100-Word Stories

Zach, my son, was living in Shanghai in January 2020. I was with a friend and she said her husband, a surgeon, taught classes in Wuhan. She said things were much worse than they were reporting and we should get him out of China. My husband and I have opposite parenting styles. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me divine guidance and I called my husband. Troy said, “I think everything is under control over there, but I’ll do some research.” That evening Troy and Zach had a video call. Zach didn’t want leave, but he got on the next flight…the day before Shanghai was locked down.

In 2009 we gave up our home, forced to leave for safety reasons. We struggled to pay bills, make rent, even though the wife went back to work and by all means I made more money. Church was an occasional thing, and it wasn’t until I almost lost my job that we finally made a conscious effort to commit to a church. It wasn’t until we trusted in God to provide that we started to tithe. It was difficult at first, but eventually everything changed. We were able to purchase a fixer upper, sold it, moved to Austin, found Austin Ridge, and now are blessed spiritually and beyond measure.

This summer I have the opportunity to go on a summer mission to North Africa, but I was unsure of how I was going to raise all of the funds that I needed for this trip. The beginning of support raising was very slow, and I had only two people donate. Coming into March, I was only at half of my goal with one month left to raise the rest. Within one week, God provided $3,000 for my mission trip, and fully supported me to be able to go on mission this summer.

Our church had a fund drive to do a major new addition. God had previously shown us how He could supply all our needs as we had tithed. We decided to commit to a double tithe for three years. We cut back where we could, postponed major purchases, and grew closer to God as we gave. Several years later, the pastor asked us to give our testimony to the church for a new drive. After the talk, my wife told me that she had a check in her purse from an unexpected early inheritance. It was exactly the amount we had previously given! Live out Malachi 3:10 and Hebrews 13:5.

I’m at a young age and have definitely made mistakes. There’s a difference between just worshipping and trusting in Him at church and involving Him in your day-to-day life. I went to church and did all the things, and then fooled around with people who were anything but good for me. I was under the impression that certain commandments didn’t apply to me. Then something happened. I felt God’s presence, full of love for me. He’s more fulfilling than anything of the flesh. All I had to do was turn away from the sins of my life, and He helped me turn my life around.

Sometimes God parts the sea, sometimes we need to step in first. Feb 7, 2021 at 5am, I had $42 left in my bank account for the month. I got out of bed and went to my knees. I shared my need with God, He already knew, but I confessed I couldn’t and released it to Him. My phone beeped as I returned to bed and there was a message from a friend sharing a windfall, asking if there was anything I needed (God had prompted her.) By the end of the day I had $500 in my account for the month!

Where to start… the most recent way God has impacted my life is by far the most awe-inspiring for me thus far in my 36 years. Last year during the snow storm, my partner unexpectedly passed away; shortly thereafter, I found out I was expecting a baby. God has had His hand in every aspect of bringing this baby into the world. He perfectly placed some of the most generous families in my life, to support me emotionally, spiritually, and financially. Walking through grief and into single-motherhood requires a strength and support only God can provide, and He has IN MAJOR WAYS, and continues to do so.

Before Austin Ridge, my life went off script. I had walked through pregnancy, delivery, and raising a little girl alone. Her father, a malignant narcissist who remained married to someone else, began threatening me and made my path increasingly difficult. I developed postpartum thyroiditis, then breast tumors, then symptoms of thyroid cancer. During this time, my daughter and I moved to a remote corner of WA, the pandemic started, we survived domestic abuse in living with family, then returned to Austin, jobless and homeless. Through all of this, God provided. God healed me – physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially. He put the right women to walk beside me and follow Christ.

I’m a wife, mother to two little girls, and I have a demanding full-time career. I get no time alone, and I become exhausted at times. I was reminded recently, though, that I’m not alone. The Lord has reminded me that I am walking with other Godly mothers, and that He will uphold me. I have felt so sweetly encouraged that He will honor the small things I can do to abide with Him. No matter the season, He has always met me, and I know He always will.

Moms feel everything x2 with their kids. This year I walked through a stretching time with my college kiddo. She faced struggles with a rigorous major and challenges with feeling alone. This left us both feeling uncertain, unsettled, and anxious. In these moments, God was faithful. He graciously pointed me to Psalm 68:19, reminding me that He is bearing my burdens with me. He also provided dear friends who prayed for us and reminded me of His goodness even in the hard. Life will always be full of challenges; I am comforted knowing I don’t face them alone.

About 10 months ago I felt the Lord so clearly say to me that He was preparing me for a season of change. I knew that He had a transition coming for me, but I just didn’t know the what/when/where. After months of confusion and question marks, the Lord so clearly began to open doors that lead me to joining the staff at Austin Ridge. It was almost TOO easy. I couldn’t ignore just how much He was in the midst of it all. Today I am reminded that He always, always takes care of me.

After struggling with infertility issues for years and praying about having a family, God opened up the doors of adoption. We currently have two adopted children and KNOW that God was at work through our trial and that His timing and plan was perfect. The trial brought us to tears but also brought us closer to the Lord.

Before my dad passed this year, we struggled as a family to know when was the right time to let him go. I prayed for wisdom, discernment, and peace with the decision. Shortly before we had to make the decision, my dad became alert and was able to verbalize his wishes. Shortly after that conversation, he fell back asleep and passed a few days later. I knew only God could have pulled that off, and that He was present with us. This gave me the encouragement, strength, and peace I needed for those last couple of days. I was reading John 14:1-3 to my dad when he passed.

Near the end of 2021, I started to sense that God was guiding me away from my job. I felt very uncertain but began to search for where He might be leading. So many questions developed as I looked, but throughout the process, He faithfully provided clarity and understanding of the what, where, how, and when. I am so grateful that our Father is one who walks with us, and not just in the big moments and decisions, but in the everyday. Every day has its challenges, but throughout this transition, I am just so deeply grateful for a God who has reassured and strengthened me again and again.