Sunday, March 25, 2018

TRUST #11: Trusting Christ With A "Death Sentence" (Mike Phillip's Story)


Today's TRUST story comes from Mike Phillips, a friend of mine from church who was given a "death sentence" from his doctor, but is alive today to tell about it. Thanks for sharing, Mike. 
When my mother was dying, my wife, Pauline, and I took turns taking care of her. During that time, Pauline noticed I had a nasty looking mole on my waist line and she tried to get me to have it looked at. I kept putting it off and told her I would after mom passed away. When I finally had it looked at, it turned out to be a pretty serious cancer. I was told I had malignant melanoma stage 4.5 (I didn't realize it at the time but, now, I understand that to be basically a death Sentence.)
In March 1995, I had surgery to remove the mole, and it left me with a crater just above my waist on my left side which was 9" long, approx 2" wide, and was 3" deep. After several complications, it finally healed up. Then, when I went back to have the doctor check it out, he sent me home with these instructions: "Go home and tell your family goodbye, because you are going to live about 2 more weeks." I told him I didn't think so, but I did eventually have a talk with my children.

I honestly never once begged Christ to heal me. I told Him I was okay, and to do what He wanted. At work, people heard about my cancer and came to my office to talk about it. Several conversations went like this: 
"I heard you have cancer." 
"Yes I do."
"Well, you don't act  like it."
"Well, I am gonna get healed."
"HOW do you know that?"
"Well, either God will heal my body here, or I'm gonna die and go to Heaven, and THAT will heal me. Either way is good for me."
Often I was asked to explain what I meant. So, God Gave me cancer, and cancer allowed me to be a witness. Six months later, I was diagnosed as cancer-free and have remained so all these years later. (It is now 2018).
I never doubted Christ and He never let me down. I just trusted him to do the best for me.

~Mike

Related Posts:
TRUST #1: Focus for 2018
TRUST #4: Remember How God Has Helped You in the Past 
TRUST #8: Trust God to Meet Your Needs (Carolyn McIntosh's Story)
TRUST #9: He Never Leaves Us Nor Forsakes Us (Daneille Snowden's Story)
TRUST #10:  Following God's Lead (Charity Vanderhoof's Story)

 

Sunday, March 18, 2018

TRUST #10: Following God's Lead (Charity Vanderhoof's Story)


Here's an essay about TRUST from my friend, Charity Vanderhoof, and how she followed God's lead when she and her husband were forced to sell their house. Thank you for sharing, Charity.
I have many stories of trust, especially from a season of my life when my husband, Vic, was having violent seizures and unable to work. We went from being a family with a good financial situation to being destitute rather quickly. During that time, we were forced to sell our house and downsize. My husband was no longer able to help in decision-making because of the amount of brain damage from his seizures, but I knew we had to sell the house because we could no longer afford it. 

I talked to the bank and made it personal to them. I told them I would put it on the market if they would bear with me and not foreclose. They agreed to work with me. The housing bubble had just burst and things were not in our favor, but I had been praying. I knew the Lord was telling me to sell the house and He "spoke" a number to me for what to sell the house for. After interviewing realtors, all  of them thought my price was too high and that we would have to make a short sale. Then, one realtor gave me a number $2000 above the number the Lord had spoken to me. We obviously went with that realtor. 

It all happened fast from there. The FOR SALE sign went up in the yard. Then, that same afternoon the original person who had the house built was in the area because he was relocating back to the area and hoped to find a house in his former subdivision. Imagine his surprise when he saw the house he had originally built was for sale. He came to check it out, then he made an offer that night. He offered full asking price for the house in a market that was a sellers market, not a buyers market. We accepted, of course.  Then upon appraisal, the appraiser said the asking price was $2000 higher than the appraisal value. So, the price went down to the appraisal price, which was exactly the number the Lord had spoken to me when I was praying about what to do. The sale closed on the house 2 days before the bank's deadline. Only God could have orchestrated the whole thing.
Through this event, and many more like it, I have started to learn that, while I might not always have the best emotions about what happens in my life, God is there all the time. I am learning I can trust him with everything. I am learning to say, "Okay God, this is yours to take care of.  I am going to do my best to follow your lead and then lean back and let you work."  
~ Charity Vanderhoof


Related Posts:
TRUST #1:  Focus for 2018
TRUST #4:  Remember How God Has Helped You in the Past 

Sunday, March 11, 2018

TRUST #9: He Never Leaves Us Nor Forsakes Us (Daneille Snowden's Story)


Today's TRUST story is from my friend, Daneille Snowden. Her family is currently raising support to serve in Mozambique, Africa, in a much-needed pastoral support ministry among the pastors, students, and missionaries of that area. Please visit their BLOG PAGE for more information, or to make a donation. 

Thank you, Daneille, for sharing this encouraging story about how God never leaves or forsakes His children.
When I was almost 21 years old - between, my junior and senior year of college - I became an intern to India. I had felt the call into Missions since I was 12, and this was my big opportunity to begin this new walk with Christ.
In that summer of 1987, when my flight arrived late to Bombay (today called Mumbai) I only had a few minutes to drive across this large city to board a domestic flight to Kolkata. Literally, there were hundreds of people in front of me going through customs. I was surrounded by Indians, Arabians, and even Chinese; finding myself the only American around.
Out of panic, my heart cried out to the Lord for help. God‘s response was: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5b KJV)
I simply surrendered my plight (& flight) to the Lord. INSTANTLY, the customs agent pointed to me and said, “You... next!” I answered with a question, “Who me?” Of course he said, “Yes!” I was, then, whisked through customs and stuffed into a bus load of people (and real chickens) and transported across the city. I made it just in time! Wow! JUST IN TIME! Isn’t that just like our God. 

Why is it that our needs are sometimes met "just in time?" Maybe because He wants to remind us of how “He never leaves nor forsakes us!”
~ Daneille Snowden

Related Posts:
TRUST #1:  Focus for 2018 
TRUST #4:  Remember How God Has Helped You in the Past 


Sunday, March 4, 2018

TRUST #8: Trust God to Meet Your Needs (Carolyn McIntosh's Story)


Today, my mom (a recent widow) is sharing one of her TRUST stories with all of us. Thank you for sharing, Mom, and for encouraging us to trust the Lord through every season of life: 
Since losing my husband in May 2017, the Lord has been teaching me to take things one day at a time. I have had to TRUST Him for many things, including car and house repairs; but each time I ask, my church family has been there for me. God's Word says He has promised to supply all my needs, and to be the husband to the widow. The more I TRUST Him, the more He shows me how His Word is true.
I have also had to TRUST Him to show me each day what He has for me to do. At times, I have felt like I am doing nothing for the Lord since my husband passed, but I am learning that He cares about the "little" things I can do, as well as anything else that comes my way. 
  • I can be a prayer partner.
  • I can be a good listener.
  • I can visit a neighbor.
  • Just giving a smile is important.
  • Being there for my children and grandchildren is important. 
He has shown me I can TRUST Him to use me during this season of my life; and YOU can trust Him, too. Ask the Lord to help you use your gifts, and He will. Just listen to Him, and be ready!

For His Service,
Carolyn McIntosh


Related Posts:
TRUST #1:  Focus for 2018
TRUST #3:  God Works All Things for Our Good
TRUST #4:  Remember How God Has Helped You in the Past