My Creed is Jesus Christ

Here’s a picture of me and my 5th grade Sunday School class sometime around 1964 or 1965. I’m on the second row, second from the left.

And, here is a 1966 newspaper clipping of my 6th grade confirmation class. This was at Southport Methodist Church in Southport, Indiana, which was the church our family were members of while I was growing up in Indianapolis. I have a lot of fond memories from when I attended this church, especially when I was young. It was here that I first trusted in Christ around the age of 12, although I don’t believe it was a saving faith.

Two or three years after this photo was taken, our church changed its name to “Southport United Methodist Church.” I continued my membership there into my young adult years, with increasing periods of inactivity off-and-on during my late teens and early twenties.

Then one night in my mid twenties God got my attention after listening to Billy Graham speak on television a couple of nights earlier. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about all the sin in my life, and I cried out to Him in repentance and faith. I believe it was at this time that I was born again, as it was from this point forward that my life began to change.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

I began reading my Bible and started going back to my old Methodist church. However, after a while, a couple of things began to bother me. My Sunday School class studied books that seemed more philosophical than biblical, and many of the pastor’s sermons were light on Bible verses and heavy on modern-day stories.

Around this same time, I was listening regularly to Charles Stanley from First Baptist Atlanta, on the radio. His sermons were jam-packed with Bible verses and Bible stories. This style of preaching was new to me, and I found myself very drawn to it. While I liked my old church and the people, God had different plans for me.

In 1988, I was convicted to be baptized by full water immersion at age 33, and to become a member of Providence Baptist Church in Riverview, Florida. It was a series of events that led up to both my change in church membership and in my relationship with God. I wrote about this experience in a previous chapter titled “Another Gospel.” In short, God was calling me to draw closer in my relationship with Him.

So, all these years later, God has grown my faith and helped me mature spiritually. My theology can best be described in one sentence. I’m a pre-Tribulational, pre-Millennial, “Leaky Dispensationalist,” Young Earth Creationist, Born Again Christian.

As a pre-Tribulationalist, I believe the Rapture of the Church will occur suddenly before the Tribulation period.

As a pre-Millennialist, I believe Jesus will return for a literal thousand-year reign on earth at the end of the Tribulation period.

As a “Leaky Dispensationalist,” I believe in the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy, a clear distinction between Israel and the Church, and that the Church has not replaced Israel in God’s program, nor have the Old Testament promises to Israel been transferred to the Church. I believe the New Covenant is with Israel alone, that Israel is a central theme throughout the Bible, and that Israel retains a distinct future role in God’s Plan. However, I reject the traditional dispensational view of the seven distinct eras and the separation of the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven.

As a Young Earth Creationist, I believe in the inerrancy of scripture and the Genesis account of creation. I believe that the Earth and the biosphere were created by God between about 10,000 and 6,000 years ago, and I reject the secular claims that the earth is billions of years old.

Finally, as a born again Christian I believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Furthermore, I believe that the Holy Trinity consists of three persons in one, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with each being co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent with the other.

I appreciate both Calvinist and Arminian pastors, and believe God uses both Arminians and Calvinists to preach the gospel message and to teach us about the Bible. I like this quote from Arminian pastor Leonard Ravenhill, “Think like a Calvinist, live like an Arminian.”

I respect Martin Luther as a hero of the Reformation. I like John Bunyan, a Puritan who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress, and I like Charles Spurgeon, who was a renowned 19th-century Baptist preacher and a moderate Calvinist who affirmed the doctrines of grace. The late Dr. John MacArthur, the late Voddie Baucham, the late R.C. Sproul, Alistair Begg, Paul Washer, and Sinclair Ferguson are some of my favorite present-day Calvinistic and/or Reformed preachers.

I also like Arminian preachers and evangelists such as the late Dr. Charles Stanley from First Baptist Atlanta, the late Dr. Adrian Rogers from Love Worth Finding, and of course, the late Dr. Billy Graham, who is probably the most well-known evangelist of the 20th century. I do acknowledge there were some issues concerning Billy Graham’s ministry, which I won’t go into here, but I do believe God used him to point many people to Christ, including me. I also like and use the evangelism tools from Ray Comfort’s Living Waters Ministries.

I also like this quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “I am a Calvinist: I believe in election and predestination; but I would not dream of putting it under the heading of essential. I put it under the heading of non-essential… You are not saved by your precise understanding of how this great salvation comes to you.” So, to me it’s really a non-essential issue. Those who find themselves in frequent debates on this subject would make better use of their time by spending it sharing the gospel with a lost and dying world.

I actually most prefer Christian apologist Ken Ham’s position concerning this topic. He rejects man-made theological labels like Calvinist and Arminian, preferring to describe himself simply as a biblical Christian. He states, “I’m both Calvinist and Arminian, and I’m neither Calvinist nor Arminian. When I say I’m both, it’s because, in many ways, I agree with both. When I say I’m neither, I’m saying I’m not one or the other.” He argues that man-made labels that often confuse Christians and that we have to be careful about defining things in human terms when we are dealing with a sovereign, infinite God. I’m in total agreement here with Ken Ham.

I also like the response that Charles Spurgeon once gave to someone who asked him about his theology. Although he preferred to think of himself as a “mere Christian,” he also said, “I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist,” and, “I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist, but if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, ‘It is Jesus Christ.’”

Making Room

Sometimes God brings little surprises when we least expect it. In early 1996, Harold and I had assumed our family was complete, but God had other plans. After a visit to the doctor’s office the doctor said, (with a heavy foreign accent) “It not menopause, you pregnant.” Harold said, “What?!” 😂

A few months later:

December 23, 1996, Mackenzie Anne Crandell!

Time of birth: 5:14 p.m.

Weight: 8 lbs. 8 oz.

Length: 21.5 inches

Color of hair: brown

Place of birth: Lewisville, Texas

Age of parents: Mom 42, Dad 48

Harold and Mackenzie 👶🏻 on Christmas 🎄 Day 1996.

Our little “surprise” came home from the hospital at 2 days old.

With big sister, Michelle, age 15.

With big sister, Megan, age 11.

Mackenzie in her homemade wooden cradle one of our friends made for her.

Me and Mackenzie on New Year’s Eve. Her crib and clothes are in the background. We were in our bedroom (stall) 😂 and there wasn’t much room to walk around but we made it work.

Stall? Yes, I said stall.

So this was in our barn/cabin/home that we lived in temporarily for several months while we were having our house built in Krum, Texas. It was actually a drive-through barn with 12 horse stalls. We converted 4 of the the stalls into a living area: 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, and 1 bath/kitchen area. It was crowded, but we made it work.

The new house that we were building was only a 3 bedroom home, as we only needed 3 bedrooms, or at least so we thought at the time when we first started the home! 😂

So, we ended up converting the formal dining room into a nursery and it worked out fine! The wood on the double French doors matched the wood on her crib and I loved the way it turned out. Who really needs a formal dining room anyway?!

Seven years later Mackenzie finally got to move out of the dining room and get her own bedroom when we moved into a new home in Denton, Texas with 4 bedrooms. 🏡

The point I want to make is this; babies, surprises or not, are all gifts from God; and we’re to make “room” for them in our lives, no matter what the circumstances.

Childred are a gift from the Lord. They are a reward from Him. Psalm 127:3

Even more so, the Baby, whose birth we celebrate on December 25. Be sure to make “room” for Him 🙌🏻 in your heart; be it Christmas time or anytime.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Thankful, My Michelle

I think it’s human nature to take things for granted; especially when we’re young. For me, my earliest recollection of being truly thankful was on Thanksgiving Day in 1981. I was 26 years old and at St Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, Indiana, two days after the birth of our first daughter, Michelle. One of the attendants rolled in a large multi-tiered meal cart and handed me my Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, dressing, and all. Michelle, just two days old, lay asleep in the bassinet next to my bed.

It was just the two of us there in that little hospital room. Harold was at mom’s having thanksgiving dinner with my family. Tears started welling up in my eyes. Not because I felt alone, actually I felt wonderful! Not because of hormones, well, maybe a little. But, because I was so happy and overwhelmed with thankfulness. I was amazed that God had entrusting me to be a mom. I was in love with my Michelle and knew that she was a precious gift on loan from God.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

I prayed, with tears in my eyes, thanking God with every tear.

Later, I wanted to sing something to her and the oh so spiritual (not 😂) lyrics to “ Michelle” by The Beatles came to mind. To me, it was the perfect song about how I felt about “my Michelle” so that’s what I sang:

Michelle, ma belle

These are words

that go together well

My Michelle

Michelle, ma belle

Sont les mots qui vont

Tres bien ensemble

Tres bien ensemble.

I love you, I love you, I love you

That’s all I want to say

Until I find a way

I will say the only words

I know that you’ll understand,

My Michelle.

This was my first Thanksgiving spent away from home and my first Thanksgiving in a hospital, but to me it was really special. It was just me and my Michelle, and it was the first Thanksgiving that I recall where I was so thankful.

Since that day, God blessed us with two more daughters, and many other blessings over the years. But as I’ve grown in my relationship with Christ, I also learned a simple truth: God, regardless of what gifts He gives or does not give, is good, no matter what. I’m thankful for His goodness. I’m thankful for His sovereignty. I’m thankful for His providence. I’m thankful for His protection. The list is endless, but most of all I’m thankful for my salvation through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. He took my place and paid the price for my sins.

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

It was many years ago when I was in my mid-twenties that Billy Graham was on TV one night. I remember walking around the living room cleaning and only occasionally looking over toward the TV but nonetheless hearing every word he said. A few nights later I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about all the sin in my life. I asked for His forgiveness, started reading my bible again and going back to church. I had first come to faith in Christ when I was 12 but had drifted away during my teens and early 20’s. Interestingly enough, I don’t recall ever being thankful during those years. I may have been, but I just don’t recall it.

I think it’s easy to take things for granted when we’re young, but it’s really not just about being young. I know for me, it was only after I repented of my sin and got into a right relationship with God that changed the way I see almost everything, including being Thankful! 🙌🏻

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

My Weight Loss Journey

Weight gain and loss is such a personal issue; many people struggle with loosing weight; many of us give up. It takes determination, the right foods, portion control, exercise, and a practical plan that you can stick with.

Here I am in 2013 holding our youngest grandson at the time, Hudson, who I love dearly. I have no idea how much I weighed then; I didn’t dare step on the scale nor would I normally post a photo like this! It was taken during a fairly stressful time in my life. Not that this was the only stressful period in my life, as anyone with grown children can attest, but it was definitely one of them. A few months months earlier, his mother (our youngest daughter Mackenzie) became pregnant at age 15 and gave birth out-of-wedlock at age 16. Like a lot of people, I tend to overeat during stressful times, In fact, I can look back at other times in my life that I also gained weight due to specific stressful periods in my life. Even though I’m a Christian and know that God is in control, I’m still human.

I also tend to keep to myself, especially when it comes to personal issues. It took me a long time before I could even talk about our daughters pregnancy, let alone stop crying about it. I was so upset but just as I’ve discovered with so many of life’s trials, when I’ve looked to God for help, He taken some of the most stressful moments in my life and turned them into some of the most beautiful things in my life.

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. Roman’s 8:28

Now I can’t even imagine life without our Hudson! He, along with our other grandchildren are the icing on the cake of life! I know that no human being is ever conceived outside God’s will or ever conceived apart from His image. Unplanned pregnancies may surprise us, but God is never surprised.

Actually our Mackenzie was our surprise baby; she was born when I was 42! I believe with all my heart and told her that, “The God who allowed you to be born when I was 42, is the same God who’s allowed you to give birth at age 16.” He is the author of life.

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
    the days that were formed for me,

Psalm 139:13-16

Here I am in 2013 with our oldest daughter Michelle,on my 59th birthday. I did my best to hide my weight behind that present. For the most part, I deleted a lot of photos during this time. I didn’t like being overweight.

So in February 2016, at age 61, I got the courage up to get back on the scales. I weighed 173 pounds! I was taking high blood pressure medicine and an acid reflux medicine daily. I knew I had to do something to change my weight and to improve my health. This is me on February 21, 2016, the day I started Nutrisystem.

I was tired of deleting photos and tired of being overweight. Up until that time I’d been telling myself that I looked OK for my age, and that gaining weight and taking medicine was all part of getting older. But I decided that I didn’t want to just look “OK for my age.” I decided I wanted to be the best I can be, both inside and out. So, in addition to my new diet I started drinking water instead of soda, walking 2 or 3 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes each time and listening to my favorite bible teachers on my EarPods: Alistair Begg, Steve Lawson, and John MacArthur, etc. I loved getting fresh air, walking, and listening to biblical messages all at the same time; multi-tasking at its best! It became my favorite time of the day.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

By end of the first week I’d lost 7 pounds and just 2 months later in April I’d lost 21 lbs. I entered Nutrisystem’s Success Story contest for a chance to win $10K and a chance to be in one of their commercials. In August 2016 I was asked to be a call-in guest for two QVC/Nutrisystem TV shows that month and to come to Tampa, FL the following month for a photo shoot.

By September of 2016 I turned 62 and had lost 40 lbs! I celebrated my birthday with my family and a Nutrisystem Carrot Cake.

A few days after my birthday I flew to Tampa for a 5-day photo shoot for Nutrisystem along with 14 others who had also lost weight. My daughter Michelle took off work and came down the next day to keep me company. I loved being a part of something so fun and interesting.

It reminded me of when I was young, I wanted to be a model, and although I did do some modeling in my teens and twenties, I wasn’t tall enough to be a model so modeling really wasn’t a viable option for me. But in Tampa, I was pampered and treated just like a real model, with wardrobe, make-up and hair stylists. I was photographed against a white screen and did some short promotional video monologues on a green screen. I didn’t win the contest nor did they use me in any of their commercials but it was still a great experience.

Me and my Michelle in Tampa after the photo shoot:

After I returned home from the photo shoot, I found the same dress that wardrobe had picked out for me to wear, except in a smaller size. The dress that I wore in their photo shoot was a little big on me and had to be pinned in the back, but this one fit perfect:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I’m thankful for my good health and don’t take it for granted. I try to maintain my weight by drinking lots of water, eating healthy, and am still walking and listening to my favorite bible teachers. Below is a photo from a September, 2017 photo shoot in Dallas, Texas.

Pretty is as Pretty Does

It’s hard to write about my mom. I feel like words can’t even begin to describe how good of a mother she was or how much I loved her.

I remember she used to say to me, “Pretty is as pretty does,” but I was so young; I didn’t know what it meant.

My mom was born in Illinois in 1921 and was given the name “Sarah Katherine” but at some point, she changed the spelling to “Sara Kathryn.” During this time it was common to be born at home. My grandmother gave birth to all four of her children at home. My mother, her second child, along with her sister and two brothers, grew up during the Great Depression of 1929. She told me that during this time they were so poor that all they would get for Christmas was an orange and maybe a homemade toy or a doll.

Mom with her baby sister, Naomi, and older brother David:

Mom with her sister, Naomi, and younger brother, Ralph, and their billy goat:

They moved to Indiana sometime during her childhood and she graduated from high school in 1938.

It was there at Cloverdale High School that she met my dad. They fell in love and got married in 1941, three years after they graduated from high school.

They had six kids, of which I was the 5th!

Mom and me, Easter 1956 🙂

Growing up I remember she babysat a lot of kids; some for weeks at a time. People would come pick up their kids, and not even pay her because they didn’t have enough money. I remember one summer she watched three or four kids from one family for the whole summer and when the dad came to pick them up, he only gave her $20.

My mom would kneel at her bed at night to pray and get up early in the morning to read her Bible. I remember when we lived on Hickory Lane in Indianapolis she would sit alone reading her Bible in our tiny kitchen nook. It was a cute little nook, with yellow ruffled window curtains, filled with the smell of black coffee. If any of us kids got up too early, she would tell us to go back to bed! I remember one morning in particular, I stood there watching her and wanting her attention, so I said something mean to try to get it. It worked, but not in the way I had wanted. It would be years later before I would understand why she needed that quiet time with the Lord.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30.

My mom worked hard taking care of us and all of the kids she babysat. I remember piles of laundry in the basement and wondering how there could be so much of it. She’d be exhausted just from looking after all of us, let alone trying to keep the house clean and keep up with the laundry. Once she sat down to watch TV or rest, she usually fell asleep from exhaustion. She used to jokingly say that her eyelids were attached to her knees, so, whenever she sat down, her eyelids would close!

My mom took pride in making her dollar stretch. She’d buy a gallon of whole milk and then mix it with powdered milk to make two gallons. She’d also go to two or three different grocery stores each week just to get the best prices, using store coupons at each one.

She was also a great cook and could always find something in our pantry or in the freezer to put a meal together. My dad worked at White Castle as an office supervisor, and would bring home boxes of slightly outdated frozen White Castle hamburger patties. My mom would then make all sorts of different meals out of them; basically anything that called for ground beef. She could make something out of almost anything and it always tasted good. All except liver and onions. I’d skip that and settle for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead. Actually one of my favorite snacks was one of my mom’s favorites, a banana with peanut butter.

The house I grew up in, 675 Hickory Lane.

Mom in the 1940s and 1950s.

Mom in the 1970s and 1980s.

My Mom was a lot like her mom, my grandma. Some of my favorite memories were of us going to my grandma’s house for family dinners. My grandma made the best rhubarb pie in the world! My grandma used to tell me that she prayed for me. I’m so thankful for her and her prayers. I wasn’t exactly the perfect child, but my grandma loved me unconditionally. There wasn’t anything I could do or say to make her not love me. She made a difference in my life and in the lives of so many people she came in contact with.

Me, my grandma, and my mom in 1979 in Indianapolis.

Likewise my mom was always thinking of others. She had compassion and love for hurting people, and for people in need. I remember her making sandwiches and handing them out to strangers in need. She treated them with love and respect. She had such a gentle, sweet, compassionate, and giving spirit. She had the love of Jesus in her heart and cared about the needs of others.

When we all grew up and had families of our own, she made sure that each of her children and grandchildren knew how much she loved us. She was always looking forward to our next family get-together. She would do anything and everything she could for anyone of us.

Christmas 1986 in Mom’s basement on McFarland Rd: holding Megan and Allison, with me, and holding Megan, Michelle, Sarah, Matt, and Allison.

She lived the last 20 years of her life as a widow and at some point during this time she wrote this note, “To All My Children.” “My one hope in life—and my dying wish is for all my children and my loved ones to give their lives to Christ Jesus. In Him is our only hope of being together forever, and for eternal life.” My mother loved the Lord and her family. She spent the last 10 years of her life suffering from the effects of early onset Alzheimer’s. After she could no longer stay in her own home, she went to live in a care facility near my sister, Joyce, in St. Louis.

Family photos while in St. Louis, Missouri.

She also came to stay with me for several extended visits in Florida, California, and Texas, and then stayed in a Texas care facility near me for several months for part of those latter years.

Mom with me, Harold, Michelle, and Megan in Denton, Texas.

By January of 1998, she was living in a care facility near my brother, Dennis, in Oaktown, Indiana. Wheelchair bound, our family gathered altogether in Vincennes, Indiana, to be with her. The ravages of Alzheimer’s had run its course and she could no longer smile, walk, or talk.

My mom passed away on September 15, 1998, at the age of 77. My sister, Joyce, and brother, Dennis, and I gathered to be with her on that day. I brought my Bible and read Psalm 23 to her and prayed out loud. We held her hands as her soul passed on to be with the Lord.

“So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

My mom was a pretty lady by any standards, but it was her beauty that radiated from within that will be her legacy. She lived her life with love and in service to God, her family, and to those she saw in need. And while I didn’t understand it as a child, I eventually came to learn the meaning of “Pretty is as pretty does,” because of my mom and the way she lived her life.

“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Some favorite moments with my mom: Christmas 1981, with me and one-month-old Michelle; me & Mom circa 1979; and with Harold, me, and Megan in 1987 at Disney World. Michelle was our photographer!

The Land That I Will Show You

The Land that I will show you-2 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

As far back as I can remember, I was a headstrong and independent child. I wanted to do things my own way and make my own decisions. While some may consider these somewhat positive traits in an adult, they’re not so much in a child, nor are they positive traits in a Christian. Old habits die hard. But God, in His sovereign providence, uses both our positive and negative personality traits in His plan for our lives. He uses bits and pieces of our past, including and especially our problems, in our walk of faith toward Him and with Him. Here is one such time in my life:

In February of 1988, We were almost 8 years into our marriage, with 2 young children, living in my hometown, on the south side of Indianapolis. Life was far from perfect but it was pretty good; I was happy, enjoying living near family (my mom was only a couple of miles from me), I had a great job working for a small airline and I enjoyed attending my childhood church.

Then out of the blue, my husband decided we should move to Florida. His parents had moved there a few years before and we had enjoyed visiting there, but like the saying goes, “It’s a nice place to visit but I don’t want to live there.” I repeat, I didn’t want to live there! Indianapolis was my hometown and I didn’t want to move away. I didn’t want to leave my mom. I didn’t want to leave the life I had grown familiar with. I didn’t want to leave my church. But, long story short, he left the first week in February, 1988, without me and the kids. He moved in with his parents and found a new job right away. I wasn’t upset but I wasn’t too happy about it either. I basically was just hoping he’d change his mind and come back home soon.

Over next few months we both continued hold on to our individual opinions about where we should live. The thought of divorce crept in my mind but I still loved my husband and he still loved me. We were just having a disagreement on where we should live. I didn’t like him not agreeing with me and I wanted him to just come back home. We really were at an impasse.

So I got my bible and I searched for answers. I read in Malachi that God hates divorce. I read in Ephesians that wives should submit to their husbands as to the Lord. And I read in Genesis that God called Abraham, in an act of obedience, to leave his homeland and to move to an unknown and faraway land. Now I read these things but at the same time I was having a conflict with my old nature of being headstrong and independent. I considered life as a single mom, a life of independence, where I called all the shots, but then, I prayed earnestly for clear directions from God about what to do.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

Then it finally became clear to me – my husband wasn’t asking me to jump off a cliff, or asking me to break a law, or asking me to do something against God, he was just asking me to move to Florida to be with him. God gave me a sense of peace about moving and I began to see the situation as an act of obedience towards both my husband and God. This was a big step for me because I think I’d been holding on to my independence ever since childhood, and even into my marriage. I believe God increased my faith right then and there as I realized I needed to be more obedient to Him and to my husband.

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:21

Abraham had great faith in God and was obedient to Him. God told Abraham he was going on a journey that would require him to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. Obedience meant he had to say goodbye to relationships and the things near and dear to him. Separation from the familiar played a part in his development of his strong faith in God. Sometimes God asks us to let go of something we hold dear before He let’s us take a hold of something new. It’s all a part of living by faith; trusting In Him even when we don’t see how all the pieces fit together, and believing that He’ll work everything out.

So with a leap of faith, a step of obedience, and a hopeful heart, I moved to Florida with our two young daughters the 1st day of June in 1988 to be with my husband. In the coming months God blessed me in ways I never imagined and my faith in Him grew in a most unexpected way – which I plan to be the subject of one of my future blogs.

Treasure In Jars of Clay

My life story and journey of faith.

Tag: #Faith