Tuesday, June 17, 2008

God's Works

We know that everything that has happened has been part of God's plan, and has happened for a reason, but one of our biggest struggles has been to understand how anything positive could come from our challenges. As usual, God answers our prayers if we'll only "give it up" and let Him take control. Here are a couple examples we've been made aware of that show how God uses what we consider to be tragedies as blessings in other's lives.

Hello Tom and Cher,

I have recently left the memorial for Garrett. I can't tell you how touching the ceremony was.
Cher I don't know if Tom has shared with you but I previously had problems having children. With miscarriages there is no formal ceremony for the child. So listening to the pastor today talk about the conflict of reality and faith, hurt and trust really touched me. It was a message that I needed so long ago. But, I am glad that it finally made it to me and that I was able to be blessed by it today. I have some closure.

I have been amazed at how painful the experiences were and how that pain consumed me. In my lowest moments I did not see any light. But then one day a word from my pastor got through to me, "Sometimes God will allow you to endure something so that you can be a testimony to someone else."


So I want to tell you that I know it can seem that no one understands how badly you hurt and how that hurt is effecting you. But I also know that one day it won't hurt so bad. It will still hurt, but it won't be so consuming.



Your testimony of faith and strength has been overwhelming to so many. I hear people talk around the office, so consider this a seed planted in honor of Him and your babies. I pray that your message flows through many rivers to those who can/can't relate to your particular situation, but can see through your circumstance about the strength God gives if we totally rely on Him for all our missions in life.


We're truly blessed to receive and share messages like this, as God obviously does not have to explain himself. We continue to look forward to God's plan for our lives and the wonderful blessings that it will provide. The contributor of the first feedback also told us about a song that helped her through her troubles. The song is 'In the Midst' by Yolanda Adams. Click here to listen to it (MP3 file).

Tom and Cher

1 comment:

Randy's Rant said...

Dear Friends and Family,

I wanted to share something with all of you that occurred yesterday, May 19, 2009, that I believe was God working through me, rather, me allowing God to use me as His vessel to bring what I thought was a message for Tom & Cher, but now I see that it is meant for all of us. You will understand shortly.

Now then, first, you should all know that on December 21, 1997 I was licensed by the Southern Baptist Church and did (for a short time) preach and work with our church's youth ministry. However, due to church "politics" something occurred and I left the church in 2000 and have not returned to church since. Over the years Tom and Cher have continually tried to get me to come back to the Lord, etc, but I have refused...until yesterday...and so the story begins.

While chatting with Cher online yesterday, out of the blue, I started typing verses of Scripture. Cher asked me where this was coming from and I told her I had no idea. but the verses kept coming, until I got to the last one, which is where the message comes from: "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) Now then, please understand that I have not picked up a Bible in nearly 9, that's right, NINE years. However, when I typed that verse, the Holy Spirit took over because I literally asked God, "Please forgive me. What do you want of me."

In the midst of chatting with Cher, the Lord then impressed upon me to call Tom, IMMEDIATELY. I did so and explained the above. Tom said, "Well, if I understood the context of the verse...", so I grabbed my Bible and, I kid you not, I opened it up and the first page I came to was John, Chapter 11. Please, right now, grab your Bible and go to John 11 and follow along.

This is the story of Jesus raising lazarus from the dead. It tells us of Martha telling Christ (paraphrasing), "If only you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. It goes on to say that Martha went and got her sister, Mary, "It was that Mary which annointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair..." (JN 11:2).

The story later states that Mary immediately left her house and went to Jesus. The Bible then says that the people whom she was with also followed her thinking that she was going to her brother's tomb to mourn him (JN 11:31). However, the Bible then says that, when she saw Jesus, she also dropped to his feet and told him that if He had been there, her brother would not have died. What faith by these two women, as evidenced in JN 11:27!!!

It then states that, when Jesus saw them weeping, Mary AND the Jews, He "...groaned in the spirit and was troubled." (JN 11:33) Then, in 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept." Because of Mary's and Martha's (who represent Cher in this message)faith, Jesus wept.

Think about that! God, Himself (in human form), the Creator of all things infinite, actually groaned and wept for them. The message here is that, BECAUSE OF HER FAITH, Jesus Wept for Cher throughout her past ordeals, and is weeping even now because of her worry and concern about this new pregnancy!!

Now then, at first, I thought it was only Tom, but in this message, "the Jews" represent all of us, standing IN FAITH with Cher. Okay? Every one of us, standing in Faith with Cher. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (MATT 18:20)


The story goes on to say that Jesus was so moved at their faith that he said, "Take ye away the stone," (JN 11:39) and then raised Lazarus from the dead. Now, for the purposes of this message, I believe that "the stone" represents Cher's past ordeals with her pregnancies, as well as her current worries and concerns.

That said, here is the nutshell of the message, and please bear with me on this. Because of Cher's utter and complete faith in God, in Christ, the Lord, Himself, has wept and is weeping for her. AND BECAUSE WE, THE JEWS, ARE STANDING WITH HER IN FAITH AND BELIEVING, Christ is taking away the stone.

Friends, please understand again that I have not picked up a Bible in years, but I am standing IN FAITH with Tom and Cher, believing that God WILL remove "the stone" of past pregnancies and IS going to deliver to them a healthy baby!! I believe this more than anything I have ever believed in in my life!! Won't you be one of "the Jews" and stand in faith with us? Thank you, and AMEN!!

In Christ,

Randy Dobson
randy_dobson@yahoo.com)