Sis Noel

by Sis Noel
(HOLLISTER, CA)

I started taking two steps forward and Wham! Death, persecution, sickness, and then some. Yes, the devil definitely knows my name. I set a date to start the children's choir. I started to make an extra trip to the church to pray. I started to speak in Faith what God has put on my heart. Death visits my family. I am faced with heavy persecution over my beliefs by the ones I love the most. I stand.. Sickness plagues myself, my daughter and now my husband.

God wakes me up at 4:00 am Monday and tells me the enemy is coming in like a flood to keep me from what God has intended me to do but He will raise up a standard against the enemy of my soul.

Sunday I made it to church spiritually wounded and my church family prayed for me and then the choir sang a song about God being the Lifter of my head.

Though thousands come against me. God began to speak to me that He was my greatest friend and good would come out of all the persecution by my family, and God would bring salvation out of my persecution. Healing virtue begin to flow through my heart that was full of hurt and pain. You can never imagine how painful it can be to listen to your family speak ill of all that you believe and become hostile towards you because I refuse to agree I'm crazy and stand for what I believe. I don't say mean things back, I just walk away and pray for God to give me the strength to endure.

Scriptures of comfort fly through my mind, while I'm in the fire, that keep me. A year ago if I had been through all of this I would not have turned to God in my misery. I just wasn't this strong. I remember looking at all the alcohol at my cousin's house at the gathering we had after the funeral and thanking God He delivered me from the chains that kept me bound. I thanked God I had no desire to drink or medicate my pain with anything but Jesus.

I realize today God prepared me for all of this. Being in this church has made me stronger than I've been in years. The prayers of the church kept me. I know the devil is after me because God has appointed me to a high calling in prayer. I felt it when I went a couple of Sundays ago.

The foundation of the city of Hollister began to shake under the prayers of myself and Sis Tina V and Sis Tina E. I even experienced a new tongue. It was powerful prayer!

So.... here's my answer. My comeback....
Pray harder for me, because even though I'm sick I refuse to lay down. You can bring death, persecution, sickness but I will still pray.. I will still do the children's choir. I will still love my family. I will still do what Jesus has called me to do.

So please pray for me that I get a quick and complete healing. Pray for my family who is also under attack. GOD IS GREATER!!!

This too shall pass. This all just motivates me to fight harder and to pray more. I am most grateful for being in such a better frame of mind. God knew to move my family and place us exactly where He did. He knew I needed to be strong to be able to endure this storm. Being in Hollister has literally saved my soul from utter destruction.

God has put so much back into us since we have been here. I could've never stood through this without the virtue God has put back into me. Without the prayers and support our church family has given us. Without the pastor and pastor's wife God has put over our souls. Without the love and nurturing that has been shown to our family. You will never know how this change has affected us for the good. Thank you Bishop and Sister Nelson for your wisdom and direction and thank you Pastor and Sis Hurst for taking us in and providing the love and encouragement we needed to get to where we "STAND" in "VICTORY" today. Thank you Lord for loving me so much...

Had it not been for your grace and mercy and unfailing love I would not have made it here today to claim Victory in Your Blessed Name.