Testimony

When you become a Christian, your testimony begins. You have a story to tell about your life before and after your relationship with Christ. My pastor is going through a series on how God brings you through struggles in your life. He said he thought I was ready to tell my story and asked if I would pray about telling it. So I did Sunday evening. Here is the gist of it.

I was 21 when I married in 1994. I just knew by the time I hit 25 years old, I would have 2 children and live in a home with a white picket fence. God had different plans for me. In Aug 1995 I became a Christian & moved around with my husband who was in the military for 11 ½ years. Life has brought me ups and downs but nothing compared to what I went through this year.

May 2005 we moved here from Ft. Hood, TX and joined First Baptist Church Oak Grove the day before my husband left for Iraq for 8 months. January 2006 my husband came home and told me he had an affair & decided to divorce me. I felt all alone. Not something I had planned. A friend told me a couple of weeks ago if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. He never gives you something you cannot handle. God knew this was going to happen to me and prepared me to deal with the situation.

Life can be so confusing when it is all about us. We need to keep our focus on Christ. We need to remember we are only here for a short time. I could become bitter. I could have a pity party, which I have had but I cannot continue to live that life. I need to choose joy. I need to choose to allow Christ to be my rock, my redeemer.

I have been going to a Bible study and we have been going through Beth Moore’s Beloved Disciple. She said Christ’s appointments are never haphazard. He can accomplish anything he desires by merely thinking it into existence. He assigns us to certain tasks because the experience is often as important as the accomplishment.

God could have made this all turn out differently. But He chose not to. I have to learn from this experience and find out what God wants me to learn from it. I have to be obedient to God more than ever and have been praying where He wants me to serve him. I don’t have children or a husband could and will serve God anywhere.

God promised that if I remain faithful to Him, He will bring blessings upon me. Blessings I could have never even thought of. I have to be patient and realize my life is in His time, not my own. Once I realized this and felt as though I wasn’t going through this alone, I began to heal and go on with me life. I also had to give my life to God and know that He is in control. I love being in control but in order for me to be happy, I had to let go of my entire life.

Isaiah 58:11 says And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give you strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail

Christ said Christians would suffer. Being a Christian isn’t easy but if we deal with our trials the way Christ did, we can and will get through them. Seek out people to pray for you. Christ asked his disciples to pray for him.

I am so thankful for my friends and family for being there for me even when I didn’t even feel like leaving my house. They prayed with me and made sure I was taking care of myself. We have a choice to live in the flesh or live for Christ.

Gal 2:20 says I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.

MT Here I come

I just got done making travel arrangements to go to Montana in August. I am so excited! Fishing, camping, boating, seeing friends & family. I can't wait! I hope I remember my camera so I can post some photos.
I had a busy week but a good one. It seems whenever it is a short week, having Tues off from work, it feels like an extra long week. Strange how that works.
Well I am going to a BBQ tonight. Tomorrow we am heading to Nashville to get a friend from the airport. We may stop somewhere and have supper. Fun! Fun!
A friend just stopped by to deliver some veggies she got from an Amish farm. YUMMY! Fresh corn, beans, blackberries, tomatoes! Another friend is bringing me a homemade biscuit with bacon! I am so spoiled & love every minute of it. God has blessed me with so many great friends. I have such a great support system here. I am so blessed! I pray I can bless my friends as they so have blessed me.