Luke 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
I have gone through many valleys and climbed many mountains, all with the strength that comes from God. There were times I did not realize or understand how much I needed him and times I didn't think he was there, but I can testify that he has never left me and because of him, I am still here.
I can say that God has kept me and directed my paths. From figuring out that I needed him to direct me to the right spouse to leading me in stepping out in faith, he has been there.
I can give some examples of God's goodness to me. When I finally decided to let God bring the right husband and stop looking for myself, I prayed. I told God, he would need to bring the right person and I would not date another boy until he brought the one, he had prepared for me. When my, now husband, asked me to visit me, I prayed and fleeced the Lord. He said he would come to visit at our church the next Sunday, I asked God to show me if he was the one I was to marry. I would not get involved if he was not. I told the Lord that if he got to the church before I did, then that would be a sign to me that God had sent him for me. That Sunday as I pulled up, I started looking for his truck. Lo and behold, it was there across the street. When I went into the church, he greeted me and said he had actually arrived at 7:30 that morning. Church started at 10:00. So, I realized God had clearly answered my prayer. I did not tell that young man about that prayer for a while, but we did get married. God can direct our paths when we place our trust in him to do so.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:6
A few years later, as we excitedly were expecting the birth of our son, we entered the hospital. Throughout the night, I labored and struggled. The next morning, he was getting close to being born and began to show signs of distress. He was in trouble and my doctor was in the operating room with another mother performing a C-section. I had a midwife and her trainee. She kept calling for a doctor because she was becoming very concerned for the baby and my safety. Finally, she made the quick decision to just deliver the baby as quickly as she knew how. She saved him that day. When they held up that little body, we thought he was dead. He was limp and blue. He had also been born with a birth defect that had not been seen in the ultrasounds. He had a cleft lip and palate. We immediately became overcome with anguish, my husband and mother began to pray and call others to get prayer going. They were able to work on our baby and he began to cry. He was rushed off to the NICU for tests and care. They thought the lack of oxygen may have caused brain damage. I had to be cared for as well due to the traumatic delivery. We were finally able to see our little baby and find out about the blood tests. His blood showed that he had not suffered from the lack of oxygen and no signs of brain damage. After some consultations with the cleft palate team, he quickly picked up feeding and was able to go home after three days. He has had many surgeries starting at five months old. As a mother, it is hard to place that little boy into the hands of a surgeon and watch him endure the pain and recovery. He is now fifteen and has gone through the tough days with God on his side. We have prayed over him many times and God has directed us to wonderful surgeons and professionals that have been a blessing. We are still walking through this process as he is not done with all the needed treatments and doctor visits, but we know God has had his hand on him the whole time. Even when things turned out wrong, and stitches broke, when a tumor was discovered in his ear, and when he had a terrible allergic reaction to penicillin, God was there watching over him, protecting him and placing us right where we needed to be at the right time. He has been faithful through it all.
My husband and I made some decisions to do our best to be obedient to the Word of the Lord. We have failed and we have succeeded at times. We ended up moving to Kentucky from California after many things occurred that brought us to the decision to move. We were struggling financially, and spiritually, and California was becoming a difficult place to live. We lost my mother in a car wreck. With much prayer for God to help us, we packed up and moved across the country with our two little kids. It was a huge move and a big change, but we wanted to get out of California and knew we had a church to come to in Kentucky where we could be used and hopefully be a blessing. We were blessed to help the leadership in Franklin, KY and enjoyed the presence of God in the wonderful work. We enjoyed helping the kid's ministry and the music ministry. We knew we were growing in our spirits as well. There were hard times and good times as any church can attest to. Our children grew up in this wonderful assembly, got baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost. We were comfortable and happy. But God had another plan for us. I began helping with music at a neighboring church on Sunday nights since we did not have a Sunday evening service. My husband would as well on nights he didn't have to work. Over the time of three years, we continued with this. As only God can, he began working and dealing with both of our hearts pushing us and preparing us to move into more of what he had for us. There was a restlessness developing in our spirits for the leading of God. Our home church announced a theme for the year 2020: What's your next? We both were wondering what our next as supposed to be, and even discussed it with our pastor. He also seemed to know God was working on something for us. About halfway through the year, the pastor of the neighboring church approached my husband and asked him to come preach on a Sunday. He agreed. After that service, he asked if my husband had ever considered pastoring and what God was calling him to do. He asked my husband to consider coming and becoming part of the leadership. He needed help and needed someone to step alongside him. We panicked a little then began praying. We counseled with our pastors and after much seeking and uncertainty, God showed us he had this planned for us. We made the step of accepting the offer to come help. It has been a journey I do not regret. It is a journey just beginning. It is a journey of learning, praying, fasting, seeking and definite uncertainty, but one in which I know God has clearly made the path for us. We know we are right where God wants us. God is still working and leading. Do we know what will happen? No. But we know God is right there working. He has ordained the path and when we make a decision to follow after God and obey his word, he will make the path clear. It may not always be what we expect, but it is what God had planned.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23:6
Ultimately, when we look over our lives, we can find the hand of God right there, going before us and working for our good. Do we always respond correctly and quickly? No. We are humans who often don't see the big picture. We sometimes stray, fail, and get distracted. We sometimes allow fear and doubt to keep us from moving. We let the cares of life become our focus. But I can testify that in the little moments and in the big events, God is calling and wanting us to lean on him. He wants to show us what he has in store. He is our Father and our Protector. He is our Guide and Friend. He saves us and keeps us. He has a purpose for every soul if we would only attend to his leading. He made us for a purpose, on purpose. I can testify that all my life I can see the goodness of God in operation. He has always been good to me.
