Today’s witnesses are from Matthew West’s website called popwe.org. If you don’t know who Matthew West is, he is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. This website is for the non-profit that he has with his father, a pastor. I will link it in the show notes: Matthew and his father encourage people to share their stories. They have various categories of stories. Today I chose from the Marriage/Family category as I think we all know someone whose family is struggling. There is definitely attack on our families these days.. I have chosen four stories to share with you this morning. Although they all deal with family and marriage, each one is unique. I hope when you hear them, you can see not only how God has helped them in their life but how He is helping you in yours and in your loved ones, too. Music:"Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
We have all seen God working in our lives. However, we might not all be aware it is God working in our lives. This is why it is so important we start talking about it more. The more we share our experiences, the more people understand how God works and how much He truly loves us. If you would be willing to share any experience of how God has worked or is working in your life, please email me at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com or click here. It won’t take up much of your time, and your story could be just the story that someone needs to hear today. Prayerfully consider sharing. Everyone has a story, and the world needs to hear them.
Today’s witnesses are from Matthew West’s website called popwe.org. (Click Here) If you don’t know who Matthew West is, he is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. This website is for the non-profit that he has with his father, a pastor. I will link it in the show notes: Matthew and his father encourage people to share their stories. They have various categories of stories. Today I chose from the Marriage/Family category as I think we all know someone whose family is struggling. There is definitely attack on our families these days.. I have chosen four stories to share with you this morning. Although they all deal with family and marriage, each one is unique. I hope when you hear them, you can see not only how God has helped them in their life but how He is helping you in yours and in your loved ones, too.
Janet: (Click Here) God has been so good to me and my family, even through my wrong choices. Quick story: I married someone I chose (not God). I have 2 beautiful daughters, now ages 37 and 34. Their dad walked out of our family when my oldest was 7 and my youngest was 4. He left for my girlfriend who lived next door who also was married. They were having an affair. Eventually he moved into her house and every day, my kids saw their dad pulling into her driveway, not ours. Of course I played the blame game and blamed God. I had a choice: Was I going to trust God or do this myself and walk away from Him? I chose God. I had to get a job, etc. That ride was not easy.
A couple of years later, we were in a horrific car accident and I said, “God, when will this end?” I am here to tell you I would not choose a different road. What God did and taught us is my story. I can write a book on miracles through the storm. You really may not see the miracles clearly at first but when you look back at your past.. I can only say, “wow God! You’re great.” By making that choice to trust God and raise my girls in church and pursue Him, my kids never got involved with drugs or alcohol. They were A+ students. They waited till marriage. I am so blessed with 5 beautiful grandchildren and 2 sons-in-law that are wonderful. My family lives right by me. I see them all the time. They are financially blessed.
Only God gets all the glory for this story, but the best thing about this story is how much my family loves Jesus. Thank you for allowing me to share a little bit about my story. God bless, Janet
Life is Sacred (Click Here)
I just listened to your song “Untold” and was greatly moved by emotion. As a young girl, I was raped at 18 by the boy I was dating (whom I met at church). I was so naive. I didn’t even know what was happening to me at the time. It took me four months and a few trips to the library to figure out I was pregnant. My greatest fear was having to tell my parents. When I did, my father refused to speak to me for weeks. I never told anyone about the circumstances of the pregnancy, and my father never let me forget how I shamed the family.
Since my mother made it clear that I could not stay at the house if I chose to keep the baby, I thought I would give it up for adoption, but by that far in the pregnancy, I began to feel the baby move. I had always wanted to be a mother, just not so soon. So, I decided to marry the person who did this to me so I could keep my baby and save embarrassment. Abortion was not an option. I had always supported the pro-life movement and never wavered from my stance, even in my current condition.
After five years and a second child, we split. Shortly after, I remarried and had two more children, but marriage to an abusive alcoholic proved impossible. At 29, I was single with four children, but I was committed to raising the best children possible. That one decision to keep my baby laid the path for a life of struggle, but with blessings along the way. I have never regretted that decision. I gave birth to a strong-willed, independent baby girl who became a teacher, principal, and leader who has affected the lives of so many people, particularly children. She says she wouldn’t change our life of financial struggles and other challenges as it has made her the person she is today. She has greater compassion for other children experiencing similar challenges in their lives. I often think of what life would be like for the many if she hadn’t been born. She is a strong Christian, continuing to affect lives all around her.
This decision was so much better to live with than if I had terminated the pregnancy. Life IS sacred from the moment of conception. Creating and bearing a child is one of the greatest gifts God has given women. And for a female friend of mine who couldn’t carry a child, I did it for her.
Thank you for this song.
Shelly: (Click Here) After I accepted Jesus to be my Savior at the age of 24, He laid it on my heart to be a storyteller. In 1996, I remember crying while listening to a pregnancy center’s director speak to the church I was attending. She was sharing God’s work at the center and of how they helped the teen girls who were pregnant. She asked for storytellers.
I was once a pregnant teen who placed my precious baby for adoption. I was 17, in an abusive relationship, with no means of supporting this little one. The father of the baby and I chose an open adoption. On May 18,1989, my beautiful daughter was placed in the loving arms of her forever parents. Fast forward to when she was 16, I reconnected with her through mail and social media. During that time I learned that she had a sister and a loving childhood. I also learned that she grew up living next door to my pastor. Understand that we live in a small New Jersey town outside of Philadelphia and they live about 2 hours away in a small Pennsylvania town on the other side of Philadelphia about 2 hours away. So, for God to plant my pastor and his family in New Jersey is a God story in itself!
In September of 2020, we were reunited in person at her baptism. She shared on Facebook that she and her husband had accepted Jesus as their Savior and were getting baptized. I reached out to her mom and arranged for my husband and I to surprise her. That day, I had also witnessed over 50 people get baptized at the same time (another God story). That day will be forever carved on my heart. God has so richly blessed me with a godly husband and 4 more beautiful children. They are all grown up now. My husband and I celebrated 25 years of marriage this year and I am so blessed! Since the day I heard the speaker from the pregnancy center, I have shared my story with youth groups and high school students encouraging them to wait for sex until marriage. God continues to write our stories for His glory. Thanks for the work that you and your family are doing! My favorite song is Truth Be Told.
Traci: (Click Here) In middle school, I was teased for being a petite black southern girl. I was not popular as a teenager. I have a love of writing and a gift of poetry, which became my voice and my outlet. When I share, I feel fearless and in control of my emotions. This love for poetry never went away even though challenges made me question my gift. I wrote through teasing in middle school, a violent domestic relationship at 16, and rape at 20. I did not realize it back then, but writing poetry was preparing me for my future.
By age 27, I experienced a great loss. I met a guy I thought I would marry. We talked about plans for the future. The last time I saw him was on my 27th birthday. He died from a brain injury. For the first time, I questioned my faith in God. I was torn inside. I was on an emotional rollercoaster.
For several months, I fought with God, but I finally ran towards him. I gave God all of me. I got closer to God. We grew closer than we ever had before. God reminded me of the poetry I wrote before my boyfriend passed away. The poems were about having a relationship with God. I read those poems during my grieving process. I learned how to be secure in God and in my life. After a year of being single, I met my husband at an open mic at a church. I shared my poetry in front of unfamiliar people. He was there to support a friend and we talked during intermission. We connected on social media. After our first date, we had an instant connection.
Within six months of dating, my husband proposed to me. It was on my 29th birthday. It felt like a fairytale. He proposed to me at a restaurant, and I was dressed in a beautiful gown with a crown on my head! My family and friends were all there. For a happy time like this, I continue writing poetry. By January 2020, I started the Traci Neal Speaker Poet brand. I took a leap of faith and focused on my poetry.
Within six months, I was on 22 radio shows, including iHeart and Voice America Empowerment. God allowed my letter to the editor to be in The New York Times on April 17, 2021. My husband does my videos and photography. We are a perfect match for each other and for the business.
God is faithful. I did not like my life over the years, but I am so glad my love of writing never went away. I am grateful for all God has done in a short amount of time. Trust the process. God knows best!
Thank you to Traci, Janet, Shelly and the person who share witness about sacred life. Testimonies are such a great way to share our faith, and yet they are not easy to share. It takes us to be willing to be vulnerable to share the hard parts of our lives. I am so grateful for those who share their stories because I know they will touch the lives of others. They will help build the faith of others as well. Thank you so much for being brave and sharing your story!