My Testimony & Passion
My father was a pastor and raised me with Christian values. I had a very tender heart for God when I was young; but by the 11th grade, the circumstances in my life began to change, and I began to change. I was angry with life. Everything was going wrong. All of the circumstances I was going through made it easy to leave God out of all of my choices. Four years later, I became pregnant and had to face the reality of all my decisions.
The same friends I partied with said, “Just go get a drink, have an abortion and we will still be partying when you get back.” I didn’t want to talk to my parents because I felt I had already disappointed them so much. They had never said that, but I believed it. I so desperately wanted them to love and approve of me. I didn’t want to talk to my boyfriend, Buddy, either. I felt like this was all my problem. However, I found out very quickly that Buddy didn’t see the baby as a problem — he saw our baby as a life.
Overwhelmed with fear, I was determined to have an abortion. I began calling every abortion clinic looking for the best price; whereas, Buddy began calling lawyers, police and anybody he thought might help to stop the abortion. Buddy quickly learned that since Roe vs. Wade, He had NO VOICE and He had NO CHOICE.
Obstacles
Fortunately, God had put obstacles in my way to slow me down and make me think. He also put stepping stones to direct His path for me.
Buddy was my first obstacle. He wanted to see his baby born, even if that meant parenting the child himself. The second obstacle was money. I had to move fast, as the cost of my abortion was going up weekly and was now up to $600. I was working in the hot sun laying sod for a landscaping company to get the extra money.
My final obstacle was Vicki. As I entered the abortion clinic with my large wad of cash, Vicki stopped me and kindly said, “Are you sure you want to give them your money? God does not want you to do this.” I had already been warned by my friends about Vicki…she had been protesting in front of this abortion clinic for 27 years.
Determined, I went in and gave them my money. During the ultrasound, I asked to see the picture of my baby. The nurse said, “Why would you want to see it? It is not even a baby yet,” and she turned the screen away. I was then taken to another room with about 30 other girls. We watched a video to prepare us for when we returned in 24 hours for the abortion. When Vicki saw me coming out of the clinic, she asked if I had I given them my money? I said, “Yes, but they didn’t let me see my baby.” Vicki saw I was upset and immediately called to arrange for a free ultrasound at the Women’s Resource Center two doors away.
Stepping Stones
Vicki now became my first stepping stone towards a righteous choice. My second stepping stone was the Nurse Manager at the clinic, Deanna, who lovingly talked to me about the dangers of abortion and my options such as adoption and parenting. She said they would stand with me, but the main thing she said that I really heard was that even at 11 weeks God already had a plan for my baby’s life and He had a plan for her at 1 year…5 years…and even 50+ years. She did my second ultrasound that day. But this time, I was shown my baby’s little heart beating, her hands and her feet while Deanna lovingly talked about this little miracle forming in my womb. I cried and cried as my heart was changing, and I was bonding with this tiny life within me. I took the picture home and called her ‘My Little Gummy Bear.’
My next stepping stone was the director of the clinic, Susan. I knew I would need to tell my father, but I was so afraid and ashamed. Ms. Susan had said she would go with me and encouraged me to face my circumstances. She sat beside me as I told my father. Tearfully, he reached his hands across the table, took my hands in his and told me how much he loved me.
Fears
Buddy was thrilled, and I moved forward until a great fear fell over me. What if I had a child with Down Syndrome? What if God would punish me for wanting to have an abortion? The “what ifs” consumed me.
But God knew my fears! I went to an event that featured Deidre Pujols, wife of the baseball all star, Albert Pujols, as its keynote speaker. I love baseball, so Deidre had my attention and she became Stepping Stone #4. As she shared her crisis pregnancy story about how her daughter, Isabelle, was born with Down Syndrome and how much she loved and cherished this special child, I felt my heart change again and my fears melt away. Deidra had given me strength and God’s view of life. I now looked forward to having my baby. God was in control.
Celebrations
I married Buddy and we are the proud parents of our baby girl, Marleigh Marie — born perfectly healthy — on November 29, 2006! Since, our family has grown and we have 2 more beautiful girls Cambelle Anne who is 4 and Sydney Lacey who is 7 months. Thank you Vicki, Deanna, Susan, Deidre and volunteers and supporters of the Women’s Resource Center. And most of all, thank you Jesus, for giving me your beauty and taking my ashes.
Joy visited Women’s Resource Center.
Battling cancer
Brothers may God bless you; I personally want to thank you for blessing others. I had been praying that God would place the person needing this money in my path. It was a young lady who unfortunately has cancer and very little time left to live and does not have sufficient funds for her treatments. I thank you again and ask that you are praying for her, for God to manifest in her life in a great way. Read more »
A hard year
The lady who received my money blessing husband was killed this year on March 23 and she has 3 children whom she maintains by herself now. Where she lives, Tula, Tamaulipas – Mexico, employment is scarce. She was offered a job by a teacher and makes very little and has to leave her children with their elderly grandparents. Read more »
Barely makes it
Hello brothers, may God bless you and thank you for the blessing of giving. This money was for an 87 year old lady in Tamaulipas, Mexico who lives alone and her children never visit her. She has to pay her utilities all by herself and she cannot work, she barely makes it with what is sometimes given to her. Read more »
A couple in Mexico
In Mexico the need is great and there is a particular elderly lady who needs to help her husband who had an accident and cannot work. It is only them two, they have no one to help them, and she has to work very hard and does not make enough money. I sent her the $40 and it was a Read more »
Anniversary gift
After Pastor Ricardo gave us the envelope with money in it, he told us that we could not give it back to the church or use it personally. I went home and gave it to my cousin and his wife. It was their wedding anniversary that day and I gave it to them to use to celebrate their special day with their children since they are very pressed for money and did were not going to be able to do anything special.
- Cesar M.
Groceries
When we prayed about the envelope a young family came to my mind. I prayed for reassurance and the right time to share God’s Stimulus money with this family. They are unchurched, young with 2 small children. One afternoon I shared with them about God’s Stimulus money and told them the envelope was for them. “But it hasn’t been opened” she said. “I know” I said, “it’s for you, not me or us”. Read more »
Decided to double it
My husband and I both were at the money give away service so before I opened the envelope, I decided to double it. It turned out we both got 40.00. I decided to round mine up to an even 100.00 but then it took me about a week and a half to decide where it should go. My husband gave his 40.00 to a couple of blind people that ran a very small concession stand in his office building. Read more »
Timing is everything
I am telling my story as a recipient of the faith stimulus money. Let me give some background before I continue with my story. My son who has been incarcerated for eight years was just recently paroled and lives with my husband and I. As one might imagine the transition for him at times has been quite stressful and costly. We are in no way wealthy people and it has created Read more »
An on-going blessing
My friend and I decided to pool our money to do something to bless someone. We came up with a few ideas but neither of us really felt that God had directed us to do anything at the time. A few weeks passed and our co-worker had a very dramatic death in the family. Her sister committed suicide, leaving behind a 4 year old little boy named Gryphon. As soon as this happened, Read more »
A boy in need
A few days after receiving the money envelope I spoke with my sister who lives in Puebla, Mexico by phone. She told me how on her way to the store one day recently she’d met a boy and his mother on the street. She asked what was wrong with the boy since he was obviously loosing all his hair and looked sickly. His mother was grieved and said she did not know, the boy had started to loose his hair and had been having such high fevers that would lead to convulsions. Read more »