Friends, have you ever walked through a fiery trial wondering what God was doing and if it would ever end? Then have you come out the other side and seen that God had a plan all along…a wonderful plan more beautiful than you ever could have imagined?
That is where I sit today, and I want to celebrate God!!
February 1, 2009, will be a day I will never forget. God’s faithfulness washed over me all throughout the day.
It has been twenty-three years since I was sexually assaulted as a 21 year old just a few days after my college graduation. Through that long and arduous journey, God has taught me one great lesson…HE IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES. All those years ago, He promised me in Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Yesterday God brought that promise to fruition.
The verse you see at the top of my blog is Isaiah 55:11
So is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Again God has been faithful to this promise.
Due to circumstances that only God could orchestrate, Moody publishing released my book, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God’s
Story, http://shopp31.com/hiddenjoyinadarkcorner.aspx. Yes, it is a wonderful dream and blessing to have a book published. But more meaningful to me is to know God’s Word will go forth to bring Hope and healing into painful and hurting places in women’s lives. Every day that I sat down to write, I prayed that God would direct my steps and fill the pages with His Word because only He knew who would read the final product.
Tuesday, February 3rd, Proverbs 31 Ministries will publish a devotional I wrote on fear. Fear was one of the greatest battles I fought along my journey…one that God faithfully brought me through. I encourage you to visit the Proverbs 31 web site, http://www.proverbs31.org/, and read the devotional. Then come back and visit my blog.
Please share your thoughts in the comment section, and you will be included in a give-away to receive a copy of my book. Click on the “comments” below. Please include your e-mail so I can get in touch with you if you win. I would also love to know where you live.
Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story 
All Things Wise and Wonderful: Applying God's Wisdom in Everyday Life (E-Book)
Praise be to God! He is so faithful! I can’t wait to share your book with a friend who had a similar experience to yours, Wendy. I know God will use it to speak His transforming, love and grace into her life. All praise and honor to Him forever and ever! Thank you for the courage it took to write your story so that others will know they are not alone, and can be set free!
Singing His praises! Thank you Lord for Wendy’s obedience to You!
cgamble@carolina.rr.com
Thank you for allowing God to use you to touch the lives of so many people. God is faithful and His love is unfailing!
God bless you,
Lisa
Pikeville, NC
lnichols@griffinsteel.com
Oh Wendy this is so wonderful! You are a true instrument in His orchestra of life. I am honored to know you and call you friend! Thank you for your words of encouragement. Thank you for the role model of discipleship that you provide for me. Praise and glory to God for His love and blessings bestowed upon you! I love you! Joanne G.
Wendy,
Praise the Lord that he honors his word. I can’t wait to get your book. It settles my heart as a survivor to know that the words sent to you by the Lord will help to heal broken women. I know with me He has used my life and wounds for His honor and glory when I allow Him to. Thank you for being a honorable daughter of the King and sharing your story.
Hugs,
Diane
Celebrating God’s faithfulness with you! Dear Lord, I Pray for each person that reads Wendy’s book that they will see, hear, and know that you are there and that you,God love them beyond measure. Amen!
I will be praying for that book to fall into just the right hands!
dearingfamilycircus@verizon.net
Yes, God the Healer and Jesus the Redeemer – and from Isaiah 61:3 … to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness insead of mournning, and a garmant of praise instead of a spirit of despair…
Wendy somewhere I read Hebrews 13:5 – before translation – literaly says “I will not, I will not, I will not ever leave or forsake you, most assuredly not” – in the Greek or Hebrew this is a triple negative and this is the only verse in New Testament where a triple negative is used.
Sweet blessings to you Ms. Wendy.
Celebrating and rejoicing with you, Wendy! God is good! I am so looking forward to receiving your book and reading it (and giving one to a friend).
Many hugs and prayers,
Sharon
I dropped by through your devotion,Your Not lone. Our God is so faith and His word does bring forth fruit!
I,myself,am in a ministry that I would have never dreamed. I made a decision 20 years ago to have an abortion and for the next 13 years I lived with this secret.
Today,I have the honor in helping other find the freedom because of their *choice* through God’s forgiveness.
May God bless your willingness to serve Him.
In His Graces,
Tammy
Binghamton,NY
~**OUR GOD IS A FAITHFUL GOD**~
Isn't it wonderful that God has a purpose for all His vessels?
Thank you for sharing your story and the path God has choosen to lead you on. I work with youth and I know your book would be a great resource tool whether I win it or purchase it.
Thanks & God Bless!
I would really like to read the book but i live all the way in Malaysia so i am not sure if you would want to send it that far a country.So i pray that whoever that receives it will be thoroughly blessed and be healed and truly find joy in it all.
Sweet blessings
Sheena Jeremiah
sheenajerry@gmail.com
Sheena
Wendy,
Thank you sharing your story of peace through heartache. May the Lord of Peace bless and heal those who read your book. Today my purse was stolen; a small violation but one that brings inconveniences. I pray for the person who took my “things” and used my credit cards to buy groceries. May the Lord of Peace use the books, testomony cards and bible in the purse to witness to the hurting. God Bless you Wendy on your journey of stepping into the sea of bold faith.
Sandralmac@gmail.com
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I struggle through a similar situation but I was much younger. It has caused some problems in my marriage but we continue to work through them. Your words came at just the right time and I’m so glad God could use them to minister to so many!
campmaley@yahoo.com
Thank you for letting me know that I am not alone in one of the darkest times of my life. I thought I had “let go, and let God” with my heartache. But your devotional today at Proverbs 31 Ministry showed me that I have not really “let go.” From this moment forward, due to the courage you inspired, I truly have “let go” and I will “let GOD” handle this heartache on my behalf. He is an Awesome GOD and knows what is best for me. I just had to remember to get out of His Way and let Him work the wonders that only HE can. Thank you for sharing this darkest corner.
vcr1225@yahoo.com
thank you… I just heard a huge bang I have to go check on the kids. god bless
Sorry…have to laugh at the previous comment about the loud bang! So familiar!
Thank you for the devotional you shared today. I love the analogy of God working for the Israelites in the dark. 2008 was a dark year with the loss of 4 family members. Yesterday, we buried my sweet next-door-neighbor, and as I sat at the funeral, my healing heard wounds started to throb a bit. I felt the Lord reminding me that our times are in His hands.
Congratulations on the book launch! I look forward to reading it, and I pray God allows it to “hit the mark” on the hearts of many women.
I’m sure it did just that to your own heart as you wrote it!
Blessings, Leebird
Wendy, God bless you for blessing me with this wonderful devotional. The obstacles we face each day certainly drives fear in us.
Thanks for the reminder that we are not alone for when we seek God we will find him waiting to help us.
Congrats on the launching of your new book, I anticipate reading a copy. God bless you.
E-mail: theaque@gmail.com
Address: Kingston, Jamaica WI.
I feel like I live in constant fear and worry – I am a world class worrier. What is hard is that I let it control me. Even when I know I should let it go and trust, I still continue to fret. Thank you for your words – I will definitely follow your blog.
Sue H.
Charlottesville, Virginia
slhoo@embarqmail.com
Wendy,
Thank you so sharing with transparency and for the ‘spot-on’ devotional today. God used you to speak to me where I am at and have been struggling. I have been praying for some word from Him and your devotional was His answer to my prayer. Never had I thought about the darkness the Israelites where in before God delivered them. Even the title of your devotional was perfect. Thank you for being willing to be used by God and to remind me that all I experience in my walk with Him is brought or allowed to make me more like Him and also a reminder that even the dark times can be appointed times for me to use as I reach out to a broken and dying world.
Wow, I could write a small epistle here but suffice it say that though our God is bigger than using your devotional to reach just one person rest in knowing He touched my heart this morning and spoke to me in a very real way.
Congratulations on your book! What an exciting blessing for you!
Because He calls, Janet
Wendy,
I love Isaiah 55:11! It helped me during my husband’s cancer battle and through many other difficult times. It is so comforting to know that God has a purpose for the trials we go through and that it will accomplish something for Him. My husband has been cancer free for 4 years and the experience, though sometimes dark and difficult, has brought blessings for us as well as our two young girls. I know your trial and your book will also accomplish great things for God. Thank you!
barbie.chambers@gmail.com
Lubbock, TX
wow, I have been receiving your Prov 31 devotional email for years now and in my busy day today instead of waiting to read it, I just read it first thing this morning. PERFECT TIMING, THANK YOU….congrats on your book what a blessing, I’m sure it will touch many hearts…
myfarnzy@aol.com
Chino Hills, CAlifornia
Wendy,
I receive the Proverbs 31 devotional in my email every morning. Today, I stayed home from work because of a sinus infection. All morning, I have just been surfing blogs, relaxing, and reading some of God’s word. Then, I read the devotional that you wrote and it really spoke to me and my circumstances right now.
My husband and I have dealt with infertility for almost 11 of our 12 years of marriage and are currently in the process of adopting an infant domestically. We have completed all the requirements and submitted our profile to the agency, and now we just wait. I can honestly say that I do not know how we came this far in the process already because, for me, every step of the way, I have been dragging along the fear attached to my ankle. Fear of a birth mother not wanting to choose us. Fear of it never happening. Fear of not having the money we need to complete the adoption when the time comes. Fear of failing as a parent.
While I cannot say that this fear is gone, I was encouraged by the scripture you used from Exodus as well as the thought that God is using difficult circumstances in my life to transform me. I know this to be true. I am not the same person I was before we began this process and I know I will not be the same person I am today when it is over and I am able to see God’s plan from beginning to end.
Thank you for the devotional this morning and for sharing your story.
God bless you,
C.C.
secretary_wbc@yahoo.com
Oh, sorry, I forgot to say I live in Virginia.
Sounds like the Lord took you through the valley and it was an arduous journey! Praise to Him alone who never left you!
bckawazoe@gmail.com – from California
I had a similar vision as yours. I had received a call from a bad man who knew my address and phone number and whom, I believed, had the intent of hurting me or my family. That night, i put everyone to bed and stayed on the couch looking out the window for that man to come to our home. As I sat there, I prayed fervently and God gave me two visions. One, of my information falling from that man’s desk into the trash can beside it, and two, and most important, of a wall of angels surrounding our home and four angels on each corner of our roof. I knew that God was protecting us and that that man would not harm us. I went to sleep, finally, at peace.
I wait still at the age if 43 to see my calling come to fruition. I have suffered the gamit from doubt in my call, to doubt that God could use me, to certainty that I was not worthy of His call. Great emotion and confusion follows that kind of thing and, of course, Satan is sure to be there adding to those emotions. So, we share many of the same experiences, only you’ve come through to the end and I’m still walking through. So your book has encouraged me to set my eyes on God and to look at it from a different perspective. I’m going to remember your blog and keep coming back to that book segment so that I can remember this and not get bogged down in defeat any more.
Thank you for sharing your story and your victory. I rejoice with you.
Ramona Stewart
Huntsville, TX
Today the devotional I received in my e mail inbox was “You Are Not Alone.” This was perfect timing. I spent last night face down on my living room floor crying out to my God. I have been feeling so alone. Like God was far away. I have felt completely lost in the dark and afraid. The story of exodus chapter 14 has been very significant to me and what I have been facing. I have an enemy in pursuit. I feel blocked and trapped. I long to see the see the “Sea” split and find the dry ground. To see my enemy swallowed up. To be DELIVERED! To have guidance and direction. My circumstances all say otherwise.I really can not see what God is doing. I am desperate to be healed. I am desperate for Him . I want Him. I need the “TRUTH of God’s word to come alive for me. For my family.
Thank you for your vulnerability. If anything as I read the devotional I felt God heard my prayer of desperation.My circumstances have not changed but it was an encouragement to feel like I was heard.
I would love to be entered in the drawing to win a copy of your book. It seems very timely and appealing to me and my life right now.
Blessings!
Michelle
rfams4him@verizon.net
This is Michelle again from the comment above we live in VA. I forgot to add that.
Thank you for sharing, I cannot wait to read your book!
Kyle, Texas
Praising God with you for His faithfulness and for what a wonderful redeeming God He is! I am just in awe of our Lord, He continues to bring people along my path lately who have survived horrible experiences, yet God has used those for good and for His glory! How amazing He is!
Thank you for sharing your story… I pray that countless women’s hearts are touched and drawn to our God and find healing in Him through your life and your work for Him!
Blessings!
Tricia
Calera, AL
jamesandtricia@charter.net
Wendy,
I am so excited to read your book. I am even more excited to meet you in a couple of weeks. I know lives will be changed both from your book and your speaking.
Sweet Blessings,
Margaret
Kinston, NC
Wendy,
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I know that you are touching so many peoples lives through your ministry. I cannot wait to read your book!
May God continue to use you in a very big way!
Blessings,
Julie
(jkeefer@feesers.com)
Hey, Wendy! Thank you for being so obedient to His desire that you should share your story with others. What a blessing this book will be. Your e-devotional was wonderful this morning.
Many Blessings,
Susan
South Carolina
scrunnermom@gmail.com
Wow Wendy!!! Your devotional today was wonderful!!! I myself soooo fit your description for the last six months. Just recently have I felt my heart softening for the Lord, and open to what He had to share with me. It is so true that God uses your circumstances to HELP other people and to use you. My husband and I pray daily that God would use us and make us into the people He wants us to be. However, this prayer leads to trails!!!!!! God is working in our lives now and it is so evident!!! Thank you for being so open, real and ready to minister to others. God Bless you and your ministry!!
email is cyouneternity@sbcglobal.net
After the devastation of divorce, I certainly experienced many of the same feelings you write about and I also have experienced the blessing of a deeper closeness with God than ever imagined. IT’s ONLY with God that beauty can come out of tragedy, but it is often a very long and difficult journey. I thank Him for my journey, as well as yours … and that with your book, you will surely help others along the way on their own journeys. I pray for the blessings to pour out on you as you move forward in His will.
Your devotional is coming at just the time God knew I needed encouragement. Thank you for listening to Him and obeying Him.
I live near Tyler, TX.
I stopped by because I loved the words of your devotional. Fear has held me captive, unable to take a step. God is showing me that all I have to do is lift my foot and the Red Sea will part and He will show me the way to walk.
I can’t wait to read your book. I already have a list of people I’m giving it to!!
Blessings!
Lisa
lisa@andrewsmithteam.com
wendy,
thank you for sharing your heart.
i too am a survivor of sexual assult. and i too have see God give beauty for ashes. praise to God for his healing and redeeming love. it has been 18 years since my rape at the age of 16. sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday.
praise him for using ALL things for his glory and renown.
sharon
chefsharon@mindspring.com
Hi Wendy,
It was truly a blessing to read your devotional today. I’ve really been struggling in my faith lately and fear has definitely readed it’s head. Your devotional really spoke a lot of truth into my life and it was definitely a right on time message. Thanks for such an encouragement! I also cannot wait to read your book, I’ve gone through a lot in my life and I’m currently in college right now and I just know that your book will serve as a tool in my faith journey. God Bless you! From Chicago!
Rosa
chencha60617@yahoo.com
Thank you, Wendy, for your devotional today. It is one that I will share with my daughter for hope and encouragement in the trials she is facing this week.
jlmarkworth@ameritech.net
It is so easy, when we are in those dark places of life, to forget God is still there taking care of us. I am in one of those dark places right now, but I know God has a plan for me. Thank you for today’s devotional.
mommy2bgda@hotmail.com
Hi Wendy, Read Proverbs 31 devotion you wrote and was touched and encouraged. 2 and half years ago I gave birth to a stillborn baby boy (my fourth child) at 35 weeks gestation. In short, have suffered from anxiety and fears re: health ever since, just so debilitating. I am almost 39 years old, and since have a fifth child a baby girl who we named Grace for obvious reasons. It is a dark time and I cannot wait for this chapter to be over. Thank you for your insights into the Word, they blessed me greatly. Elizabeth J. (Australia)
Oh my, Wendy! I started your book, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner, last night. How the world would have suffered had you made any other decision than the one you did. At that very moment you decided to become a survivor rather than a victim. Had you refused, tried to escape, yelled out, or even talked your life would have been taken. Yes, your horrific experience caused you to temporarily die inwardly, but it allowed you a new birth and tremendous insight into God’s unfailing love.
We live in a fallen world; your book exposes the ugly result of man’s sinning against God’s gift of free will. How the Lord must have been grievously saddened. Through sharing your experience and writing your story you beautifully revealed the power of God’s healing grace. Through your journey back to wholeness you allowed two beautiful children to be born – and who knows how they or their progeny will positively impact the world and change it for the better?
I believe that every day God showers His love on you because you searched down deep inside and found the strength to make your way back to Him. You let Monty in your life, friends and family in your circle, and Christ in your soul. God is well aware of what we endure and He is there with us in the depths of our despair. It is often in that dark, deep place that we meet God.
Wendy, you answered God’s will for your life in sharing your story. Through it other women can learn to let go and not remain forever stuck in their brokenness. In sharing your healing journey you have allowed God to accomplish His work through your life. By giving your brokenness to God you took the hand that He reached out to you. He has longed to walk this journey with you. By remaining faithful in the midst of such pain, you have shown others the way out of darkness and into God’s light so that they too can be redeemed. May God bless you richly, Wendy, for exemplifying how it is possible to muster the strength to find our way back. Indeed, God is faithful to those who seek His grace.