God is Faithful
Great is thy faithfulness, Oh, Lord! He is so faithful to His children. I became a born again Christian in the summer of 1981. I could resist no longer. Everywhere I turned was a Christian. My sister even sent me cassette tapes of her sweet voice desperately praying for me, encouraging me to come to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and to beware of the Anti-Christ! The end times were near! Fear? Absolutely. Great fear.
I worked with a Christian; it seemed I met Christians everywhere I went. Then low and behold, a neighbor who lived directly across the street and attended Warehouse Christian Ministries invited me to go to church with her. With my two young sons in tow, I went. As a single mom, I felt it was time for some direction in my life or, to put it bluntly, the Lord thought it was time! Through this friend I met another neighbor along with my future husband. Great is His faithfulness!
I was on fire for Jesus and I was baptized within a couple of months. My life changed forever and what a wonderfully amazing change it was!
As a single mother, I was driven and extremely determined to give my boys the best I could, even without the help of their father. I could have gone on welfare, but I was too proud to do that. I worked full-time and provided a decent home for them. Although we moved frequently, it was always within a 5-mile radius because I wanted to make sure they stayed close to their friends and in the same school district. Times were difficult but each step of the way, when I felt I couldn’t go on or provide for my sons any longer, the Lord would always come through. Whether it was a few extra dollars from my family back East, a tax refund, food from a neighbor, hand-me-down clothes for the kids, or a bonus from my boss, the Lord provided. Yes, there were many struggles and trials along the way. For me, the most difficult part of single parenthood was the loneliness. “Why is this happening to me Lord?” I’d ask. “Why must I live alone without a husband? I have so much love to give.”
The Lord’s answer came soon after that. I played softball for many years and took my boys with me. They hung out in the dugout with my friends and helped out as bat boys. It was then that I met a man who I thought I would live with the rest of my life. We had a brief 6-month relationship and then were married. Five years into the marriage he left, deciding that he wanted a new woman to spend his life with. I was devastated. I thought God put him in my life to stay. We attended church together; we taught on Friday nights with the kids. How could God do this? I didn’t think I would survive. I lost 25 pounds in two weeks. My boys, who were now teenagers, were torn to see me suffering. My oldest – and out of the mouths of babes – said, “Mom, he wasn’t with the Lord. You need to move on.” Wow! I pestered some folks at the Warehouse many late nights. I just didn’t know what to do or how to handle the hurt. Finally, I got on my knees and prayed, and, of course, Jesus was there and heard my cries. The Lord was building my character and making my faith stronger.
I started a new job and a new life. It was then that I got in touch with the man across the street who would be my husband! This is the man I had met back in 1981. It was now 1989. After about one and a half years of chatting, never dating, we connected. In March 1991 we went on our first date and we married in December 1992. Great is His faithfulness.
He wasn’t a Christian, and I knew the Bible says to be evenly yoked, but in my heart I knew he was a good man and that was that! After a couple of years of me going to church alone he started going with me. During this time, my youngest son responded to an altar call. My husband was there to witness that, and it touched him. He started attending with me more often.
Then in January 2003, we learned from doctors that there was a “spot” on his lungs. We were stunned. He was extremely scared. We prayed constantly and he began to read the Bible fervently. I told him that I believed in my heart all would be well, that Jesus is our physician. He was willing to go to church and be anointed with oil by a couple of pastors. We went. We cried.
He went in for a CT-scan and we wouldn’t get the results for a few days. He loves Tahoe, so I decided to get him out of the house and out of town for the weekend. The following Monday, we anxiously waited by the phone for the CT-scan results. The call came. The spot was gone! Gone, they said, in an amazed voice. Praise you, Jesus! We held each other and cried again. This time we cried tears of joy and relief. This man means the world to me. He is my best friend! Great is His faithfulness!
Knowing that nothing is impossible with Christ is ever in our minds and hearts. I truly don’t know what people do without Him, His love, His care, His mercy, and His grace in their lives. I, for one, don’t want to ever be without Him!
Chrissy
