Today I want you to meet my sweet, funny, amazing friend, Rachel Wojnarowski. Her story is one of God’s redeeming grace and the choice she’s made to chase after His plans and hold onto His hope — with all that she has in her.
I grew up in a wonderful Christian home with fabulous Christian parents. We were faithful to church and I graduated from Christian school. I went on to Christian college and completed the circle by teaching in a Christian school. My future husband was a “preacher boy” and when we married, the plan was that he would take a youth pastor position wherever God led. Only after we married, he had serious doubts about his calling and stopped attending church all together.
After two years of marriage, a precious daughter was born to us via emergency c-section. She experienced oxygen deprivation and required resuscitation, but she lived. Three years after Taylor’s birth, I discovered that her father had been having an affair essentially four of the five years we were married. In spite of that great protective environment I’d always known, and being faithful to God’s house, sin had erupted my “perfect” life and my marriage to this man didn’t withstand. Bad choices were made by both parties and we divorced.
In spite of all the pain and loss of the “perfect” life, God brought a solid Christian man into my life and He has given us a wonderful story of grace and redemption. But in the midst of Matt and I falling in love, my dearest mom fell severely ill, diagnosed with a rare type of anemia. Two months later the diagnosis was changed to leukemia and she lived just six short months after that. Mom was the strongest, most faithful Christian I’ve ever personally known; she was my best friend.
During my divorce and my mom’s death, the discovery process for Taylor’s developmental delays became more intense. Doctors often blamed the delays on her lack of oxygen at birth. But in my heart, I knew there was more to her issues. Nine months after my mom’s death, the diagnosis for Taylor came through: MPSIIIB, a rare, genetic metabolic disorder which causes gradual neurological degeneration. The average life span is 10-15 years and there is no cure, or even a treatment.Upon receiving Taylor’s diagnosis, my walk with the Lord became intense. I did just what Renee talked about this week in chapter four. I asked all the why’s and the how’s. I wanted God to spill out His plan for my life in one day.
But through His Word, God has taught me that faith is not only a one-time decision; it’s an everyday decision.
Trusting His plan for your everyday life is equally as important as trusting Him for your eternal life.
While God has richly blessed Matt and me with a beautiful family and more blessings than we can count, Taylor’s disease has not changed. Every day is by faith, that God would have His will for her life and ours.
Each day we claim His promises and make the choice to run towards His plan.
Rachel, your story has changed me. Your journey of choosing hope through your past and into the present brought tears to my eyes. I’m inspired by your faith and your surrendered life. To be broken daily, like bread, held up (like loaves and fishes) as an offering of God’s of love and mercy. You my friend are beautiful – inside and out.
- Find out more about Rachel on her blog.
- Download Rachel’s FREEBIE 12 Bible Verses for When You Feel Like Giving Up
Connecting in Community: I’ve been reading your comments and praying for each of you by name. And I’m working on a way for us to connect next week via conference call – Lord willing!! I’m hoping it will be a way I can share my thoughts and answer questions you all are sharing and asking about here. For today, I’d love to know….
What is God speaking to your heart through Rachel’s story? Also, is there anything from the questions He’s given us for the end of Chapter 4 you’d want to share? Let’s connect here and talk about it. {If you are reading this via email, click here to return to my blog to share your heart.}
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Thanks so much, Rachel for sharing your story and to Renee for Chapter 4. Several years ago, I did a similar exercise with a therapist mapping out my timeline. It was interesting to see how past hurts that we tend to sweep under the carpet can reveal themselves in the most subtle but damaging way in our current lives. My parents didn’t have the greatest of marriages and always argued in front of us (kids). Life at home was miserable most of the time. The buried resentment and hurt followed me into young adulthood and affected a lot of my relationships. My renewed faith gave me the strength to face and conquer this pain. However, in recent years, I struggle most with an unexplainable fear of failure. I’m still trying to figure out the source and hope that the timeline would be a good start as it helped in the past.
I know that God has a plan for me. He has been so faithful. There are days that I hate myself for not being in the Word daily to nurture my relationship with him. I know we were not created to be too busy for God. The saying that faith is not a one-time decision but an everyday decision is SOOO true. I pray that we all continue to grow in our walk with Christ during this study. It was been such an eye-opener and joy to take part.
Blessings!
I’m a little late doing chapter 4, I was down in my back and not really feeling like being on the computer,and I’m was planning on getting my book last Friday and getting caught up,but then my car broke down, but I’m watching thyour videos and I have printed all the words for the week and have them on my wall where I c an see them when I’m on my computer. Those alone have blessed me and helped me so much I’m still going to get the book as soon as I can ,can’t wait to read it all.
Thank you for sharing your story, Rachel. Although it’s sometimes hard to face our painful past issues, when we do and when we allow Jesus to cleanse and heal us, we can become free from the chains that hold us bondage. I keep thinking I have dealt with everything–all the wounds from the past, but God keeps bringing more and more to the surface. He says, “Ok, you’ve dealt with that one, now lets deal with this one.” I’m so thankful for our Father’s love and forgiveness! He never gives up on us, but is patient and kind. He knows what we can deal with and when we can deal with it. How blessed we are! So grateful for the privilege of walking this part of my journey with all of you, dear sisters! Don’t give up! We can do this together!!!
Thank you for sharing your story, Rachel. I have often asked the questions of the whys. God has shown me through His Word that our hard times bring us closer together to each other and Him. We Also live in a fallen world so we experience hardships. God has helped me to let go of the past and forgive myself and others. He has shown me that my insecurities have stopped me from my destiny. I must step out in faith because it is the opposite of fear.