Blog Archives - The Adventures of a Truly Blessed Woman

02/09/2013: Jim Munroe

2/9/2013

Oh Wow! This is an absolutely amazing testimony........God can do what He wants.......when He wants.......how He wants! I lost my grandma to cancer almost 29 years ago and it was one of the darkest days of my life. I struggled with the question, "Why?". There are some who are healed physically.......and others are healed ultimately through death. Honestly, I would not ask God to bring her back because she is now in Paradise with Him! The testimony of her life is still living on today......God has used itPlease watch this video......it is incredible.......and please share!

02/09/2013: Jim Munroe

http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/jim-munroe/

02/08/2013: Colt McCoy

2/8/2013

Colt McCoy is like many men who play sports. He works hard and longs to win at all cost........however, his story is a bit different. Watch this video and see the difference! Share this video, especially with young men and women who long to live their lives for Christ from the get go! May God bless you all!

02/08/2013: Colt McCoy

/http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/colt-mccoy/

02/07/2013: Shirley Joiner

2/7/2013

Today's Testimony is going to be a bit different. A long time friend of mine posted a testimony from the last week of her moms fight for life. Before I post this testimony, I want to tell you a little about Shirley. Since the first moment I met Shirley, I knew I was in the presence of a true Southern Gem! She was always poised, postured and proper! Mrs. Shirley always made me feel comfortable, even if it came with a slight rebuke.........she was a true blessing! This was a woman who could hold her own in any situation and not drop her demeanor in any way. She was a beautiful woman who was always put together just right. She loved her family and loved her God! It was such a great honor to know her in life, and it will be a great pleasure to see her again when we are all in the presence of Jesus! Please share this testimony with your friends......someone needs it! May God bless you all!

02/07/2013: Shirley Joiner

My mom wanted her story to be shared how God Blessed her life through her journey, so I am trying to share with you the last week of her life and how God used her even in those final days to be a witness to others even thought she could not speak verbally.

Today is February 7th, on this day last year a doctor stood at my moms door and told my dad an I that my moms life had no value and we should pull the plug. I will not name her, but as of that moment she was no longer one of my moms doctors. I told her my moms life was worth more than she could ever imagine and that the Lord would give us direction and peace about when we should say to take her off the ventilator. That was really our only negative encounter the whole time.

God was gracious and he did give direction and peace. Those last days were very special, lots of time was spent reading scripture to my mom, playing some of her favorite hymns and songs, telling her how much she mean't to each one of us and was a great wife, mom and meme she had been. At this date there was still a small ray of hope that she would recover, but we were preparing ourselves that she might not. Lots of emotions were flowing, but there was so much love, and the feeling of God's presence.

I praise God that even in our most hurtful moments, we were able to rest in the arms of our Savior. Dr. Heller came in that day and told us that he called my mom his Steel Magnolia, that he had never seen such a graceful, lovely person fight so hard. I Love you mom and so grateful that God allowed me to be your daughter.. sharing for His Glory in memory of Shirley Ann Hunter Joiner...

02/06/2013: Shana

2/6/2013

Have you or someone you know ever gone through the pain of a divorce? This is something that was not in Gods plan, yet it is something that is very real in our society. Please share this testimony with anyone you know that has gone through this pain and needs encouragement! Our God is a great God and He is ready, willing and able to heal your hurts! May God bless you!

02/06/2013: Shana
http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/shana/

02/05/2013: Lecrae

2/5/2013

If you are under the age of 40, you may know who Lecrae is. I have really enjoyed a lot of his music being the Christian Music lover that I am. As I listened to his testimony, I am again reminded that God can and will give the gift of Salvation to ALL who ask for it! Lecrae was on a road to destruction, but by the grace of God, his path was forever turned! Oh but by the Grace of our Incredible God! Music lover or not.....you will be blessed by this testimony! Please share this testimony with everyone you know......for you never know just whose life it might affect.......and who might come to the Lord because of your obedience! May God bless you!!!!!

02/05/2013: Lecrae

http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/lecrae/

02/04/2013: Laura Klock

2/4/2013

........and yet another incredible testimony that affects soooooo many young women today! I am going to let you watch this for yourself without giving too much away, but please share.....people need to hear this

02/0402013: Laura Klock

http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/laura-klock/

02/03/2013: Heather Gray

2/3/2013

I am increasingly amazed at the strength and resiliency of Gods people! The testimony I am posting today is one that hit very close to home for many people who will be reading this. David Gray is a Hometown Hero in Loganville, GA where my children were raised their entire young lives. I never had the honor of meeting David but I have learned that he was one incredible man. I saw a post on FB that gave a link to a blog written by his wife and I immediately went to the site. I was blown away! I was compelled to write Heather and asked her if I could use her testimony and she wrote me back telling me to use all that I need. Below are three different things I have taken off of her site, but I encourage you to click the link at the bottom of the page and visit her blog for yourself....you will surely be blessed! Please, please share with your friends and family!

02/03/2013: Heather Gray
Someone told me recently that the Lord only gives stories to those willing to tell them. So here’s my story in a nutshell.

ONCE UPON A TIME, a girl named Heather fell in love with a boy named David. He was a warrior; strong and courageous yet possessed a humble servant heart. They married and had three beautiful children. They lived happily ever after for 11 years. Then, the fairy tale ended when David was killed in battle. Heather was heartbroken. But she and the children pressed into their faith and community to carry on. In the days and months that followed, Heather recalled David’s words to her during a difficult time they had previously weathered. “It isn’t how well you run the race that matters…just Finish Strong.” This saying would become Heather’s mantra. She made it her goal to tell as many people as possible about her beloved David and hopefully inspire others to run with endurance the race that is set before them. THE END

My husband completed his final mission on August 8, 2012 in Kunar province, Afghanistan. Now, I am a girl on a mission. My goal is to share my testimony, our story, and a message of forgiveness and resiliency with as many people as possible. I created Finish Strong Ministries with the intent of providing motivation and resources to a world in need. FSM will serve as a vehicle to offer scholarships to enlisted military members wishing to become officers, support charities all over the globe, and provide inspiration through word and song in the form of devotions, albums, and public speaking engagements. David walked into Heaven wearing boots in the sand. So I will don my high heels and press on as long as I must in order to honor his legacy.

Just Breathe...........
What do you do when you’re given a gift that is so precious and cherished and then it’s taken away? How do you not scream “Indian giver!” and let bitterness take root? David was the most amazing gift. A treasure. A love so great I didn’t even have the capacity to fully appreciate its complexity and beauty until it was gone.

The dust has settled. The meals have stopped. The cards and calls are coming more sporadically. It is in the space of these quiet moments that the silence blares. The tears come unexpectedly… Opening a bill; changing a lightbulb; putting the kids to bed then heading to my own alone. Or today when I received the incident report for David’s death. The pain sears through my defenses and I melt.

The pain is so intense I sometimes fall to the temptation of allowing distractions, mindless pursuits, and a million other things to be cheap substitutes for the love I lost. At times, I’ve even used God’s grace as a license to sin. I just get so exasperated with the way life seems to be going. Every time I take a step forward, it feels like I then take two steps back. Times like these I have nothing I can do but heave a huge sigh, tilt my head toward heaven and throw my hands up in resignation.

But I discovered a hidden gem during my quiet time recently that I’ve been camping out on the last couple days.

We know that Jesus wept over the death of his friend Lazarus. So he obviously felt and understood grief. But two little words wedged in a seemingly mundane occurrence in the grand scheme of Jesus’s ministry speak volumes to my aching heart. He spit on his hand and placed it on a mute man’s tongue then…

“He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”) mark 7:34

He sighed! Im no theologian but I’m pretty sure a sigh from the savior came from the same place from which I daily draw frustrated breath. He felt the exasperation of living in a fallen world where the ramifications of sin abound. I don’t think he was bothered by having to perform yet another miracle. I think he sighed, just like I do, because we just so desperately wish things could be different.

This knowledge helps me breath a different sigh…a sigh of relief. My Lord understands.

HOLD MY HEART
When David died I became the head of the household. Suddenly thrust into a role for which I am convinced I was not intended. But yet I am sure that God doesn't make mistakes. Doesn’t give us more than we can handle…Will equip us to do whatever it is he calls us to. Yet, admittedly, there are times I wonder where he hid the tool box.

I have been assured that the Lord will be the Father to the fatherless and the husband to the widow. But what does that practically look like? How do I lead my family when I so desparately want to be led?

If I’m being honest, I get frustrated because David and I had determined to be the ones that were going to break the cycle. Not to disparage our parents, but between them there are 10 marriages. And the sad reality is that is probably average these days. I don’t know too many people whose parents aren't divorced. I’m no stranger to broken families. But praise God he brings restoration and healing and I am so blessed by the step parents in my life.

But again, now what? I am terrified of my children growing up without a father.

My question isn’t who will walk my girls down the aisle. There are a number of amazing men in our lives who would be more than willing to stand in for David. My question is, who will walk them through life? Who will model for them the kind of man they should expect to have waiting at the end of the aisle one day.

My question is not who will teach my son to play football. It’s who will have the tough talks with him about what it means to be a modern day knight… the kind of godly man that every girl dreams of seeing at the end of the aisle.

Some days it is difficult to reconcile the fact that the Lord fashioned my heart knowing it would be broken one day. Lately I have been crying out to Him to hold my heart since David is no longer here to hold my hand.

On Sunday, my pastor preached on the covenant God makes with us. When Michael spoke, I felt he was delivering a message the Lord had given him in an envelope with my name written on the front.

He spoke of the Hebrew word, Hesed which means faithful lovingkindness. It is used in several places but the one that resonated with me and that Michael shared with the church, was in Hosea 2.

16 “In that day,” declares the LORD,
“you will call me ‘my husband’;
you will no longer call me ‘my master’…
19 I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in lovingkindness and compassion.”

How amazing to think I, a wretch, could be the bride of Christ. This passage was written about God’s redeeming love for Israel and his willingness to take them back despite the fickle nature of their devotion. But not only does He take them back, but he also says He desires a covenant relationship with them!

I learned recently that where you see the word LORD in the old testament in capital letters it is the translation of the Hebrew word Yahweh, which is the name the Lord said He would be remembered by…the one that means relationship. The word Lord is the translation meaning master or authority.

I nearly danced when I realized that the type of relationship the LORD desires from me, with my fickle Israelite-like heart, is one of lovingkindness.

And the beautiful thing is that even when I doubt, even when I wander, He remains faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

He is wooing me to a valley so He can be the one to hold my heart. Now I just have to trust Him enough to leave my heart and my life in His hands.

finishstrongministries.org

02/02/2013: Tony Dungy

2/2/2013

Wow! Tony Dungy...........need I say more? What an amazing man of faith........but not faith in the game......faith in God! The Christian life is a process and many people want to skip the process and get to the reward. I am here to tell you that the process is what makes the reward so sweet. Please pass this on to your friends and watch what God will do.....even if it is not instant, He will do something amazing!

02/02/2013: Tony Dungy

http://www.iamsecond.com/challenges/22day/22day22/

02/01/2013: Shane Kampe

2/1/2013

Let me just start by saying......OH WOW! Have you ever watched some of your favorite TV shows and all of a sudden they have one show intertwine into another show on the same channel in a really cool way? Well, this testimony intertwines into the one I posted about Whispering Danny on 01/24/2013. This testimony will leave you blown away! Just like Lori Fowlers that I posted on 01/22/2013........God showed up BIG TIME! Please, please, please share with your friends! Oh what a MIGHTY GOD we serve!

02/01/2013: