Real Life Redemption

Sometimes you come across those people that inspire your socks off. You know, the ones who have walked journey's that should have ended them. They are the one's who could have easily become victims and continued to walk in the condemnation and guilt that only comes from Satan. Instead, they were chased by their Savior and He won. He won their heart, life, and future. Well, I get to experience a person like this every week. Our core team is blessed to have this woman with us. She walks in truth and holds to her guns when all seems lost. She endures and has been healed. Though life still throws here curve balls, she waits, patiently for the Savior's strong arms to wrap around her. I wanted to share my friends story with you in hopes that you will also be blessed by her.  Love you Emily!

Sweet Redemption

5“Then I will restore to you the years that the locust swarm devoured,

as did the young locust, the other locusts, and the ravaging locust,

that great army of mine that I sent among you.

26You will have plenty to eat, and will be fully satisfied.

You will praise the name of the LORD your God,

who has performed wonders specifically for you.

And my people will never be ashamed.

27As a result, you will know that I am in the midst of Israel;

that I myself am the LORD your God—

and there is none other!

And my people will never be ashamed.”

Joel 2:25-27

In 2006, when I accepted Jesus into my heart and into my life, I had no idea to what capacity the word redemption would hold for me.  The years before had been years filled with destructive habits, self-demolition, and darkness.  Sin had ruled and reigned so heavy in my life that even my physical body ached of it, just as King David's had. Satan had managed to, even if only momentarily, disrupt every plan for Hope and a Future that God had for me. 

Moments before the Spirit of God completely invaded my life, I sat hopeless; ruined; and completely broken.  Digging a way out of the mud and mire that I was in seemed ridiculously impossible, and for me, it was. 

BUT GOD...Don't you just love when a story has those two words in it? BUT GOD, in His deep love and mercy; being Jehovah-Rapha (The God who Heals), knew I needed help.  He knew I needed a Mighty Savior to do for me what I could not do for myself.  I was severely wounded from the war Satan had waged against me.  I needed more than just healing.  I needed complete REDEMPTION.

So on that night in 2006, God gave me His word.  It was quite possibly the most audible word I have ever had Him speak to me.  It literally seemed to be out loud.  Not your typical still small voice.

The Lord assured me that every part of me that was broken; every area in my life that had been damaged: relationships, reputations, personal failures, and broken dreams would be healed, restored, REDEEMED.  Not partially.  Not mostly.  But back to the original canvas that God had initially created them as: Pure, clean, & undefiled by sin.

This is where I need to remind you that God NEVER breaks His promises.  He is true to His word.  He will NEVER fail His beloveds.

As I sit here seven years later, I can honestly say that my mind cannot even comprehend how the Lord has kept that promise to me way beyond anything I could have ever asked or imagined.

Tiny little details of my life that I didn’t know needed redeeming, well, He thought they did and He redeemed them!  Every minute area in my life that “the locust” or Satan had stolen from me, God gave me back TEN-FOLD! 

I wish I had time to tell you all about the REDEMPTION God has done in my life, but unfortunately I know that “ain’t nobody got time for that”.  For those who have walked with me through this journey, you have had the great honor of seeing firsthand God’s amazing work.  Consider yourselves very blessed because you have witnessed a true miracle.

Although I won’t overload you with EVERY SINGLE THING He has done, please allow me to tell you the latest two things He has redeemed.  They are really, really, good!

Many of you read on my Facebook a while back that I had a testimony to go with this pregnancy.  It is a true story of redemption and one I want the whole world to hear about. 

As most of you know, when I was 18 I had an abortion.  Satan had so entangled me in sin that I made the worst decision I have ever made in my life.  I ended the life of my first child.  Satan fought hard to convince me of this decision because he KNEW how it would destroy me.  And it did. 

Once I accepted Jesus in my heart, I knew that would be the area I needed the most healing in.  I knew that part of me needed to be redeemed.  I also knew God would do it.  I just didn’t know when or how. 

Fast-foward seven years later….. Happily married and trying to conceive our first child, my husband and I struggled through two miscarriages.  As devastating as they were, I knew my God was good and EVERYTHING he did was for my good.  So I clung to His truth and hope.  Finally, we got a SURPRISE third pregnancy!  I was called in for an early ultrasound due to the past difficulties with my other two pregnancies.  During the ultrasound, the baby was there, the heartbeat was there, but the Sonographer said the size of the baby was concerning according to my cycle dates.  They gave me my due date, which was the end of January, and told me to come back the next week to be rechecked.

Fear and doubt crept into my soul, but again, God convinced me to trust Him.  So I did. 

We came back a week later to see if our sweet baby had grown anymore and if everything was ok.  And wouldn’t you know, that little baby had the strongest heartbeat and had grown just perfectly!  The nurses concluded our dates had been wrong, the baby was right where she needed to be, and they gave me a new due date: February 13^th, 2014. 

So what is the relevance, you ask?  February 13^th is the relevance.  February is the month 8 years ago that I had ended that precious life that was growing inside of me.  8 Years ago in February, Satan had allured me into the most heinous, evil act I could have ever imagined myself doing. 

BUT GOD!  There it is again.  BUT GOD, in His sweet, sweet, sweet, redemption wanted to take that very thing that I meant for evil and turn it into GOOD for HIS GLORY.  So, on the VERY SAME MONTH (My God loves to show off) 8 years ago that I ended LIFE, God redeemed it and is giving me LIFE back! Hallelujah, WHAT A SAVIOR! 

God even had a purpose in those miscarriages.  He knew the time was not right and that if we would wait patiently, not only would he bring us the baby we were dreaming of but He would bring COMPLETE HEALING to me as well! Ah, He is so GOOD, is He not?

You know, I think today I am going to end on that note.  The second story I have of His redemption is wonderful, but I want you to sit on this one for a while and marvel at His goodness. 

He cares about you, beloved.  He cares about every MINUTE detail in your life, down to the months, hours, and seconds. 

He has not forgotten what Satan did to you and HIS vengeance, not yours but HIS, is GLORIOUS!  His vengeance is REDEMPTION.  And there is no sweeter thing.