Lynda's "Faith Story"
June 2008

Thank you for the privilege of sharing what God has done in my life. I grew up in an alcoholic home. My mom was very nurturing and my dad always provided for us. But my mom was simply coping with the devastating effects of the disease and my dad was emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. Yet as I look back, my needs were met in amazing ways by my loving Father in heaven.

I don't ever remember a time when I did not know God. As a little girl I remember talking with Him and nightly asking Him to help my daddy stop drinking. When I was in second grade, I remember being at a neighbor's house and seeing the bridge demonstration of salvation and then walking home with a bounce in my step and a new freedom with God. That same year a friend's mom asked me if I had a Bible which I did not. On our way home from their house we stopped at her church and she presented me with one. I read two chapters over and over for what seemed like years: Psalm 1 and Mathew 7. The first was about being planted in God and the difference it makes and the second was about not judging others. What perfect advice for my life. God continued to care for me. An older neighbor, whom I only met once, gave me a plaque that sat at my desk as a visual reminder that said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet". A few years later, neighbors about a mile away brought me my first devotional. God provided in a difficult situation and at age 17, God answered my prayer and my dad went into a treatment program. On March 21, 2008, my dad celebrated 26 years of sobriety—a living proof of God's amazing work.

God continued to work in my life as well. My senior year of high school, I met my husband. From the very beginning God was at the center of our relationship. We took our youth leader's advice and prayed together on dates. I had no idea at the time, but God was laying down His foundation to give us a new heritage. Seven years later, John and I were married and we continued to grow in God's word and ways watching Him transform our lives. Another seven years and God began the blessing of our family with three beautiful boys. As we began to parent, I realized that I was ill prepared for the job and that what I was given as a child was not going to work now. God again provided through Bible studies, christian books and godly role models. But even with this, I realized there were holes in my life. I didn't know how to fix them so I cried out to God for healing—healing for me and for our family. I could see that I was passing dysfunction on to our children and did not know what to do. Again God provided. Two years ago I walked into Al-Anon, a twelve step program designed to help family and friends of Alcoholics recover from the effects of the disease. It was here that God showed me that the holes I kept tripping on were the effects of alcoholism in my life and the time for healing had come.

Over the past two years I have continued to grow. But a couple of months ago I received a healing for which I was unprepared. Sunday morning our ABF was combined with another class. Andy Baligian spoke about the blind man who just sought whole heartedly, unashamedly after Jesus. It was a good message but I didn't think too much more about it as we entered the service. That Sunday the yellow cards for impossible prayer requests were out and I began to fill one in. I had written before our families' need for healing from the effects of alcoholism, but I felt God saying "No, write about you." So I wrote that I desperately needed healing (and it hit me . . . . . just like the blind man). And then I felt God saying," Write specifically what you want healed." So I quickly checked the "for pastors only box" and wrote my need for control and emotional healing. By this time we were singing the Amazing Grace Medley. As I sang "My chains fell off, I was set free" in my heart I felt God say "You have received". And at that moment I felt a fog in my mind clear in an amazing way. After 36 years of knowing Christ and 25 plus years of daily, moment by moment, walking with Christ, He chose to heal me. I am so grateful. I don't know why he chose this time, but this I've learned, it's always for a purpose and for His glory.

I'd like to end with something that recently happened in our family which summarizes what God has done for us. A bottle of wine was sitting on our counter. Our four year old, Nathan, came up and said "Oh, Mommy, wine." I of course was thinking how I can explain about alcohol and then he continued his thought…" Jesus' blood is so precious." I stood in awe of God's miracles in our lives. That in one generation alcohol could go from representing pain and brokenness to representing Jesus, the hope and healer of our family. He is faithful. Thank you.