This was on my FB feed today. It is a testimony that not only glorifies God, it gives great encouragement to anyone going through really tough times.
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Sunday at my church, the preacher gave us a homework assignment. We were to look for good news from God in a scary time. Last night at prayer meeting we all talked about things that we thought were bad, but God miraculously used that “bad” for our good. Today as I was meditating on God’s Word, I remembered one of my testimonies about this very subject.
When I got divorced, I worked at a women’s clothing store. I had worked my way up to acting manager. My parents had been called to move to Parma to pastor a church. I was on a path to being the actual store manager. I was excited by this prospect. I was now a single mom with a preschooler, and when my parents moved, I would need to stand on my own two feet with Jacob. Two weeks before they left, I was being falsely accused of several things by a girl who recently was fired. My boss told me she knew the girl was lying, but it was in my best interest and the company’s best interest for me to resign because she was threatening to take these claims to court. In one breath, all I had worked for was slipping through my fingers. How was I going to take care of Jacob? My parents insisted we go with them to Parma. My boss said she would call a store nearby Parma and see if she could get me a position in that district. When she called, there were no positions available. I was scared. I was heartbroken. I was angry.
Not long after moving (maybe a couple of days), that store called me and said their assistant manager position had just opened up! And they were able to set it up like I had never left the company. This story continues with me getting my own store in a bigger town. I was able to buy a home and put my son in Christian school. And it could stop there. But that’s not where this story stops. You see, I may have looked ok on the outside, but inside I was a wreck. I was tormented from my divorce and all the trauma I went through. The day I dropped Jacob off for his first day of kindergarten, there were all these families with their kids. And it was just me. I pulled out of my parking spot, and hot tears came out. As I drove to work, I kept saying, “This isn’t the way it was supposed to be!” Over and over, while bawling. I cried myself to sleep every night. I was so angry and bitter. I didn’t want to heal. I wanted to feel sorry for myself.
God had enough. He told me I’m not a victim; I’m a victor!! I gave complete surrender to God. And He blessed me at that beautiful little church in Parma, surrounded by cotton fields. I found my healing there. God gave me friends who knew how to pray. Friends who weren’t afraid to speak the truth, no matter if it was pleasant or not. My spirit came back to life. I wasn’t a prisoner anymore! I learned about torment and spiritual warfare. I learned that spiritual friends know how to bust a roof off and lower you down so you can touch Jesus. I learned That circumstances don’t define you. It’s what we do during those trials that counts! My heart will always have a place in Parma. I wept in prayer on the altars, the pews, in the microphones, on the floor. I sought Jesus for hours in prayer. I learned how to tarry. My healing from my divorce happened there.
And guess what? If I had become manager and stayed where I was initially… I’m not sure who I would be today. Bitterness, selfishness, self-pity, victimhood, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, hate. These things would have grown and buried deeper in my soul. The worst news. The scary place. The headline that read, “Your life is over!” God used it all to give me the thing I needed most.
I don’t know what scary place you’re in today. I don’t know what torments you. I don’t know how close you may have come to touching the flames of destruction. I don’t know what news you got that’s telling you it’s all over. BUT… I know how bad my darkness was. And God healed me from the inside out! If He did it for me, He can do it for you! I thought I needed a job and financial security. But what I really needed was a healing. God did bless me with that job and a beautiful home, and soooo many good memories. But there is nothing I hold more dearly than my healing. There is no price tag for the peace of God, the joy of the Lord, HOPE!!! His Light shown on my darkness, and for that… I’m glad I lost my job and moved to the middle of a cotton field.
There’s nothing Jesus can’t heal. There is no story He can’t change. There is nothing He can’t turn around. These things are impossible for us, but with God, NOTHING is impossible!!!! 
_________
Sunday at my church, the preacher gave us a homework assignment. We were to look for good news from God in a scary time. Last night at prayer meeting we all talked about things that we thought were bad, but God miraculously used that “bad” for our good. Today as I was meditating on God’s Word, I remembered one of my testimonies about this very subject.
When I got divorced, I worked at a women’s clothing store. I had worked my way up to acting manager. My parents had been called to move to Parma to pastor a church. I was on a path to being the actual store manager. I was excited by this prospect. I was now a single mom with a preschooler, and when my parents moved, I would need to stand on my own two feet with Jacob. Two weeks before they left, I was being falsely accused of several things by a girl who recently was fired. My boss told me she knew the girl was lying, but it was in my best interest and the company’s best interest for me to resign because she was threatening to take these claims to court. In one breath, all I had worked for was slipping through my fingers. How was I going to take care of Jacob? My parents insisted we go with them to Parma. My boss said she would call a store nearby Parma and see if she could get me a position in that district. When she called, there were no positions available. I was scared. I was heartbroken. I was angry.
Not long after moving (maybe a couple of days), that store called me and said their assistant manager position had just opened up! And they were able to set it up like I had never left the company. This story continues with me getting my own store in a bigger town. I was able to buy a home and put my son in Christian school. And it could stop there. But that’s not where this story stops. You see, I may have looked ok on the outside, but inside I was a wreck. I was tormented from my divorce and all the trauma I went through. The day I dropped Jacob off for his first day of kindergarten, there were all these families with their kids. And it was just me. I pulled out of my parking spot, and hot tears came out. As I drove to work, I kept saying, “This isn’t the way it was supposed to be!” Over and over, while bawling. I cried myself to sleep every night. I was so angry and bitter. I didn’t want to heal. I wanted to feel sorry for myself.
God had enough. He told me I’m not a victim; I’m a victor!! I gave complete surrender to God. And He blessed me at that beautiful little church in Parma, surrounded by cotton fields. I found my healing there. God gave me friends who knew how to pray. Friends who weren’t afraid to speak the truth, no matter if it was pleasant or not. My spirit came back to life. I wasn’t a prisoner anymore! I learned about torment and spiritual warfare. I learned that spiritual friends know how to bust a roof off and lower you down so you can touch Jesus. I learned That circumstances don’t define you. It’s what we do during those trials that counts! My heart will always have a place in Parma. I wept in prayer on the altars, the pews, in the microphones, on the floor. I sought Jesus for hours in prayer. I learned how to tarry. My healing from my divorce happened there.
And guess what? If I had become manager and stayed where I was initially… I’m not sure who I would be today. Bitterness, selfishness, self-pity, victimhood, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, hate. These things would have grown and buried deeper in my soul. The worst news. The scary place. The headline that read, “Your life is over!” God used it all to give me the thing I needed most.
I don’t know what scary place you’re in today. I don’t know what torments you. I don’t know how close you may have come to touching the flames of destruction. I don’t know what news you got that’s telling you it’s all over. BUT… I know how bad my darkness was. And God healed me from the inside out! If He did it for me, He can do it for you! I thought I needed a job and financial security. But what I really needed was a healing. God did bless me with that job and a beautiful home, and soooo many good memories. But there is nothing I hold more dearly than my healing. There is no price tag for the peace of God, the joy of the Lord, HOPE!!! His Light shown on my darkness, and for that… I’m glad I lost my job and moved to the middle of a cotton field.
There’s nothing Jesus can’t heal. There is no story He can’t change. There is nothing He can’t turn around. These things are impossible for us, but with God, NOTHING is impossible!!!! 
