He's Been Faithful, by Debbie Holman

I began talking with Debbie through a mutual friend online. None of us knew the impact we'd have on one another's life. Nan, the friend that introduced us has changed both of our lives over the years. The thing about Debbie and my friendship is that though we love one another very much and are as close as sisters, Christ is at the center of our friendship. Join me as I welcome Debbie to Encouraging Women today!

Welcome, Debbie!

Birthdays are suppose to be special, a day to celebrate! However, November 18,1997 was not a birthday to be celebrated! Not your usual, typical birthday!  

It was my birthday and the day my husband chose to announce to me he was leaving me for a sweetheart he had when he was in high school.  No amount of begging or pleading would change his mind. How would I explain this to my friends and church family! 

I was embarassed, ashamed, and alone!  How could I face them knowing what an active role my husband had taken in church! Well, with much prayer and support from my mother I went back to church! Offering to resign from leadership roles I had in church!  No one wanted me to resign and I found my church family to be supportive.

Five weeks later on January 9, 1998 another devastating event happened in my life.  My father died from complications of Alzheimers.  What would I do now? Just the presence of my father had been  a comfort!

I was a daddy's girl and loved my him very much! What more could happen and how much did God expect me to take? Losing my husband and father just five weeks apart was too much for one person to deal with. 

I would ask myself over and over, where was God in all of this?  Had He left me to deal with all of this alone? One morning on my way to work I put a cd in  by one of my favorite Christian singers, Babbie Mason. She was singing a song titled God Has Another Plan".  I had never really listened to the words of this song but for some reason that morning was different!  

I listened to the words.  In her song she quotes Jeremiah 29:11 - 

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, 

thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I played that song over and over on my way to work. Suddenly it was as if a voice from within said to me; 

Debbie, trust me and have faith. I have a plan for You are going through the storm now but what a beautiful rainbow will follow the storm! I will carry you through this storm each and every day! I will give you hope and a future. 

If it had not been for this verse and my faith that God would provide that rainbow at the end of the storm I could not have survived!  He proved Himself faithful !  Through all of this I have become a stronger person and my faith has grown tremendously.  

So, anyone I know who is going through storms in their life I tell them, Let God carry you through this storm! I quote Jeremiah 29:11 and say -  Look for that beautiful rainbow God has waiting for you after the storm.

Debbie Holman, 
Guest Blogger
Granite Falls