What does your Faith mean to you, Frances?

I've known Frances since I was about 17. We went to church together and I became friends with her daughter. I taught her little boy (who is not so little anymore) in the pre-school Sunday school class. Francis is such a sweet spirit. She was always so kind and giving you a smile. I have such fond memories of her and my mother talking. I remember her and my mother heading up a "Tea of Pure Joy" where we were taught abstinence and what plan God had laid before us. I remember the time that we had a lock in for the girls and was teaching how to cook. She reminds of the women in Proverbs 31. I'm honored to have her share with us.
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First I want to say how honored I am that Lauren (Aunt Lala) has asked me to write a guest post for her wonderful blog.

  Lauren asked that I share about what my faith means to me, and that is always a special topic.  When I think about faith I think about the things that try our faith.  The Bible says that our faith  will be tried. It’s during those hard times that you will hold on to your faith and come out stronger in your belief or you will just let go and be like a leaf blowing along with the wind.  There will be no root to your faith.

I can remember as a child listening to the older folks talk about their faith and not fully understanding how they could feel so close to someone they had never seen.  Well as time has passed and I have walked along my journey, I have had quite a few stones in my path.   It’s been during those times that I have come to understand that Jesus may not be visible to my natural eye, but He is very real and visible to my spirit. 

I, like everyone, have had many disappointments, loss of family and friends and hurts that went deep.   Eight years ago I walked through the greatest fear I had always had: the loss of a child.   I had been blessed with 3 children and when I found out I was expecting number 4 I was thrilled.   I had always experienced sickness during my pregnancies, so when I began having extreme nausea, I wasn’t alarmed.  I made the normal appointments to see the doctor and I’d tell him about my sickness and he said that was a sign of a healthy pregnancy.  

Early on I gained 30 pounds and was so sick I couldn’t make it from the couch to the bathroom without having to lie down on the hall floor.  I was so nauseated that the smell of my own skin made me want to vomit.  When I was in my 4^th month I started spotting, the first indication to the doctor that something was wrong.  I went in for an ultra sound and was told the dreaded news, there was no heartbeat.   It was at this same time that I learned I was expecting multiples.  There were 3 sacks, and no heart beat in any.  They had been dead for a while and were poisoning my system.  I lost them the next day and it was the strongest test of my faith I had ever been through.

I had always dreamed of having twins or triplets, now I have them, just not here on earth. Now when I see someone with multiples, my heart melts. When you are having your hopes and dreams die right before your eyes, it can challenge the strongest of Faiths.   I trusted the Lord to help me through, and believe me, Satan was there to make me doubt everything I believed in. 

I am now 8 years into this and I can honestly say, the Lord has been with me every step of the journey. At the time I couldn’t see how I could keep on going, the pain and emptiness of my heart was so great. I would pray for strength and the Lord provided.   I couldn’t see it at the time, but looking back I can see he was holding me and guiding me day by day.  Our faith walk isn’t something you do in a hurry, it’s lived out day by day. 

Through those dark days I would read verses that assured me of God’s love and tenderness all the while in my mind I would hear the words, If God cared He wouldn’t have let this happen.  The Bible lets us  know that the thief (Satan) is there to try to steal, kill and destroy.  But Jesus said I am come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.  I chose to look at where my babies were rather than looking at where they were not.  Was it easy? No, but I believe it was vital.  When we look at events in our life in the overall scheme of things and put them into the perspective of eternity, it changes everything.

Every day I think of the babies in Heaven and am so thankful that they are in such good care.  I know that one day I will see them and will have an eternity to be with them.  I have come to realize that these babies will not know pain, heartache or sin.  All they will ever know is Heavenly bliss.

With each step I take on life’s journey, I realize more and more my need for the Master.  He is not only my Savior, but my closest friend.  He is so kind and gentle and full of compassion when we are hurting.  I have also come to know that He is a gentleman and will not invade your life if you don’t invite him in.  So many days I have felt him touch my spirit and give me peace and strength.  I can’t explain it, but I know it’s real.  I have experienced peace in the midst of hurt, joy in the midst of sorrow, and I can say that only Jesus brings such comfort.  I know the old hymn  Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus is a favorite to the older generation and after walking down the paths of life I have come to understand it’s meaning so much more.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

There are so many things in life that we can never understand or figure out with our natural minds.  Learning to trust Jesus with every part of my life has been a journey that not only has caused me to rethink my beliefs, but has made me realize that I need him more than anything else.  I could have everything I thought I needed in this life, but not have Jesus, and in the end I would have nothing. But if I trust him with my life, then in the end I will have everything.

2 years after the babies went to Heaven the Lord blessed our home with a precious little girl.  She has such a huge personality and fills our days with joy and love.  Every time I look at her it reminds me that God didn’t promise that the storm clouds wouldn’t gather, or that heartaches wouldn’t come, but He will make the sun to shine bright again, if we trust him.

I couldn’t make it without my Faith!  It is what has pulled me through so many storms in life and what will take me on to the great reward.  Our faith was meant to be shared, to encourage one another, to help those who are struggling with the hardships of life.  We were never created to walk this road alone, but to walk it hand in hand with the one who created us.  I want to encourage you, if you know Jesus, hold his hand a little tighter.  If you don’t know him, today is a great day to get acquainted with him.  He is standing with outstretched arms for all who will believe.   God Bless

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What did I tell you? Her faith is so inspring. Thank you Frances for sharing!!

Go and check her out on her blog Abundantly Blessed Momma

Don't forget tomorrow another guest blog, and this my friends is not one to miss either :)

Staying Hopeful, 

Aunt LaLa