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More of What God Has Done For Me

Part Two of my Testimony

My husband and I were married just before I turned nineteen. We were blessed with two daughters and a son. They were born healthy and remained that way, other than the normal childhood diseases. I started public work when my last baby became school age, mostly to help with the feeding and clothing of my family. The children went through school doing well in their grades and participating in a variety of sports.

The girls earned basketball scholarships for college, which was a great help for the family. Our son chose to go to work and eventually ended up in law enforcement. Our second daughter went to college in our county and did not have a problem staying away from home. Our oldest daughter's scholarship was out of state. She became very homesick and did not want to continue her education at this college. She came home, crying and said she was not going back to school. After talking and crying into the wee hours of the morning, she did decide to go back to school; but made no promises. We told her to call home anytime of the day and as often as she wanted. I think she called one time in the middle of the day and after that she seemed content. Later we found out that her high school coach played a big part in encouraging her to stay.

Moms do tend to worry about their children, and I was no exception. In my own heart, I knew that I had already given them and their lives over to God; but I was trying to take them back. As our daughter went back to school and became content with staying, the Lord revealed to me that He was going to care for her. One night as I lay down on my bed, a buzzing sound started around my head. In a moment, I could see what looked like a big beach towel floating through the air. I also saw my daughter in what seemed to be a big swing, and the towel-like object wrapped around her. When this happened I saw what we imagine, from photos, as the face of Jesus. I then came out of this state. I know that it was not a dream. It all happened so soon after lying down.

God had shown me that He was taking care of the situation at hand, and anything else my children or the rest of my family had to go through. As most all, I have been very concerned over matters, even heartbroken; but as long as I have my memory, I shall never forget the picture so vividly painted for me. It is as Jesus told his disciples in John 15:33, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world". What a comfort it is to know that the peace that passeth all understanding dwells in my heart and brings me comfort.

When our daughter was in her last year of college, she met a young man and was married. We thought this was an ideal situation. But as time passed, things were not working for them. He asked her for a divorce before they were married three years. She again came home. Since then her testimony has been that we loved her too much, and smothered her with our attention. She decided to go back and continue with her teaching. The principal helped in finding a wonderful Christian lady for her to live with, who had gone through a like situation.

As God would have it, a visiting team from a church she had visited a month earlier, came by just as she had told her friend goodnight and started to her bedroom. Her plans were to swallow a handful of pills. As the knock came, she turned back to the front door and the team identified themselves. After a while they asked if there was anything she would like for them to pray with her about. She went to pieces and spilled her heart to them. My daughter, the visiting team and the lady she stayed with fell to their knees and prayed until this feeling had passed. She had not confided in her dad or me that she had any of these feelings. I know without a doubt that God was watching out for our daughter, fulfilling what He had revealed to me some three years earlier.

Several years had passed, our children all happily married, when my husband was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He went into a severe depression. This was one of the hardest things that I had ever had to deal with. With God's help I could handle me, but I could not handle his not being able to trust God through it all. As a matter of fact, that was part of the problem. He felt that God had deserted him. He spent two weeks in the hospital and was released the day our first grandchild was born. He couldn't even be happy about that! After a few more weeks, he came out of the depression just like he had slipped into it.

Being non-aggressive the lymphoma did not present any known problems from 1990 until he was diagnosed with leukemia in 1999. He then went into another depression. This time, I almost reached the breaking point. My best Friend, God, was there for me day and night. My family, pastor and Christian friends at the church that I had been attending only a few months, were there for me. They listened to me, loved and prayed for me. Of course, they were there for my husband; but he could not cope and appreciate it at the time.

One morning in particular, I got out of bed very early and had my quiet time. As I studied and prayed, I felt the need to call the church and talk to my pastor and to ask for special prayer. The Devil kept feeding me the idea that I had worn everyone out. . . just leave them alone. God won! When it was time for the office to open I picked up the phone and made my call. That afternoon and the next afternoon, two days in a row, I watched from my yard as my husband was attempting to turn into his sister's drive, missing and turning his truck over on its side. He had missed his turn, and all I could see were the wheels. The medication he was on was impairing his vision. The second afternoon he had opened the door trying to get out, and he was penned between the door and truck. There was no doubt in my mind why I had felt the need for special prayer. He was not hurt; but if he had been, I still would have known the presence of the Lord. The depression this time was helped by easing him off of all medication, as it was making him more depressed.

In January of 2006, my husband began chemo-therapy and then had his spleen removed in June. He has done well and has not experienced any depression whatsoever. We give all credit to God, my family, my thoughtful pastor, and a praying church. With their help he became strong enough this time to leave all in God's hands. At the present time, we are back to his being watched closely by the doctors. Most important we are trusting God to take care of us, come what may. God is so good and I thank Him for what He has done and is doing in my life, and the lives of my family. 10/2006 Netty Helton

My precious husband passed away on July 1, 2007. Go here to read my tribute.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness". Lamentations 3:22-23.

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Midi "Amazing Grace" by Harry Todds

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