Day 85: 90 Day Faith Walk Challenge

Day 85, Sunday, March 29th

 

From now until the end of our Challenge (Friday, April 3rd) some of the True Beauty ladies are willing to share a testimony about their personal lives. I pray that all who read will be blessed!

 

 

God Story #1.
God can and will carry you through the hardest times in your life. He will give you words to speak that will tell of His great love for you and for others. He will provide for each and every need in your life when you call out to Him. First time you call out to Him for “HELP,” it is for salvation. Then you cry for “HELP” because you need His strength to carry you.

HELP!
I am a lost, lonely, sad, frightened child of divorce.
Can you help me Father? Can I trust you? Will you stick with me?

*Cast all your cares on ME, for I care for you. I have loved you with an everlasting love.
(God, You have been my protector.)

HELP!
My husband was buried alive! I have 3 small children and maybe another on the way!
I cannot do this alone.

*Peace I give you, my peace, not as the world gives, but MY peace.
(I will rest in You. Thank You, Heavenly Father, my husband was spared)

HELP!
Move from this safe place to the unknown to do ministry.

*I have called you by name. You know my voice. I go before you. I know the plans I have for you. Trust me.
(Okay, we will go.)

HELP!
They say I have cancer.

*I love you perfectly. Remember perfect love casts out all fear.
(For Your glory I will do this. Thank You, that You gave me strength to fearlessly travel those hospital halls. Praise You my Faithful Father that Cancer was defeated. It’s all for Your glory!)

HELP!
Allana wants me to share…
*I will give you the things to say.

(Okay, I will. All glory and honor to you my loving, kind and faithful Father. You have proven true over and over. I cannot tell it enough, Your Glorious Ways are beyond comprehension. I will continue to walk where you lead, stop where you place me and grow deeper in your ways as long as you lend me breath.)

 

If you are like me, you can’t possibly leave this story as it is… I had to contact this lady and say, “What do you mean your husband was buried alive?” Here is the story…

 
My husband was usually laid off during spring and fall from his factory job. He farmed with his brother in law during those times, so it all worked out. One year the farming was finished and he was once again laid off. A friend worked for a small ditching company. Pete, my husband Gary’s friend, picked him up to work that first day. Gary was down in a ditch, connecting the field tile. He was bent over to do this. The field tile was going through a sandy hill, very unstable. While Gary was bent over, the wall collapsed on him. He was buried alive! For whatever reason, he had taken off his hat and set it on the opposite side of the ditch before bending over. When the wall caved, the hat remained. Marking the spot where he was working and buried. The farmer and Pete and their boss began digging where his hat lay. One of them called 911. They got Gary out of the ground, but he was blue and unconscious. Pete picked up his wife who stayed with our 3 kids as he drove me to the hospital/ER. As we were driving and he was telling me all the events, he was freaking out! I was thinking “wait, I can join in, or pray”. Yes, God said “I am taking care of Gary and I am taking care of you”. A peace like nothing I can explain came over me. Arriving at the ER was crazy! We lived in a small town, I had worked at the hospital in the past, so everyone knew me. It was a comfort in a way as I knew the ER nurse, she was a believer! We arrived before the ambulance. When they brought Gary in he was breathing painfully, spoke in a high pitched voice and was blinded. He had been buried at least 3 minutes, possibly more. PTL: the PA on duty was an army medic and had a pretty good handle on what was happening to Gary. Life flight was called and he was taken to St. V’s in Toledo. Punctured and collapsed lung, broken ribs, torn muscles in shoulder and broken clavicle. His voice and loss of sight were probably due to the lack of oxygen. They both returned within a day. The bones & lungs took time, but they healed as well. There were other things going on in our lives beyond this and God took care of every detail. Finances were provided. Food was given. Child care by family and friends was supplied. He was in the hospital for 10 days and was allowed to come home 12/24/82 to spend Christmas at home. That is most of the story. There is a bit more, but it all boils down to this: Trust God… when you call out to Him leave the details to Him. His peace is out of this world! Amen

 
Wow God!

 

Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

 

 
God-Story Number 2:

Hardest time ever – Three years ago, I was in Texas watching my two granddaughters for one of my daughters. While I was there, I got a call from my daughter who lives in Ohio. She said that her daughter (our oldest granddaughter), Allison, was limping during a soccer game. She took her to the doctor, had an x-ray done, but it was inconclusive and he said she was probably just constipated! We all laughed, said a thankful prayer.

Two days later, my daughter from Ohio called me again while I was still in Texas. She said that the doctor had called her 4 times while my was teaching her 6th grade class. The doctor said that he was reviewing the x-ray and saw something he wanted to get checked on right away. The appointment was set for a Wednesday. That visit went well, but the doctor still wasn’t sure, so he ordered an MRI.

On Friday, Allison handled the MRI without anesthesia. On the way home, my daughter stopped at a Lego store and bought Allison a small Lego friend set, because she was such a trooper. At 3pm she got a call saying then needed to get Allison to the hospital because they were admitting my little granddaughter. My daughter’s father-in-law drove her and Allison to the hospital while my daughter’s mother-in-law watched my other grandchildren, who are 4 years old and 18 months old. When she called me (still in Texas) I fell apart. I pulled it together because I needed to pick up my Texas granddaughters. When I got there the teacher looked at me and asked what’s wrong. We walked away from the kids and I told the teacher that they suspected my precious 6 yr old granddaughter had cancer. The teacher gave me a hug. I took the girls home and tried to be normal still hoping for some good news.

At 7:30pm I got a call. The oncologist had come in and spoke with them. Things were still uncertain. Again, trying not to upset my Texan granddaughters, we went to a soccer game. I wore sunglasses to hide my eyes. All I wanted was to have someone hug me and tell me that this was just a nightmare. After the game, my Texan daughter’s neighbor came up to me, and introduced herself. I knew she was a Christian so I shared with her what was going on. I got the girls in the car, and got the call. “Mom, Allison has cancer”. I found the neighbor and told her, and she just let me cry.

I went right home to Michigan, and my Ohio daughter’s best friend spent the day with me. She kept the girls occupied while I called my other daughter in Italy. She cried all over Venice, and had to cancel dinner at an amazing restaurant. They released Allison for the weekend and she was anointed and prayed over at her church. She had no clue why Papa Jim (my love) had made a surprise visit and everyone was making such a fuss and crying. I wasn’t able to be there for another week because we had a trip planned to Minnesota to see our son. I knew he needed a hug too.

Allison had 6 rounds of chemo, a himipelvectomy (her hip socket and 1/3 of her pelvis removed.) She spent 98 days in the hospital, 10 months of treatment. I have a very special relationship with that little sweetheart. I stayed down there more than I was home.
Her other grandparents had just moved there from Maryland. God so provided. My son-in- law was able to take a job near Cincinnati, Ohio, right near the Children’s Hospital, which is the #1 hospital for children’s cancer. The miracle in all this: Allison is stronger and WALKING without a walker!!! She wants to be an oncology nurse and is helping raise awareness that only 4% of all CANCER funding goes to ALL children’s cancers.
Matthew 28:20b – And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

 

 

We will not be having anything else for our challenge this week. Put on some of your favorite worship at the Cross music and give God glory for all He has done in your life.