Moments in a Storm: A SUMite Testimony
November 13, 2013
My friends, today I want to share a wonderful story from one of our readers. Many of you know Dawn from the comments on our posts and see her heart's pursuit of Abba and His peace and hope as she walks through a storm right now. She mentioned a wonderful story about one of her children in a comment recently, and I knew it was a story to be shared. So, here is Dawn telling us this beautiful story about her daughter's growing faith in the middle of a storm.
Even on my darkest, cloudiest, windiest days, God shines rays of blessings through the clouds. The biggest blessing that has come from this has been watching my children’s faith grow. I’m talking seeds to oak trees, indescribable faith that I believe only a child can have. I was raised going to church every Sunday, but prior to our separation I did not bring my children to church. In fact, outside of nightly prayers, Jesus wasn’t a common subject at our house. My husband is a non-believer and I never wanted to rock the boat. Not a good excuse, but it was my poor reasoning.
Fast forward to our separation after 10 years of marriage and the first place I turned was back to Jesus, who had never left my side even when I had left His. In fact, He was right there waiting with open arms and nothing but grace and forgiveness. This was also a turning point for my girls, 8 and 10 at the time.
The three of us rallied together for support. We began going to church again and submerged ourselves in The Word of God and His promises. We began praying for and continue to pray for their dad’s heart of stone to be turned into a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26.
The amazing thing is that my kids who had not been raised in an openly Christian household embraced all of it immediately. Their faith alone makes this storm worth every minute.
One of my favorite examples of this comes from my oldest daughter, Lily, who is now 11 and in the 6th grade. One day, Lily got in the car after school and announced how excited she was because someone at school had finally been rude to her. I was very confused and asked why that made her so happy. She said it was because she had been praying for God to send her an enemy that she could be nice to. Talk about make a mama’s heart soar. In dealing with their dad, we talk a lot about loving people because God calls us to and not because of how they treat us or what they do or don’t do.
These trials are so hard, but there are so many teachable moments in them. Opportunities to teach our children things that they can’t learn from smooth sailing. My kids have learned more about the love and faithfulness of Our Father and about the love He calls us to show each other than I could have ever taught them when the sun is shining. Never forget that our kids are watching us in these situations and God is using these trials to show these sweet babies HIS amazing love.
God alone has given me the strength to endure this storm with grace, love and forgiveness (most of the time.) To Him all the Glory for not only, every teachable moment that He gives me, but for the wisdom He gives me in that moment. It is through nothing in me that I am able to attain these things.
I regret not wanting to rock the boat all those years, but I am forever grateful for the second chance God has given me to give my children the gift of faith. It’s never too late to give them that gift.