Ashley is our oldest child, an active blogger  ( www.stayathomedaughter.com ) and is preparing for her wedding next April.  She guest posts on a number of popular Christian women’s blogs and has a heart for in depth studying God’s Word.  Amber is our middle child and has a passion for horses.  Her life testimony was recently observed on a website bulletin board and was asked by another young lady to share with her more about how to have a deeper relationship with God.   Sherry and I are so blessed.

“When I first heard the news that my dad was having a heart attack my heart stopped too.  It was completely unexpected and something that had never even crossed my mind as a concern.  My eyes filled with tears and I began to worry about the worse possible scenario. I knew what this could mean for us, I knew this could mean life would have to go on with all its special celebrations and every day events without my sweet daddy to share it with.  Who would help me choose a husband?  Who would walk down the aisle with me?  Where would I go to for wise godly council?  How could I live without him?

Though I did worry, though I did cry and my mind began to go numb with the overwhelmingness of it all, something stuck out in my mind.  A lesson I had begun to learn only a few months earlier.  God had started to drive into me a deeper understanding of His love, wisdom and sovereignty and with that the freedom to trust Him.  This lesson secured in my mind that night and stayed with me through the whole ordeal.  Though I was still very concerned a certain peace that can’t be explained came over me and I knew more than I had ever known that God intended good for me and my family.  I realized more fully that however this turned out we could make it through because God was in control and He desired to give us the best.

This trust was further emphasized when I recognized God’s sovereign hand in all the details; He had it completely under control.  How else could my father have been in the hospital with the doctors when the heart attack started?  Or how is it that I had planned to sit at the front of the church that Sunday night but “by chance” ended up sitting by the back door which made it easy to find me and make a quick exit?

Only a loving, all-wise God who is in control of it all could have orchestrate all of these and many, many more details so perfectly together.  My trust in Him was intensely strengthened.

I praise the Lord for His mercy in sparing my father’s life, a gift none of us deserve but will always be grateful for and for His gift of peace and trust that have stayed close by me even months later.”

–          Ashley

“When Daddy asked me to write on his blog it scared me, and for that reason I didn’t want to do it.  But the more I thought about it the more I said to myself “Why not?” So here it goes!

TRUST

Through the long nights of crying and long hours of walking and talking to God the more he seemed to comfort me.  Slowly I began to trust him more and more. Through all of this, God really showed me that he knows what’s going on and he hasn’t and won’t leave me.

I can still remember lying in bed talking to God and saying “God, I don’t know how this is going to end but your will be done! I trust you!” After that I just felt peace! Sure enough God did pull us through and Daddy is doing well!

I owe a BIG thanks to my Grandparents and Chris Cartwright. They were truly a blessing to me through all of that. And I can’t thank God enough for them.

So what did I learn? Trust God! He will never fail you!

I love you Daddy!”

–          Amber

Thanks Ashley and Amber for sharing your heart and thank you for your desire to grow in the Lord and to allowing Him to sanctify you through each life experience.  I love you both.  – Dad