My Testimony

I accepted Christ as my savior at a very young age. I fell in love with Jesus and surrendered my life to the foreign mission field. As an adolescent who was just beginning to learn what Christ wanted for my life, I made many mistakes. My spiritual pride and arrogance made me think that I was not subject to the same mistakes that other young people make.

God humbled me very quickly when I fell in love with the preacher's son, became pregnant and was married a week before my 16th birthday. I could not face my friends and fellow classmates because of my shame and humiliation. I had blown my witness to those who had believed in me. More importantly, I felt that I had let God down. I didn't think that God would ever forgive me because I could not forgive myself.
I hit rock bottom spiritually and suffered from deep depression that lasted for years. Seven years into my marriage, I had an affair and my marriage fell apart, ending in divorce. I was a single mother of two and months behind in my house payments. Back taxes had to be paid or the house that my Dad had built for me would go into foreclosure. In desperation, I finally turned to God knowing that if I was to keep the house and get on my feet, it would all be His work.

On my own for the first time in my life, I had no education and was scared to death that I could not support my children and myself. I waited tables to catch up on my house payments and taxes and care for my family. The work was hard but I gained acceptance from the people I worked with. My self-esteem was still very low, however. I did not feel that I could ever experience the happiness I saw in the lives of others.

I longed to have a husband to take care of me and share the burdens of life. I believed that I would have to settle for anyone as long as they liked me. I didn't ask if they loved me because I didn't love myself. I prayed that if the men I dated weren't who God wanted for me that they would break it off. I was hurt many times as God weeded out those relationships, showing me over and over that this was not what He wanted for me.

After a couple of years, I finally met someone who I thought was "Mr. Right". We dated for a year although I was full of guilt and conviction over the relationship we had. After praying to God for strength I finally told the man I was dating that we either had to get married and make our relationship right or break up. Just two weeks after we broke up, I found myself pregnant again and not married.

After my baby was born, I thought I was through with men. I was finally okay with being single, though I still yearned to be with someone who would love and value me. I prayed that if God had someone for me He would literally set them on my doorstep. One month later, I met my future husband on my doorstep, just as I had prayed. It wasn't love at first sight. However, we became friends and eventually I fell in love with his heart. He loved the Lord, and like me, had made many mistakes. The thing we had in common was that we both yearned to live for the Lord. We dated for two years before getting married in 1996. He had 2 girls and 1 boy, I had 1 girl and 2 boys. We were a slightly altered version of the Brady Bunch.

Looking back on the years as a single mom, I developed a passion to help others in that situation. I wanted to let them know how much God loved them and wanted His best for them. God began placing me in the lives of struggling single moms. Drawing on my past experience I began to share with them and encourage them as much as I could. As I searched for what God wanted me to do with my life, doors began to open that led me to search for ways to really help these women. The Lord impressed upon my heart the need for a place where single mothers could come and stay until they could get on their feet. I envisioned a place where they could become grounded in God's Living Word while living in a supportive, Christian atmosphere.

I knew that I could not afford a place like I envisioned on my own. I approached my pastor and asked if there was a program that he could plug me into to gain experience. He suggested that we start a ministry for single moms which led to the beginning of WOWS, Women Offering Women Support, in February 2003. The church advertised in the surrounding counties in newspapers, television and flyers announcing a weekly meeting for women and their children to share a meal, have Bible study and share our concerns.

The first night that WOWS met we had one person show up. I was a little discouraged until the following week when I was watching "The Miracle Worker" on television. The Lord drew my attention to Ann Sullivan. She was only one person working with one person, Helen Keller. Both teacher and student have had a lasting impact on the world. The Lord's message was clear, "If you will be faithful with the one that I have given you, I will be faithful to you." I was excited though our growth was slow. I knew in my heart that this could become something larger than one or two moms meeting together.

In September 2003, I was compelled to find out more about a former nursing home in Sulphur Springs that had stood vacant for a long time. I contacted the owners in California and asked if they would consider donating the building as a tax deduction. I shared my testimony and my vision of having a place to house these women and children and my prayers were answered 3 weeks later. They called and agreed to donate the building and we quickly moved to form a board of directors, incorporate and file for tax-exempt status. God moved Heaven and Earth for us. He has moved so much among His people that it blows my mind daily.

The one thing that I have concluded is this: God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. If He can work through a donkey...He can work through me or anyone. I love that about Him.

There is still so much to tell...but as I post...I will continue to blog about all that God has done through the lives of those of us who are apart of this project.