I have been doing a lot of reading, praying and learning about trusting the Lord. One thing mentioned in some of the teaching I have been reading is remembering to give testimony. Remembering what the Lord has done. Sharing that testimony. I have done some of that in other posts, like this one, but I want to go a little deeper in my life this time around. Grab your favorite seat and come along with me.
Deuteronomy 6:17 says:
“…keep my commandments, keep my statues and keep my testimonies”
paraphrase taken from A New Thing Ministries Motivation by Kim Potter
Testimonies. The Word of our Testimonies. Revelation 12:11 says,
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”
I desire to be an overcomer in many areas and many ways. So here I take a few moments to share my testimonies.
My parents did not have a lot of money when I was growing up, but there was a season where the Lord called them to put me in private Christian schools. And while they were not as expensive as they are now, it was definitely a sacrifice. Money was very tight, and part way through my 8th grade year, the money just wasn’t there; I was headed back to public school. It came down to the day I cleaned out my locker. Friends had planned a going away party, I had handed off some of my chapel duties to others. I went home heavy hearted. My mother met me at the door. Someone had anonymously paid my tuition for the rest of the year.
I went on several mission trips to Mexico and a couple other places in high school. The fundraising was always up to me. The Lord provided each and every time.
Since Junior High, I knew I wanted to go to a private Christian College, Spring Arbor, and I knew I would be on my own. I got some scholarships and grants, but at the end of it all there was a shortfall. At the final hour, another grant was found. I could go. Even when I got there I was going to be paying a great deal by working on campus. The amount was almost crushing. But I went each month to make a payment. The second or third month I was told by the business office that I did not have any balance. Another scholarship, that I was completely unaware of, had come through. I owed no more.
After college, I did not find a job right away, rather, I went on the mission field for the summer. The Lord provided every penny of the support I had to raise, not just for one, but for two 4 month tours.
I got very sick with some asthma issues while travelling. They continued to give me a great deal of trouble for several years. But when I got really sick with the Multiple Sclerosis, the Lord took the breathing issues and they have never returned.
But I traded the asthma for severe issues with the MS that I had been diagnosed with at 15 years old. As the doctors pointed out, the asthma could kill me while the MS would not, but that is little comfort when you are in and out of the hospital 15 times in 3 years in your mid-20s. I was in and out of a wheelchair and kept getting sicker. But through it all the Lord was faithful. He used the times in the hospital to get my attention back on Himself, until the day He chose to put my MS in remission, where it has been for 6 years. Yes, medication helped, pregnancy helped, nursing my babies helped, but the Lord is the true Miracle giver. He has brought me from a wheelchair to chasing three kids and training for 5k races.
He heard my heart cry for a family and has given me a wonderful husband and three beautiful girls. They grow me, challenge me and bless me.
His ear was inclined to me when I begged Him to turn my breech baby, Patrice, back to proper birth position. He used all our efforts and she was born naturally and beautifully.
Over the last year He has heard my cry many times when the darkness of postpartum depression threatened to overtake me. He raised up an army of people to pray for me, support me and love me. He used people I trusted to lead me to those who could help me find the road to reclaim my mental health.
He is so faithful. He deserves all the glory. He deserves the word of my testimony.
