She’s Gonna Freak Out!
“Okay God, I will do it but she is going to FREAK OUT!” Sniff, sniff, waaaaaaah…. Where’s the Klennex. WAAAAAAAAH!
I found myself kneeling at the front of the church following Lisa Shaw’s powerful teaching and altar call at the Blogger’s Retreat last month.
I was snot nosed, bawling.
Let me clarify something. I am not typically a bawler. I drop a tear or two on occasion. However, all out bawling, searching for Kleenex, and tears blurring my vision…
Ahem, NO!
I guess I should explain.
This story begins over ten years ago. *Let me drop something in right here. God forgets nothing. Although ten years have passed, He has waited all this time for the exact perfect moment to bring about His will. Whoa!
This next part of the story is difficult for me to share because you will discover just how broken I am. My mother, sister, and I were in Israel. It was day eight of a fantastic two-week tour of the Holy Land. The tour was incredible until something went terribly wrong. My sister and I in a moment of exhaustion and selfishness exchanged some hurtful words. She zinged me with an insult and I zinged her right back. I’m better at the zingers insults, unfortunately, and that was that.
Thus, from that day forward our sister relationship was forever damaged.
We were both hurt and for two years we barely spoke. Okay, please don’t hate me but I know there are others of you who have lived this. Hang in there, the story gets better.
For several more years we were polite but extremely cautious in phone conversations. The comfortable years of easy conversation and trust, forever disappeared replaced by suspicion and avoidance. It grieves me to type this sentence.
Five years ago, the Lord asked me to forgive. I did and I asked my baby sister to forgive but she was still hurting and unable to rekindle our past closeness. I grieved. I prayed and I left it to God.
Well, when you leave things to God, He never forgets. Time passes and you forget but He never will.
So last month on October 23rd, I knelt at the Altar to pray on the last day of the Blogger’s Retreat. I didn’t have a lot on my heart and actually had a peace about my life. I felt confident in my husband’s future salvation and fully confident with faith that our unemployment would quickly come to an end.
All was right with the world.
THAT’S PRECISELY WHEN IT HAPPENED!
God showed up.
“Lynn, I want you to start praying every day for your sister and do not stop until I tell you.”
“What? God are you serious?” I sniffed and sobbed, “Okay God, I will do it but she is going to FREAK OUT!” Sniff, sniff, waaaaaaah…. “She doesn’t even want to talk to me.” More bawling.
When God spoke this into my heart I knew what He was expecting. When I pray for people, I will often ask for their requests on Monday and then pray over them every day, all week long. God fully expected me to ASK my sister EVERY MONDAY for her prayer requests. My sister didn’t even want to chat with me on a regular basis let alone share with me her struggles or prayer requests.
Did God know what He was asking of me? I would have to call her every Monday. My sister would likely laugh in my face. She was going to freak out. I was freaking out!
Well I went home. Monday arrived. My palms sweated. God kept nagging me…. CALL HER..
“Okay, Okay, I will.”
I dialed.
“Hello”
I rushed ahead in the conversation and told her just what I told you. “God has told me to pray for you every day so on Monday’s I’m going to email you for your prayer requests. If you don’t answer my email, I will telephone you.”
She replied right away and said, “I’m so glad you called and I need prayer.” She proceeded to explain some of the tremendous challenges she is facing. She was honest and open and genuinely thankful that I would pray for her every day.
It was in this telephone conversation I felt the presence of the Lord and our ten years of feuding ended. INSTANTLY.
A Miracle.
Our Monday morning conversations are no longer stiff and distrusting. They are filled with laughter, sisterhood, true caring, and love. My sister and I are healed and whole in Jesus Christ.
Every Monday since, I call. We talk, we laugh, I listen and receive her prayer requests. I am blown away at the healing power of Jesus Christ in my ordinary and messed up life. To say I am thankful is woefully insufficient.
Jesus is the reason I live and breathe. Jesus can heal anyone of anything. He can bring forgiveness, change of heart, healing of cancer, mending of marriages, and He can set anyone free. Even two sisters after ten years of self-imprisonment.
This is indeed, a Thanksgiving filled with redemption, restoration and thankful hearts.
As you read this story, I am in Colorado spending precious time with my sister, her family and my Mom. All is right with the world.
God bless and may the Lord richly bless you this Thanksgiving season.
Be Blessed, Lynn
Find me daily at
Praise God! I have broken relationships with several of my sisters! This post has convicted me!
Praise God for the beautiful gift of restoration. I love you my friend.
Thank you so much, Lynn. God, through you, has pushed one of my buttons, AGAIN!!! I’m so thankful for you and your obedience.
Lynn, I too have experienced the wonderful work of His restoration. Thanks for sharing this beautiful testimony!
Lynn. You will never believe what my spam word is! “Forgiven”.
Wow. Girl, this post made me cry. Not bawl…but weep before the presence of the Almighty God who loves us to the very ends of ourselves and beyond!
I had been wondering….and even speculating what this post might be since you told me you were going to share about something that happened at the retreat!
The awesomeness of God just overwhelms my soul!
Thank you GOD for answered prayers…and for “forgiveness!”
Love you dearly my sweet sister/friend!
Wow! I wish I could be a fly on the wall where you are now so I could see you and your sister come face to face in your renew relationship. What a joyful celebration for you this year! God is so incredibly good! Love you!
This made me cry. I echo Dineen’s words. I feel really blessed that my anti-spam word is Grace!
Amen Lynn, I am so happy for you. What a blessing.
Raye Ann
Oh wow, Lynn! Such a great testimony to share this blessing this week of Thanksgiving. I’m so happy for you and your sister and God’s perfect time.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bethany
Oh, my….with tears in my eyes as I type, let me say this is a BEAUTIFUL testimony of God’s healing touch…always working, sometimes behind the scenes, but God’s plan according to His time line always end in victory!
This is a great story. I enjoyed it very much. I have three sisters and can’t imagine ever being upset with them about anything. Have a great Thanksgiving. Doylene
WOW LYNN,
Awesome post….. brought tears to my eyes.. You are so very right. Nothing is impossible with our God. His timing is perfect! I’m so happy for you and your Sister… What a blessed time for reconciliation and YES….
Much to be thankful for this season!
You have been a blessing,
Indeed an miracle happen Lynn
I am so happy for you and praise God with you…..
Your tesimony gave me hope to stay on and believing and bringing my strained and distrusted relationship more in prayer and LISTEN to hear what God want me to do….
One thing i know already i will make a long distance call today to my parents …….
Happy thanksgiving and thanks for all the blessings through your devotions and comments!
Bernice
How wonderful, How marvelous is my Saviour’s Love for me…
What a SWEET story – how God loves to bring sweetness where bitterness and hurt have lived. What a beautiful story – brokenness allows God to bless our socks off, doesn’t it?
Lynn, God is so awesome and has perfect timing! I am so glad you and your sister have been able to mend your relationship. Take care and God bless, Cory
Lynn, thanks for posting this! It brought tears to my eyes. What a miracle. Have a great Thanksgiving. Blessings, Tina
God is good!
You are amazing Lynn… and as recipient of your faithfulness to God’s requests, I know your sister was probably very touched and relieved by your call and obedience to God.
LOVE YOU!
Lynn,
I find it no coincidence that “forgiven” is the word I have to type to submit my comment today. A reminder to me that I’ve been forgiven, and a conviction that I am not willing to forgive my own sisters.
You have no idea how this has touched me. If only you were sitting in the room beside me. I would have a story to tell. Let me just say that yesterday morning my sister came up from Murietta for a week long visit with family in the area. I ended up not meeting her. I wish I could say I am wanting a relationship with my sisters, but right now I’m just so tired of being hurt by them, I would rather cut them out of my life.
Except, I know God well enough to know…He won’t let us stay that way.
For now though, that’s where it is.
Thank you for your transparency. I wish you’d mentioned this at the conference.
Love you friend,
Joanne
This is her daughter caitie and we just got back from having dinner with everyone and we laughed and talked and had a great time so everyone should know that my mom and aunt are healed and we have lots of fun together 🙂
Oh.my.goodness Lynn. God does such miraculous things, doesn’t he? Thank you for sharing your very personal story of sister love. I’ve experienced a few of these kinds of radical turn-arounds too. They reveal the *very* tender heart of God toward us, don’t they?
I’ll remember your story. Few people turn down someone’s offer to pray for them! You’re living proof that prayer can be a powerful a bridge-builder in relationships. THANK YOU! I needed that reminder.
Have a very blessed Thanksgiving. :~D
Lynn, This is an amazing testimony! Couple this with your post today and I am now searching for a tissue myself!
You know we all prayed for this retreat. I pray for the Lord to convict us of things we needed to surrender. So when He shows up, why are we surprised? Because He is infinite and we are finite.
He is amazingly good to us.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Love you.
This says it all Lynn: \”Our Monday morning conversations are no longer stiff and distrusting. They are filled with laughter, sisterhood, true caring, and love. My sister and I are healed and whole in Jesus Christ.\”
The LORD is so faithful! Thank you for sharing your heart with us and the GOODNESS OF THE LORD in the relationship you have with your sister. Healed and whole is what you both are.
I love you. I will be praying for you and your sister.
My anti-spam word is JOHN and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the book of John especially John chapters 14, 15 and 17. Something from each of those chapters can be applied to you and your sister.Awesome.
Love you girl!