Today I want you to meet my sweet, funny, amazing cyber-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. The first time you shared it in an email, I got Holy goosebumps up my spine, down my arms and into my toes! 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.
And here are some behind-the-scenes “only Jesus knew” details: I didn’t know Rachel’s story. When God prompted me to ask her to be a guest I wasn’t sure what part of my book she’d write about. But HE did! How precious is our Jesus? He knew we needed to hear her story and be strengthened by the way she has chosen courage and one-day-at-a-time steps of faith. The way she is choosing to walk out hope gives us all a picture of what it looks like to live the message of chapter 4 with Jesus. Thank you, Rachel!!
Connecting in Community & Today’s Giveaway: 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? I’d love for us to connect here and talk about it.
Rachel has just released a new Ebook, The Scent of Prayer and she is giving away 5 copies to 5 of you randomly drawn on Monday from the comments left below today’s post. Just click “share your thoughts” and do just that.
About Rachel: Rachel is originally a small town country girl who converted to a suburban mother of seven by way of life happening. She and her husband, Matt, enjoy caring for their busy family, whose ages span 9 months to 21 years and includes a special needs daughter. Rachel leads community ladies’ Bible studies in central Ohio and serves as an event planner and speaker for special needs parenting groups. She is a member of the Ohio Writers’ Guild and the National MPS Society; and loves to inspire others through her blog by sharing faith, family, and fun. Wife, mom, reader, writer, speaker and dreamer, you can find Rachel on Twitter and Facebook.
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Wow. What an amazing testimony Rachel. I am in a season where God is teaching me to trust in Him daily for provision and inspriation. My trials have been nothing compared to Rachel’s. Her faith and trust are a true source of strength. May God continue to richly bless your beautiful family.
Rachel, Thank you for sharing your story. What a beautiful family you have. It helps to hear about how others have faced hard times and learned to lean on God. We adopted a little girl a long time ago, she had a child, which we raised, then suddenly both were out of our lives. They no longer wanted to be part of any of our lives. I also miscarried a baby at 4 months. But God is faithful and Jeer 29:11 sure is true. I am older now, mid 60s and just this morning was thinking how God has healed so many heartaches along the rode called “life”. So I can anticipate Him being with me all the days of my life. I thank you again for sharing and pray for Grace to continue to hold your entire family.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful testimony, Rachel. It is a great encouragement to me.
Wow what an amazing story of learning to trust God. I have a special needs child as well and have went through all those same emotions. I really needed this story today.
There are times I think of how desperate am I for God…enough to want to touch the hem of his garment, enough to want to come through the roof to get to Him, enough to meet and talk to Him at the well, or enough to run into His arms and cry out to Him for help. We need God so desperately every day. We have to trust Him a day at a time.
This world is hard and sometimes so unfair. It is full of hurts, pain, sorrow, broken and yet, God comes in the midst of it all to show His love, mercy and compassion toward us.
Your testimony is so beautiful… It touches my heart.
Praying God will bless you and your family.
Thank you Rachel.
One day at a time has been difficult for me to follow but through your story and Renee’s I have been reassured I can. In my local congregation, we have been studying about how God prunes us and I have felt him doing this through chapter 4.
trust something i have a very hard time doing from past and present experience and to have faith which i all find hard
If You seek Him with your heart, you will find Him. Promised in His Word. Don’t give up!
Rachel: My late father was a minister,and we spent alot of time in church,and met lots of wonderful believers of God and all is mercies. I married a member of one the churchs,and after 25 ruff years he thought the grass was greener somewhere else. I like you didnt know for years that he had been seeing other women. He filed for divorce 1 month before our 25 anniversary would have been.
Praise God, I didnt crawl in a hole although I felt like it Christian friends rallied around me and I have forgiven him and confused him by doing so.
My prayers go out to you and your daughter, Im sure God is using you both as a blessing to others. It looks like you have a very beautiful happy family,God sure is the mender of broken hearts.
God Bless You abd your Family!!
Resurrected by His mercy! Praise Jesus for your precious spirit.
What an incredible testimony to a true, abiding faith. Thank you Rachel for being willing to share your story and to be an encouragement to others!! 🙂
Wow…Rachel….what an inspiration you are to us. Your faith, your sweetness, thank you for being transparent and sharing your sweet testimony. How many lives you have touched….God is sooo good. His mercy endures forever. I am blessed to have read your story, it gives me encouragement.
Love,
Adrienne R
Blessings to you, Friend!
Amazed and in awe of how amazing God is. His ways are definetely not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. God just like Renee’s book says, he can turn our ashes into beauty. Amazing story and testimony!!!! You sound like a strong woman of faith, and I’m 24 and I hope to be a mother/wife/daughter who is virtuous as you and Renee are. I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman. I’m really right now in this season in my life, trying to walk by faith. It seem like all odds are against me, but I know who is within me. Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world. God can take our wrongs and make them right! How great is our God??? God bless you all!
Amazed and in awe of how amazing God is. His ways are definetely not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts. God just like Renee’s book says, he can turn our ashes into beauty. Amazing story and testimony!!!! You sound like a strong woman of faith, and I’m 24 and I hope to be a mother/wife/daughter who is virtuous as you and Renee are. I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman. I’m really right now in this season in my life, trying to walk by faith. It seem like all odds are against me, but I know who is within me. Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world. God can take our wrongs and make them right! How great is our God??? 🙂 God bless you all!
Wow what an amazing story. I am blessed by this thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your story. I have a situation in my life that continually challenges me to choose to walk close to God or worry and live in misery. In the past, I have given in to despair and fear, but God has been so faithful to keep me seeking after Him and His ways! I would love to have a copy of your book. I am working on praying more consistently.
“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.” This sentence really touched my heart. So many of us who have been married and divorced feel like we’ve lost God’s best for our lives forever. We are often told that in gentle, sad tones. But I choose to believe that just because my “perfect” life didn’t come true, that God isn’t finished with me yet and that I am not junk to be cast aside!! I am so thankful that our Great God redeems us from the pit!!!!! Hallelujah Jesus!!!!! <3
Hallelujah indeed!!!!
I’m inspired by the passionate chasing after God! I can only imagine how He is on the sidelines encouraging each and every one of us to do the same. I just need to take each step as He reveals it to me.
Today’s message, and the messages since this past Monday, have just resonated with me. I have been going through a major trial in my life for about 2 years now. I received salvation, began attending church, doing bible studies with my wonderful life group, etc. In 2009 I read Jeremiah 29:11 on my niece’s facebook page, and it just grabbed me and started me on my journey. But what I’ve been doing in the last two years is similar to what I read today, ” I asked all the why’s and the how’s. I wanted God to spill out His plan for my life in one day”. Obviously I’m still waiting to understand God’s plan, and trust is a big issue with me. I wake up with anxiety in the middle of the night and say “I know the plans I have for you says the Lord and they are good”. This brings me comfort, but I am very weary. Monday’s message about “Hope”, today’s Message and Renee’s book have all helped me so much. I am very grateful that I have these messages coming to my email daily as they help me stay on track. Thank you very much.
Oh Girl. I’ve been tired before. So very tired. I’m continually asking, begging for strength. Continue in His Word; so glad you are doing this study!
Wow! What an amazing story and testimony to what God can do with our junk. Everything works for His good. Blessing for sharing it for all to see.
Rachel – Your message inspried me today. Like yourself, I married a Christian man thinking it would be forever. Well I learned though this journey, never say never. I choosed not to have any children when I married him because he had two from a past marriage, he was my first and I was in my forties. I was heart broken; and I pray also that God sends me a partner that will value me. Still not where I want to be, but I do my best by taking one day at a time. You are truly blessed with a beautiful family. I pray that God does heal your daughter or gives you the strength to endure what lies ahead.
Belinda
His grace and mercy is abundantly free, Friend. Blessings to you!
What a blessing to read Rachel’s story this morning. I am looking forward to reading her new book because it’s right where God is leading me personally in my life.