Journey with the Lord Part 1

We are each created as a unique individual. No one is exactly like us. Similar, but not exactly the same. In the same way, each of us has a unique journey with the Lord. How we come to Him, how we realize that we are sinners who need a Savior, and Jesus is ours, and how we develop a relationship with Him.

What is your story? How did you come to the Lord and then develop a relationship with Him? Since our journey doesn't end until we go to be with the Lord, in this series, I will be sharing a snapshot of different aspects of my journey with the Lord as well as some Scriptures which can help us develop a relationship with Him.

I was baptized, anointed, and dedicated to the Lord as a baby, so God has been with me always. My problem was that although the seed of the Holy Spirit was planted in me, I was not aware of it. It's like having a million dollars in the bank, but not knowing the account number or which bank it is in, so you don't know that you have an asset that you can tap into it when you need it. Being unaware, I went through much of my life as a prideful, self-sufficient, accomplished woman, not realizing that God was at my side, helping me and protecting me all the way. It made me remember a quote from my Mom anytime we saw a person in need, that I mentioned in a previous post, "There but for the Grace of God, go I." I hadn't thought about that concept in my life. I thought that my success and finding favor in my life with other people, was all my doing. I was like the person depicted in the poem below, unaware that through even the most troubling times, God was with me, carrying me.

My awareness journey began when my marriage of almost 20 years ended, with my husband leaving me with our three young children. I felt devastated and didn't know what to do. I had been a stay at home mom, and was now going to start a retail business in a mall. The contract dictated that my store had to be open during all the mall hours, so initially, I had to work all the hours myself. It was a very challenging time for all of us. Recently, I heard a quote from Pastor Lashunda Pitman which reminded me of this time. She said, "When you're down to nothing, God's up to something." That was exactly true in that season of my life. I was down to nothing and God was up to something.

Before my husband left, I had an opportunity to go to a fitness retreat in Lake Wales for a weekend. I took my Bible and a notepad and had opportunity to reflect on my life. I thought to myself, "Who am I? I know that I am a mom and I was a wife, but who is Fran?" So I wrote in my notepad, "I am a loving person." As I looked at that sentence, I thought, "If I am such a loving person, why is my marriage falling apart?" I opened my Bible to read what God had to say about love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. As I went through each sentence, I realized that I exhibited none of those traits on a consistent basis. I looked at my paper and realizing that I was not really a loving person according to God's standard, crossed out the sentence I wrote. So, as I stared at the blank piece of paper, I came to the conclusion that I didn't know who I was. This prepared me to embark on my journey with the Lord.

As I was preparing to open my business, He began bringing people into my life to encourage me in the Lord. I have spoken about one of them in a previous post. (Dorothy with the Sparkling Blue Eyes, Sept. 27, 2022 testimony post). My contractor was a Christian who also had a Bible study that I ended up attending. He and his wife would pray for me and encourage me always.

I tried to read the Bible, but at first, couldn't make any sense of it. Then someone gave me a 12 step program book that linked each step to Scripture. As I read about David in the Psalms, often being between a rock and a hard place, I could relate. I was inspired to read that the Lord saved him in and from every circumstance. I thought if God could do it for David, maybe He would do it for me too.

The first miracle that I recognized was this: I had been in business for a little while and was desperate to find someone to work for me. I had tried ads in the paper, at different locations where people often sought employment, and signs on my booth. All to no avail. Then, one night, I thought about a woman who had lived next door to me when I first moved to Florida. Through some adversity of her own, she had given her life to the Lord and moved away, so I hadn't seen her for at least two years. I knew that sometimes she did odd jobs, and wondered if she would want to work for me. As I was looking through the phone book (we had those then), to see if I could find her number, the phone rang and it was her! She said that because of extraordinary circumstances in her life, she needed an extra job for two months and wondered if I needed help! Of course I said, "YES!" She came to work and the word she had for me was this: "There's no power greater than God's, and if your heart is pure (meaning having no evil intent), God will help you out." Wow! I hung on to that word over and over, to get me through each day.

To be continued in Tuesday, April 25th post. God bless.

God's Provision

When I left the Chicago area, I had experienced a tremendous growing time in my life. I had become aware that I was capable and had gifts that could accomplish much when I set my mind to doing something. For most of my working career, I had been associated with education in some way.

With my new found self-awareness, when I moved to Florida, I wanted to do something totally different, so I opened a retail store in a mall where I sold snacks, drinks, and lottery tickets. I was very successful and God used me mightily during those nine years. (You can read more in my Sept. 13th testimony blog called "A summer miracle". or listen to the podcast of Mall Order Bride). The end of that season came when the mall closed.

I stayed home, cleaned the house, home schooled one of our daughters, and after one year, John invited me to work with him. He was a painting contractor. I learned how to paint, caulk, pull hoses, and whatever else he needed. I had a great time working with him. We worked together for seven years. As the years went on, I realized that we were getting older and John had back problems. So the last couple of years I began to pray, not every day, but consistently. I said, "God, I want to be John's best helpmate, but I can't finish a painting job by myself, so that can't be the way. You gave me a great education, so I know that at some point You will give me opportunity to use it." Then I waited.

Our daughter wanted to leave the regular public school to attend a new military charter school that would teach the core subjects as well as leadership through JROTC. We wondered if this would be a good move, so John and I decided that I should attend the informational meetings to learn more about the new school. At first, it seemed like a good idea, but after the third meeting, I came home and told John that I would love to be the guidance counselor for the new school. So, in spite of the fact that I hadn't been in education for a few years and did not have my masters degree in school counseling, John recommended that I write to the principal to request that I be considered and include my letters of recommendation.

Amazingly, I was hired to help out in a variety of jobs and then during the second year of the school I became the guidance counselor. The requirement to keep the job was to return to school and complete my masters degree within three years. So, at 55 years old, I returned to school, earned my masters and continued at the school for nine years until I retired the first time. Getting the job was the first miracle.

Passing the state exam was the second. I was so nervous as I drove to Tampa to take the test. Then I realized this: God put me in this job. If He wants me to stay, no matter what, I will pass. If He wants me out, no matter how much I know, I will fail. I relaxed, knowing that the results were all in God's hands. I finished the test one hour early and passed. Praise the Lord!

After retiring, I wrote my first book. After three years, I realized that I wanted to return to work in some capacity. I was at lunch with a friend who had a prayer journal. She would enter prayers in her journal and then highlight them when they were answered. She asked who needed prayer. I said, "I want a job where I can use all my gifts, get paid a fair wage and have no stress." Of course everyone laughed. Who gets that?

Within one month, I had two part-time jobs that fit that criteria completely. Praise the Lord! When I reflected on how I received those two offers I realized that God had prepared the way.

In one case, perhaps seven years prior, when the school was starting a high school, I helped the person who was providing guidance with any resources and knowledge I had. Consequently, when she was going to a different position and the school needed a part time guidance counselor, she remembered me and recommended that they hire me.

In the other case, someone I met only once asked if I knew of any part time guidance jobs. I thought that was peculiar since my experience with guidance was always working overtime. The next day, I drove by a sign that offered a part time guidance position. I thought that was incredible. I applied for the job, but was not hired. Two years later, when my friend prayed, a more appropriate job opened up and the person hiring remembered me and offered me the new position, which I took. God's timing is truly incredible!

Remember that God is all powerful. He has all the connections and can prepare the way for you also. Pray, listen, and wait. God will never let you down. He is always with you and as is stated in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I stayed at those jobs for six years and am now retired once again. I am now trying my best to live in the moment, be open to the leading of the Lord, and use my gifts accordingly. It is my joy and pleasure to share what I can with all of you. I hope you are blessed also.

When the Student is Ready...

When the student is ready, the teacher appears. What does that mean? Think about various times in your life when people tried to guide you or give you advice. Sometimes you listened and sometimes you didn't. What was the difference.?

During the times you listened, you were ready to hear. At other times you were not. A line in the 1948 Academy Award winning movie, "The Song of Bernadette", says, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." In my mind, this means, that if you are not ready, no matter how many teachers come your way, you will not listen.

In my walk with the Lord, until I was around 40 years old, I was not ready to listen. I was self sufficient and prideful. I knew what was best for myself and everyone else. Then tragedy hit my life. How would I handle it? I didn't know what to do. I suppose many people were praying for me and God started bringing people into my life to introduce Him to me so that I could realize how much He loves me and that if I chose to follow Him, God would bring peace and joy and more into my life.

Since it didn't look like I had many options: be miserable and stressed or have peace, I chose to listen to those Christians and believe what they told me with the hope that the peace would come. I have followed that path for over 30 years now and can say unequivocally, that I made the right choice and even though through the years there have been times of trial, I have always had God's peace and He has seen me through every difficulty.

Looking back, I realize that my heart was ready to receive some excellent teaching. I continue to keep my heart and mind open to further my walk with God. How about you? Have you prepared your heart and mind to receive the goodness of the Lord? If not, or if you don't know how, just ask the Lord and He will help you. He is such a gentleman. When you open your heart to Him and pray, He changes you in such subtle ways, that you are not even aware of it until a situation arises and you react in a different way, a better way.

Try it and you will be amazed. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear and you will be forever changed for the better. God bless you.