Christ can be a great adventure. Shortly after my dad moved out of our home, my mom bought a special ring to replace her wedding ring. She beamed as she told her friends why she wore the ring. It was a ring that told the story of her heart—the story of the adventure that God had swept her into. From the side, the ring looked like a roller coaster, symbolizing the excitement of following God. From the top, it looked like a music note, symbolizing the beauty God was creating in her life. She wore the ring as a symbol of her commitment to God and His commitment to her. This was the first time I saw how the Lord personalizes our ties to Him.

The way my mother reacted to the pain in her life was teaching me a life lesson that would stay with me forever. I learned from my mother to see the best in everything, how to be an overcomer, and how to live life to the fullest in the midst of suffering. I learned from her how to see God in every situation and how He rescues us in times of need. Above all, I learned from my mother how to forgive completely, how to love others unconditionally, and how to be a woman after God’s heart.

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Proverbs 31: 29-30

This tribute was originally written in May, 2009.

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From Darkness to Light

May 4, 2013 7:11 pm , 2 Comments ,

from the darkness comes a light

                                   Photo Credit: Christa von Borstel

It was springtime in 1997 when I hit rock bottom and ended up in a deep, dark pit. It should’ve been a happy season for me as I had recently given birth to my second child. But instead of feeling joy, I had a serious case of postpartum depression. I was in a place of desperation. I wanted to die and prayed for my life to be over.

It seemed that everything good in my life had been lost. My marriage was broken, our finances were a complete mess, and I felt hopeless.  My busy life had pulled me away from the intimate relationship I had with God in my youth.  My prayers had become last resort petitions to God instead of daily communion with Him. I was surrounded with darkness.

Deep in my heart, I knew the only answer for me was the power of the resurrected Christ to pull me up out of my desperation and awaken my soul with His healing light. My personal journal revealed the darkness in my soul.

May 22, 1997

God, do You hate me? I feel so helpless. Please show me Your love. Please make a way for me out of this.

In that moment of being at the lowest point of my life, I cried out desperately for help from God. As I prayed, Jesus pulled me out of that pit, He began restoring my life little by little and step by step, and I eventually found the faith in Christ I had always dreamed of having.

Through prayer and the encouragement of a close friend and mentor, God brought me into His light. My friend, Bonnie, shared her faith with me during that dark season.

With certainty in her voice, Bonnie said, “Amy, I went through a time similar to what you’re going through. God will bring you through it.”

Her words brought hope to me in a way that is indescribable. It was as though her testimony drew me into the light that had brought her through the darkness I was experiencing.

Bonnie suggested that I listen to worship music continually and focus on God constantly. Her encouragement was worth far more than pure gold. She encouraged me in too many ways to count. I can still hear her sweet voice in my mind.

She sweetly said, “Write Scriptures on note cards and place them all over your house as a way to keep focused on the truth of God’s Word.”

Bonnie’s words were a reminder to me of the faith-steps my mother and grandmother had taught me when I was young, but I had allowed my hectic life to distract me from the spiritual disciplines my soul needed. As Bonnie suggested, I wrote out Scriptures on 3 x 5 cards and taped them wherever I thought my eyes would be drawn to. As I prayed and focused on the Scriptures that were strategically placed on my window sill, on my stove, on the bathroom mirror, and on my car dash, I felt hope rising up inside me.

The hopeless feeling I had lasted for a short season. By the time my son was five months old, I was feeling like a new person in many ways and beginning my journey of growing into a passionate praying woman.

Ultimately God is the only true Source that can heal our souls, but the encouragement from Bonnie and from my family pushed me in the right direction. Their encouragement gave me the hope I needed to keep praying and seeking God.

It’s been sixteen years since the darkest season of my life, and today I celebrate how God brought me through the tunnel of darkness and into His illuminating light.

That dark time in my life is what brings me here to begin writing on this new site. I want to do for others what was done for me at a time that I wanted to die. If you’re going through a dark season, I am here to say that it will get better as you pray, press into God, and seek to know His Truth.

I hope my life will stand as a living testimony and that you’ll stop by my site whenever you’re in need of encouragement. I pray that the peace of Christ will permeate your soul and bring you into His marvelous light.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” 1 Peter 2:9 (New King James Version)

This post is written in memory of my beloved friend, Bonnie Morrell (1959-2008).

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