Testimony from Judith Newton

I do have a 'practical application' how God's Word touches lives in a
practical manner.
I was at a womens retreat in the San Bernardino mountains. On the day we
were to leave, we were asked by one of the retreat presenters to take a
assigned scripture and go out into the woods and study it and ask God to
reveal new truths in it. We were asked to 'personalize' the scripture
and make it personal to us.
Mine was Isaiah 43:1-4. "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee,
O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not, for I have
redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name thou art mine. When thou
passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee, when thou walkest through the fire, thou
shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am
the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour, I gave Egypt for
thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my
sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee, therefore I will
given men for thee, and people for thy life"
These scriptures were so powerful and rich and they touched me in many
ways. As we prepared to leave the mountain retreat we were in constant
communication with the lodge owners. It had been raining fiercely for
two days and many places around the lodge area had been flooded.
The managers of the lodge were very concerned about getting the 200+
women safely on their way. One of the main concerns was on the road
coming into the lodge. It was a dirt road which in one spot ran through
a dry creek bed. They had been checking during the night and the creek
was rising quickly with swollen flood waters.
Some of the women had left early in the morning, not staying for the
retreat. As we carried our luggage to the front area of the lodge they
informed us that the last vehicle that could safely make it through the
swollen flood waters in the creek had just made it through and they
couldnt allow anyone else to attempt it. We would have to wait until
morning to see if the rains let up.
During this I was 'comforted' by the scripture that I had read that
morning. The next morning, they said that there was a 'slim chance' that
they could get us through the flood waters. We were in my mini-van and
they were really unsure it it could make it through the swollen creek
without getting swept away BUT that they had a large moving van that
they would drive out into the flood waters and try to break the current
a little to allow us to try to make it across.
They were uncertain if it was the wise thing to do. We (the five other
ladies with me) had prayed and decided to trust in the scripture the
Lord had given me. We got in my mini-van, with my daughter driving, and
headed down the muddy, deeply rutted by now road to the edge of the
creek.
When we got there our faith was surely tested!! The creek was clear up
the the top of the banks,and logs, branches etc. were being carried
along in the flood waters.
The large moving van drove very carefully out into the swollen stream.
We could see the huge truck rocking back and forth with the force of the
water. We said a quick prayer and my daughter drove out into the water.
The water rose up to the doors and the force of the water rocked the
little mini-van, but we drove through the water and climbed up the bank
on the other side.
The men driving the large moving van, eased it back onto the other side
of the bank and after waving drove away. This was such a profound
example of God's providence and care. He had reassured me/us in His word
that we would not be swept away by the water "When thou passest through
the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow thee".
THIS is God's living word in action. The complete reality of how God's
Word CAN provide all that it says. God said we would be ok and we were,
because we trusted in His word. We could have doubted that little piece
of scripture and not taken it for just what it said, but we didn't we
'claimed the promise' of what the Lord said and 'stepped out in faith'.
Yes, Mr Wade we do value the devotionals you send out and the precious
'living words' that it contains. Thank you.
Judith Newton
jnewton@ridgenet.net