Intro to Blog

The Journey to Share Our Story

Over the years, many people have told us, “You need to write a book and share this story with the world!” But God consistently spoke to our hearts, saying, “No, you can share it verbally or through your journal, but that’s all.” We heard this message repeatedly, so we never attempted to write a book or blog—until now.

In early 2022, we had another divine appointment at the Inn (with guests we truly connected with). The woman said it again: “You really need to write a book and share this story for others to hear!” This time, God surprised me by saying, “Yes. It is time!” I was stunned and thought, “What?!” It was so unexpected, but His direction was clear. I realized it would be my next assignment after completing my current Journey to Know God blog post.

The next day, after finishing the blog, I spoke with my daughter-in-law, Candis. She had asked me to let her know when I completed my blog, so I told her I’d send her the link. Out of nowhere, she said, “You really need to share your story for people to read!” I asked her, “What—my blog or the ‘crazy journey’ from 2007-2009?” She replied, “Yeah, your crazy journey!”

Wow. That was the second time in two days that God told me to do this!

Just to make sure I truly “got it,” He gave me another confirmation. As I began going through my journal to prepare it for sharing, I came across a word from the Lord that had been given to a friend of Tom’s for him:

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Son, encourage Tom to write down his experiences and formulate a book of testimony. He is to share My love, forgiveness, compassion, new beginnings, and hope with everyone I place in his path. He is to walk the walk of faith—both he and his wife. They are Mine, and I am theirs...”

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Okay. Wow! This was the third time I received this message. It was clear: I was supposed to make this story available for others to read!

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Some Background Information

Here are a few tidbits to help you understand our story as you read:

1. Relying Fully on God:
   One of the many lessons God impressed upon our hearts during this time was to rely completely on Him for all things. He made it clear that we were not to tell anyone what we needed, nor ask for anything or charge for anything—whether in our life coaching ministry or any other work He led us to do. This is His testimony, not ours.

2. Life at the Time:
   At the time, I was working full-time, attending Hope Ministry Institute (HMI, a school at church to become a licensed pastor), and ministering to women through one-on-one sessions and weekly meetings. I was exhausted—stretched and stressed on so many levels.

   HMI required reading the Hope Journal, a set of scriptures to help you read through the Bible in a year. When I reference the Hope Journal, that’s what I’m referring to.

3. Family and Friends:
   For privacy, I use initials for family and friends. It might feel a little strange at first, but you’ll get used to it.

   Tom and I also prioritized spending time with our grandkids. We set aside one day a week (usually Tuesday or Wednesday) to spend the morning with the youngest, who wasn’t in school, and then swapped for one of the older kids after school, hanging out with them until bedtime. Sundays were “family day,” with dinner, games, or cards together.

4. My Eye Condition:
   In 2000, I was diagnosed with glaucoma in my right eye. Despite many tests, doctors haven’t determined the cause. Over the years, I’ve had four surgeries and manage the condition with eye drops to keep the pressure down and preserve my vision. Occasionally, you’ll see journal entries about my eye.

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A Prayer for You

As you read this story, may God reveal His love and care for you in powerful, transformative ways. This is His story—a testimony of His love, care, and faithfulness to His children.

Let’s begin!

Linda's Journal - Summer of 2007

 

July 26th – Our 27th Wedding Anniversary

The morning of our anniversary, July 26th, my car was repossessed just as we were getting ready for a four-day trip to the mountains. Despite the circumstances, I felt an incredible peace. After praying for the man who came to collect the car, I thanked the Lord for the blessing that the car had been in my life. I was so grateful for the four years He had allowed me to use it. Since He had provided the car, it was His to take back and use for His purposes.

As the car was being towed away, I prayed that its next owner would experience as much joy with it as I had. I was in tears, but they weren’t tears of sadness—they were tears of gratitude.

Tom’s Perspective

While loading up my car for our trip, I noticed a tow truck turning the corner. I realized immediately they were coming for one of the cars and hoped it wasn’t mine, which I had just finished packing. When the driver backed up to Linda’s car, I felt a mix of relief and urgency. I ran inside to tell Linda to come out so we could quickly remove her belongings.

The driver seemed nervous when I approached him, but he agreed to give us a moment to get everything out of Linda’s car. We managed to retrieve her belongings, watched the car being towed away, and then set off for our trip.

A Heart Full of Praise

Even though my car had just been repossessed, my heart was filled with peace that surpasses all understanding. Our time in the mountains was incredible—immersed in God’s Word, worship, and praise. I kept feeling that this was a period of preparation and "shoring up" for harder days ahead.

We even spent two hours recording “our story” to ensure we wouldn’t forget all that God had done for us up to that point.

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August 2nd – Another Car Taken

The following Thursday, August 2nd, Tom’s car was also repossessed. That evening, we had already planned to have dinner with some friends. We used the opportunity to share with them how God was working in our lives.

Once again, we were reminded of His glory and sovereignty, which kept us from falling into despair.

Tom’s Perspective

The doorbell rang, and it was the same tow truck driver who had taken Linda’s car. He said, “I’m here for the other car” and asked if we were doing okay. His compassion and kindness were remarkable—most tow drivers prefer to take the car quickly and avoid any interaction with the owners.

Fortunately, I had already moved most of my belongings out of the car. There were just a few last things to grab before he hooked it up and drove off. God had given me a heads-up, so I wasn’t surprised or upset when the car was taken.

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Through it all, we held on to the peace and assurance that God was in control. These experiences deepened our faith and reminded us of His constant presence in our lives.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

(Note from Linda: Since our cars had been repossessed, I was relying on co-workers to get me to and from work every day. Tom would drop me off at one of their houses early in the morning so I could catch a ride with them, making it easier for them and ensuring Tom could have the car for his meetings. This was a humbling and embarrassing experience, but my co-workers were incredibly kind and gracious! Remarkably, I didn’t miss a single day of work due to my transportation challenges.)

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I am having a really hard time, Lord. Life has gotten very difficult. I’m not feeling 100%, I haven’t been working out, and I’ve fallen behind on listening to the Bible daily because I’ve been sick and relying on rides to work. My faith is fading. CT loaned us her car, but she needs it back by Friday. We’re considering renting a car, but I’ve also thought about leasing one. However, our credit is so poor that it might not even be an option. Lord, please guide us and show us what you want us to do.

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When I got to work, I felt led to open the Hope Journal. One of the chapters was John 11, and the scripture that stood out to me was when Jesus was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. He said to Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” Wow. Yes, Lord, I believe. I pray that You will help me in my unbelief so that I can see Your glory revealed!

Later, as my co-worker was driving me home, I felt the Lord prompting me to talk to him about when he and his wife first started dating. I sensed this was to encourage him to think about his marriage. This led to me sharing my testimony. I felt God’s presence in a powerful way! It was as though a switch flipped in my spirit, and I couldn’t stop talking about how incredible the Lord is and all He has done for me. I told him that while I couldn’t fix him, I knew the One who could.

That evening, Tom and I had dinner with friends, and we shared our story again. Earlier in the day, I had felt too tired and discouraged to even think about it, but God showed up mightily! His glory was revealed again as our friends were amazed by what God is doing in our lives. We left the restaurant uplifted, filled with the Spirit, and praising the Lord. I realize now that God allows us to share this story over and over, perhaps more for our benefit than for others. Thank You, Jesus, for answering my prayer.

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Tom’s Scripture of the Day: Isaiah 46:4

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

Friday, August 10, 2007

 

The Hope Journal

This morning’s reading was John 12, and the Lord gave me this scripture:

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."

God continues to glorify His name every time we speak about His faithfulness in our lives!

I wasn’t feeling great—tired, PMSing, and dealing with cramps—so I decided to stay home from our home group meeting. Earlier, I had asked Tom to get CT’s car washed before we returned it. When she found out we’d arranged to rent a car, she offered to let us swap cars instead, as she just needed "Big Blue" to go to the beach. We also wanted to return her car with a full tank of gas, so Tom planned to combine fueling up with washing the car.

Tom wanted to take a nap before the meeting, but when he woke up, he decided not to go and instead asked me to join him in dropping the car off. It was late when we left, and I suspected the car wash would be closed. I felt frustrated that it hadn’t been handled earlier but prayed for God to help me stay calm. We searched for a gas station with a quick car wash but couldn’t find one, so we simply filled the tank and cleaned the windows.

When we got to CT’s place, I mentioned washing the windows, and she responded, “Oh, you didn’t have to do that!” It was then I realized she would’ve been upset if we’d spent money on a full car wash.

We stayed for about 45 minutes, sharing updates about how God is sustaining us (based on Tom’s scripture from earlier). It was a powerful moment filled with God’s presence. His name was glorified!

By then, it was 7:30, and we were hungry, so we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant. During dinner, I felt God telling me we needed to go to home group after all, specifically to pray for BY. (We’d received an email from him earlier in the day asking for prayer.) When I mentioned it to Tom, he said, “I knew that, but I was waiting for God to tell you.”

So, we went to home group. Only one other couple was there, which gave us a chance to share once more about God’s faithfulness in our lives. We also prayed for BY. Yet again, His name was glorified!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

 

2022 - Linda

During this time, I was involved with a program called "Womenade." We organized fundraiser potlucks, and the money raised went toward helping women in need with things like utility bills, doctor bills, groceries, and more. For reference, I’ll refer to my daughter as E, my son-in-law as R, and my grandkids as W and A.

We had the Womenade Potluck tonight, and it went very well! I’d say it was the smoothest potluck we’ve had so far.

That said, it was a tough day for me physically! I bashed the back of my hand on the edge of the kitchen island while lifting the ice chest, cut part of my fingertip while chopping vegetables, and wore the wrong shoes to the potluck, which left me with a blister on my toe. All in a day’s work, right? Lol!

We also watched the grandkids so E and R could have a date night. W spent the night with us so he could go to church in the morning. A would have stayed too, but she’s been dealing with stomach issues and hasn’t been sleeping well. E picked her up after their movie and took her home.

Monday, August 13, 2007

 Yesterday was family day, and we had a wonderful time celebrating A's birthday! 🎉

Today's Scriptures

Psalm 93:1
The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the LORD is robed in majesty
and is armed with strength.
The world is firmly established;
it cannot be moved.

Jeremiah 18:1-6 — At the Potter’s House
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

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Lately, I feel like I’m being broken down and reshaped—like clay in the hands of the Potter—molded into what God desires me to be.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Insert 2022 — Linda

Sometime in early 2007 (I believe their first date was February 14th), our son "A" told us he had met someone special, a woman named "C," and he wanted to bring her over for dinner so we could meet her. We were thrilled and excited to meet her.

When A brought her over, she turned out to be a beautiful, very tall Black woman (A is 6'6", so her height was a great match for him). We truly enjoyed our time with her. A day or two later, however, A shared with us that C was transgender. This news came as a surprise and took Tom and me a moment to process, but ultimately, we decided that if A was happy, then we were happy for him.

Fast forward to 2022, and I can say that we are in a very good place. However, the journey wasn’t without its challenges. It took time and effort for all of us to reach where we are today.

Traditionally, as a family, we celebrate birthdays together on family night and then take the birthday person out to dinner on their actual birthday. Unbeknownst to C, she had planned a special birthday evening for A the same night we had our traditional dinner planned. When she found out, she was understandably upset, which made for a super awkward situation. However, C graciously relented, and we were able to carry on with our tradition as planned.

Today, we celebrated A’s birthday. E and the kids joined us for dinner, and afterward, we took A to Target and got him a computer bag for his new computer. It was a lovely time celebrating his special day.

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Today's Scriptures

Jeremiah 17:5-10
This is what the LORD says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him...

“I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve.”

Psalm 96
1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

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These scriptures truly lifted my spirits today. I’ve been feeling so low lately, but they’ve put a new song in my heart:

“Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary!”

Praise You, Jesus!