A Holy Spirit Story: A Mother’s Fear Turns to Faith

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

CONSIDER THIS

Today’s Holy Spirit Story is one of those ordinary yet extraordinary ones. It will be encouraging for many who will immediately identify with it and it will create a memory in waiting for yet many others. While I very much appreciate the vulnerability of the storyteller, she has asked to remain anonymous which we will both honor and respect. If you are a listener to the Wake Up Call you will hear the story read by a stand-in voice actor. 

After college, my son moved to another city and started his career. He began dating a young woman, and when I met her I thought she was very sweet and they were a good match. As I got to know her better I saw that she came with some pretty serious baggage.

Time went by. They got serious, and I got worried. My prayers vacillated between, “Lord please heal her” and “Lord please end this relationship.” I am sure she felt my reservations.

Last summer my son was going to be away for an extended time and she planned to visit me for several days. I was concerned about how things would go without my son around.

One morning during my prayer time, the thought came to me that she needs a mother’s love. The words were not audible but were very clear. And I knew they were not my own. Those words made me take a long, hard look at myself. My prayer from that time forward went from “change her” to “change me.” I prayed for the Holy Spirit to help me love her.

She arrived for her visit. When she drove into the driveway and I walked out to greet her, I knew my prayer had been answered. The Holy Spirit had filled my cold hard heart with love for this girl. It was real. It was deep. It was genuine. I felt my heart expand with it. I was flabbergasted (in the words of my grandmother).

I knew immediately what had happened. She and I had been blessed with a real deal miracle.

It has been almost a year. The love is still with me. Our relationship is transformed. My relationship with the Holy Spirit is transformed. My capacity to love has changed and grown. I have a newfound understanding of our Father’s love for us. I pray I never forget this amazing gift.

Every morning I walk outside and look into the early morning sky and say, “Jesus I belong to you.” And his reply, “You are mine.” I have no doubt.

Praise the Lord!

THE PRAYER

Father, we thank you for this beautiful story of the Holy Spirit’s witness of love becoming power becoming real-life heart transformation. We love how this mother prayed, “My prayer from that time forward went from ‘change her’ to ‘change me.’” I agree with this prayer concerning the difficult relationships and confusing situations in my own life. Change me. Start with me. I am the one standing in need of prayer. Turn fear into faith. Thank you Holy Spirit for the profound yet so often gentle ways you quietly transform people and situations. How we love you and your workings. Praying in Jesus’s name, amen. 

THE QUESTION

What stories and situations does today’s entry cause you to remember? Where and how has the Spirit met you in such moments and turned your own heart completely around? 

THE HYMN

Today let’s sing a classic—”Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” It comes from the hymn writer John Fawcett and was written in 1782. It is a favorite of many. It is hymn 405 in our Seedbed hymnal: Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. And yes, we will sing all six verses! 

For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt
Sower-in-Chief
seedbed.com

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P.S. Join us for the Summer Book Club!

If you haven’t signed up already, there’s still time to join us for the Holy Spirit Book Club! Dan Wilt, a regular author for us at the Wake-Up Call is going to be participating. You don’t want to miss it.

P. P. S. Day of Ascension

Here’s the link from Thursday night’s Ascension Day Zoom session about the Asbury Spiritual Outpouring. Watch it here.