Author: Kathryn Spurgeon

Have you ever had a week that went a tad crooked? I just did. Went to the eye doc and he told me not to wear my contacts for 10 days. Of course, I lost my glasses two days later, so I walked around the block unable to see street signs.

Then I lost my cell phone – so no one could easily contact me and, of course, it holds all my contact information. Had digestive flare up from eating cabbage. My car’s starter began to groan, and Bill had to fly out-of-town for work. I found my eyeglasses under the table. One lens was missing and the wire rim smashed. I bent the rim somewhat back into shape and am now wearing bent glasses with one lens, but it’s better than none.

Yesterday, I decided to go visit my family in Shawnee, an hour’s drive away, and proceeded to lock my keys in the car. You know – typical bad week. Paid a locksmith and found my phone last night. Whew.

This week may seem crazy, but I remember someone saying last week on my birthday. “You’ve had a bad year, haven’t you?”

Well, no. I really haven’t. I had 7 weeks of chemo and radiation, spent time in the hospital, had skin cancer removed, lost too much weight, but no, I didn’t have a bad year. My brother had a bad year. He didn’t survive the cancer. Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?

Then I thought of the book I just read about 18 of the larger genocides during last century. (If you want a wakeup call, it’s an eye opening book called Century of Genocide). Thinking of the millions and millions of people who did not survive the 1900’s, I feel extremely blessed. As long as I am alive, there is a good reason for it. And when the time comes for me to go, I’ll be ready, more ready than I was a year ago.

God knows every moment of our lives. The ups and down, the good weeks and bad. He and many friends and family helped me through this last year, tough year – but not bad, so maybe I should quit complaining about my crooked eyeglasses

I’ve spent hours reading, perhaps making up for chemotherapy days when I couldn’t focus and, true, some books I sent to Goodwill, a few I tossed, not wanting anyone else to waste their time, but several books greatly influenced my life. So when pondering difficulties, an uncertain future, and a shaky society, we can find encouragement from these three old, but awesome true stories.

The first book is Evidence Not Seen, a Woman’s Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of WWII. Written by Darlene Rose around 1988, it’s a true story of a young American missionary’s courage in the jungles of New Guinea. She spent four years in a Japanese prison camp. She was forced to sign a confession to a crime she did not commit and face the executioner’s sword.

Rose writes about her death sentence: “All time froze around me. All motion and life were suspended in that moment. In terror I watched the man’s hand fold around the hilt of the sword.” But in the midst of Rose’s terror comes a song from the Almighty God, “I’ll live for Him Who died for me!” Can you imagine how much Rose praised God when at the last minute she received a stay of exeucution? She was miraculously spared?

I agree with Ruth Bell Graham’s comment, “My life was changed when I heard Darlene Rose’s story. It challenged my faith as nothing else had.” So I learned that in the midst of trials, even when our life is at stake, God will be with us.

The second book I read with fascination was Of Whom the World was Not Worthy by Marie Chapian.  It’s old, written in 1978, but this was the first time I read it.

“Jakob, the evangelist, shouted as the German tanks roared across Yugoslavian soil, and machine guns, motorcycles and Messerschmitts screamed in the hills. Out of the sky came the Stukas. They nosed over, dropped their bombs and veered off into the cold blue. The wagon in front of them was hit. The donkey was dead, and the driver lay mutilated in the brush at the side of the road.

In the midst of this living hell, believers clung to God and prayed for both friend and foe. Their enemies could burn their cities and towns, but they could not destroy their souls or quench their indomitable spirits.”

How were these Christians’ faith sustained through the terrible years of war, famine and cold? They clung to God with an incredible faith.

The last book I’ll mention is I Dared to Call him Father by Bilquis Sheikh. It is the fascinating true story of a prominent Muslim woman. Her journey to a personal relationship with God turned her world upside down and put her life in danger. Originally published in 1978, the book is a classic in Muslim evangelism. When Sheikh’s life was threatened, she stayed steadfast and strong in her faith. My favorite book of the three and definitely, a book everyone should read.

So now I’ve shared three books that can help increase your faith in God. It’s always uplifting to read how God works in an ordinary person’s life to help sustain them through trials.

You are loved,

Kathryn

Related articles

• I Dared to Call Him Father: The Miraculous Story of a Muslim Woman’s Encounter with God (uvcizita.wordpress.com)