About the Author

Jen encourages women to embrace both the beauty and bedlam of their everyday lives at BeautyandBedlam.com. A popular speaker, worship leader, and author of Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation, Jen lives in North Carolina with her husband, five children, and a sofa for anyone...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. Jen,
    I love how we have a God who shows up…when our whole world may be caving in…God shows up. He speaks to us in so many ways. Sometimes God is silent, but often, I believe, He is speaking and we just aren’t attuned to His voice. Sometimes it’s Twila Paris, sometimes it’s a sunset or a rainbow, sometimes it’s just our dog snuggling in close and giving us some licks. Yesterday, God spoke to me through my friend and mentor. My daughter and I have had a strained relationship as of late. The “Millenial Generation” they call them…young adults who tend toward selfishness, self-absorption, disenchantment, skepticism, anger. They’ve known nothing but entitlement and privilege. We sought to give them the world…and well, we accomplished our goal. They have the world, but not much of Jesus. Anyway, my friend read to me from 1 Peter 3…through Jan’s voice I heard God telling me how I should handle myself and carry myself through this season with my daughter. I got a very real sense of how Jesus would handle this situation. We prayed and I left her office feeling like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. Ask and you shall receive…Praise that we have a God whom we can ask and who answers! Thanks for this beautiful and REAL story of God showing up.
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • God does show up for sure. So many times I have heard his voice in a preaching message on the radio. The comfort of the songs of praise and Glory to God can bring so much peace in the eye of the storm. Thank you for sharing your story. Reminds us how God is always there for us. Even in the darkest moments.
      And Jen during these times of trials with your daughter…just hold onto Jesus and pray. My son was involved with alcohol and drugs for many, many years. He is alive today walking with the Lord. I can’t thank God enough for the peace that passes understanding through so many of the days that I didn’t know if my son was dead or alive. He is alive!!!

    • A lot of times God sounds like people encouraging one another, even as they deal with their own life struggles. You, dear Bev, are one of those voices. Thank you for sharing; I always enjoy your comments, you seem to know how to “bring it home.” Prayers for you and your daughter in this season.

      • Thanks Shauna,
        It seems like no matter what the topic is here at (in)courage, I can easily say, “Yes, I’ve experienced that too.” Maybe that’s what we all need – to know we’re not alone?
        Blessings to you this day,
        Bev

    • Bev,

      I will pray for you and your daughter. May God change her heart and heal the relationship!

      Blessings 🙂

    • SO thankful for that friend and mentor in your life that was able to help you process this season. I know your heart is for your daughter and we will continue to pray for heart change and that your relationship will be restored.

  2. Jen, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story! Hearing that your precious son is now well and on the football team, filled my heart with joy. I struggle with anxiety and fear. I worry about so many things and I always think of the what ifs. During these times God always brings my mind gently back to Him. Weather it be through a praise song on the radio or just hearing His voice saying “My precious baby, wait on my perfect timing. I know what you need and I am with you always.” Hearing your story brought me peace this morning. Thank you and God bless you and your family. God is in control. Xoxoxo

  3. I have heard the Lord speak in my life and each time it came when I needed to have faith that He is in control. God uses people to speak into me of Gods Compassion, Love and Purpose for me and my family and friends. I love it when I’m struggling with something and a song comes on that speaks directly to my circumstance! We have a saying that says “There is healing in tears”; the Holy Spirit shows up regularly in my car as I give up my struggle to our loving Father.

  4. I used to struggle with fear especially concerning my children all the “what ifs” would plaque me. That all changed on a trip to the mountains a few years ago. We had rented a 2 story cabin with a full basement for a long weekend in TN. My 2 younger children were probably around 4/5 at that time. When it came time for bed my inlaws took the upstairs loft area (you really couldn’t hear anything from up there) my 2 kids shared the bedroom on main level and me and my husband took the basement bedroom. Well we get into bed and my heart was pounding we were in the basement where there was absolutely no windows at all and you could hear not a sound. Fear started overtaking me I kept going through all the scenarios of what if my children got up and went out the door no one would hear them, it was snowing out we were on a mountain they’d surely be killed or get lost and freeze… any and everything that could possible happen was pouring down on me. My husband was fast asleep but I just couldn’t close my eyes, then all of a sudden I heard Gods voice clearly speak to me and say “Do you not trust me” of course I do God then he said “if you do you’ll trust me in taking care of “your” children” WOW!!!!! That was absolutely eye opening for me and I realized that I didn’t trust God in this area that I was clinging to my control and not God and was allowing fear to bind me in its chains. Well it changed after that I gave it all to God, including his children not mine and I haven’t looked back since. Every time that fear tries to creep back in I’m reminded of that conversation with God in that quiet basement and it immediately goes away.

  5. Thank you for sharing this. I love stories like this! I feel God talks to me though songs all the time. What first caught my eye, was Hirschsprung’s! Our first daughter was born with it also. She’s now 16 and you’d never know she went through surgeries at a month old. God is Good!! Thanks for letting us know how it turned out for your son! Thank you, Thank you!! Blessings to you! ~ Lori

  6. Wow! Jen, thank you for sharing this wonderful testimony of faith!
    I’m going through really rough times, cancer, neighbors making my life miserable, high anxiety because of by back reconstruction an the pain it causes, taking them to court, radio therapies, quimios, depression, home alone…. and it seems like a snowball getting bigger and bigger! My mind is kind of blocked, and I can’t even pray! All I can say is, “Jesus, I am you daughter and I need you so much! please help me get me through this!” Your story fills me with hope, that no matter how big the storm is, His promises will prevail! I am so happy for your son! May God keep blessing you all!

    • Just be held by God my sister through Christ. I am sorry you are going through such a rough season. I will be praying for you. Going out into God’s beautiful creation (nature) is helpful. I too have suffered from anxiety, depression, etc. The sun has power in cheering you up a little.
      Have a blessed day.
      Hugs

    • Oh my! Thank you for sharing just a bit of what you are going through. I can’t imagine how difficult this season must be and my heart aches for you. It’s times like this I don’t like the internet because there’s nothing more that I would like than to be right there sitting on the sofa sipping coffee with you and giving you a big hug in real life and not virtually.
      Know that we are praying for you and that you would be connected with a real life community that can support you in a tangible way. xoxox

  7. Thank you for sharing this story. He strengthens us when we are weak… Lord thank you for always being there for us even when it doesn’t feel like it. Amen. My husband and I went through 2.5 years of trying to have a baby. I went through over a dozen inseminations and nothing worked. My faith in God was vanishing with each negative test that we received of still no pregnancy. With family members getting pregnant and being invited to baby showers I found myself withdrawing because of the pain… I cried out to the Lord after going through a procedure and asked if he was listening to me. I found myself distancing myself from God and church. I had given up on God and church. Finally after 2 rounds of invetro fertilization one day while driving to work (waiting for results if I was pregnant THIS time or not) I felt a great amount of love. Love like I had never felt before for several moments. I knew at that moment that I was pregnant! The Lord answered my prayers… “In His time”. I thank the Lord for my son. I went through a tough pregnancy with my water breaking at 23 weeks and on bed rest in the hospital for 10 weeks. My son was born 7 weeks early but healthy. God used that for His Glory… I shared the love of God with nurses, friends and family who visited me in the hospital. A lot of people from all over the United States was praying for me and my unborn child. I had received cards of encouragement from strangers saying they were praying. People could feel the love in my hospital room from the moment they walked into it. My sister-in-law cross stitched a large banner with an angel on it. He is always working for good. We need to learn to be patient, trust Him, lean on Him and ask from our hearts… He is listening!

  8. Jen,

    Thank you for your post. I understand your momma’s heart and the giving of our children to the Lord. Four of my five children spent time in the NICU after they were born. I went through the same emotions as you described.

    “Hearing is a discipline, and too often, I make every excuse as to why God feels distant, but I am reminded once again of His desire to speak truth intimately and directly to us, just like that moment in my car.”

    Just this past weekend, I heard God speak to me in the quiet of my heart. I was away from home and dealing with some issues that had been bottled up and forgotten. Suddenly and unexpectedly, I felt great anxiety. It didn’t make sense to me and I was so scared. I felt out of control. I prayed to God to help me. I heard over and over but ever so clearly, “You are loved.” Those words drowned out the fear that was over taking me. I was in such a vulnerable place and to hear those words over and over, I couldn’t help but know in my head and my heart that He is God, He is real, He is present and in my midst. These last few days I’ve been in awe of God and humbled that He met my needs on that mountain.

    As I reflect on the healing power of “You are loved” this week, I’m realizing that I need to say that more often to people and to show love more often to people. If hurt people hurt people, then shouldn’t loved people love people? In my prayer time this week, God has revealed that I need to forgive the people who hurt me. No matter how big or small the hurt, it still caused pain. No matter if the hurt was intentional or unintentional, it still caused pain. I’ve been saying out loud, “In the name of Jesus, I forgive ________ for __________.” I’ve been naming the the person who caused the hurt, naming the hurt, and forgiving that person. It has helped to bring healing to my heart and soul. I want to be loving more people, not hurting them.

  9. I so needed to be reminded this morning that God is indeed in control. I am very OCD and a control freak. For the last 5 years my life has been chaos….and God has reminded over and over, let go, and give it to me. I have been able to do that, by His grace and OH how He has blessed me.

    I am in the last 10 weeks of a Nurse Practitioner program, stressed, anxious, wondering about employment, what’s next. I have worked full-time through it all. And, as I said, I needed to hear, once again, God is in control.

    My song, my moment, is “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again”. After over 20 years of marriage, ready to be empty nesters, looking forward to working part-time, quilting, enjoying life, my husband decided he wanted to be single. During these past 5 years I also lost both my parents, moved across the U.S., again, started a Nurse Practitioner program, and gone through multiple jobs! All with a broken heart.

    Yet, here I am today, ready to see a life-time dream come true. Stronger than ever, better than before. God is in control. I am blessed.

    Thank you again for reminding me, give to God, every minute of every day. He holds us in His hands.

    • Lisa –

      He is control!! I’m so thankful He’s walked you through this painful time and my heart grieves for you that after so many years of marriage, your husband would abandon his promise, but we know the One who never leaves us or forsakes us.

      You are an amazing woman to have done that program while working full time. He will be faithful to find you employment and please let us know when you do so we can celebrate with you. xoxox

  10. What a beautiful reminder of just one of the many ways we can hear from our Heavenly Father.
    I too had one of those moments when God ministered to me through a song. I was leaving my oncologist’s office after being told that all my treatments had been successful and I was (and still am) cancer free. I got into my car to leave and when I cranked the car the song “Every Praise” came blaring through my speakers. I was so overcome that all I could do was sit there with my hands raised, tears streaming down my face, giving God all my praise. He had brought me from being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer to being told I was cured. My God is so GOOD!!
    There have been many times God has spoken to me through songs or devotions that I read. A friend of mine calls that God “reading my mail.” I love having a God who cares enough about me to read my mail and let me know that He’s there, listening to me, giving me the guidance I need at that place in time.

  11. Jen- Thank you so much for sharing this awesome story. As a new grandma (Emma is 15 weeks), I can’t imagine how we would have dealt with such news. But these hard times are altars in our lives. Places where we can look back and say yes, God, I see that you were faithful…that you ARE faithful…and I will trust you with this new mountain because I know you hear my cry and answer. I too have had 2 distinct places where God directly spoke to me (one through a person, one through a literal sign). Rather than describe them here, I’m posting the links to the 2 posts that tell the stories. I might be biased lol, I think they are pretty incredible 🙂 – because God is pretty incredible!!
    http://lakesidelessons.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-checklist.html
    http://lakesidelessons.blogspot.com/2015/02/god-writes-in-neon-colors.html

  12. Jennifer, I appreciate your story on many levels–for its poignancy, transparency, and to show us the faithfulness of God. I’m so glad He was there for you and your baby when you needed Him most. Praise Him! And I love how the Lord spoke to you directly. He truly does whisper to our hearts and minds. THe time He spoke to me most powerfully was when I was struggling to let go my full-time career (which I loved) to come home to raise our daughter (whom I adored). I had never wanted to be a mother, but God totally transformed my heart as soon as I saw Sheridan. Still, I struggled. It was autumn and I was walking in the woods where our cabin is located. I stopped to watch the gently falling leaves. And as I grew still and became mesmerized by watching them gracefully let go their branches and pirouette to the ground, in my spirit, I heard God distinctly say, “Lynn, let go.” I was surprised and amazed, yet I immediately understood what he was telling me. He was asking me to let go the career to which I had been so desperately clinging and to trust Him to equip me as a mother. He was promising me that if I would let go my job as my identity, He would be everything to me. And He was, and He is. And leaving that job to raise Sheridan, who is now a beautiful young woman of twenty-four, was the best thing I ever did. But it all starts with hearing God speak and then obeying. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story, Jennifer, and for asking us to share ours. An octogenarian mentor of mine always told me there is strength in hearing our testimonies! I know she was right!
    Blessings,
    Lynn

  13. God is so good that is for sure! 11 years ago next month I lost my husband unexpectedly. The events that unfolded after the initial phone call can only be understood as God is in control always in ALL WAYS. In reflection I can see Gods hand in every aspect of the events leading up to and after the burial. First came Gods voice, much like your experience, through a song on the radio. My mom and I had just left the funeral home where they asked me what music I would like played and I could only think of one song, I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me, I wanted one more and I was struggling with the not know where my husband would end up, I was worried because my husband had not been baptised, then in that moment in the car a song came on we had never heard and it literally had mom and I crying and calling the station to get the name of it I remember thinking ok he is with The Lord we don’t know his last moments or his talks with God but God does and everything is ok and this is the song we have to play. The funny thing is even though this was a huge blessing to me to this day I can not recall the song and I never heard it on the radio again. But God gave me what I needed in that moment to understand He’s got this. During the next few days God kept assuring me that He was with us and we were going to be ok. The day of the visitation mom and I took my son to the mall just to get out and try to be normal for a few minutes. While walking around my 5 year old asked if he could play the claw machine game and try to get a toy. I said sure but mommy is not good at these at all but we tried anyway and failed several times. As we were walking away defeated a man came up to us and said mam I am pretty good at these can I try for him, I said sure and gave him a dollar he said no I have it, I protested and said you dont have to waste your dollar use mine, so he took it and I watched as this stranger and my son played the game again, and lost. The man turned to me and said let me use my dollar I gave in and said ok, and on this turn with his dollar he won my son a toy. Well like any good momma does I cried, then proceeded to tell this gentleman about how my son had just lost his father and that this really was the sweetest thing. This wonderful stranger with piercing blue eyes took my hand and looked me in the eyes and said ” You will be just fine, its all going to be ok”. It was very mater of fact, and not the response I was expecting at all. I remember thanking him and turning to my mom and as I was telling her she turned to thank the man herself and he was gone. She looked and me and said you know we just spoke with an angel and as I write this I still get goose bumps. God really does give us just what we need when we need it we just have to open our eyes and ears.
    -Christy

  14. My moment, one that will forever remain strong in my memory and heart, happened just over 6 years ago. I was a stay-at-home mom to two precious little girls – one barely three years old, the other just a few months old. It had been a rough day, a rough week, actually a rough year. I don’t remember exactly what had pushed me to the edge. Maybe it was the three year old who was barely potty trained or the baby who not only wanted to be held all the time but also demanded I stand and sway and rock her. Maybe it was the financial struggle my little family was experiencing even though my husband was working an average of 50+ hours a week. I was tired. I felt very lost and very alone. I felt desperate. I couldn’t take it anymore. I put the girls in their rooms for morning naps – despite the fact my three year old was no longer really taking naps at all. I put them in their rooms and stood at the kitchen sink full of dirty dishes, staring out the window, tears streaming down my face. I prayed aloud, begging for a sign. “God, if you are there, if you are real, if you love me, I need some sort of sign. I need some way to know without a doubt. If you are there show me.” I then dared to ask God to have someone call me, right then, someone who was strong in their faith and their relationship with God. The phone rang immediately. Immediately. It was my sister – someone I knew had a strong relationship with God. When I answered the phone the first words out of her mouth “how are you?” It wasn’t a long conversation. She was busy with her own three daughters but felt the need to call me to see how I was doing that morning. I’m not gonna lie – I was nervous to ask God to show Himself, to prove His existence, His love for me but I was feeling pretty low and bottomed out at that point. And so I dared to ask Him for what I needed. And He certainly did not fail me. Whenever I am feeling lost or alone or unloved or questioning life in general, I often go back to that moment and remember, God is most certainly real, He is most certainly with me, and He most certainly loves me.

  15. I live in PA and my dad and stepmom live in Florida – right where hurricane Matthew is about to hit. I found this one phrase really spoke to me: “Remember, Matthew’s mine. Remember.” It is so comforting to know that God IS in control of this situation. He will cover them with His mighty hand of protection. And if He so chooses to take them Home, them I will rejoice because they will see our Savior face to face and I will see them again someday! This song of Twila’s has helped me many times!! Thank you for sharing!

  16. Ahhhh – You had me at “Twila Paris…”

    In all serious-ness, I have heard from the Lord in several desperate situations. His words of, “Choose Me,” have been the lifeline in so many difficult decisions and remain a tether in challenging times.

  17. Jen I never knew this part of your story. God has such a precious call on your heart. Thank you for sharing this tender story.

    I have a similar story of God in the car. ( A very Abridged version) I was stalked by someone I knew, whose intention was to kill me. I remember driving in the in the middle of the night with my children trying to make it the safety of a hotel. I was not walking with the Lord as I should. But He whispered in the car a Bible verse from childhood, “Fear Not for I am with you always.”

    When I arrived at the hotel my children crowded into the bed with me. I pulled the quilt over us that had kept them warm in the car and saw written in blue thread on a yellow patch, Is. 41:10. I pulled the Gideon Bible from the nightstand and looked up the verse. “Fear not, for I am with you;
    Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
    I will strengthen you,
    Yes, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

  18. I cannot explain how I heard God’s voice, but I do believe it happened.

    My daughter was getting ready to go to Egypt on a mission trip with her church. She was going when the uprisings had just started, and it seemed very dangerous to go there at that time. I was very scared and did NOT want her to go. However, she kept saying over and over that He had called her to go, so she was going.

    When she came home to bring her dog, my grand-dog, she called before she left to say that her car was making a funny noise, and the steering wheel was vibrating. I told her to have someone look at it or find a friend’s car to drive. (Of course she didn’t listen and drove it anyway!) When I got into her car and drove it down the street, it was not driving well, so I made her drive my car back to her house. When I drove to church the next day, it felt as if the tire was going to fall off, so I took it right down the street and dropped her keys in the drop box. The next day the mechanic called and said that my daughter was lucky to be alive, because one lug nut was not on the wheel, and the other three were all ready to come off! She had been driving for an hour and a half at 80 miles an hour!!! I was so mad at her then, it was if I could spit out nails!

    But then, a thought came to me that if He could protect her in that situation, then He could protect her all the way and back on her trip to Egypt. He made me see that she was really His to protect, and He was! It was a very great experience to go through, because it made me see that He IS sovereign over all things!

  19. When I was going through cancer treatment, God sent a steady stream of ‘angels’ into my life; people I never would have met if I had not had cancer. It was God telling me that He was, is, and always will be with me, no matter what. My angel-friends and I still talk about the miraculous ways God brought us together and a constant lesson in trust.

  20. Thank you for sharing that story. 20 years ago, my son and I flew from Pa to Milwaukee to visit my sister and her husband. That song from Twila had debuted that summer and I had that song in mind as I flew. Little did I know that a flight carrying some 200+ people would be crashing off of Long Island. 16 students from a school in Montoursville, Pa were on their way to France. I knew some of them. I grieved all of them and realized we never know what’s going to happen and that we have NO control at all! But…God. God does. Thank God. I sang that song so often that year and always think of those people when I hear it.
    Glad to hear Matthew is healthy and happy☺️

  21. My word from the Lord came just recently. I came home from work to find my 19yr old son had moved out. He no longer wanted to come home nites nor do his chores. My heart was so torn up, the rejection and hurt I felt was overwhelming. Found myself crying whenever I passed his room or a picture. I picked up a book titled, “Elsbeth.” There was a quote in it by Frances Shaffer that just jumped off the pg. “Let God be God.”
    My heart still hurts, nothings changed…but I have total peace that God is in control, that He’s got this and my son too. He will work it together for good in His perfect timing.

  22. My Mom went home to be with the Lord 4 very long years ago. She was my best friend! The day she went home to be with the Lord we didn’t expect it. She was in the hospital but we thought everything would be fine. When the doctor came out to tell us she was gone I felt such a need to go into her room. When the nurse came to get me I was alone, just like God wanted me to be, and she put her arm around me because I was sobbing and led me down the hall. When I stepped inside the room I immediately felt the presence of the Lord and I knew that everything was going to be all right. There was such a feeling of peace in the room I knew He had come and taken her by the hand and led her home and I just sat in the chair next to her bed, the tears gone, and thanked Him for the wonderful Mom He had given me. When my husband came to get me later and I crossed the threshold out of that room the feeling of peace was gone but it is something I will never forget.

  23. Thank you all for your amazing sharing of our Amazing God. What came into my heart happened several years ago, 1989 in fact. I was in the middle of a breakdown- a transgressional breakdown as the Lord later revealed. I felt like I was dying. For several days when I went to bed I felt I would not wake up but would have died. But every morning there I was awake and perplexed. Finally, after a few days I suddenly knew that our awesome God had kept me alive and used this very difficult time of my life to reveal His love for me. I find I still need the constant reminder of His great love for me and for my family and all of you. Just to give you a little more to this, I did not know at the time that I was exceedingly angry at God for placing and giving me the parents He chose and suffering a lot of abuse. I was questioning what I was doing here on the earth and did not like being here. It has taken a long time of revelation for the understanding to come. He is faithful!!!

  24. God really does speak to us especially in the quiet and calm p;ace we must get to in times of trial. Music is the speech of angels and I’m not suprised at all if people are hear or seeing them visit their lives and situations, Jesus, Himself, may even show up for you, but we must practice the prescence of the Holy Spirit.

  25. Thank u for the encouragement…my story has no specific moment of divine intervention but truckloads of them…I think my relationship deepened in the Lord wen I decided that I wanted to marry n raise a family with a guy who was God centric about 9 years ago…be careful wat you wish becos you will be molded and tested and tested again …it’s not pretty but it’s a relationship u never want to change…I am sure you have read at least one testimony of people who have gone to heaven n been back to tell their incredible experience and what they say is true…God is good and beautiful in a way you can never imagine or have words to describe.His angels are also very much at work here on this earth…in His presence you know for sure is one that is solid and there and that unbelief hurts him when all He desires is the relationship with all of you… mother Theresa puts it well in a quote ” I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world.”

  26. Earlier this year my mother went through a very difficult illness. Her doctor wanted to just send her to a nursing home and felt that her problem was sudden dementia/Alzheimer’s, I felt there was something else wrong and insisted on a neurology consult. This was after she had been in the hospital nearly a week with a severe change in her behavior. One night I drove home after being at her bedside all day and just sat in my car bawling and screaming at God. My car was still running and Lauren Daigle’s song came on, “I Will Trust in You.” That song became my rock. Long story short, a specialist was consulted who correctly diagnosed my mom’s problem and the treatment helped bring her back (mostly). She is able to live in her own home for now, and I am so thankful for God’s care.

  27. Yes, God is good all the time. My story of God meeting me also took place in the car. He let me know that he knew just what I was feeling, that he had been human and understood, and peace flooded me and it was a turning point in my life.

  28. Often it seems like our vehicle is our prayer closet … Perhaps it seems the safest to unleash the spirit inside of us where no one else can hear… Some of the most profound moments with The Lord have been in our car:)

  29. Jen,

    Praise God your son is doing great! It’s amazing what God can do!

    I have a couple of stories of God’s greatness. First off a friend of my husband’s was in a bad motorcycle accident about 4 weeks ago. By all accounts he should have died. Last Friday he went home to his family-albeit in a wheelchair. Last Sunday they went to church. God sent them many angels.

    Secondly God performed a miracle for me. Last July I had to put my aging dad on hospice. I believed he would die by December. His dementia got worse in January 2016 and required hospitalization. God saw fit to heal him and bring him back to our family. He is doing well living in a different assisted living.

    My last story is about how God talked to me. I was dating my husband back in 2003. He asked me to come over to his house for dinner and after much thought I said yes. I was scared I had made a bad decision. Driving just a few feet down the road from my apartment I turned on the radio. To my surprise “God is in Control” was on. It was at the part of the chorus. I shouted at the top of my lungs “God is in Control”. At that moment all my anxiety was relieved and I felt at ease. It was as though I told Satan-Go, leave me and this car now!!!

    Blessings 🙂

  30. What a wonderful story of God’s teaching and his faithfulness! Here is my anecdote – several years ago I felt God strongly telling me I had to stop worrying about money. All my life I had stressed about bills, both in times of plenty and in times of lean. I just hated finances and even when my bank account was healthy, I dreaded getting bills in the mail, dealing with budgets, and all things financial. God convicted me to examine how I was holding onto a belief that money can buy happiness. I worked hard to give up my hang-up over everything related to finances. I thought it was simply a good lesson God was teaching me. A few months later, my family entered a very uncertain period of unemployment. I leaned heavily on the lessons I had recently learned about not stressing over finances. God got us through that time and our finances are more stable now. But I am still trying daily to live my life remembering that money doesn’t buy happiness, and to not feel stress over financial things. Added onto it, in one of those “God is gently laughing at me” ways, I now work at a bank and I handle accounting and financial matters daily for our customers! I can’t let myself be nervous over bills, accounting, and budgets anymore, because it is now my livelihood! And I will always be grateful that God prepared me mentally and emotionally to be strong during our period of unemployment. It definitely taught me that when I feel the urging of God, I should obey promptly and with complete trust in him.