In my last release, Love’s Healing Touch, Adam and Lainie both lost their faith in God because of painful experiences in their lives and prayers they believed had been ignored.
Me too! I’d been a follower of Jesus since my teens, yet in my thirties and forties I went through my own time in the wilderness. Doubt and anger with God took me a long way from him. Mine took far too many years to resolve! But slowly and gently, He called this prodigal daughter home. Part of that process was a few unforgettable experiences. Mine weren’t those amazing “God saved my life” ones we hear about. Just quiet moments of total joy, total peace, total rightness.
God met me where I was, right in the messiness of everyday life. In those moments, it felt as if the emotional junk we all carry had been burned completely away leaving nothing behind but light and love. I’m sure those moments gave me a glimpse of what life will be like in our resurrection bodies. And a glimpse of the woman God intends me to become. LOL, I still have a long way to go, but little by little He’s working to bring me nearer!
Someone close to me had a truly amazing experience that convinced him there must be a Higher Power. Okay, he still can’t admit the God I believe in is real, but it’s a start!
In his twenties and early thirties, he wanted to learn to fly a plane. By working overtime all month, he scraped together enough to pay for a monthly lesson. After many months of hard work and lessons, his instructor told him he was ready for solo flight – allowed to fly the small aircraft by himself. A huge exciting moment!
As a learner, he only ever flew on clear days with good visibility. And he kept his solo flights to short hops from one country airfield to another, or to flying circuits. Taking off, flying a circle around the airfield, and landing again, practicing landings.
This day, he’d done a few circuits in bright sunny skies. Then on his final circuit, as he was about to touch down, the radio crackled into life. “Go around, go around!” The airfield tower controller, urgent and intense, told him not to land, but to gain height immediately and move away from the runway. He complied, though he had no idea why they wanted that.
In seconds, thick fog appeared from nowhere and enveloped the small plane. He hadn’t been taught how to deal with this, that was for future lessons. But he needed to know now! Worse, with no way to tell up from down, it’s terrifyingly easy for pilots to finally emerge from the cloud in an “unusual attitude”, even finding the plane is upside down!
He waited for instruction from the control tower, but none came. Heart racing, he tried dropping height, going as low as he dared in unknown terrain to see if he could get below the fog, but no. Every second, the plane took him further away from the airfield and he became more lost.
Only one thing left to do. He prayed, though childhood events turned him against God. Suddenly, total peace filled him. A sureness he’d get through safely replaced his fear. He felt someone else take over the controls, and a quiet voice whisper he could radio tower and ask for instructions now.
He did. The tower controller used radar to talk him through what his instruments should read, where to change course, where to reduce height. The whole time, he felt someone else flying the plane, not him. The plane stayed enveloped by fog right down to 50 feet, scarily close to the ground. Then the tiny plane finally broke through to clear air, right above the runway! Only in that moment did he feel the weight of the controls drop back into his hands, and the Presence who’d flown the plane for him leave.
Safely on the ground, he went to thank the tower controller, and ask why they told him not to land the first time. They’d seen a freak wind hit the airfield as he came in for the earlier landing. A strong gust from the exact opposite direction the windsock indicated when he passed it. If he’d tried to land, the plane would certainly have crashed off the end of the runway!
Adam and Lainie’s experiences of God calling then out of the wilderness are more like mine, quiet and gentle and loving. But God always finds ways to remind us He does hear our prayers and plans the best for all His children!
I’m wondering, have you or someone close to you had direct experiences that strengthened your faith in God?
One comment made before August 21 will be randomly chosen to win an ebook copy of Love’s Healing Touch. The ebook is only for sale on Amazon.com, but the prize draw will be open worldwide.
USA Today bestselling author Autumn Macarthur writes romances full of faith and hope, celebrating God's love as well as a man and a woman finding their happily ever after. She prays they’ll warm your heart and make you smile. An Australian transplanted to Britain, Autumn lives just north of London with her lovely English husband and three demanding cats, in a very small house with a teensy tiny garden. She loves talking to readers, so please get in touch! And get a free Christian romance novella when you sign up for her reader newsletter at http://bit.ly/Autumnsubscribe
Hi Autumn, thanks for sharing your faith journey. Your friends story is awesome! I think that too often the big, dramatic stories get the attention, when the quiet, everyday journey is just as important.
When my husband was small, he and his family were on a family holiday and had to catch a boat out to the island they were visiting. A storm came up as they were nearing the beach and my husband’s baby sister was washed out of Mum’s arms into the ocean. It was only the grace of God that brought her within reach of Mum’s hands, she was able to grab her clothing and get her out of the ocean. That is just one of many instances that show God’s faithfulness, from boxes of food left on our doorstep when I was a child, to the ministry of friends when we faced terrible loss. I remember receiving my oldest son’s school acceptance letter, stating that we had to pay a term’s school fees as deposit- we were on one income, with me supplementing with occasional relief teaching, needless to say, we did not have the money to pay this. We prayed…I was called in for enough days casual teaching to pay the amount. Praise God for His faithfulness, even when we question and doubt.
Blessings:)
Hi Autumn! Thanks for sharing your friend’s journey! I can relate to Wemble, as American immigrants my family was poor. Due to health issues, there were times when finances were stretched. If it were not for kind church members, who arrived with bags of food at just the right time, meals would have been even smaller than normal. Coming to America in the 1950s, when many families were rejected access, our family saw God’s providence. God is faithful through good and bad times. Best wishes!
My best friend’s life and faith story always affirms me whenever I speak with her. She and her family felt called to move out to California and found out there that her dad didnt have a whole lot of time left due to cancer. They got to spend the dying man’s last couple of weeks with him. They had a hard time finding a home and a job for about 18 months but remained faithful to His calling. God’s mercy and grace saw them through this tough transition period and opened multiple doors so now they’re doing quite well, settled into a new home with a fantastic job.
Only our God.
Thank you, Autum, for sharing this incredible story. I have not had an experience like this, but there have been many times across my 80 years when God has protected, provided, and given His sweet peace. Thankful for a loving, gracious Heavenly Father. Blessings on your writing ministry.
What an awesome testimony! We have had so many times where we ended up delayed, only to find that we narrowly missed being involved in an accident. And then there are the times when we ignored that little “nudging inside” and came to realize that we should have listened to it. Little incidences maybe not worth mentioning, and yet they have been mighty building blocks in our faith! I’m thankful for the times that God keeps us from bad situations, but also for the times we see His Hand walking us through them!
Hi Autumn, thanks for sharing your friend’s and your own experience. It’s not something easy to acknowledge.
I didn’t have any wild or striking experience, but I’ve had ups and downs in my relationship with God. I like to think the distance makes the heart grow fonder (or something like that), even though I know I should probably avoid distance in this relationship ;)
What a wonderful and emotional post, Autumn! Thank you for sharing your story, and the story of your friend is amazing. I had my time in wilderness, too. I did not doubt God, but I doubted myself being worthy of His love. My coming back to Him was more like yours, slow, gentle, and healing my soul. And you know I loved reading Love’s Healing Touch. Great book!
Wow, what a story! I know there are so many times where it is the specific hands of God leading us when we can’t fathom it. So many of them this past February when my father-in-law passed away. Too many things to count where it was pure providence that led to support for us!
God has saved my life three times in my 63 yrs. he has a purpose in that.
My husband who has a scientific mind was having a hard time believing on faith. (This was many years ago) he prayed really hard one night while lying on the couch in the dark. He realized a very bright white light was in the room but he was afraid to open his eyes. It disappeared in a few minutes but he knew God had been listening. He won’t tell that story because he thinks people will think he’s crazy but I’m thankful for his experience and a little jealous….it changed his life!
So true, Wendy! God works in our lives in so many ways, and often it’s quietly, gently, almost unseen.
Your story made me teary. In a good way! What an awesome God He is!
Thanks for sharing that, Renate. I’m learning more and more that I don’t need to worry or plan ahead so much. Trusting in God’s provision and praising Him is time far better spent than worrying!
That’s wonderful! It’s so much harder to see God at work in our lives when times are tough and prayers don’t seem to be answered. But looking back at those times in my own life, I now recognise God’s power and the way He used even bad events for my eventual good. It’s such a blessing!
Those times are so precious and valuable. In eighty years, I’m sure you’ve seen God’s amazing workings many times in Your life and the lives of those near to you.
So true, Becky! I’m learning to listen far more to those inner nudges. So many small incidents that can’t be coincidences can only be God things. He is amazing!
My experiences of God are far more gentle, too. He chooses His own ways to show us He is real and He is active in our lives, different for each of us.
I think that pattern of ebb and flow in our relationship with God is probably normal and something He accepts and understands. It would be great if life in these fallen bodies in this fallen world was a lovely straight line graph of ever-growing faith and praise and closeness to Him, but that’s not my experience! I suspect for many of us, it’s not like that.
More a wobbly up-and-down line with an overall upward direction, that doesn’t feel that way when we’re in a trough. Thankfully God keeps revealing Himself to us in big and small ways, reminding us of His love and care. And He always calls us from wandering too far, like the Good Shepherd He is.
Hugs, Alexa! His healing is such a wonderful thing, whether it’s sudden and miraculous, or slow, gentle, and ultimately just as miraculous. What an amazing thing that the God who created the universe care enough to be with us in the messiness of our lives!
I wonder if that sense of unworthiness is the root of most of us in those times we wander way from Him? Under my anger with Him over huge disappointments (um, actually times when I didn’t trust His timing or His plan for my life and tried to MAKE what I wanted happen!), was a definite sense that it was all my fault, that He didn’t give me what I wanted because I wasn’t worthy of it.
His providence is such a blessing! Thanks for sharing that, Susan! <3
How wonderful, Gail! God knows what we most need, and He does sometimes give amazing signs like that. What a blessing for your husband!
Yes, my dear friend hasn’t told many people that story, either. In fact, I think I might be the only person he’s told. He also has a scientific mind, and finds faith in what is unseen challenging. He only let me share provided I didn’t say who he was! These things are too precious to let doubters trample on.
I guess God sends us each the signs of His reality and His presence in the way He recognises will most convince us. Hyper-rational scientifically focused need actual tangible physical experiences to trust and believe – like Thomas needing to see and touch Christ’s wounds. Those of us who run more on emotion maybe have an easier time coming to faith, though the times when we don’t feel God’s presence may be harder for us to get through.
Wow Autumn…What an amazing story. I love how God shows us He really is here for us. One of my favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5&6. Trusting God to direct even tho we can’t see it.
By the way, I have been loving ALL your graphics you post on Facebook. They are beautiful! I’m really having a hard time not to do one every day. I’m going through Psalm right now and everyday there’s a new verse that touches my heart.
What an AMAZING God we have!
My husband and I have been more subtly led by the Lord. Whenever we have a decision that has to be made, He provides an answer through circumstances or other people. Thanks for the testimony. God works miracles large and small. He knows what we need, when we need it!
Like you, God found me in the day to day craziness of my life. I had grown up knowing God was always there for us, but our family was not overly religious. I reconnected with my husband at our 10 year high school reunion. We each had a daughter and together we went on to have 3 more wonderful girls. Our second daughter together was destined to only be with us a few short days. My 3rd pregnancy and I got nothing ready and she was born at 38 weeks. Kinda crazy, huh? I believe God spoke to me and prepared me without me knowing it at the time. The strength was there when I needed it. Our 3 day old angel left us, but not before she gave the gift of life to a 2 month old baby boy hundreds of miles away. The only way we were destined to have a boy! He is 18 now and we have been blessed to watch him grow. There is no way we could have survived the loss of our baby, watched Sam grow and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we will one day see Maclaine again! God took our terrible situation and made something glorious from it. I have no idea how someone can survive the loss of a child without a faith in something greater than us. Not only did we survive, but our entire family was brought closer together. This is especially true of my husband and myself. Very often couples do not survive the overwhelming grief. God helped us turn to each other at this time. We were able to find comfort in Him and each other. I am very thankful that God chose us to be the parents of an angel. It is wonderful she could help Sam, but I also know that one day, when I enter the pearly gates of Heaven, I will have a precious bundle placed in my arms! That may not be how it actually happens, but it brings me comfort and the Bible does tell us that we will recognize our loved ones. I know I will see her again! This would not be true if she had never been born!!
Thanks for sharing your story and your friend’s story! I don’t remember having such a remarkable experience, but I do recall some moments when I had a peace in my heart despite the circumstances. There are also some days that I’ve read the Bible and the verse just spoke to my heart in a way in something I needed that day or that week..
Thanks. I love this notion of “wobbly up-and-down line with and overall upward direction” of life.
Hi Autumn. I think we all have ups and downs that test our faith. I know I have. The most recent being that I have MS Not sure, but I may have had this for at least 30 years already. It would explain some of the things that have happened in my past. I’ve decided to make the best of whatever time I have left. And try to let God take care of the things he has in mind. We need to take pleasure in the little things God puts in our path. And sometimes we may need to lean on him to get through things. I never thought that I would have to give myself shots, but it’s not so bad. I don’t want to do it but the alternative could be so much worse. I think I might take some time to sweep the porch now and look at some of our flowers. Little things.
Interesting posts today! I can’t begin to count the ways God has helped me….strengthened my faith. God is good!
We surely do!
I love those days when so many wonderful verses stand out in what we’re reading we want to make them all into memes!
I need to get doing some new graphics. They bless me as I make them. :)
He does! I’m learning to lean more and more on His guiding. I love the way He works!
Oh, huge hugs, Karen! I’m sitting here crying after reading that.
The issue that took me away from God for so many years was recurrent miscarriages. But He has blessed me with the certainty that each of those little souls are loved and cared for by Him.
I love that peace He gives despite the circumstances! And yes, He speaks to us and blesses us in so many different ways. :)
Hugs, Nancy. Prayers for your health. Yes, becoming ill is a great way He teaches us to trust Him more and take time to enjoy those sweet small pleasures in life. I’ve definitely found that since becoming ill. I can’t rely on my own strength any more, so I HAVE to rely on His!
He is, and He shows us that in so many ways! :)
It is so true God often gently guides us in our faith and sometimes we do not see this until the event is over. He is an Awesome God.
Boatloads of answered prayer have strengthened my faith! Sometimes I still have to remember to listen for the answer.
Thank you, Autumn! Sometimes it’s so difficult to let go of control and rely on God’s will. So grateful for God’s mercy and God’s healing touch.
He is! And faith is really hanging in there and keeping on trusting Him, even when we CAN’T see the ways He’s working in our lives. I loved the way you showed that in How to Make Victoria Sponge. :)
Me too! It feels a lot more real than the perfection we too often expect from ourselves.
I have a tendency to think I am “doing faith” wrong if I’m not happy and feeling close to God all the time. The enemy tries to use that against us to try to drag us into despair and doubt.
But God is a loving Father applauding every step we take nearer Him, just like a good dad applauds their toddler. I know in the walk of faith, I’m still a toddler. And that’s okay.
So true, Ellie! Especially when the answer comes in ways we don’t understand at the time, like delays and frustrations that turn out to be blessings!
Me too! <3
Oftentimes, God uses the little things in my own life to strengthen my faith. It’s not usually anything big. Like you, I can get discouraged when I don’t feel like God hears me. But I know that’s not truth, He always hears me and is with me and I need to remember that in times of doubt. Scripture is full of His promises and being reminded of those is helpful :-)
Yes, I very much have to trust God because I know I just can’t do a lot of things on my own.
Yes, being able to hold onto those promises in the tougher times really helps! He doesn’t ever forsake us.
That to me has been the big blessing in getting ill, being shown how much I need Him. Of course, I needed Him just as much when I was well, I just couldn’t see it so clearly!
Wow, what an amazing story! But how very sad that your friend hasn’t been able to recognise who God is despite this miraculous event :(
I have a 21 yr old son who is significantly intellectually impaired. He’s a delight, but the caring role has been incredibly long and tiring. God’s strength sustains me through the everyday slog, reminding me that I keep going because He is faithful and keeps His promises.
Hugs, Kerri! Praying for you and your son. Caregiving is hard work! I know for me, caring for a multiply disabled husband, every day I fail to be as loving or as patient as I’d like to be. But God still loves me, still blesses me, still works with me to grow me into the woman He designed me to be.
I trust that my friend will surrender to God eventually. Just being able to accept that God does exists and is ultimately good and caring is a huge step for him. So I’m grateful that God opened up that possibility to have an ongoing dialogue and share my experience of Him.
yes
Thanks for visiting!
What a wonderful story. And, it is true that our Lord works in mysterious and wonderful ways.
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book. God bless.
He truly is amazing, Donna!
Yes, He is. He has proven that to me in more than one way. I believe He will lead me to do what is right and good always. Donna
Seems like we all go thru a time when our believe is shaken. , prayers of friends & family mean so much
That’s true, Nikki. Knowing others are praying for us can help in those difficult times when even though He’s right there with us, God feels far away.
I was not brought up in church but about seven years ago I felt like needed to visit a church . I didn’t know at the time I would go through a very emotional divorce 2years later. I now attend church with most of my children and grandchildren. So instead of suffering through the divorce I had a great support system with my church and my family
Hugs on the trauma, Lisa, but I’m so glad and grateful your had that support when you needed it. God knows our needs before we do!
Thank you for sharing that Autumn. It made me cry. I have heard lots of stories of people who feel angels looked out for the….a higher power working, so yes. And I know I have had some experiences that have shown me someone heard my prayers but not ones I can think of at the moment that will be short to share. Although, getting this apartment was an answer to prayer. I thought I was moving one place and it fell through, my parents house was going to be going up for sale and I had nowhere to go but had to move out. This place was here and it had the number of rooms I needed and is a blessing all around.It happened very quickly which was good because my parents place sold before it even got on the market. HUGE blessing. I know my prayers are heard but the ones I want answered the most have still been left unanswered so I struggle with faith that I’m loved the way I’ve been taught…the way I hear I’m loved….it’s such an elusive prayer and it hurts to go unanswered, so yet I know my prayers are heard and even answered and quickly even…I still struggle hard with faith. Like isn’t it time yet?
Hugs, Sabrina! Sorry for the slow reply – I missed your comment.
This is something so many of us wrestle with, I think – sustaining faith when we know God must be real and He shows us he is real, but we can’t feel Him as a personal loving presence in our lives. We can read His promises that He loves us, but we have that need to FEEL it, too. It can feel very desolate and dry at times in that desert. I stayed stuck there for the longest time – like thirty years! It’s only the past few years I’ve moved from a head knowledge of God to having a bit more of a heart knowledge of Him. And I can’t say it’s anything I did differently. It was just time.
I guess it’s just about hanging in there through the dry spells, keeping on saying Yes to God every day, being willing to open our hearts and minds to Him. Telling Him the truth of whatever we’re thinking and feeling, even if that’s “Where are You, Lord?” or “Why did You let that happen to me?” Like David in the Psalms, really letting loose at times, letting God know he’s angry and upset with Him over things. And in the course of a single song, he’ll go from anger to despair to reiterating that he’ll keep trusting in God, he’ll hold fast to God’s promises.
Praying for you! <3
THANK YOU HUGS
You’re welcome! Any time! <3