God Keeps His Promises!

The above plaque is a gift that I received from a dear friend, Carla Giovannetti, in Eureka, CA. She gave this to me about 12 years ago. It now hangs on my wall in my computer room. It's a sweet reminder that God keeps His promises.

Twenty-nine years ago when I came to the Lord, I went through a very trying time in my life. My marriage was destroyed, I had 3 small children and an enemy that was out to destroy me at all cost. The situation was so bad that I did not know which way to turn. I remember Pastor and Sis. David Downing telling me that the best thing to do was take it to the Lord in prayer and fast. They told me that when I saw this individual the best thing to do was SMILE. Was that ever a hard pill to swallow. However, Proverbs 15:1 does read "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." So I guess a gentle smile is just as good as a soft answer. So that is just what I did. Every day I smiled at her and every day she literally flew into a rage because of it and continued to say more evil things against me.

About two months later she approached me and said "We need to talk." I was shocked and said "OK". She then began to ask me to forgive her of all that she had said and done against me. She then told everyone that she had lied against me and that the stories she had told were all untrue. This lady said that every time I smiled at her it convicted her and she could not sleep at night. She wanted to know how I could even consider smiling at someone who would do such evil things to me. I told her that it wasn't really her doing these things but it was the enemy of my soul that was using her against me to try and trip me up so that I would fall and I could not be a testimony to those around me about how good my God is and the change He has made in my life.

Oh it wasn't easy to keep smiling day after day. I cried many tears and prayed many prayers but through it all God made Himself very real to me. I began to REALLY KNOW HIM. His Word came alive and He gave me a chapter, Isaiah 54:4-17. You have to really know the situation and what went on in my life at that time to know why this particular chapter means so much to me. But I won't go into that. This is MY Chapter. It holds a special place in my heart. I return to it often. This chapter got me through my first battle. I treasure it dearly. It holds my hand. It is my safe haven. When I feel that I am getting weak and weary I return here and say, He did it before, He can do it again. This chapter has walked with me for 29 years now and will continue to walk with me.

I recently shared the story of how this chapter came to me with my girls. I told my daughters that they need to get a chapter that will sustain them in the Lord. A chapter that will be their shelter in the time of storm, a rock to stand on. A passage that they will forever cling to through out their walk with Him. A chapter that will only come from God during a time of trial and tribulation. This chapter will let you know that everything will be alright, for you are a child of the KING! It will bring you peace in the midst of your storm.

Two weeks ago at prayer meeting I was praying for my son who is gone astray from the Lord. At one point all 3 of my children were gone astray. You know, Proverbs 22:6 reads "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." There is no guarantee that our children will not backslide. We must train them in the way they should go. If, for some reason they do choose to be a prodigal child, there is the hope that they will come to themselves and return to their Father's house. For the verse says "when they are old, he will not depart from it." This lets me know that the prodigal child will return. Five years ago my youngest daughter prayed through. Recently my oldest daughter prayed through. Now I am believing God for my son as well. While in prayer the Lord led me back to MY CHAPTER, Isaiah 54. But this time I went straight to verse 13 "And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children." This is a promise the Lord gave me 29 years ago. The only way my children can have this great peace is if they are serving Him. Therefore, this tells me one thing, my son too, shall return to the House of the Lord! My son will also pray through just like my daughters have. My son WILL once again live for the Lord. Then the last part of verse 13 will be fulfilled "...great shall be the peace of thy children."

Oh Yes, GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!