By faith _____

Hebrews Chapter 11.  The Champions of faith.  The Biblical Hall of Fame. 

I have read this Chapter before.  I have heard sermons on this Chapter.  It is impressive to say the least.  It is encouraging.

Today I found a curious message.  I'm a little unsettled as I write this, for today Hebrews 11 held a question for me.

By faith Abel
By faith Enoch
By faith Noah
By faith Abraham
By faith Isaac
By faith Jacob
By faith Joseph
By faith Moses' parents
By faith Moses
and the list goes on.

By faith Jill?

At first I was appalled with myself!  How dare I compare myself to people with such great faith!  Who do I think I am!?!?!?

But the thought remained.

By faith Jill.....

Then I read...

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

By faith Jill...

This chapter on the Hall of Famer's provides insight into what God asked them to do and what blessings came as a result.  A group of people sure of what they hoped for and certain of what they did not see.

By faith Jill...

and so I realize my thought is not appalling, I am not comparing myself to them.  God is asking me to look at how He has moved in my life.  I know that God does not change, therefore He moves today as He moved then.  And so my testimony is my faith response to Him. 

I never thought about it like this before.

God is guiding my thoughts back four years ago to have a look-see at my faith response.

July, 2008.  I felt that I was truly sitting on the very bottom of MY life barrel, depressed, full of self-pity and feeling completely alone when God asked me to be His friend, to take His hand, to realize I was never alone, would never feel alone again, that He was and would always be with me?  By faith I took His hand and grew in relationship with Him everyday, learned to hear His voice and God became my best friend.  Peace washed over me and my household.

Then God asked if I would allow Him to teach me about love and life as He intended?  I had spent a lifetime of feeling unlovable and incapable of loving another.  I had meticulously built walls around my heart that would keep me safe.  I had no idea really what God intended, but by faith I knew my God so I again agreed to follow.

God asked if I would allow Him to provide for me in love by waiting for a man by the name of Jeff Tucker to introduce himself to me?  I wouldn't need to do anything but allow Him to prepare me and to follow where He led.  The world would question, for in the world's limited vision this was not normal.  At times I even had questions!  By faith I knew my God and I accepted to follow Him.

God asked if I would let Him heal my heart?  I knew the contents of my heart and the heavy burden I felt as I carried this weight around.  I didn't know how God would accomplish what I viewed as impossible, but by faith I knew my God and agreed to take His hand and follow.  God provided a study on Healing Wounded Emotions which was a three month cleansing of my heart and soul. This was a beautiful time of God unpacking everything I ever stored in my heart and cleansing every nook and cranny.  I was truly a new creation.

God asked if I would allow Him to give me a glimpse of His love for me?  By faith I knew my God and ran into His arms anticipating what He wanted to show me.  God provided the book Captivating a Woman's Heart.  In completing the earlier study I had emptied a lifetime of pain and misconceptions AND the very first thing God did was to fill me His love.  I became a heart overflowing and my household and friends were blessed.

God asked if I would trust Him with my finances?   I was skeptical for a million reasons along with some major control issues, but by faith I knew my God and said "ok, I will follow."  He provided the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace class.  Days became weeks, weeks became months and months became years.... but except for my house payment I became debt-free!!  My household was definitely blessed by this!

God asked a million things during these years.... will I trust Him with my time?  will I  follow Him to Mexico?  will I speak openly on His behalf?  will I...?  will I...?   YES! YES! YES!!

Each "yes" continued to prepare me, mold me, teach me, God continued to reveal more about Himself.  Each "yes" strengthened my faith and trust in my Savior and I became more free with each "yes.".

And then after 2 years and one month my phone rang.  The voice on the telephone said...."Hi, this is Jeff Tucker."
My heart stopped as I realized the power of my God.

By faith I accepted, trusted and followed wherever God asked me to go or do whatever God asked of me and through my faith in Christ Jesus....

I know my God and Savior intimately.
I know that God will always give me a choice.
I understand how God loves me.
I became debt-free.
I have a life timed in His perfection.
I travelled to Mexico with my youngest daughter to find out that God doesn't have a language barrier.
I found out that God sees ME, will care for every detail and not forget about me in crisis.
I found out that God can introduce two people when He chooses exactly as He says He will.
I know that God knows me better than I think I know myself and provided exactly what I needed in a husband.
God provided in Jeff an extension of Himself to continue to teach me about Love.
I learned that fear has serious limitations and that God has NONE!!!!

Prior to this walk I lived afraid of "what might or could happen" in any situation.  That fear would hinder me in my decision making. 

Walking through life in a sold-out-for-wherever-Jesus-calls sort of way has changed me.

Fear is now more present than ever.....

I am afraid to not say yes to what God asks or where He leads.  I am afraid to miss a moment of time with Him or join Him in His work.  Fear empowers me to say "yes" without hesitation whenever God calls!

Life with Christ is exciting, adventurous, trustworthy, solid and always Good.
By faith I must follow where God leads!!
Yes, by faith I followed.  Through faith I grew in relationship and trust with my King.  My household was blessed by my change through peace, joy, laughter, wisdom and freedom.  My family grew in number from 3 to an army of 10!!!  And it continues to grow today!!! 

Since July, 2008 God hasn't stopped asking me "will I?"  Humbly, joyfully and excitedly I continue to respond with "yes.  And I continue to grow in Christ Jesus!

Today I realized that all Christians have a faith story and that we are all a part of Hebrews Chapter 11 when we say "yes" to Him.  What a wonderful and perfect God we serve!!

Thank You ALMIGHTY God for sending Christ Jesus so that I might have an oppportunity to choose a relationship with You.  Christ Jesus, Son of the ALMIGHTY God, thank You for Your obedience to the call upon Your life that I might have the opportunity to be restored unto Him and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit thank You for residing in my heart and Your daily guidance that I might live the life God planned for me.  In God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit I give thanks.  Amen.