Real Life Stories - I Was Kind of a Loner

Post date: Jun 02, 2020 7:36:51 AM

Growing up, I was a very shy and quiet little girl who loved music. I was raised in the church, functioned in several positions, and knew church protocol. Every Sunday, we were there and at least once more during the week. There were a lot of revivals, and we would attend church for the entire week.

I come from a family of singers and musicians on both my dad’s and my mom’s side. At an early age, my sister and I were singing songs such as, “How Big is God.” I continued to sing in church for many years during my youth because that’s what you did where I came from. I sang in the choir. I sang about God and heard about God, but I did not know God. I did not have a relationship with him. I had felt God’s presence before, especially when I would sing to Him, but I really didn’t know the God that I was singing to or about.

From a child until well into young adulthood, I was kind of a loner. I felt like I was different from most of the people I was around, but I didn’t understand why. I wasn’t a very sociable person. Music was my passion, but even when I would sing in church, I would close my eyes and not look at the audience because of my shyness. In my latter teenage years, the Lord began to draw my heart and reveal Himself to me. At the age of 19, I gave my heart to God and started to develop a relationship with Him. I was very eager to learn more about Him. I always wanted to be in His presence because I would have such peace, joy and contentment.

When I became a Christian, my life was transformed, mind, body and spirit. Everything started changing. God started showing me that He really was God. One of the first miracles I experienced was God healing my oldest daughter when she was around 4 years old. I was very young in Christ and didn’t have the knowledge of intercession that I have now, but I believed in healing. A fellow sister in Christian Tracts, my daughter Catherine, and I were out of town at a church convention. Catherine accidentally knocked over the iron on herself, and the circle imprints from the iron were embedded into her face. My friend and I began to pray and call on Jesus. To our amazement, God began to remove those imprints out of my daughter’s face, right in front of us. We never took her to the hospital, and there weren’t any scars on her face. Watching God heal my daughter immediately increased my faith in Him tremendously.

God proved Himself to me again. I was driving to the mall to return an item. I drove my dad’s car, and I was unaware my dad had been working on the exhaust system. My sister, brother, and oldest daughter accompanied me. They waited in the car that was running because it was the middle of winter. When I returned to the car, my daughter was laying on the floor of the car. My sister was unconscious, and my brother who was in the front was barely responding. I knew something was seriously wrong but didn’t know what it was. It never occurred to me to go to the hospital. I began driving to my pastor’s house to pray. As I was driving, the Holy Spirit said, “Roll the windows down.” It was winter time, and I didn’t understand why I should roll the windows down, yet I obeyed. I made it to my pastor’s house, and they prayed with me. God blessed all three of them. We went to the hospital afterwards to get them checked, and everyone was fine. I later asked God about that situation. He replied, “Be still and know that I am God.”

I have always loved to sing, but God had deposited in me a gift to write songs. I was writing songs for a while without realizing I was even doing it. God had a divine purpose to use me to usher a spirit of worship in the midst of His people. He has birthed songs in me that exemplified His true character and His great love for us.

I am no longer the quiet and shy person I used to be. God has given me a confidence I never knew existed. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I now know that I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. I have been blessed to minister this wonderful gospel message through the avenue of music for many years. I now sing in the spirit and with an understanding of Who God really am. Not only do I sing to and for Him, but I have learned to worship him. Learning to worship God has catapulted my life and my relationship with Him into an entirely different dimension.

Just when I finally became comfortable singing in front of audiences, God made a shift and started positioning me to declare and preach His word. I was very uncomfortable with that. It definitely was NOT my preference. I said, “God, you know how long it took me to accept my calling to sing, now this?” In spite of how I felt, I obeyed. Now, I realize what a privilege and honor it is to proclaim a life-changing gospel that transforms people’s lives. I am so blessed that God empowers me to share good news with people that feel like good news doesn’t even exist. I have had the privilege of ministering at prisons, monthly at the Salvation Army, nursing homes, etc. Sharing the good news that God loves us and wants us to have abundant life brings me great joy.

I have been married for 32 years. My husband and I have four beautiful and anointed children. God called my husband to pastor the ministry that He birthed through us called Pure Gospel Tracts. Our children work with us in the ministry. God continuously blesses me and my family. He continues to reveal more and more of Himself to us daily. I am grateful to Him for what He is presently doing in my life, and I am excited about my future in Him