We all fall before we can get up and walk

Part 1:

 How I got to Tennessee before I met my husband

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Good morning, listeners. This is Cindy Shaw coming to you live from beautiful Tennessee, and what a gorgeous sunrise we have this morning. We all fall before we can get up and walk. Recently, I had a listener write in and ask me how I met my husband. How did I get everything in a husband had prayed for? Mark 536 says, Do not be afraid and only believe. Well, we will get to that very soon on our next episode when I have my guest speaker, Pastor Troy Shaw, on to help me tell you the story. But first, you need to know how I got to Tennessee. Most times we fall before we can get up and walk. And boy, did I fall. Psalm 119, 66 says, Teach me, God, judgment and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments. First, let me explain and open with loyal friendships. They are like family. I had a high school friend drive over 700 miles to pick my son's truck up once and take it to Georgia because it broke down on spring break. I had a friend drive over 100 miles after one of my surgeries to bring me Bud's chicken. For those of you who know what Bud's chicken is, you'll understand this. When I got home, I sat with his wife along with another schoolmate in hospice to be with our friend. I've driven over 100 miles to be with my friends just to watch Fourth of July fireworks. And when one of our friends passed a few years ago, three of us from second grade, from our second grade class, actually drove down to his celebration of life. Yes, two of them coming from South Carolina. We grilled out after the celebration of life and we talked about all his long phone calls that we had had. We dropped tears and we laughed, and it was a wonderful time. I am still friends with many of these people from kindergarten through twelfth grade. I feel very blessed. We talk and we know that we would do just about anything for each other. We have each other's backs. Exodus 33, 11 says, and the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend. I'm on my second marriage of 30 years. And with that said, it was in the tanker. We were more like roommates, living in separate rooms for many years. We had previously filed for divorce, but I decided not to. Because I felt my son needed his mother and his father. He was only in the ninth grade. My husband didn't spend as much time in church as I did. Matthew 5, 13 says, You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. Many years passed. He's in his 30s, and he has a family of his own now, and I couldn't be more proud of my son. Unfortunately, I had a friend call me and asked me if I could come up and help. All I could feel hear was, I have PKD, polycystic kidney disease. Now I was just diagnosed with this the prior year, and I know it's a death sentence. But I didn't exact I didn't know exactly what it would look like. So I immediately said yes. I needed to know what I was going to go through. I dropped everything and I went to spend a week with them. Monday, Wednesday, Friday in a dialysis center. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday recovering from the dialysis. And Sunday so weak they needed to get back to dialysis as I was flying home. You can't eat chocolate, but you have to eat a very high potassium diet. It's the craziest diet ever. So after the week of stalking the freezer, I went home and I received another call about two weeks later asking if I would care for them until their dying day. Of course, I said yes. After all, isn't that what friends do? I explained I needed to let my family know. As I prayed and pondered over it, I decided that I've always wanted to live in Tennessee. My marriage was in the tanker. And this would be a perfect time for a divorce as my son was grown. I also became very ill. You see, I've had multiple back and neck surgeries, and I needed to get to the hospital. I explained to my husband I needed to go, but I guess I wasn't clear enough. So I waited another day. Finally, almost totally unable to walk, I got to the car and drove myself to the trauma hospital. Luckily, I had a self-driving car. I spent a total of 13 weeks there. Surgery and recovery, 12 weeks in the main hospital, and one week in a very special section that I was accepted to. My odds were less than 50-50 chance that I would ever walk again. The morning after being told that they brought a wheelchair in, and I refused to get in it. Obviously, I cried. I didn't win. Even after two hours of arguing and crying, I didn't win. Mark 5.36 says, Do not be afraid, only believe. The thing that truly helped me get through it and really got me to walk was my son, as he was the strongest person I know. He got through much more than I did. Isaiah 53:4 says, yet he himself wore our sickness and carried our pains. And he truly did. I do want to thank a schoolmate friend for calling the nurse's station and telling them to get me a hamburger for Labor Day. The nurse said they only had hot dogs. She said, I'll buy you a steak dinner if you go get her a hamburger. Friends are very special, and I will never forget that. My entire church family and very dear friends did my laundry, helped me, and I couldn't be more thankful to them till this day. As well as my pastors for talking to me, and the associate pastor for visiting me with his mother almost daily. But during my stay in the hospital, I was on a lot of medications for pain, dilatid, morphine, every oxy medicine I think they was known to men. But they took me off of all my normal medications, such as well butine, which is important for me. And I wasn't the nicest person, to say the least, to my niece, my son, my daughter-in-law, and even some of my friends. For that, I am very sorry, and I always will be. Psalm 25, 18. Look upon my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins. Afterwards, the surgery relieved the pain, so I had weeks to think. However, my church family and my neighbors rallied around me, and I was hungry for the word, but I wasn't truly growing. Something in my life had me stuck. When I finally started walking, I was determined God had much more for me to do. I would help my friend. But my plan also changed. I was finally going to file for that divorce. I talked to my pastor. I tried to get us a counselor many times before, even with the pastor. I couldn't live in two bedrooms, two living rooms, two lives anymore. I was a lost sheep. I thought my son seeing it for so very long, he would understand. Romans 12, 10 says, be kindly affectioned to one another with brotherly love and honor preferring to one another. After my decision, I told my husband, and it was a quick, non-contested divorce. Even though he was supposed to pay alimony for two years, regardless of marital status or what happened to me, I didn't go after him for not paying it because I didn't want problems in the family. I didn't go after it forever, like my attorney suggested, because I was disabled, because I didn't want problems with the family. I wanted peace in the family. I tried desperately to do all the right things. I took only what he told me to and what we agreed to in the divorce. Proverbs 15:1 through 3 says, A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. The tongue of the wise make knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurs out foolishness. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good. Since that day, I have regretted that, and not demanding that they make time for me to meet with me. But demanding isn't the answer. Of course it's not the answer. That's not how you do things. James 4 through 12 states, Submit yourselves before to God, therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts. You double-minded, be afflicted, and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heavenliness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Warning against judging others. Speak not evil one to another, brothers, he will speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law and judges the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judges the other? As I was supposed to leave in ten days prior to them finding out. So unfortunately, I received a phone call, and my friend needed me now, or don't come at this point. I knew it was bad. I also knew I needed to see what I would be going through. So a week early, I left in a rush with just some clothes on my back, some clothes in my car and my dog. The moving van came the next week, as scheduled, and a friend, neighbor, made sure the boxes were loaded. Three weeks later, my friend exhausted from being in and out of the hospital. The last day of 11 days, he accepted Christ, and God allowed the pain and suffering to end. John 3.16. For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believeth in him shall have everlasting life. I know that accepting Christ on your deathbed is different than accepting and walking in it. You know what a gunshot wedding is. But there again, the thief on the cross. So I have to believe with all my heart and soul. Psalm 23. One of my favorite psalms in the world, the first psalm I ever learned. I pray this is how I felt. He maketh me lie to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restores my soul, he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no double. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares the table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever and ever. Amen. I sat here not knowing anyone, other than the ex-sherap and his wife across the street, who were God sent to me. I fell to my knees in the living room, and I cried and I cried after getting home from the hospital. Cried and fell to my knees in the hospital. Thanksgiving was very lonely. All the neighbors felt sorry for me, invited me over. I didn't accept, I declined all the offers. I just realized I needed to start reading my Bible. Sorrow is a very strange thing. I pray my son forgives me someday. I can't change the past. I can only pray about it. And I hope y'all talk to me someday. I was also told from somebody that my church down south was a cult. That it is not. That's when I realized I needed to start a podcast to teach people what salvation really looked like and what God really is. In Matthew 5, 5 through 11 are the beatitudes. And I try very hard now to live through and by them. It's very important to me. And I hope that each one of you think about these. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for the righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, but the kingdom of heaven is theirs. You are blessed when they insult you, and they persecute you, and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad you rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven, for that is how they persecuted the prophets who are before you. Please just apologize. For tomorrow is never guaranteed. And the love of Christ and your salvation is way more important, way more important than your life here on earth. Because your life there ever after is forever and ever. We give credit to our abilities and hard work. We praise our own good sense and planning. We think we're self-sufficient and deserving, or even more. Instead, choose to be grateful. Pray and thank God for all you have. Recognize Him as your source of strength. Be content knowing He's given exactly what you need for today. Rely on Him for your daily bread. Never forget the Father who loves and cares for you. Nothing damages our heart like the betrayal of a friend or loved one. Marriage is designed to be a safe haven in this world, free from gossip, slander, and abuse. Our vows promise a lifetime of love without giving up and walking out unless it's totally broken and one is not participating at all and doesn't want to try and has walked out on you. Are you willing in the hope of your love today? Protect each other's feelings with gentleness and respect. Guard each other's security with mindful use of your time and money. Stand up for each other with critical in-laws or disrespectful children. Create an atmosphere of trust. Be ready to account for where you go, who you see, and what you're watching. Keep your promises and live in integrity at all times. Have high hopes for each other. Expect the best and show grace for the worst. Trusting God to work out your weakness and make your life like Christ. Support each other's goals and dreams as their strongest cheerleader. Never give up. Do whatever it takes to overcome your differences and live as one family together. God's love never changes. When we commit to each other as a family through thick and thin, His love shines in our homes. And isn't that what we truly want at the end of the day? I'm going to close us in prayer right now. Lord, we want to remember you as our provider each day. Thank you every day for every single blessing you give us. Turn our hearts to each other. Give us strength to keep our vows to our family no matter what. Let us love you as you love us. We need believers in Christ to encourage us in following you. Give us wisdom to guard our hearts in every relationship. Let us abide in you as we shine your light in the world and give us courage to hold each other accountable for our actions. Help us receive the truth with humility and love and forgiveness. Bless each other as we seek to obey you in everything we do. We can't solve our problems on our own. Only you can fully supply our needs. Give us your wisdom and help as our loving Father. Teach us to trust you in every situation. Lord, for those of you who know Christ and love Christ, praise God and have salvation, praise God. For those of you who don't have salvation, it's as easy as the ABCs. Admit you have sinned. Believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins and confess your sins. It's just that simple. Life will become so much better. You'll always have somebody to talk to. And trust me, once you're filled with the Holy Spirit, it's like nothing you've ever had in your life. It will enter you and you will have this feeling that you can talk to somebody all the time. And if you don't feel comfortable doing this to yourself, my husband's a pastor. I will be more than happy to let you get in contact with him. You can message me, you can talk to me. I will be more than happy to talk back. You can email me. Please, dear Heavenly Father, if there's one family that this touches, that you put it back together, I've done my job. Just one person that it heals. I feel like the you've done your job. Died on the Jesus died on the cross for our sins. And I truly believe that He will help each and every one of us if we just allow Him. I pray these things in your heavenly name. Amen. We are a nonprofit organization, and all of our donations go to the building of a future women's home and shelter. So I hope that you take the time and donate to that. God bless, and I look forward to having my next guest speaker on, Pastor Troy Shaw, and the story of how we met. You now know how I got to Tennessee. So now you'll find out how I met Pastor Troy Shaw. This is Cindy Shaw signing off with Just Pray Over, and I hope you all have a very blessed day. Thank you.