Tag: #WeBelieve

Hallelujah Day

Hallelujah Day

“The Lord reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:16-19)

In my last post,Journey Out of Nineveh, I detailed my decision to quit my job and trust God with whatever came next. One day after making that decision, David received an offer on the house we’d spent nearly two years renovating. While we eventually turned down the initial offer, we accepted another full-priced bid one week after putting a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard. God provided me with a safety net after I followed His direction to end my employment with an organization that I knew was facilitating anti-Godly practices. His provision astounded me and surpassed my expectations. What came next proved even more incredible than David’s house sale.  

After spending two weeks in Marshall, NC, to support my former role in person, I knew something had to give. Halfway through the 96 hours I put in during my first week on site, I checked my inbox before collapsing into bed that evening. In my mail was a LinkedIn message advising me of jobs the app presumed I might be interested in. I knew I didn’t have an active job search running, yet a mailing with prospective positions was waiting for me in my mailbox, just the same.

When I opened the message, I was shocked that one of the first recommended roles was for an executive assistant position at the company I’d just left less than two months before. Could this ad be for my old job? Where did this mailing come from?

I shared the news with David the following day as he prepared to drive to Marshall so we could serve with Samaritan’s Purse in Asheville the next day. The upcoming activity helped me get through the week. Knowing that David would be with me soon kept me energized. I was equally overjoyed at the prospect of showing God’s love to hurting North Carolinians whose homes had been damaged by Hurricane Helene.

“I’m thinking of reaching out to my old boss to ask him about this job listing,” I told David.

“Go for it, love!” David replied. “You need to get out of there.”

And so, I did.

After a night of waiting for a response from my former boss, I wrote to him again the following day as David and I drove to the Billy Graham Headquarters to begin our day’s activities. This time, I wasn’t so subtle. My text advised my previous manager – a friend and fellow believer – that I wanted to return to the company. I also inquired about the open position I’d seen online. I knew the time for subtlety was over. He immediately responded.

David and I felt privileged to visit The Cove at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC, before our days serving with Samaritan’s Purse.

Unfortunately, he said the position was not to support him, so he advised me to apply through standard channels. While I attempted to do so that evening, the posting had already been taken down online.

After sending out a few more inquiries with former colleagues, I learned the open role would support a higher executive than I did previously. Compelled to continue, I created a cover letter, updated my resume, and sent everything directly to the executive seeking a new assistant. In my mailing, I advised him that while the job posting had disappeared, I remained wholeheartedly interested and would consider myself incredibly privileged to support him.

A day later, the recruiter conducting this job search advised me that the position was a hybrid role, not remote and that I needed to live in Ohio to be considered. I asked if an exception could be made and was told it couldn’t. I thanked her and asked her to keep me in mind if anything changed.

My friends and former executives told me not to give up. I assured them I wouldn’t – and began earnestly praying for God to make His plans known. No matter what, I wouldn’t stop seeking His will. As I always do when requesting my Heavenly Father’s guidance, I ask Him to open or shut the door completely. Amid my prayers, I gathered hope when the executive I’d written to replied to me, himself, and said he’d be in touch. Still, I surrendered anew and committed to waiting for God’s direction.

The week before Christmas, just a day after submitting my two-week notice of resignation and three days after God blessed us with David’s original house offer, the same recruiter that told me the position required me to live in Cleveland, wrote me again, revising her statement to say that the position was now open to being remote. She ended by saying that she wanted to speak to me. I immediately called her.

A half-hour later, I was scheduled for a virtual interview with the executive in question – just two days before Christmas. I couldn’t have been more excited – nor could I have thanked God more for this complete change in circumstance that His hand had provided.

The morning of my interview, I reached out to one of my current colleagues – a young lady whose father is a Samaritan’s Purse chaplain. Throughout the past months, I had struggled with her presumed wholehearted acceptance of the New Age concepts I’d so viscerally rejected as a Christian. I had recently notified her and my other team members of my impending departure and wanted her, in particular, to know why I was leaving. I was also hoping to understand better why she’d so wholly embraced the non-Christian principles I knew her evangelical father rejected.

While my friend respectfully listened as I shared my concerns about the New Age practices she was embracing, she remained unfazed at my revelations – including those about her company’s partnership with the reincarnationists at the Researchers of Truth I detailed in my blog – The Lost World of New Age Religion. I encouraged her to call me back to discuss her faith. She never did.

As I hung up, I told David how disheartened I was, saying, “I gave her every opportunity to affirm our shared faith. She never did.”

“You did all you could, love,” David said. “She heard your heart. The rest is up to her.”

Realizing how close I was to my interview time, I began to panic. I’d not prepared much for this important interview, and my eyes were a puffy mess from crying. “If I get this job, it’s because of God,” I told David. “I’m just giving it all to Him.”

“You’ve got this,” David said. “He’s going to love you!”

Forty-five minutes later, I was all smiles. “Our time ran over and he never rushed,” I told David. “I feel good about everything – but it’s all up to God.” I had no idea what would happen next.

Every Christmas Day, I send all my friends digital messages of God’s love. This year, I felt led to do the same with the executive I’d soon be leaving, even though I know she’s an atheist. After praying with David and asking God to bless my words and open my boss’s heart, I sent her a link to Matthew West’s song, “Because of Bethlehem.” My accompanying text read, “This is why I am blessed. This is the love that exists in every fiber of my body. I am who I am because of Bethlehem.”

I had no idea how she’d respond, but I followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting to send the message. This beautiful song contains the gospel message wrapped up in a four-and-a-half-minute video, and I knew she needed to hear it. I prayed with David before sending the video – asking God to open her heart to His love. A half-hour later, I received her two-word response: “So beautiful.”

While I didn’t expect much, knowing that she’d watched the video made me happy – and I told her so. Through my tears, I thanked her for listening while affirming my love for her. I hope that she will see my love as the living embodiment of God’s.

My new prayer is that my former boss’s eyes will be opened, and she will know Christ’s love, herself, one day. I can only hope that my words, actions, and prayers will long be remembered now that I’m gone. My earnest belief is that they will think about my testimony in the days to come and wonder about the person who was the first to quit their company and their culture – or so my former boss told me. I hope they heard my reasons for doing so and will never forget my unflinching faith.

David’s beautiful hand-built barn/shed behind his VA Beach house stands as a testament to his amazing skills.

On January 2nd, 2025, our move-out day had finally arrived. David and I picked up a 26-foot U-Haul truck that morning and began loading it in the frigid wind, thanking God anew for bringing us to this incredible day I’d often wondered if we’d ever see.

“Loading Day” began with our initial load of David’s piano onto the 26′ U-Haul truck.

My last day at my company was Tuesday, December 31st – and the missing weight from my shoulders was palpable. I can hardly express how freeing it was to let that job go and re-surrender everything to my Savior. January 2nd was “Loading Day.” David and I were excited to begin the next chapter of our lives in the new year – giving everything anew to our Heavenly Father.

David’s Canadian canoe and a score of tools rapidly filled the space in our moving truck.

When we sat down to lunch that day, I looked at my phone and realized I’d missed a text from the recruiter at my former job. “Call me when you can,” was all the message relayed.

“Call her now! And don’t go in the other room,” David exclaimed. “I want to be here when you call her back.”

David’s blue and grey house, built in 1962, used to be white and red before his painting, custom-built front deck, shutters, new roof, and timbered landscaping completely changed the look of the property.

“I will,” I responded, “but you must be quiet. They want someone professional in this role so there can’t be any noise in the background. Not even chewing,” I told David.

Less than a minute later, I pumped my fist in the air, and David yelled, “Hallelujah!”

We both laughed with joy. So much for professionalism, I thought, even as I, too, shared in the enthusiasm.

“I’m sorry,” I told the recruiter. “That was my husband, and we’re both just excited.”

She laughed and exclaimed, “That’s okay. Woo hoo!”

After hanging up, I stared at David in disbelief. “I just quit my job two days ago,” I said. “And now this? The recruiter didn’t even tell me what they’d pay me – saying she’ll let me know when my soon-to-be new boss returns from his Christmas vacation. He told her not to wait, and to begin onboarding me. What a God we serve!”

“Loading Day just turned into Hallelujah Day!” I declared to David as tears fell down my face. “Yay, God!”

“Yay, God,” David affirmed with tears in his eyes. “Look at what He has done!” After laughing, hugging, and rejoicing, I thought my face might explode from smiling.

That night, David and I sold his primary bedroom set after listing it on Facebook Marketplace. The buyer was a Panamanian Christian who brought friends from her church to help her load the bedroom set in her truck. She is a single mom and needed the set for a friend coming to visit her in a few weeks. I couldn’t help testifying to her, too – telling her how quickly we’d sold the house and how God had just given me a new job that day.

This beautiful space used to be a single-car garage before David converted it – floor to ceiling – to a bonus room with all new electrical outlets, a full walk-in closet, Pergo flooring, recessed lighting, and side-yard exit.

“Amen,” she said. “God is good!”

“We can never outgive our Heavenly Father,” I replied. “His grace is greater than any of us could ever imagine!” I rejoiced anew at how God had helped us sell David’s final furniture to another one of His children who needed it. My testimonies are overflowing, as is God’s mercy.

The next day, David and I spent the morning finishing our packing. While I commented that we might want to stay another day, David was ready to head to GA.

David’s fully renovated kitchen features granite counters, stainless steel appliances, custom-tiled backsplash, a ceramic-tiled floor, kitchen pass-through wall, and a hidden pocket door to separate it from the new bonus room.

After finishing our final cleaning, I was eager to start our 9-hour drive south. David stopped me. “We need to pray before we leave.”  

As David and I stood in the living room of the home we were preparing to leave, we knew that our Heavenly Father had blessed us above and beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Through his tears, David thanked God for every step of the journey that had led him to surrender his life to His Savior.

David and I said our final prayer of thanks to God while standing in his renovated living room. His sculpted arch doorways and custom-built pass-through wall lead to the bedrooms and bath (left) and kitchen (middle back).

David spent the last forty-four years living in VA Beach – lonely and unsatisfied. It took his complete surrender to Christ for our Heavenly Father to bring us to that moment. None of this might have happened without God’s grace and unfathomable love. We might have missed all our current blessings had each of us not been willing to yield our will to our Creator.

David and I raise our arms to shout “Yay, God” for the kazillionth time in celebration of his house sale and our completed project.

Two hours later, while following David in the moving truck, I received a call from the recruiter with the payment offer she told me she wouldn’t have until the following week. I nearly drove off the road when she told me my new hourly wage.

The offer they were giving me was more than they had listed in the job description. It was more than I ever thought I’d ever make – even with annual bonuses over several years. The pay she detailed was more than I could fully contemplate. How did this happen? How could this be true? When the recruiter asked me if their offer was agreeable, I told her I was just happy to be back. “Anything above receiving this job is just icing on the cake,” I responded. “You just made my year!”

As I drove down I-95 to GA in David’s SUV, I had to call David in the moving truck to share the news about God’s latest shower of blessings.

After hanging up, I called David. “You won’t believe it,” I told him. “The recruiter just called me with their offer. Whenever I feel that God has blessed me more than I deserve, He blesses me even more!” With absolute joy, I continued, “What a God we serve!”

And so, here I am, one week into my new job that God knew He’d give me when I left the company the first time. All I had to do was trust and obey – just as I did when I went to FL to serve Him in 2022. It was there after my initial act of surrender that He gave me the husband He created for me.

And now, He’s given me a job beyond anything I could have achieved alone. None of this would have happened had I not heeded God’s call to go to Nineveh and testify about my faith. Of that, I have no doubt. I would never have applied for this job had I stayed – and I don’t believe I would have received this pay outside of God’s provision. This type of blessing can only have come from my Savior.

I am more grateful than words can ever verbalize. Every time I surrender and say, “I give it all to you, Father,” He brings down blessings in such a way that I can never explain. Every time David and I pray, our litany of thanks is a mile-long.

No matter what happens, we know our Creator is at work. We trust Him with our lives and our entire existence. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

While January 2nd will always be known as my “Hallelujah Day,” I am continually blessed – every single day. God’s provision may not rain down on me with such magnitude as it did at the start of this year, but it’s always with me. Every day, I begin my prayers by thanking God for everything He’s given me: a comfortable home, a job, clothing, good health, food in the fridge, and an overflowing pantry. Healthy or sick, joyful or distressed, God is always with me – always taking care of me. Of that, I have no doubt.

As the perfect ending to a glorious day, God painted the sky with his majesty as we drove home to GA.

Most of all, I thank God for the love that surrounds me. I have the love of a God-given husband, and I have always had the same from my Heavenly Father. I know that both these loves existed before I was even born – before time began. No matter what I do or how I surrender my life to Him, I can never give back as much as I’ve received. Every day is Hallelujah Day to me.

Luke 6:38 reminds us to “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” My life is living evidence of this truth. I pray that your life also embodies the same.

God’s mercy and grace surround all of us – in abundant seasons and in times of drought. He will never leave us or forsake us. If we only surrender all to Jesus, He will always give us back more than we could ever give.

https://youtu.be/Gf8qQLGZ3o8?si=Yw51ZyM57y_sKIjG ]
Journey Out of Nineveh

Journey Out of Nineveh

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12)

So much has happened over the past few weeks that I can hardly put it all into words. I’m dividing my thoughts into multiple blogs to do justice to these life-changing events. This first post will begin where I left off – chronicling what happened following my decision to quit my job without a safety net.

As mentioned in The Darkness Will Not Overwhelm the Light, I lived out my missionary friend’s challenge to go to Nineveh – figuratively if not physically – and testified to everyone I could about my faith. While I will never know if my words and actions meant anything to anyone, I was far from through presenting my case to my team members.

Upon completing my business trip to London, I arrived home physically and mentally exhausted. Between an early morning flight, delayed departure, and an hour-long wait to get through Customs, I nearly missed my connection to Jacksonville, FL. While my suitcase was not so fortunate, I’m grateful to American Airline’s concierge service, which hand-delivered my bag to my home overnight – just in time for my next trek to VA Beach.

While I planned to return to help David finalize his renovations and place his house on the market, I soon learned that David had secretly finished everything while I was traveling. In fact, David had already put a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard and had a showing scheduled for the following afternoon – the very day I was driving back up to help him. After nearly two years of renovation work with considerable delays and unforeseen challenges, completion seemed incomprehensible to me.

And yet, David had done it all. Not only had he nearly single-handedly renovated his house – top to bottom – he was ready to begin showcasing his handiwork, hoping the right person might see it and purchase the property. Without any form of advertising or the use of any realty services, he scheduled someone to visit the property on his own – a staggering accomplishment, to say the least.  

After a good night’s rest, I set out with our two kitties and began my northward travel. I was excited about seeing David again and eager to tell him my plans to trust God and quit my job. I felt peace and joy on that ride, knowing that my Heavenly Father controlled everything.

It was great to know that we were finally ending the renovation work. Since David and I met, he’s done nothing but renovate and restore homes. In Ft. Myers, he and I worked and lived in the house we gutted with Samaritan’s Purse – as detailed in my blog post: “Building an ark is never easy but always worth it.”

David then went on to restore and rebuild a second home in Ft. Myers – completing all but a few small projects. He would have finished it all were it not for another essential engagement he had to keep – getting married to me just five months after we met in a disaster zone while serving with Samaritan’s Purse (see Surrender – Samaritan’s Purse Deployment, Part 7).

When our Perfectly Loved saga culminated in our wedding, the renovation work of David’s house began in earnest. One year and nine months later, we were finally ending what we’d lived with as long as we’d been married – traveling between two states each month to renovate and sell his former house. It almost seemed too good to be true, yet here we were, standing on the precipice of something extraordinary.

Fifteen minutes after David’s house showing began, I called to ask if he was parked close to see how long the Realtor took with his prospects. “They were inside with me for 15 minutes,” David replied. “They’re out back now.”

“You’re there?” I asked incredulously. “I didn’t realize that. You’re showing the house yourself?”

“Yes,” David said. “I never intended for anyone to come in without me being here.” While I was still on the phone with him, the buyers returned to ask more questions.

After they left, David called to tell me that the buyers were builders themselves who were helping their friend buy his first home. “They loved it,” David said. “It was great to hear them appreciate all the quality work I’d put into the renovation. They could totally understand my vision.”

Hearing this news made me happy, as I knew no matter what, David had received validation of his skills with this visit. “I’m so proud of you, David!” I told him. “You are amazing! No matter what happens, I’m so glad you heard this affirmation of your incredible abilities from someone who could really appreciate all your hard work.”

After hanging up, I continued my drive, even more excited than ever to see David. I sang along with every praise song on my Pandora app – eagerly anticipating sharing my decision to quit my job with my husband. I knew this was just the start of good things to come.

Less than an hour later, David called me back on Facetime – while I was driving. “Are you ready?” he began.

“Oh, my gosh,” I replied. “Tell me! I’m ready!”

“We got a full price offer!” David exclaimed. “Full price! The Realtor just called me back. He’s writing everything up now.”

“Oh, my gosh!” I replied. “I’m so happy for you, love! You deserve this so much! But wow! You just put the sign up. This is absolutely incredible!”

“It is, love,” David replied. “We did this together. And you know what this means? Quit your job, love. We’re going to be okay. You need to quit your job.”

Hearing these words spoken out loud nearly undid me. As the tears poured down my face, I was speechless. David didn’t know I’d already decided to do just that.

“David,” I was finally able to say. “You just don’t know. God is so good! I hadn’t even told you this yet, but I spent my entire flight back from London writing my next blog. I made a decision yesterday morning to give everything to God and stop saying, ‘I trust God, but…’ I wanted to tell you in person that I was going to quit and give everything to Him. And now, less than a day later, you’ve sold the house? I can hardly believe what a God we serve! Look at what great things He has done!”

As David laughed, the two of us praised our Heavenly Father together. I told him a scriptural passage perfectly summarized how I felt. Ephesians 3: 20-21 says, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”

I reminded David that when we surrender – just as we both did when He gave us each other in FL – He gives us more than we can ever ask for and imagine. After hanging up, I called my brother, mom, and best friend to share the incredible news with all of them. We all laughed, cried, and praised God together – all while I was driving to see my husband after one of the longest journeys of my life.

Upon arriving in VA Beach, I could hardly get out of the car fast enough to throw my arms around my husband in celebration. God had given David affirmation of his talent and abilities and brought a buyer to our home just two days after putting a yard sign out – a nearly impossible feat in a challenging real estate market.

But nothing is impossible with Christ. That fact has been consistently affirmed throughout my lifetime.

And now, my exodus from Nineveh would continue in earnest – with a new testimony affirming my stance. What I’d prayed for and had countless others pray for with me over the entire three-month period I worked at my former job was coming to fruition. I was quitting for the first time in my lifetime without another job lined up. Nevertheless, I had complete peace in doing so.

Even without David’s house sale, I knew we would be okay. But, boy, oh boy, was I glad I had decided to leave and trust God without a safety net. It makes the results even more astonishing. I trusted God, and He immediately rained down His blessings on me and David in affirmation of my faith.

The next day, I was eager to quit, but it was not meant to be. My boss returned from London extremely sick, so I needed to postpone my resignation discussion until the next day. It was hard to contain myself then, but I did so, as I knew I needed to do this the right way – face-to-face over Zoom since we couldn’t meet in person. When I finally shared the news with her, she was shocked.

I started the conversation by repeating her words from a previous team meeting. “Yesterday, you mentioned that ‘intentionality around culture is so important.’ You told us that we need to ‘feel it, breathe it, live it.’”

As she sat up in her chair, eagerly anticipating me saying that I was wholly on board, I hit her with the opposite. “I can’t do that,” I said instead.

Her face immediately altered, and she sat back hard in her chair. “I’m sorry,” she replied. “What did you say? I’m not sure I heard you.”

“I can’t do that,” I repeated. “It’s been an honor to work for you and I have great respect for you, but this isn’t the job for me. If I may, I’d like to read you something I’ve prepared in explanation.”

After expressing her disappointment and with her hand on her heart, my boss invited me to proceed.

“This role requires someone to embrace your culture,” I began. “That culture stands in direct contrast to my faith. There is a difference between the religion of Christianity and someone who has a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have the latter. As an evangelical Christian, my life revolves around my relationship with Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior. Jesus is the light of the world. He saved my soul, and His blood covers my sins. I don’t need anything more than Him.”

“I don’t need to meditate on myself to feel peace,” I continued. “My JOY comes from putting Jesus first, Others second, and then myself. What I’ve seen here is that finding Self through spiritual practices is what is fostered. That mindset stands in direct opposition to my beliefs.”

“My meditation focuses on following Christ with my whole life. Doing so means everything to me. My daily walk with my Heavenly Father is what I feel, breathe, and live. It’s what my life is built upon – and there is no compromise in that.”

“You need someone in this role who embraces your culture and wants this job to be their life. That can never be me. As I said when I accepted the role, I can’t worship anything other than God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit. I worship the Divine Creator – not what He created, including myself. Anything apart from that is blasphemous to me and hurts my spirit. I can’t ever support that mindset.”

With all that said, I gave my two-week notice and surrendered everything to God – again. I wasn’t sure what would follow, but what my Heavenly Father gave me was astounding. Both virtually and in writing, my boss told me she admired me for standing for my faith. “You have a beautiful heart, and I admire your commitment to listening to your own inner wisdom about what is the next best step for you,” she wrote in response to my official resignation letter.

At her request, I only notified a few others I worked with about my departure – which, blessedly, came during the holidays, so many of my team members were on vacation. No matter who I wrote, I was determined to keep shining my light and praising my Savior, who I knew would sustain me. I will save a few of the responses I received for a future post.

And now, I must return to my story regarding David’s house sale, as we eventually turned down our initial offer. The buyer wanted us to pay nearly $10,000 in his closing costs – which we didn’t feel David’s hard work warranted. Stepping out in faith, we again showed the house to two more prospects. The first wanted to rent it and said he’d crunch the numbers and get back to us. He never did.

The second showing occurred after a potential buyer stopped by with her grandchildren. We couldn’t let her in as I was on a work call during her first impromptu visit. She arranged to come back a few days later with her Realtor. Before leaving, she made another full-price offer – this time without a clause for us to pay a thing. The buyer gave us her earnest money before leaving in her car. After passing two home inspections with flying colors, we sold the house – again.

This time, the buyer and her Realtor were both Christians. This time, we all gave God the praise and glory before anyone even left the house. This time, we knew God ordained the sale – just one week after we put a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard – to a buyer who didn’t even live in the neighborhood, without a Realtor to help us or with any form of advertisement other than a yard sign.

This time, our Heavenly Father brought a Christian buyer who will bring her grandchildren and a continual line of foster pets into the home that David and I always prayed would be alive and joyful after we left. We could not be more grateful!

David and I share a hug and smile while loading our U-Haul truck after selling his renovated VA Beach house.

David’s house sale will finalize mid-January 2025, and the last day of my employment was December 31st. What follows will have to wait until my next post.

Suffice it to say that God is sufficient. As 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” God’s Word also says, “Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

I went to Nineveh and did what God asked me to do. I testified to His power and mercy before, during, and after I walked through the door of this pagan city and culture. I knew this would be a difficult journey – but God sustained me. Throughout all the tears, questioning, and prayers that I and others submitted on my behalf, I never doubted God would see me through it all. Still, the way that He did continues to astound me.

We can never outgive God – even if all we give is ourselves. Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His Son on the cross to save us from paying the cost of our sins. There can be no more extraordinary gift or significant demonstration of love than that. How could I ever keep my light – God’s light inside of me – undercover, sustaining anything other than what God asks me to?  

The answer is I can’t, and I won’t.  Hebrews 10:23 reminds us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

God’s faithfulness sustained me through my journey out of Nineveh. God’s mercy saved me from any further days of living in an oppressive environment. God’s love held me up when I was beaten down by the spiritual forces that were battling to silence my witness. And God’s power gave me the voice to sing His praise and testify to His all-sustaining grace.

I am unashamed to give my thanks, praise, and glory to God. How could I not? Look at the great things He has done!

The conscience clause

The conscience clause

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

In today’s world, we are consistently asked to be tolerant of the beliefs of others. Unfortunately, tolerance seldom extends to those who have strong Christian beliefs. Instead, we are often told that Christianity is bigoted, intolerant, unloving, and discriminatory. Worse yet, Christians are consistently pushed to co-exist with other faiths. Even Pope Francis recently told a group of students that “all religions are a path to God.” I couldn’t disagree more.

Jesus said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6) I don’t know about you, but I will always heed Christ’s words before following anyone else’s guidance – even the Pope’s.

Jesus further instructed us to “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

In my last post, I expressed my thoughts regarding how challenging it is for me to be pushed into New Age practices, including guided meditation, yoga, and spiritual banter, including talk of energy transference and “listening to the land.” If my faith was not so strong, perhaps I could go along with and participate in any of these activities or discussions without it meaning anything to me. It is, therefore, I can’t. Of additional consideration is the all-consuming, participatory expectation of this environment.

Throughout my career, I’ve grown accustomed to corporate offerings residing on a different level than the one in which my faith exists. Social activism, DEI initiatives, CRT training, and all things Pride and LGBTQ+ have become the norm in every environment I’ve ever worked in. These ideals regularly exist as part of the secular culture in today’s world. The one big difference between my former workplaces and where I am now is that no one ever made such activities and thoughts a mandatory part of my work.

This company is different. I’ve come to understand that embracing the spirituality of my new employment is the “mission” – which is not something I can ever do. In fact, my boss just told me to invite every on-site employee to a somatic yoga session she’s hosting while our CEO is in town. She balked when I suggested making some of our maintenance team members optional. “If you make them optional, they won’t come,” she told me. “I want everyone there. You’re the only exception since you won’t be in town.” It couldn’t be any plainer than that.

Fortunately, my Christian ideals will not allow me to fake acceptance of this culture. Instead, it has become oppressive to me. I use the word “fortunate” to describe my position, as there is a comfort in knowing that my faith is mightier than my workplace survival instincts.

I don’t think in terms of gray regarding faith and spirituality – nor does the Word of God. The Ten Commandments are unflinching rules given to humanity by our Creator. They are not suggestions.

Ephesians 6:16 tells us to “take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” I’ve been under significant spiritual attack since accepting this job. The devil has been shooting arrows at me since I first considered this role. While I initially believed God wanted me to walk through this door, I now think it was the devil who opened it. He knows he can’t steal my salvation, but he has tampered with my joy. I’m in a great time of testing to stay patient and focused on my Savior – despite the demonic attacks that are plaguing me.

Tolerance is one of the deadliest arrows in Satan’s arsenal. He uses it to water down the Gospel and confuse those not entrenched in His word. After all, what could sound more aspirational than tolerance? Isn’t it something we should all seek? Won’t tolerance bring more souls to Christ?

I’m afraid not. You see, God’s Word is incontrovertible. It’s also hard, at times, and we don’t always understand it.

But that’s okay. God is God. His power, dominion, and sovereignty are irrefutable. We shouldn’t want Him to be more acceptable to us. Instead, we should continually strive to do all we can to honor and revere His authority over us and all creation.

God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. That thought gives me comfort. I want assurance in knowing that my Heavenly Father controls everything. I’ll say it again: God is in control of everything. That means that since He created us, He also knows what’s best for us and loves us with everlasting love. Nothing could ever be more significant or formidable than that.

I honor, respect, and serve my Creator. He loved me before I was born. How can I not give every portion of my existence back to Him – including how I spend my days working on this earth?

I want my life to be pleasing to my Savior. God hates sin – with a passion. He told us that we should do the same. Here are just a few passages regarding this reality:

  • You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. (Leviticus 20:23)
  • For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. (Psalm 5:4)
  • I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. (Psalm 26:5)
  • Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 97:10)
  • I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. (Psalm 101:3)
  • If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. (1 John 1:6)
  • Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (Ephesians 5:11)

That last verse has become one of my life verses. I’ve always been careful about who I associate with.1 Corinthians15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'”  Shouldn’t this standard also apply to those I spend my workday with? Should the work I support be any different than the company I choose to spend my time after work with? I don’t believe so. Not if I can help it.

A week ago Sunday, our director of energetic net offerings shared photos of a place he frequently visits in the mountains called Amadell. The location is about an hour away from our organization’s land. Following his photo-send, the director shared two pages in a book called The Spiritual Reawakening of the Great Smoky Mountains by Page Bryant. In his message, my team member called the location a “place for deep rejuvenation and meditation,” claiming that “the energetic clarity of that place is world-class.”

The Great Smoky Mountains as seen from the trails of Amadell, NC.

He also offered to take our team on a “pilgrimage” to Amadell, remarking that “this sacred site is not to be missed.”

Bryant, Page. The Spiritual Reawakening of the Great Smoky Mountains. Mystic Mountain Center, 1994. P. 93.

Following the photos were two pages taken from this book – one of this director’s new “favorites.” Ironically, these passages provide a more accurate portrayal of how my coworkers think and talk than anything I could ever describe on my own.

Per Bryant, “When I viewed Shining Rock Mountain clairvoyantly, I ‘saw’ that the peak has an indwelling spirit force unlike any I have ever seen. This great Mountain Deva appears to have a sheer, transparent form with great white wings and a pale complexion. Its crystal-like eyes radiate pure light like prisms. I felt a powerful and ancient energy being emitted by this Deva, a sound that is similar to a shrill, high-pitched whistle.

“I also sensed a ‘presence’ at Cold Mountain. It was a Being who appeared wrapped in a silvery cocoon-like aura that glimmers in the light of the sun and moon. I also sensed the mountain sending out an audible vibration that sounded like the howling of wind and I felt very strongly that the wind spirits frequently center themselves around the area. Both Shining Rock Mountain and Cold Mountain are wonderful places for recharging yourself on every level: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Crystal from Shining Rock (and the area surrounding it) would serve as a wonderful energy-giving sacred object when worn on the person, or when carried in a medicine bag, or held in the hand during ceremony. Physically, it would charge the body when one is experiencing low vitality. However, should you decide to take a small piece, remember to ask permission from the mountain first and leave an appropriate offering in its place.” (p. 94)[1]

Bryant, Page. The Spiritual Reawakening of the Great Smoky Mountains. Mystic Mountain Center, 1994. P. 94.

Before I go further, let me point out all the pagan references in the above passages.

  1. The author speaks of viewing the mountain “clairvoyantly “– meaning he was having an out-of-body experience at the time, or one in which he viewed things beyond his normal sensory perception.
  2. When Bryant refers to Cold Mountain as a “Deva,” he does not mean a prima donna or someone who thinks highly of themself. Per Symbolsage, “Devas are celestial beings that appear in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. They are described as “complex beings, with varied powers and roles.”
  3. The crystal structure of Shining Rock Mountain is considered a “sacred object” by Bryant, with special powers that can be captured, if allowed by the mountain itself and retained by whoever is fortunate to obtain a piece of it.

All of this sounds eerily similar to my boss’s new belief we should also “ask permission before crossing the threshold” of the woods that fill our company’s land. While this New Age speech is something I’m becoming more accustomed to hearing, it never ceases to amaze me at its absurdity. Who am I asking permission from? The trees? The land? The spirits they believe exist in the space? Whatever they perceive, it’s all God – even if they can’t acknowledge His presence.

Last Wednesday, my boss emailed me and our general manager affirming her desire for our team to visit Amadell as part of the new monthly, all-day “practice” sessions she wants to begin – mirroring what our U.K. team does. I couldn’t even respond.

Today, I am covering all this with prayer – even as I’m actively working to escape from this environment.

In the meantime, if necessary, I will stand firm in my faith and enact a conscience clause over these directives. Like Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple years ago, or Kim Davis, the county clerk who denied marriage licenses for the same purpose, or Dr. Eithan Haim, the Texas whistleblower who is being sued for reporting that the Texas Children’s Hospital was still performing gender surgeries on minors despite his state’s new law prohibiting the same, I, too, can’t go against my conscience to do something at work that violates my faith. While my ordeal may not be as dramatic as theirs, my predicament is no less burdensome.

For now, I’m praying for a miracle: a true divine intervention, an act of God. I serve an all-powerful Creator who knows the trouble that fills my soul at every new workplace revelation. Every day, I learn more about the beliefs, ideals, and intentions of our Center. Trust me. It’s not good. There is much more to say, but it must wait until next time.

Proverbs 28:5 reminds us, “Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.”  What my team members are doing may seem perfectly normal to them. To me, it can never be.

For you, my readers and friends, this may not seem like much of a dilemma, but for me and my conscience, it is. The bottom line is that this work feels as abhorrent to me as if I was working for a palm reader or a pimp. I can no more align myself with that type of environment than I can with this one.   

I will leave you with these verses that summarize my stand. “Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity and let me not eat of their delicacies! Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.” (Psalm 141:4-5)

[1] Bryant, Page. The Spiritual Reawakening of the Great Smoky Mountains. Mystic Mountain Center, 1994.

For God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear

For God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

A friend of mine recently reached out to ask if everything was alright. “I noticed you haven’t posted a blog in almost a month,” he observed. “Is everything okay or are you just busy?”

In response, I explained that between helping my husband, David, in VA Beach, two hurricanes, ending my former job, starting a new one, and my mom and brother coming for a three-week visit, it’s been a bit challenging to find time to write.

More than that, my new job has been completely overwhelming. While I started three blogs in three weeks, working 10–12-hour days while learning a new remote position and having virtually no work/life balance has been a more significant challenge than I ever could have anticipated.

As a start-up with a UK base, provision had yet to be made to provide me with a work laptop or mobile phone, for one thing. The expectation was for me to work from my personal devices – something I’d never anticipated doing in this or any other job.

Additionally, while I’m working remotely, my US home base is located in Marshall, NC – an area decimated by Hurricane Helene. In addition to the loss of life we discussed daily, the 27 feet of flood water that came raging through the town from the French Broad River blew out windows, twisted metal train tracks, and washed away complete sections of major highways. The devastation was unfathomable.

Main Street in Marshall following flooding from the French Broad River after Hurricane Helene raged through the area. (October 1, 2024). Photo credit: Josh Morgan, USA TODAY

The text messages from my teammates came hard and fast around the clock during this interval. Talk about starting a job in a windstorm. This was it! My first month of work was far from “normal,” as a result. Each of us helped with disaster response in our own way. Even in faraway GA, I made countless calls, documented local agencies that could help victims, and met virtually with my team members daily to discuss my company’s work to provide construction equipment, manpower, and resources to those working on the ground.

More than that, I was thrust headlong into the spirituality that permeates my new employer’s mission -without gentle ease of transport. While I was told that the organization’s mission is “non-denominational,” a decidedly New Age culture abounds in much of their talk and activities. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

One Zoom call, for example, began with a ten-minute meditation session where all participants – including me – were asked to close our eyes, relax our bodies, and envision our spirits moving down into the earth and then back into our bodies, and up into “a golden ball of light above [ourselves].” The leader continued telling us to envision ourselves as “incredible, divine, phenomenal beings.” We were then told to return that light and energy to our “higher selves and the divine beings that [we] are.”

While I protected myself from these thoughts by praying to God throughout the session, I was stunned to be subjected to this type of activity without my notification or consent. My boss later called me to ask my thoughts regarding the experience.

“You’re my litmus test,” she said. “What did you think of it?”

After uttering a whispered prayer to God for help, I told her I appreciated the importance of deep breathing and relaxation – especially given everything our team had been exposed to during our hurricane response work.

“But what did you really think?” she asked again. “I’d like to know your thoughts.”

At that point, I explained that I had mixed reactions.

“There were things I appreciated – like the deep breathing and relaxation directions,” I replied. “But others – like talk of the divine – that go against my faith. I can’t participate in that. I just prayed through it – in my own way.”

“That’s good,” my boss said. “There are many ways to experience things. That’s all we ask.”

While I was happy to reaffirm my faith and the lines I can’t cross – much as I did before I accepted this position – by the weekend, I was frazzled, frustrated, and flabbergasted by what I would be exposed to regularly. Every day, it seemed, something new shocked me – whether by messages in group chats, emails, or meetings discussing this organization’s nature.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I told David after a particularly challenging day. “These people don’t think like I do. How can I support it? I really felt like God was leading me here – and I told my boss exactly who I am, as a Christian, before I took this job. Sooner or later, I’m going to be asked to defend my faith, big time. I don’t know how this is going to end.”

“You do what you have to do, love,” David told me. “If you can’t do this, I completely understand. We’ll get by. I support you in whatever decision you make.”

After being emotionally overwhelmed one evening, I began watching YouTube videos of individuals talking about God. In story after story, I heard atheists and others explain how our Creator became real to them and empowered their daily lives.   

As David called me later to read our daily scripture passages together (I read the Old Testament passages, and he reads the New Testament plus a Psalm and several Proverbs), I told him what I’d watched that evening.

“I can do this, love,” I said through tears. “I need to stay plugged into scripture, music, and videos that remind me that I’m not alone in this battle. God is with me. Pastor Mark told me this would be my toughest job – and he was right. I may not yet know why God placed me in this role, but He’ll show me. I’m here for a reason. I have to stay prayed up and armored up. He’ll show me what to do.”

That was a week ago. Today, my boss asked for my input, as a Christian, regarding a potential corporately sponsored conference being considered in December.

“I’d like to have your opinion, Sara,” my boss asked. “We want to have faith leaders from the community come to this event. How do you think they’ll react?”

“I think it depends on who is speaking at the event,” I replied. My boss concurred. “I also think that hosting an event in a little over a month, asking members of the faith community to support you during the month of December, while the focus is on Christmas, may not go over well.”

“That’s also right at the start of Advent season,” I further explained. “Church leaders may not think favorably about you asking them to participate in an event to discuss the science of spirituality while they’re focusing on the birth of Christ.”

After asking me to explain what Advent is, my boss said she agreed with my thoughts and would take them back to upper management in consideration of postponing the proposed conference until after December.

“Today was a good day,” I later told David. “Today, my boss did what she said she would. She asked me to give my opinion as a Christian regarding how believers would react to their initiatives. It felt good to talk about Jesus.”

As David and I read our evening scripture, I was ecstatic at God’s written reminders to always serve my Creator and not be afraid to stand firm in my faith – even in the workplace. In 2 Timothy 1:7-8, for example, we read, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner, but share with me the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.

Hallelujah! I thought. God is always with me. I never have to fear anything the world – or workplace – throws at me.

“What a beautiful scripture,” I told David. “That’s precisely what I needed to hear today. God will always give me the right things to say at the right time. I will never be afraid to say them!”  

In further validation of God’s love and provision, our Psalm reading for the today was my favorite – Psalm 91.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague. He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon. Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you. You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your dwelling — my refuge, the Most High — no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent. “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

I can only say Amen and Thank you, Jesus! Forgive my fear and frustration. I know You are always with me. You placed me here for Your divine purpose. While I may not always know what that purpose is, and while my days may be challenging – full of thoughts contrary to Your Word – I know You will guide, strengthen, and empower me. I will always be your servant, and I will always trust in You. Show me Your way, Lord Jesus. Give me Your words when I need them. Let me be Your light wherever You need it to shine. Lead on, King Jesus. Thank you for loving fallible me. I am nothing without You.”

And so, I will continue to shine on, wearing my cross necklace in every meeting I’m involved in, smiling through the worldly concepts that will always fall short of the joy only God can give. I will be the “token” Christian on staff. I will shine God’s light and let Him use me however He sees fit. It’s not up to me to change anyone. I will, however, keep being who He wants me to be, and I will be unflinching in my faith – no matter the cost.

When we’ve done everything – STAND

When we’ve done everything – STAND

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

Over the past decade, our world has become decidedly darker. I don’t mean that in the literal sense, as the sun and moon continue to cycle in the same manner that they always have. I’m talking about morality, decency, and even liberty being under attack like never before in the history of humanity.

We’ve seen more than our share of wickedness permeate our society. Since same-sex marriage was legalized in in 2015, a Pandora’s box of evil and ungodliness was unleashed upon our nation. Sexuality has replaced the sanctity of life. Children are told that their gender is dependent upon how they feel rather than how God created them. Legislators, doctors, and even parents have endorsed and allowed minors to butcher their bodies without thought of their future psyches. “Pride” in sexuality is celebrated in the workplace. Our nation’s military touts gender diversity over strength and preparedness. Parents are labeled as domestic terrorists by our government’s highest agencies for daring to stand up to school boards pushing indoctrination, victimhood, and perversity on minors. Many church denominations now condone same-sex marriage and allow spiritual leaders to live in same-sex relationships openly. Over 63 million babies have been aborted in America since abortion became legal in 1973. Our nation – and, in fact, the world – can’t sink much lower in morality.

Even seemingly neutral subjects like sporting events have taken a decidedly deep dive over the past decade. In addition to the consistently outrageous mindset that transgender athletes – read that as men who identify as women – should be allowed to participate in and dominate women’s sports – we now have the organizers of this year’s Olympic games taking a pot-shot at Christianity in their opening event.

Gone is the parade of athletes formerly featured at the world’s Olympic games. Instead, this year’s Summer Olympics opening featured a disturbing recreation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” In a live and profoundly irreverent interpretation of the same, the artistic director of the opening, Thomas Jolly, utilized Drag Queens in lingerie as the disciples, an obese woman in a low-cut, sequined garment sporting a halo, chains, and tattoos as Christ, and even more uncomfortably, a child seated at the table, surrounded by this debauchery. When I first read the headline announcing the same, I had to ask, “What on earth does poking fun at one of the most meaningful events in Christian history have to do with sports?” Seemingly nothing. But that didn’t matter to the event organizers.

Advocates of this blasphemous display worked hard to defend it for two days – insisting that the tableau was not “The Last Supper” but rather an artistic interpretation of a festival of Dionysus. After all, the production also featured a blue-painted actor sprawled astride a lavish serving dish on the same table where the Drag Queens posed – seemingly depicting the Greek God.

As the outcry continued, organizers of Paris 2024 later admitted, “For the ‘Festivities’ segment, Thomas Jolly took inspiration from Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting to create the setting.” Jolly ultimately referred to his presentation as a celebration of “tolerance” – despite its blatant intolerance and mockery of Christianity.

So, what caused organizers to bow and apologize to anyone who saw this display as it was intended – as a degradation of our faith in a completely inappropriate venue? They could have maintained their tight-lipped stance regarding what some have declared a simple “parody” of a sacred event. As Paris 2024 explained, “[Jolly] is not the first artist to make a reference to what is a world-famous work of art. From Andy Warhol to ‘The Simpsons,’ many have done it before him.”

Was it the profound condemnation of the event that filled social media accounts over the weekend that caused the tables to turn? After all, many noteworthy leaders spoke out against the performance.

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and owner of X, wrote on his platform, “This was extremely disrespectful to Christians.”

Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker who recently made headlines by standing for his faith at a college commencement ceremony, responded to the controversy by quoting scripture. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.’ Galatians 6:7-8.”

Radio host Clint Russell observed, “There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate NOT WELCOME.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X, “The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.” Johnson, like many others, backed his statement by quoting scripture: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also issued a statement that read, “Opening the Olympics by insulting billions of Christians around the world was a really bad start, dear French.”

Despite this outrage, it wasn’t until advertisers like TN-based tech company C Spire used their wallets to pull event advertisements that organizers suddenly seemed to care about the controversy. As C Spire posted on X, “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising…”

Twenty-four hours later, Paris 24 organizers half-heartedly apologized by saying, “Clearly, there was never an intention to show disrespect towards any religious group or belief.” When money is involved, everyone listens.

Events such as this will hardly end after this controversy. The world will remain dark and continue to manipulate whatever it can to gain attention, satisfy powerful perversions, and mock the light of the world – Jesus Christ.

The question is, how publicly are we willing to stand up for our faith? Will we do so even when others stand against us? Will we speak the truth to a lost world, even when threatened with hate speech, fear-mongering, and public ridicule? How many of us are ready to take a stand when the prince of this world – the devil himself – wants us to fall?

I’m committed to staying plugged into the Word of Christ – one of the surest ways to remain strong in the faith. David and I are vigilant in reading scripture together every night. We know that things aren’t getting better for Christians in the world. In fact, the fires will assuredly become hotter and more hostile towards anyone who proclaims the name of Jesus in the future.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to put on the armor of the Lord. Without it, we, as Christians, can never “take up the shield of faith, with which [we] can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

The battle is only beginning. Gird up your loins and prepare. If we intend to bring God’s light into a blindingly dark world, we must stay attached to its source – Jesus Christ.

If we do, no matter what happens, even after we’ve done everything, we will still stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

Bésame Mucho – Italian honeymoon, part 3

Bésame Mucho – Italian honeymoon, part 3

After a great night’s sleep in our Ostia, Italy apartment, David and I were determined to restart our honeymoon on a rested and re-energized note on our second day in Rome. Before leaving for our day’s adventure, we enjoyed a leisurely brunch on the garden patio and thanked God for His outstanding provision. Although we left at 1:30 pm, we knew we had a more manageable schedule that day, so we weren’t worried about the time. Our goal was to travel into the ancient city to visit the Roman Colosseum and Forum, so we took our time walking back to the train station.

An hour and a half later, we exited our second train at the base of the ruins – and gaped at the sight of this massive marvel. After basking in its glory and taking lots of pictures, we learned that our purposely unhurried romp had, unfortunately, prevented us from any possible entry into the landmark. Tickets, we soon learned, were sold out for the day. I should have known better, but we had been too tired to check such things the day before.

While pondering our options, a gentleman we believed to be a tourist information worker advised us that we could still join a group traveling into the landmark at 5:30 pm. Even better, he agreed to show us where the group was meeting – promising that he had nothing to gain and only wanted to help. Unfortunately, we learned that wasn’t quite the truth.

Tickets to join this tour came at the steep price of 60 euros/person – a triple increase in the general admission cost. Neither David nor I were willing to pay such exorbitant fares, so we declined the offer and continued our journey – promising each other that we’d come back one day to see inside. 

Although David and I couldn’t tour inside the Roman Colosseum, we still felt privileged to stand before this historical marvel. Completed in 80 AD, it took an estimated 60-100,000 Jewish slaves over eight years to finish construction of the amphitheater. With a seating capacity of over 50,000+, the original site even boasted retractable awnings to protect the spectators of gladiatorial games, animal fights, and even military reenactments from the brutal sun. 

Undeterred by this setback to our day’s adventure, David and I passed the Constantine Arch and then moved over to the entrance of the Roman Forum – only to learn that tickets for the same must be purchased at the Colosseum – and that the Forum would be closing in 10 minutes.

Laughing off what could have been a massive disappointment, David and I decided to walk to the Circus Maximus and then around to the back of the Forum ourselves instead. We were in love, standing in the heart of Rome, and nothing could dampen our spirits. Even when the Circus turned out to be a small pile of ruins that one obviously couldn’t enter without paying to see, we didn’t mind.

With the Forum to our right, we continued along Roman streets until we eventually ascended to an area where we could look back on the Forum. In God’s perfect timing, the skies were now filled with a kaleidoscope of colors – turning the ruins into a brilliant masterpiece of man-made and God-ordained splendor. The spectacle was so unexpectedly grand that we felt privileged to see it this way rather than how we had initially planned. 

David and I were blessed to see the Roman Forum at twilight from an unexpected walk that took us behind and above the ruins rather than amongst them. 

After photographing the sights with their background of heavenly colors, we thanked God for bringing us to that place at just that moment. We couldn’t have designed it any better had we tried. 

Passing the St. Peter-in-Chains church on the side of the Forum (which was also closed, of course), we next found ourselves back along the busy streets of Rome at precisely the moment when evening lights were turning on, and street performers were beginning their free evening concerts.

As the strains of “Bésame Mucho” wafted across the busy thoroughfare, I was filled with joy and excitement from our day. Grabbing David’s hands, we began dancing together on the sidewalk – as if we were the only two people in the world.

As the lights came up along a Roman street, David and I danced in celebration of the music and beauty of the moment. 

“What’s this song?” David asked as we danced. “I don’t know it.”

“Bésame Mucho,” I replied. “It means ‘Kiss me a lot,'” I explained, nestling into David’s shoulder as I savored the timeless moment.

Had we not been delayed in our journey, we never would have seen the Roman Colosseum at night.

Walking hand-in-hand back to the train station, we stopped often, listening to nighttime tour guides discuss the now-closed Forum from the street. As we languidly returned to the train station, both of us agreed that despite the obstacles that altered our plans over the past few days, we had a much better experience on our own – taking our time, stopping as often as we wanted to, viewing things that we hadn’t expected – making our own unique memories along the way.

Ruins inside the Roman Forum – including the Arch of Titus seen here – were once buried below the city until rediscovered in 1803 by archeologist Carlo Fea. Still an active archeological site, additional ruins continue to be uncovered in the area to this day. Many of the sites date back to 500 BC when the temples and monuments were first built between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills.

Neither of us would change a thing about our expedition – both on our honeymoon and in our daily journey. It’s our committed practice to consistently praise God for His care, grace, and provision at every turn. Every difficulty we overcome brings us closer to each other – not just on this venture, but every day we’re together. We perpetually see our Creator’s hand on our lives and are so grateful for His omnipotent blessings.

God is in this story – Part 2, The dress

God is in this story – Part 2, The dress

I will thank You, LORD, among all the people. I will sing Your praises among the nations. (Psalm 108:3)

In my last blog – God is in this story – Part 1, The Ring – I talked about how my Heavenly Father preserved my sister’s diamond for decades until I met my soulmate and needed an engagement ring. 

A few weeks before David and I even considered rings, I met with my best friend, Didi, to share the good news of my engagement. I knew I had to tell Didi my story in person, so we arranged to meet at her house at the first opportunity.

My best friend, Didi, and me outside her home.

After detailing my story, I intended to ask Didi to be my Maid-of-Honor at the wedding. Before I could do so, she jumped up from her stool and exclaimed, “I have a dress! I have a dress!” 

As surprised as I was at her announcement, I wanted Didi to hear my request. “I’m not done with the story yet!” I laughed. “Sit back down and hear the rest of it!” 

After hugging and confirming her consent to join my wedding party, Didi jumped up in excitement again. “I have a dress! I have a dress!” 

Before I could stop her, my friend ran to her garage and returned with a zipped garment bag with the most beautiful dress I’d ever seen. 

“It’s from Bulgaria,” Didi explained. “My father brought it to me. I didn’t know what I’d do with it but thought maybe Sasha (Didi’s daughter) might wear it someday.” 

As Didi explained, her father still lives in Bulgaria. He surprised her with the dress years ago. His unexpected transportation of Didi’s former gown may have surprised her when he first presented it, but that could hardly match my shock of seeing a wedding dress come out of my friend’s garage. It even boasted a veil and crinoline.  

“It’s gorgeous,” I exclaimed. “I don’t know if it will fit – but it’s amazing! I can’t believe you had this in your garage.” 

Didi’s table setting for our visit included her mother’s Bulgarian plates and tea service.

“You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to,” Didi demurred. “But you can’t even find a dress like this here. It was handmade and hand beaded. If you like it, you can wear it in your wedding!”

“I love it,” I affirmed. “It’s absolutely stunning!” 

“Try it on,” Didi pressed. “I think it will fit you.” 

Without hesitation, I tried on the perfect offering in shock and amazement at my heavenly Father’s provision. 

Miraculously, it fit!

“I can’t believe it!” I kept saying as Didi took pictures of me smiling in the dress – my face filled with joy at the incredulity of it all. 

“This is incredible,” I said. “God is so good! I can’t believe you had a wedding dress in your garage – and that it fits!” 

“You look beautiful in it,” Didi gushed. “It was meant to be.”

And so, I now have one more God-ordained component to add to my story. My Creator brought two strangers together in hurricane relief work and prompted my soon-to-be spouse to forget his lunch on the very day I had extra food to share. 

Two days later, God placed the notion in my head to ask needy homeowners to tear down their kitchen wall – leading me to David, the wall-breaker. Little did I know then that David would eventually tear down my psychological barriers, as well.  

That milestone achieved, my Creator brought me back to FL to help in the home where David would ultimately propose. 

The next morning, we returned to serve with Samaritan’s Purse, precisely two months to the day when we first met. I had planned our service day together long before David’s proposal was even a thought.  

And yet God knew how significant that day would be. 

The following week, I remembered my gifted diamond that would inevitably become the symbolic stone of my engagement. My sister had given it to me while she still lived in Fort Myers – the city where David and I were to meet by divine providence decades later. 

And then came my dress gift from God – perfectly preserved in my friend Didi’s garage. My Heavenly Father knew I would require it someday, so He compelled an earthy father to bring it from Europe for me. Although no one understood until now why the wedding dress was here, God knew I’d need it. In His omniscience, He provided a gown for me years before Hurricane Ian hit Florida and led me to serve with Samaritan’s Purse, let alone meet David.

And as unlikely as it seems, despite our size differences, Didi’s handmade dress fits me perfectly.

Step by step, God has demonstrated that He is not just in our story. His fingerprints are all over my life. No one could ever convince me otherwise. 

And so, I will continue to recount my miracles to anyone I can – the jewelers, my friends, everyone coming to our wedding, the clerk in the county marriage office we met on Valentine’s Day (another story entirely), the pilot that brought David and I back together again on the holiday, my new doctor, all the clerks at Hobby Lobby who helped us find church decorations, my bosses and co-workers – and now all of you. I can’t stop talking about my miracles!

So, you see, God is in this story

Even more, our Heavenly Father oversees all our stories – even when we don’t see or feel Him. There’s no moment He hasn’t already foreseen. He is right there with us through our trials and triumphs, our challenges and victories.

I feel God’s power over my life in a whole new way. I know that God loves me and has given me my heart’s greatest longing – His unconditional, unwavering, unearthly love, all wrapped up in the earthly body of a man named David. 

Let my story strengthen your faith, beloved. Let it remind you that God knows what will happen in our lives, even before birth. If I can find my soulmate in the aftermath of a hurricane, a handmade European wedding dress in a friend’s garage, and a diamond in a long-forgotten box sent by my deceased sister decades earlier – there is nothing our Creator can’t do.

God knows you, beloved. He longs to bless you, give you hope, and a future (Jer. 29:11). Surrender to Him and let Him shower you with blessings as He has me. Our God can do anything. Let my story show you how very true that is. His fingerprints are all over your life – just as they are mine. 

[Note: I will post a picture of my beautiful wedding dress here after my wedding on March 12th. Stay tuned!]