A Journey of Faith: Lessons Learned in the Fire

Introduction

Infertility. It is an issue that no couple wants to face, yet statistics state that as many as 10.9% of American women (6.7 million women) experience difficulties in becoming pregnant or carrying a baby to term (www.cdc.gov). I found myself as one of these statistics. Thus began my journey of faith, one that included not only struggling with infertility but also grieving the losses of several loved ones, becoming a caregiver for a loved one, and hurting over disagreements within my family. This journey of faith included many emotions such as frustration, hurt, anxiety, grief, and despair. I struggled as I learned new medical terms. I was confronted by complex decisions related to not only my own health but also the health of my father-in-law. I mourned the losses of loved ones, and I rejoiced in unexpected blessings. My journey has been long and hard; it was unexpected and at times unwelcomed. However, God has been faithful every minute of every day. He has brought me through the struggles and has taught me many lessons along the way. My Dear Reader, this book chronicles the journey of faith on which God led me, and it describes the lessons that He taught me along the way. While I had many hesitations related to writing about my experiences, I want to share with you all that God has taught me. My prayer is that no matter what struggles you are facing, you will be uplifted as you read what God has done in my life. I pray that you will be encouraged by the lessons which God has taught me or of which He has reminded me. However, my greatest hope is that this book will point you to God because this book is about Him and what He has done. I want God to be honored. He deserves it! This book is divided by the lessons I learned (and am still learning). Some lessons you will see more than once because God reinforced those lessons again and again. Use this book as a devotional, or search through it to find the lesson(s) that will encourage you the most in your personal journey of faith. May God teach and inspire you along the way!

Lesson 1: Answered Prayers

My journey of faith began with a question, “God, should my husband and I have children?” This seems like such an unassuming question because the answer for most married couples is “yes.” My husband Lionel and I had been happily married for over five years without children, and we were quite content with our life as it was. We were successful in our careers; Lionel was an accountant, and I taught mathematics at a community college in our town. Our lives were filled with church, family, friends, and work; and we truly were blessed. However, the question of children kept nagging at me. One day this question was weighing so heavily on my mind that as my students were testing, I kept praying and praying, seeking God’s direction. I was frightened by the change that a little one would bring; but I kept wondering, “What if we had children? Would that be the right decision or the wrong one?” The answer came, in an unexpected way, but God showed Lionel and me that having children was His will for our lives. God had heard and answered my prayer for direction. The Psalms contain many reassurances about God’s hearing and answering our prayers. Psalm 3 reads, “I cry aloud to the Lord, and He answers me from His holy mountain” (Ps. 3:4). Psalm 4 mentions how God hears our prayers when we call out to Him (Ps 4:3). In Psalm 5 David, one of the psalmists, states that God hears his voice at daybreak and that he waits expectantly for God’s answer (Ps. 5:3). Psalm 6 tells how God listens to our pleas and accepts our prayers (Ps. 6:9). Psalm 10 says, “Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully” (Ps. 10:17). These reassurances of and references to answered prayers occur in the first ten chapters of Psalms, and there are 140 more chapters in Psalms that continue to proclaim God’s goodness, His listening to our prayers, and His answering our prayers. The Psalms are not the only place in the Old Testament that answers to prayers have been recorded; these answers appear throughout the Old Testament. Hannah prayed for a child, and God gave her Samuel (1 Sam. 1-2). Solomon asked God for wisdom, and God blessed him with wisdom which was renown throughout Israel and many other nations (1 Kings 3-4). On Mount Carmel Elijah asked God to reveal Himself to the people of Israel as the one true God. God answered by sending fire down from heaven to burn up the sacrifice on the altar, a sacrifice that had been drenched with water (1 Kings 18). Hezekiah asked God for healing, and God healed him (Isa. 38). Jonah called to God from the belly of a big fish, and God caused the fish to spit Jonah out on dry land (Jonah 1-2). These are just a few of the many examples of answered prayers found in the Old Testament. The New Testament, too, refers to God’s answers to prayers. In Matthew at least twice Jesus assures His disciples that their prayers will be answered (Matt. 18:19-20; 21:21-22). Hebrews 4:16 states, “Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” John also wrote about having confidence before God because we know that He hears us (1 John 5:14-15). These passages are further promises of answered prayers, and the New Testament includes many other such references. My Dear Reader, as you can see, the Bible is full of assurances that God always listens to and answers our prayer. His answer may be “yes”, it may be “no”, or it may be “wait.” His answers may not be what you expect or even what you want, but He always answers when we call.