I thought you’d like to hear the full version of the Tracie’s story about hearing “a Word from God” that I shared this weekend. Here it is!
March 3rd
When I was 18 years old my dad died unexpectedly of a heart attack at the age of 41. As a young girl still living at home with my parents and three brothers, I was devastated. I was so sad and so scared about what the future would hold. The night following my dad’s death, I sat in my bedroom on my bed crying and crying. I didn’t know the Lord personally then, but I did believe in God. In my heartache I called out to God and asked Him “what am I going to do? I don’t even have a dad anymore.” At that moment God answered me. He said, “You do have a father. He is in heaven. To prove what I am saying to you is true, your first child will be born on your dad’s birthday”.
In the days following, I remembered what God had told me and I had to tell everyone around me. I remember driving as a passenger with my mom and her friend as we went to the funeral parlor to make burial arrangements. I again shared with them what I had heard from God. My story wasn’t that important to them as they were dealing with their own pain, trying to make funeral arrangements. Being only 18 years old, I wasn’t even married at the time and was still living at home.
In the days and years to follow we struggled through the pain and grief. Two years after my dad died, I was married at the age of 20. Three years later, (5 years after my dad died), my first child was born, a son, on my dad’s birthday – March 3rd. I had told everyone around me about God’s promise so often that everyone remembered, even 5 years later when it came to pass. Everyone knew it was from God.
This March 3rd, my son turned 17 years old. It’s hard to believe. But I am reminded again that God is with us always, He cares about what we are going through and He always keeps His promises.
As a side comment, I wanted to say that during the days following my dad dying, I kept thinking to myself “I can’t wait until 10 years from now because then I think I will feel better”. As it turned out, I came to know Jesus and was saved 10 years later. Maybe just a coincidence, but…? I know…your probably thinking what? You didn’t become a believer after that whole ordeal. It just goes to show, God is in control. We believe because He gives us the ability to believe – and for me that was when I was 28 years old. It wasn’t that I denied him before that, I just didn’t know…
