The Doors of Faith

   One day I received an email from a woman named Dianne who was a member of our tour group that traveled around Great Britain and Ireland last fall. We met her while waiting at the JFK airport in New York and as it turned out, became friends during the two week tour. Dianne had been faithful to keep in touch during the months following the trip and wanted to know if I would read over a talk she was going to give for a women’s retreat.

   Dianne’s story was one of heartbreak, hope and gratitude. Early in her marriage, she and her husband had the heartbreaking disappointment of two miscarriages, followed by the devastating loss of Dianne’s mother. Not long after her mother passed away, she became pregnant again. This news caused many emotions—fear as well as joy, and sadness that her mother would not able to share in that experience.

   Then came the shock of being abandoned by her husband just before the baby was due. With the previous hurts, Dianne had been angry at God and had “closed the doors of her faith.” Even after giving birth to a healthy baby boy, she didn’t turn to Him or thank Him.

   Dianne worked hard as a single mom, getting degrees in nursing and supporting her son, Rob, to the best of her ability. Unfortunately, Rob began having difficulties as a young adult, turning to drugs for comfort. One day, she found him after he had overdosed on drugs. This time she cried out to God for help.

   In her own words: “God was there… Moments later…Rob opened his eyes and asked me what was going on. God had given me my precious child back. And it was from that day on that I reopened the doors of my faith.” Dianne found a church home and started going every Sunday to thank God for the miracle He had given her.

    While Rob was at a rehabilitation facility, a stranger whose name was “Mr. Wonderful,” gave him a Bible! He never saw the man again after that, but read the Bible from cover to cover. “I believe it was our Heavenly Father who was with my son.”

    After finishing rehab, Rob began going with Dianne to her new church and subsequently gave his life to Christ.  Both Dianne and Rob are truly grateful to God for His grace and mercy in sparing Rob’s life. Dianne wrote, “To this day I continue to pay ahead for all God has done for me…”

    I recently heard another wonderful testimony from a friend who is active in the women’s fellowship group at her church in Porterville. She too shared a story of a miracle which happened in her life.  As it turned out, her youngest son was born in 1962 with RH blood, necessitating many blood transfusions. In addition to that complication, when he was six weeks old, he came down with pneumonia. The prognosis didn’t look good for their new baby. While with him in the hospital room one evening, she noticed a blue light around his tiny bed. It was then that she felt God’s presence and believed in her heart that he would be ok. God graciously brought healing to the baby.

   “How is he now?’ I wondered.

   “He is 54 years old and is just fine!” she said, smiling and still extremely thankful, giving Him the glory for this great miracle.

    May the doors of our faith always be opened to God; and may we always be aware of and grateful to Him for His amazing grace!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1: 2-4 NIV