Those crystal clear, beautiful, precious moments of God's GRACE!
- Thread starter PennEd
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There is a woman in our Bible study who lost her son to suicide almost 3 yrs ago. Time has helped but you can see the unimaginable pain lurking just below the surface on her face.
Since that time, she has not really felt the Lord's Presence in her life.
Our group embarked on a teaching series called "The Comeback" by Louis Giglio. The 1st week we were to write down what we would have the Lord change in our lives and seal it in an envelope to be opened a month and a half later, after the series to see how God responded.
She asked about His Presence in her life. She went on to relate how the opportunity came at a store recently where she helped an older man at the register who didn't have enough money. The man was incredibly grateful to her and she believes this was the Lord letting her feel His Presence in an unmistakable way.
The awesome thing about her story, as she spoke to the group through tears, was that here was a lady who had every reason to not only have anger, maybe even towards God, but to leave Him and her Faith.
She underwent this tragedy, she doesn't understand why, she couldn't feel the Lord's Presence, YET SHE STILL obeyed and loved Him!!!
We told her that her testimony was beyond uplifting for the whole group and what a blessing she was to us all.
Please keep her, and her family, in your prayers, that she would have her pain abate. her name is Jen.
Thanks, brothers and sisters!
Since that time, she has not really felt the Lord's Presence in her life.
Our group embarked on a teaching series called "The Comeback" by Louis Giglio. The 1st week we were to write down what we would have the Lord change in our lives and seal it in an envelope to be opened a month and a half later, after the series to see how God responded.
She asked about His Presence in her life. She went on to relate how the opportunity came at a store recently where she helped an older man at the register who didn't have enough money. The man was incredibly grateful to her and she believes this was the Lord letting her feel His Presence in an unmistakable way.
The awesome thing about her story, as she spoke to the group through tears, was that here was a lady who had every reason to not only have anger, maybe even towards God, but to leave Him and her Faith.
She underwent this tragedy, she doesn't understand why, she couldn't feel the Lord's Presence, YET SHE STILL obeyed and loved Him!!!
We told her that her testimony was beyond uplifting for the whole group and what a blessing she was to us all.
Please keep her, and her family, in your prayers, that she would have her pain abate. her name is Jen.
Thanks, brothers and sisters!
M
Strangest thing happened at church yesterday.
I got to church in time for cup of tea then second service. When I just felt that I had
to leave, it was such a strong feeling but I didn't know what to do. The feeling wouldn't
go away, I just felt I shouldnt be there. So I walked out before I even had a drink,
I didn't know where to go but just started walking into the city centre, which is about
10 minutes away.
Then as got closer to the bus station, this young woman stopped me and asked
where the train station was, she was walking out of town back towards my church.
I explained it was in the opposite direction and offered to show her (it was a good 15 min
walk away from us). We got chatting she said she lived in the next town and
came on the bus, she was meeting a friend from another town arriving by train.
She had googled the train station and written down the directions but then got them all
mixed up.
I said I had just come from church, she replied oh I go to a church in my city. I asked
if it was Abundant Life (a very big church in her town). She told me she use to go to
Abundant Life but now went to a local church closer to where she lived.
But that Abundant Life had been very good to her when she was homeless.
Wow, anyway we continued chatting and walking to the train station. She said she
hadn't been to church for a few weeks she was feeling out of place a bit out of sorts,
but Christians had been very good to her in the past.
By that time we were at the train station, and I told her it was no coincidence that
God had sent yet another Christian to show her the way!
Then she said thank you for being such a wonderful guide, that she had been worried
about getting lost and needed directions.
Anyway she had to go then as her friend was waiting for her in the train station.
She seemed to understand though that it was possible to get a bit lost in other ways to!
I think it blew her away that God was still doing the directing in her life, even if it was
directions to the train station!
Maybe you could prayer for her if you read this, I don't know her name.
I didn't make it back to church, as I would have been very late!
I got to church in time for cup of tea then second service. When I just felt that I had
to leave, it was such a strong feeling but I didn't know what to do. The feeling wouldn't
go away, I just felt I shouldnt be there. So I walked out before I even had a drink,
I didn't know where to go but just started walking into the city centre, which is about
10 minutes away.
Then as got closer to the bus station, this young woman stopped me and asked
where the train station was, she was walking out of town back towards my church.
I explained it was in the opposite direction and offered to show her (it was a good 15 min
walk away from us). We got chatting she said she lived in the next town and
came on the bus, she was meeting a friend from another town arriving by train.
She had googled the train station and written down the directions but then got them all
mixed up.
I said I had just come from church, she replied oh I go to a church in my city. I asked
if it was Abundant Life (a very big church in her town). She told me she use to go to
Abundant Life but now went to a local church closer to where she lived.
But that Abundant Life had been very good to her when she was homeless.
Wow, anyway we continued chatting and walking to the train station. She said she
hadn't been to church for a few weeks she was feeling out of place a bit out of sorts,
but Christians had been very good to her in the past.
By that time we were at the train station, and I told her it was no coincidence that
God had sent yet another Christian to show her the way!
Then she said thank you for being such a wonderful guide, that she had been worried
about getting lost and needed directions.
Anyway she had to go then as her friend was waiting for her in the train station.
She seemed to understand though that it was possible to get a bit lost in other ways to!
I think it blew her away that God was still doing the directing in her life, even if it was
directions to the train station!
Maybe you could prayer for her if you read this, I don't know her name.
I didn't make it back to church, as I would have been very late!
Thursday I had my main practical and theoretical exams and I broke down just printing things out and signing them with the hope to just get out. But my teacher felt something wasnt ok so she took the empty paper and went ''demi whats this" and I was like '' A empty paper" and she wanted to know why and I told her I gave up and that I am done.
He gave me the paper and grabbed me saying ''demi we dont give up here. You can do it go for it" and she wouldnt let me o until I did the exam (one out of 7 or so)
Now today she came up to me ''hey thats why we dont give up, pick yourself up demi
" and I got it back seeing that i passed pretty well too in that one.
God sometimes sends people and puts them in the most un-thought of places.
He gave me the paper and grabbed me saying ''demi we dont give up here. You can do it go for it" and she wouldnt let me o until I did the exam (one out of 7 or so)
Now today she came up to me ''hey thats why we dont give up, pick yourself up demi
" and I got it back seeing that i passed pretty well too in that one.God sometimes sends people and puts them in the most un-thought of places.
I really wanted to save this thread for inspiring accounts of brothers and sisters experiencing God's Grace in unmistakable ways, but I want to write in advance what I'm praying His Grace will do for My sister's grandson Jensen.
He is a year and a half and suffers from cystic fibrosis. He currently has some kind of infection that is not responding to anti-biotics. They are debating admitting him to the hospital for a 3 week IV anti-biotic.
Please pray we can add his recovery story to this thread:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...16194289.1073741837.1547548154&type=3&theater
He is a year and a half and suffers from cystic fibrosis. He currently has some kind of infection that is not responding to anti-biotics. They are debating admitting him to the hospital for a 3 week IV anti-biotic.
Please pray we can add his recovery story to this thread:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...16194289.1073741837.1547548154&type=3&theater
M
Aw I will pray, I've seen a few people with CF.
Lord we pray for this little boy that you will do what the medics can't. That this
infection will clear up completely. I pray also that he wouldn't get upset and
stressed by all of this and he will not be bothered by it all. That soon he will
be playing and smiling. Amen.
Lord we pray for this little boy that you will do what the medics can't. That this
infection will clear up completely. I pray also that he wouldn't get upset and
stressed by all of this and he will not be bothered by it all. That soon he will
be playing and smiling. Amen.
Been awhile posting here but something happened last night, that the more I reflect on it, the more I see God's Incredible Grace.
I'm a fairly aggressive driver. Originally from Central Jersey, you pretty much had to be an aggressive driver as so many from NYC came to settle in our neck of the woods, that you would get swallowed up if you weren't aggressive.
I've been praying To the Lord to stop. Especially now that most aren't aggressive in Southeast Pa, where I live now. Having limited success.
Well last evening, on my way to Bible study at someone's house, with my 2 sons and a young lady with me, I was on a 4 lane highway with a left turn exit lane.
It was dark and I'm having a little trouble with car lights glare. We were stopped at a light in the left turn exit lane, behind another car. The left turn green protected arrow came and the car in front of us went. We were running a little late, and that combined with my type A aggressive driving ALWAYS means I'm going right away, and pretty quick.
So the car in front went, fine. For NO REASON I can think of I only slowly inched left. The arrow was fully green and would remain so for at least 5 seconds after I turned. Across the Highway in one lane several cars were stopped, waiting for the full green so they could go straight in the other direction I was facing.
Almost out of nowhere a car, traveling in the left opposing lane facing us, raced at least 50 MPH straight across the highway in that open lane no cars were lined up at, RUNNING THE RED LIGHT!! Maybe the Green left turn arrow on his side of the road confused him, but there is no doubt at that speed hitting us in the side, would have killed us.
Seriously, I NEVER hesitate in situations like that. The ONLY explanation is that the Lord stopped me this ONE time!
It took a little time for it to register for us what happened. I want to thank the Lord for His loving, merciful Grace. All glory and praise go to Him!
I'm a fairly aggressive driver. Originally from Central Jersey, you pretty much had to be an aggressive driver as so many from NYC came to settle in our neck of the woods, that you would get swallowed up if you weren't aggressive.
I've been praying To the Lord to stop. Especially now that most aren't aggressive in Southeast Pa, where I live now. Having limited success.
Well last evening, on my way to Bible study at someone's house, with my 2 sons and a young lady with me, I was on a 4 lane highway with a left turn exit lane.
It was dark and I'm having a little trouble with car lights glare. We were stopped at a light in the left turn exit lane, behind another car. The left turn green protected arrow came and the car in front of us went. We were running a little late, and that combined with my type A aggressive driving ALWAYS means I'm going right away, and pretty quick.
So the car in front went, fine. For NO REASON I can think of I only slowly inched left. The arrow was fully green and would remain so for at least 5 seconds after I turned. Across the Highway in one lane several cars were stopped, waiting for the full green so they could go straight in the other direction I was facing.
Almost out of nowhere a car, traveling in the left opposing lane facing us, raced at least 50 MPH straight across the highway in that open lane no cars were lined up at, RUNNING THE RED LIGHT!! Maybe the Green left turn arrow on his side of the road confused him, but there is no doubt at that speed hitting us in the side, would have killed us.
Seriously, I NEVER hesitate in situations like that. The ONLY explanation is that the Lord stopped me this ONE time!
It took a little time for it to register for us what happened. I want to thank the Lord for His loving, merciful Grace. All glory and praise go to Him!
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wonderful witness, Penn, and of your expression of the situation...
what I am seeing, is that Jesus is really working on your 'bad-habits of 'aggression...
you just need to stay steady, soft, and aware and trust in Him in ALL situations,
especially were we know we fail in putting others first...in God's realm, there is never
any 'hurry' or any reason to have it 'our-own-way'; instead we must have an open mind of trying
to give 'a loving understanding' of where another may be reacting from in their lives...
driving out in the world is one of our greatest challenges of putting others 'first', and taking a
back-seat with Jesus' Love in our hearts...
what I am seeing, is that Jesus is really working on your 'bad-habits of 'aggression...
you just need to stay steady, soft, and aware and trust in Him in ALL situations,
especially were we know we fail in putting others first...in God's realm, there is never
any 'hurry' or any reason to have it 'our-own-way'; instead we must have an open mind of trying
to give 'a loving understanding' of where another may be reacting from in their lives...
driving out in the world is one of our greatest challenges of putting others 'first', and taking a
back-seat with Jesus' Love in our hearts...
M
I’ve lost count of times I’ve been “stopped” just in nick of time.
Once I was at a busy pedestrian crossing, the oncoming traffic could only go
past me in one direction. So I was looking in that direction only, waiting for the traffic
to stop and the green walking man to appear to say it was safe to cross.
Well the traffic stopped and the walking green man appeared. I was just about
to cross when I stopped, then suddenly a speeding police car shot past me on the
wrong side of the road from the opposite direction. The blue lights were on but
no siren.
I never heard it as the engine was very quiet even as it passed me it wasn’t that loud.
I assume the cop took advantage of the stopped traffic to nip through on the wrong
side of the road. If I had stepped out I would definitely been hit and flung down the
road due to the speed it was going at.
Once I was at a busy pedestrian crossing, the oncoming traffic could only go
past me in one direction. So I was looking in that direction only, waiting for the traffic
to stop and the green walking man to appear to say it was safe to cross.
Well the traffic stopped and the walking green man appeared. I was just about
to cross when I stopped, then suddenly a speeding police car shot past me on the
wrong side of the road from the opposite direction. The blue lights were on but
no siren.
I never heard it as the engine was very quiet even as it passed me it wasn’t that loud.
I assume the cop took advantage of the stopped traffic to nip through on the wrong
side of the road. If I had stepped out I would definitely been hit and flung down the
road due to the speed it was going at.
The following is my first, I have a close second which I may post later.
I had a bad upbringing.
My mother gift pregnant with me out of wedlock. This was shameful for a Muslim family.
She was told to abort me. Taken to the clinic and was in the room.
At the last minute she said no. Her dad insisted but the surgeon refused because she said no.
As a result she was the black sheep of the family.
As a result she whilst getting growing up I suffered the brunt of it.
She never told me she loved me, other than when she was drunk, even then being told she loved me could be followed up with a barrage of abuse.
She threw me out when I was 14, she told the family I was gay and had aids amongst other stuff.
We never talked for about 5 years.
I came back to church after not going for 2 years. I went to one of the leaders and asked if we could meet up. He did not know me but agreed. I was really struggling.
When we meet he said "I've been praying this week and I really feel led to ask you about your mother"
I said what about her (we were not taking at that time) I gave a brief history.
He told me to spend some time. Pray to God and ask him to reveal all the stuff you have not forgiven her for, then pray over that and state that you forgive her, when you have done all that then burn the paper and tell God I'm letting it go.
I set aside a Saturday, started about 10 a.m. I finished about 4 p.m
I was shattered. Got something to eat and went to bed about 6.
I prayed "God thank you for today"
Then I heard God say to me "Bill ask me what I think about your mum"
So I did.
I just started crying. I cried for 8 hours solid, I implored God half way through to let me sleep cause I was tired but no.
For those 8 hours God laid on my heart how he weeps for my mum, he cries over her day and night.
As he started to reveal this I once again says please let me sleep.
He said no, there is more I want to reveal, your mother is a hurting woman, you have no idea what she had been through, you have no idea of her hurt and pain. I do. I love your mother so so much and I hurt because she does. You wrote a lot of stuff down today are you really ready to forgive?
That was the breaker for me, I just wrote down words on paper but they were just words but no love.
Then God says to me "Now pray for your mother"
When I did that I was sobbing lots and found myself imploring God "Please, please heal my mum, I have seen just a fraction of your pain for here, please restore us, I really can't take anymore please let me sleep.
I then feel asleep.
We are now restored
It took a few years, a loving wife who showed me how to love, God working in me to love her and truly let go of the past, my mum still walked in the past during this time. But as I walked in it our relationship is restored.
The defining moment when I knew restoration was complete was when one day when we went to see her. As I was leaving she gave me a hug and said "I love you" and I said it back and it was genuine.
The first time I had says it to her and the first time she says it to me whilst not drunk.
Praise Jesus and even now I'm very emotional typing this.
My mum became a Christian 10 years ago at the age of 60.
And God is truly working in her and continuing to release her from her past.
Sorry if some do not see this as precious moments of grace but for me it is.
It started with "Bill ask me about what I feel your mother"
It's his grace that restored our relationship, it's his grace that released me and my mum.
It's his grace that restored the relationship between him and my mum.
Thank you Jesus for saving my mum.
I had a bad upbringing.
My mother gift pregnant with me out of wedlock. This was shameful for a Muslim family.
She was told to abort me. Taken to the clinic and was in the room.
At the last minute she said no. Her dad insisted but the surgeon refused because she said no.
As a result she was the black sheep of the family.
As a result she whilst getting growing up I suffered the brunt of it.
She never told me she loved me, other than when she was drunk, even then being told she loved me could be followed up with a barrage of abuse.
She threw me out when I was 14, she told the family I was gay and had aids amongst other stuff.
We never talked for about 5 years.
I came back to church after not going for 2 years. I went to one of the leaders and asked if we could meet up. He did not know me but agreed. I was really struggling.
When we meet he said "I've been praying this week and I really feel led to ask you about your mother"
I said what about her (we were not taking at that time) I gave a brief history.
He told me to spend some time. Pray to God and ask him to reveal all the stuff you have not forgiven her for, then pray over that and state that you forgive her, when you have done all that then burn the paper and tell God I'm letting it go.
I set aside a Saturday, started about 10 a.m. I finished about 4 p.m
I was shattered. Got something to eat and went to bed about 6.
I prayed "God thank you for today"
Then I heard God say to me "Bill ask me what I think about your mum"
So I did.
I just started crying. I cried for 8 hours solid, I implored God half way through to let me sleep cause I was tired but no.
For those 8 hours God laid on my heart how he weeps for my mum, he cries over her day and night.
As he started to reveal this I once again says please let me sleep.
He said no, there is more I want to reveal, your mother is a hurting woman, you have no idea what she had been through, you have no idea of her hurt and pain. I do. I love your mother so so much and I hurt because she does. You wrote a lot of stuff down today are you really ready to forgive?
That was the breaker for me, I just wrote down words on paper but they were just words but no love.
Then God says to me "Now pray for your mother"
When I did that I was sobbing lots and found myself imploring God "Please, please heal my mum, I have seen just a fraction of your pain for here, please restore us, I really can't take anymore please let me sleep.
I then feel asleep.
We are now restored
It took a few years, a loving wife who showed me how to love, God working in me to love her and truly let go of the past, my mum still walked in the past during this time. But as I walked in it our relationship is restored.
The defining moment when I knew restoration was complete was when one day when we went to see her. As I was leaving she gave me a hug and said "I love you" and I said it back and it was genuine.
The first time I had says it to her and the first time she says it to me whilst not drunk.
Praise Jesus and even now I'm very emotional typing this.
My mum became a Christian 10 years ago at the age of 60.
And God is truly working in her and continuing to release her from her past.
Sorry if some do not see this as precious moments of grace but for me it is.
It started with "Bill ask me about what I feel your mother"
It's his grace that restored our relationship, it's his grace that released me and my mum.
It's his grace that restored the relationship between him and my mum.
Thank you Jesus for saving my mum.
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oh my, what an awesome testimony!, TY Bill, and GBY and your Mum, and all of yours...
it takes a very special person to truly 'forgive' the heartaches and continual hurts and abuses
that we suffer in our lives, your 'testimony' is truly a beautiful Blessing...
the outcome is the pinnacle, showing each of us who read it, the True Love of our Saviour...
it takes a very special person to truly 'forgive' the heartaches and continual hurts and abuses
that we suffer in our lives, your 'testimony' is truly a beautiful Blessing...
the outcome is the pinnacle, showing each of us who read it, the True Love of our Saviour...
D
Wow!
Wow!
Wow!!!
Part of your story reminds me of when I first became born again. I became born again at a Jesus Christ Superstar concert, so not like you can turn around and ask someone what to do after. I didn't even think there was an after. I went home, went to bed excited about something, and woke up realizing the something was "God is real. Jesus is real."
Then what? Because, yeah, family are ethnically Christian so telling them you know this doesn't exactly mean anything to them. So, I asked one of my friends at the school bus stop what happens now, and she just happened to be born again shortly before that so she introduced me to a missionary. A guy who had a Bible study right in our high school (secondary school) before school started.)
(So far, this isn't connected to what I enjoyed about your story. The following is.)
He wanted me to repent first. But I was raised Catholic, and that means to go over everything I had done wrong in my mind since the last confession, except it wasn't that. I was confessing ever sin ever quietly.
I didn't stop, until he shook me and told me I had to go to homeroom. He'd meet me later in the day. Poor guy. Watched me for quite a long time as I continued running down my list quietly. You're the first person I've met that took that long to list passed sins. Thank you. I did get how that 6 hours was exhausting and yet lifted something, even if we didn't get the extent of what was lifted off quite as much as God would want us to get it. That was the start of our Christian life though, even if we didn't get that entirely that day.
Wow!
Wow!!!
Part of your story reminds me of when I first became born again. I became born again at a Jesus Christ Superstar concert, so not like you can turn around and ask someone what to do after. I didn't even think there was an after. I went home, went to bed excited about something, and woke up realizing the something was "God is real. Jesus is real."
Then what? Because, yeah, family are ethnically Christian so telling them you know this doesn't exactly mean anything to them. So, I asked one of my friends at the school bus stop what happens now, and she just happened to be born again shortly before that so she introduced me to a missionary. A guy who had a Bible study right in our high school (secondary school) before school started.)
(So far, this isn't connected to what I enjoyed about your story. The following is.)
He wanted me to repent first. But I was raised Catholic, and that means to go over everything I had done wrong in my mind since the last confession, except it wasn't that. I was confessing ever sin ever quietly.
I didn't stop, until he shook me and told me I had to go to homeroom. He'd meet me later in the day. Poor guy. Watched me for quite a long time as I continued running down my list quietly. You're the first person I've met that took that long to list passed sins. Thank you. I did get how that 6 hours was exhausting and yet lifted something, even if we didn't get the extent of what was lifted off quite as much as God would want us to get it. That was the start of our Christian life though, even if we didn't get that entirely that day.