How Loretta was

Rescued in Times of Trouble

Listen with your spirit as you read and you

will discover spiritual similitudes about yourself!

I became a Christian at eleven in a little country church, but stopped attending as a teenager. Although I was not a troublemaker, I was not serving the Lord. We were North Georgia country folk, and I was married while still in my early teens. I cried for weeks and wanted very much to go back home.

You could say I was unequally yoked. My husband was more than twice my age and stood six feet five. We were very different. He used anger to intimidate and isolate me. He controlled me so much that I was afraid to talk with my neighbors even while he was gone. If he ‘caught’ me just talking with another woman in the neighborhood I would have to run to the house in fear.

When I had my fifth baby I almost died from toxemia, which is blood poisoning. I was sick, my husband was gone for weeks at a time, and I was alone. I was fearful, I was desperate, and most of all, I was without hope. I had to do something and I turned to the Lord. I told my husband I needed to go back to church. He was very angry and did not want me to go, but I had to.

On the second Sunday in 1955, I started home after church with my oldest son. When we got in the car, my hands were shaking so much I could not get the key in the ignition. The Lord spoke to me and said, “Turn around and go back.” But I kept trying to get the key in the ignition.

He said a second time, in a very sweet voice, “Turn around and go back.” I said, “No Lord, I’ll come back next week.” He said a third time, “Turn around and go back.” This time I told my son, “I’ve got to go back.” Then I said, “Lord, who can I tell?”

When I got to the door, there was a lady standing there. I told her I had started home but had to come back. She took my hand and we walked up to the altar. Three men were there and they all prayed for me. I called out from deep within my heart, “Lord help me.” Now I know the words of the gospel song are true, ‘Tears are a language that God understands.’

Right then, the Lord began pouring His love over me, and into me. A burden I had carried for years was gone. It felt as if a ton was lifted off me. I was so grateful and thankful, and so happy.

God had provided a way. He forgave me and took me in. I had a wonderful joy and peace. The hopeless feeling vanished. New hope was born in my heart that day, and I began to sing to the Lord. I still have that love for Jesus and the desire to win the world to Him.

But that glorious day was the beginning of many struggles. My husband did not like my joy in the Lord one bit. He told me I could not go to church and live with him. But I took a stand and would not budge from my faith. I would try to please him, but I could do nothing right.

Instead of my faith drawing him to the Lord, it provided one more area for hostility. He continued to bully me and keep me in prison in my own home, and it lasted for over thirty years.

My husband’s family sided with him, not realizing what they were doing. But in time, I ended up taking care of each one of them as they got sick. I was at the bedside of three of his sisters when they died. I did not know the Lord was preparing me for future events.

I had to be with them to show them God’s love, and it did come through. One of his sisters said to me, “I was afraid to be around you. You just walked in the door and you shined.” They saw the Lord in me and knew I was different.

It seems so strange to me—that they were afraid, and shied away because they saw the Lord in me. Things could have been so very different, if only they had been attracted to the Lord, instead of being fearful. I longed for them to drink the living water. They would have never been thirsty again, and they could have shared that living water with others.

After these troubles, the dam broke, and the trials grew much harder. It began when my fourth child got sick at work. I went and picked him up, and took him to the doctor. I nursed him at home for a year and a half before he died in May of 1989. It devastated my whole family. He was only twenty-five. He was a very loving and caring person.

One month later in June my mother died. Then, one month after this my brother died. In the next year, my thirteen-year-old grandson died. His death was a result of brain damage received at birth. This made the fourth death in my family in just over a year.

Then the trials got harder. That same year my husband and I were diagnosed with cancer. This turned out to be an extended struggle for our lives and only one of us would make it through. We were both so sick we moved in with our daughter.

My husband had watched how the friends of our son had been so kind when they made their visits from the church. His hostility began to melt. This was the first time he had ever shown respect for Christians.

Before this, my husband would not let anyone talk with him about the Lord, but now he knew his time was near. One day he was waiting for my pastor to come by the house, and when he did, my husband trusted the Lord. This happened eight months before he died.

Thankfully, his heart had been softened at last. Life was pleasant with Him after that. He was so changed, I heard him say only one irreverent word the rest of his life, and he quickly asked forgiveness for that.

My cancer had spread into my lymph nodes, where they found eight more malignant tumors. The doctors told me I had a twenty percent chance of survival. I told the Lord, and rested in Him. By the time this ordeal was over, the chemotherapy almost killed me, but my church was praying very hard.

I did not have any fear of the cancers. I really didn’t. I don’t believe my previous trials were the reason for the lack of fear. I believe it was because I had put my life in the Lord’s hands. The outcome really did not matter one way or the other to me. If I lived or died, I was the Lords. My peace was the peace of the Lord. That is the only way I can explain it, and I survived.

One night I woke up all of a sudden and sat up in bed. I heard a breaking noise and the sound of a bucked of marbles hitting the floor in the kitchen. At first I thought my grandson had come in, but there was no answer when I called to him. I got up and went through another room to get to the kitchen and see what was happening.

When I opened the door, thick black smoke hit me in the face. It was very hot. I slammed the door shut. What had sounded to me like marbles hitting the floor was really the popping of glass from the heat of the fire.

I called 911 from my bedroom. The operator asked if there was anyone else in the house that might need rescuing. Then she told me to “Get out quick!” I opened a window. There was no other way to get out. The screen was stubborn and I could not get it open.

Waves of panic rolled over me. There was thick smoke coming in around the bedroom door. The panic suddenly became terror. There was no time to think, no time to decide what to do. I began to punch the screen as hard as I could. Finally, the screen tore away. I pulled myself up onto the sill and jumped through the window.

The window was high and when I landed pain shot through my foot. I got up and turned to see smoke coming out of the window I had just jumped through. Other windows were popping and breaking from the heat and flames were coming out of them. My foot was broken and I was in tears. People had often told me that I kept a lovely home. Now it was going up in flames.

I know that it took only a few minutes for the firemen to get there, but it seemed like forever. One of the firemen told me that in minutes the smoke would have killed me. If I had not woken up when I did, I would not be here to tell you this story.

At that moment, his words did not provide much comfort. I felt as if everything had been taken away and I felt very alone. I went to live in a four room house with my daughter’s family. There were six of us in that little house.

Immediately after this the financial trials began. The medical expenses that had built up for all of us were enormous. To make matters worse, I had been kept isolated for so many years that I had no real experience with financial responsibilities.

Once my husband was gone, the IRS and the bank combined to take everything left, including my home after it was rebuilt, which was almost paid for. I was a widow, and for the second time I lost everything I had.

Then in 1998 the sixth death came. It was my oldest son. My husband and my son were both alcoholics. I had to deal with this problem for years and years. Most of the time I was the one to go get my son out of jail. I paid most of the expenses, including sending him to various recovery programs.

My son had seen God’s hand on his life, but he never broke the desire for alcohol. I now believe that the physical addiction to the alcohol is not as binding as the love of the evil. His physical addiction was broken several times, but his love for alcohol was never broken.

To break the addiction you must break the love of evil that binds you to the addiction. This would involve humbling and confessing in a turn of heart that you do love the evil. Then you must ask to receive a hatred for it from the Lord. The redeemed must hate evil or they can be entrapped just as easily as someone who is not redeemed.

Last year a new kind of trial arose. Because of my living situation, I began taking care of a woman who has Alzheimers. It is a most devastating disease. This has turned out to be a very hard trial for me. The disease ravages the personality, and the person becomes harsh and short-tempered. There is constant turmoil caused by the disease.

Just as I thought I could not bear this trial any longer, the Lord gave me a new husband to share the load. Together it is much easier. We are helpmates. He often spends hours a day reading scripture to our friend. It soothes her spirit, and makes life much easier for all of us.

We have pledged to always treat each other with lovingkindness, and never close our hearts to one another. Keeping open hearts at all times is very important for happiness in a relationship. This an important means by which you will stay close in spirit.

We have also pledged to stay close friends and share our hearts with each other, keeping no secrets. This keeps us involved with each other. It keeps our hearts from drifting away and slowly closing to each other.

We have also pledged to seek the presence of the Lord every day. The sweet presence of the Lord is our true fulfillment. He is our deepest joy. We encourage and help each other in the Lord.

When are the trials going to end? We all want to get on with a normal life, but there is no such thing. I have learned that I must accept the trials of life. And guess what, the trials do not end. Instead, they get bigger and bigger until it is time to go be with the Lord.

I have learned that you must accept your trials, as if they are assignments, and not flee them. The trials get bigger because the Lord entrusts you with bigger assignments throughout life. He is preparing you for the kingdom.

This means that many of our trials may not be trials at all. We may be looking at assignments, and calling them trials. This gives you a wrong perspective on life.

What if your guardian angel looked at his assignments with you as if they were trials? What if he longed to get out from under his trials, instead of gladly carrying out his work? He could not do his job right, and he would not have a right heart toward you or God.

If your heart is heavy and without hope, you must believe that the Lord is good, confess your sins to Him, and trust your life to Him. The trials of life are much easier with Him. You are not made to go through life without Him.

What have I learned? I have learned that the Lord will never leave me nor forsake me. I have learned that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have hope. I am not alone, and I am still here. I still have a son and daughter, and my grandchildren that I love very much.

I have learned that circumstances do not have to take away the peace of the Lord. I have learned that whatever my circumstances, I can sing praise to the Lord. Each day, I am given new opportunities to trust and know that the Lord is good.

I have learned that He makes a way for you when there is no way. You think there is no way you can go through the struggles or trials, but He makes a way. I thought, “There is no way I can survive this. Surely I can’t stand.” But I have stood. I read the Psalms a lot. The Lord talks to me in them.

Do you know the Lord can talk to you personally through the Scriptures? Have you ever had Him to talk to you through the Scripture? These are not strange questions. Having the Lord to talk to you personally through Scripture is basic to being a Christian. Ask Him to do it right now:

We live in the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered by the God who is above all gods. This I declare, that He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I am trusting Him.

For He rescues you from every trap and protects you from the fatal plague. He will shield you with His wings. They will shelter you. His faithful promises are your armor. Now you don’t need to be afraid of the dark any more, nor fear the dangers of the day; nor dread the plagues of darkness, nor disasters in the morning.

Though a thousand fall at my side, though ten thousand are dying around me, the evil will not touch me. I will see how the wicked are punished, but I will not share it. For Jehovah is my refuge.

I choose the God above all gods to shelter me. How then can evil overtake me or any plague come near? For He orders His angels to protect you wherever you go. They will steady you with their hands to keep you from stumbling against the rocks.

For the Lord says, “Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in my name. When he calls on me, I will answer; I will be with him in trouble and rescue him and honor him. I will satisfy him with a full life and give him my salvation (Psalm 91).

O Lord my God, I pleaded with you, and you gave me my health again. You brought me back from the brink of the grave, from death itself, and here I am—alive!

Oh, sing to Him you saints of His; give thanks to His holy name. . .Then He turned my sorrow into joy! He took away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy so that I might sing glad praises to the Lord instead of lying in silence in the grave. O Lord my God, I will keep on thanking you forever (Psalm 30). [And I do.]

I am radiant with joy because of Your mercy, for You have listened to my troubles and have seen the crisis in my soul. You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy but have given me open ground.

Oh, how great is Your goodness to those who publicly declare that You will rescue them. For You have stored up great blessings for those who trust and reverence You.

Hide Your loved ones in the shelter of Your presence, safe beneath Your hand, safe from all conspiring men. Blessed is the Lord for He has shown me that His never-failing love protects me like the walls of a fort!

Oh, love the Lord all of you who are His people; for the Lord protects those who are loyal to Him, but harshly punishes all who haughtily reject Him. So cheer up! Take courage if you are depending on the Lord (Psalm 32).

The Lord will talk to you everyday through the Scripture. All you have to do is take the time to read His letters to you. Having Him to talk to you is not an unusual thing, nor something reserved for that “spiritual” person you may know. It is for all who will trust Him to speak. I know it is for you too.

This is my testimony. But most of all, it is the testimony of the Lord. It is His testimony of His sustaining kindness toward a young woman, who without hope, turned to Him. It is the story of how He rescued me, and provided a way for me through all the struggles of life.

You must decide in your heart if you believe the testimony of the Lord. This is the great issue in life. God has no hidden motives. If you love the world, you will die.

God is pure, and innocent, and transparent in heart. It is the way of a little child. Jesus said, “Unless you come to me as a little child, you will never enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” You must trust Him as a little child trusts her parents.

He has made it so your part is very simple. Your part is to have a change of heart and believe Him—to put your trust in Him. His part is to cleanse you, and make you pure and innocent as a little child. “If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive your sins, and cleanse you of all unrighteousness.” Fear the Lord and turn from your sins.

Here is a mystery: He washes you in His red, red blood, and makes you white as snow—clean and pure as a little child, ready for the kingdom. Here is another mystery: By confessing that you are stained with sin, you will be made pure. Confession of your sin is the key to your cleansing.

Are you thirsty? Would you also like to drink full from His kindness? My hope is that I have given your parched lips a taste of His goodness, and made you thirsty. There is a crystal river flowing from His throne. “Let the one who thirsts come. And let the one who desires, drink freely of this living water.”

I call to you, come drink from this pure water of the river of life. Do not make the fatal mistake of looking for feelings. Seek the Lord. Say to Him “Yes, Lord, I come to drink your waters. Come fill my heart.”

Do you believe in your heart that God is good? Do you believe that He is worthy of your trust?

God gave His life for you and has provided a way of hope for you. Do you believe this? Do you believe He will wash your sin stained life white in the blood of the lamb?

When He does wash you, you will be made innocent and just in His sight, as pure and transparent as the glass sea before the throne. Do you want Him? Taste of Him and know that He is good.

You must stop and take the time to listen to Him. Your eternal soul depends on it. Trust Him and submit to His throne. Do you trust and submit? Confess your sin, and trust your life to Him.

Ask Him to rescue you just as He did me. Ask Him now. Then tell someone. Tell your spouse, tell your children, tell your parents, and please tell me.

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This revision is dated 9-12-00

Email: greatbabylon@usa.com

Website: www.oocities.org/greatbabylon

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