HOW'D THEY WIND UP IN THESE FIXES?, PART 3

"How have you made it through this difficult time in your life?" I asked our daughter who's a single mom to two active little boys who teaches school and sells real estate. She has a difficult ex, who, for three years, has made her life unbearable at times (and ours).

My two daughters and I were doing interview-type speaking on Mother's Day at our church. We were on the platform sitting in wingback chairs, and I'd just introduced my topic, "A Mother Talks to Her Daughters" and read my two scripture texts:

"When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5).

and

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

I waited for her answer.

"I try to be thankful for the little things," she said. "I try to stay positive and count my blessings." She paused. Though she's an award-winning teacher, she was nervous and said so.

"I'm not a public speaker," she told the congregation. Then she plunged in with a flow of words that touched hearts. "I wish when I got married, I'd made a good choice. But I didn't. I'd like to use my story to help others. Some of my teacher friends are young and single, and I've talked with them about dating and marriage and making good choices. I implore you to listen to your parents. If you make bad choices, there are lasting consequences. I wish I could go back, listen to my parents. I was young and confused. Listen to your parents and people who are godly."

"I've found the most wonderful church," she continued. "I'm involved, and I invite people all the time to my church. Several of my friends have joined it."

My other daughter and I talked. I told the congregation how she'd fallen in love with a young man in college, and a good job opening came open for him in San Juan, and they'd married and moved down there (he was born and raised there). I put a Bible in her hands right before she left and told her, "When the women went out West in covered wagons in the 1800s, there were no churches, but they kept their faith. Jennifer, I'm expecting you to keep your faith. Even if you can't find an English-speaking church, you can still read your Bible and trust in God."

"All my life," she told the congregation, "as a PK (preacher's kid), I fiercely loved Jesus. I was the girl who wanted a picture of Jesus on my birthday cake one year—and Mom made it. I witnessed to my classmates and led some of them to the Lord. I took my Bible to school. I had wonderful spiritual experiences at summer camp. But as a teenager, I got overcome by the things of this world. I was concerned with image and being popular, and I wanted to have fun. I strayed away."

"Last year," she continued, "my husband and I were at a party in San Juan, and a woman sat down at our table. Suddenly, she said, 'God wants you.'" I was shocked. I felt God reached down and grabbed me by the heart and said, 'I want you.'"

"It was unusual for a woman like that to be at the party," I interjected.

"Very unusual," my daughter said. "Over the next few days, I got so hungry for God. I'd pick up the Bible and read it, but I wasn't sure where to start. Then I heard about an English-speaking church and decided to go."

I told the congregation that Jennifer and Javier's hobby is mountain biking, but since she was pregnant, she couldn't bike. One Sunday, he got a ride with a friend, and she took their car and went to church. It was a one-hour service, and she felt like it was water on a dry plant.

"It was wonderful," she said. "It felt like the pastor knew all about me. It was like the sermon was tailor-made just for me."

On Monday, in casual conversation with her huband, she mentioned she'd gone to church.

"If you ever go to church again, I'm divorcing you," he said.

Continued…

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