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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

This Is My Story - Lillian Duncan


This is a reprint from a blog by Lillian Duncan on her website, Power Up with God, with her permission. I love this story--thank you, Lil!
 
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is an awesome GOD moment I experienced many, many years ago, but I remember the details as if it happened yesterday. And that’s saying something because I don’t have a good memory. I was in my car driving up what is called Madison Hill in my 62 Falcon (but it was 1974 on the way to Fredericksburg, Ohio.

God gave me answers that I was searching for and they were the perfect answers for me.

I was nineteen and making choices that weren’t godly. I wasn’t consciously rebelling against God but my actions told a different story. God’s love is so amazing that even though I had turned my back on him, he didn’t do the same to me.

After a year of working in dead-end jobs, I was going to college. but I needed to decide what to major in. I really had no idea. I only knew I wasn’t going to work in a factory or fast food for the rest of my life. “Teacher” popped into my head from nowhere. Almost audible, but not quite. What a good idea but what kind of teacher? Elementary? Home Ec? Math? The words, “Deaf teacher” popped into my head. Another great idea! I”d been involved in the deaf ministry through my church since I was about thirteen or fourteen so it made sense to me.

Four years later, I became a Speech Pathologist and several years later received my Master’s Degree as a teacher of the deaf. I was blessed to work most of my career as a Speech Pathologist for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the Cleveland City Schools.

I loved it! Not that there weren’t a few moments of frustration, but it was a job that I was good at and it brought me much joy thanks to the great students I had through the years.

It was only years later that I realized that God had truly spoken to me in HIS still quiet voice in that car that day going up Madison Hill. God had guided me to the perfect career for me even though I was in complete rebellion at the time and for many years afterwards. I’m still blessed every day by that choice that God gave me that day.

At the time, I wasn’t living in a godly way, but God loved me enough to get me down the right path anyway. God is so wise and so good. He picked the perfect job for me in spite of my rebellion. This was only one of the times that God clearly guided me, protected me, and blessed me during my rebellion. There were many others!

Know that God loves you no matter where you are on your spiritual journey. Just as the prodigal son’s father worried, loved him, and longed to bless his child when he was off in rebellion, so it is with our heavenly father. Whether our rebellion lasts for ten minutes or ten years, God is waiting with open arms to welcome us back because we are forever HIS!

2 comments:

Chris Loehmer Kincaid said...

Yes, God is so good. He knows exactly what is best for us, way before we know it ourselves. When I think of the times that He bailed me out of some bad situations - why did He have more faith in me than I had in Him at those times? I didn't rebel too much, but I sure floundered. But through everything, God stayed with me, and I can look back now with so much thanks.

Thank you for sharing a wonderful story.

Anne Baxter Campbell said...

Agreed, Chris! Back before I became a Christian, God still provided and guided. Odd--I felt gratitude to Him even though I seldom consciously thought of Him.
~Anne