When God Shows Up: Real Stories of FaithНамуна

Katie*

"...When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. 'You really are the Son of God!' they exclaimed." Matthew 14:32-33, NLT

Katie and Jim had been friends since they were 12 years old. They were married in 1988 and had four daughters. Their family life abruptly changed when an incident at work caused Jim to suffer panic attacks that culminated in depression and crippling anxiety. After years of struggle, Jim passed away in 2019.

Katie said, “It just left me empty for a while. It took some time for me to be able to sit in church and let God talk to me.”

Grief can feel like being “far from land, facing strong winds and heavy waves.” Katie was mourning her husband and also grieving that they didn’t see the healing they had been praying for for so many years.

During her storm, Katie looked up to see Jesus walking towards her on the water. Her faith was not in healing or restoration, but in a good God whose eyes were on her.

Eventually, Katie’s strong faith led her to her pastor’s office, where she asked, “Why don’t we have a program for widows?” With her pastor’s support, she began to search for one and found Stand in the Gap for Widows.

Katie remembers, “God just really laid on me that ‘This program is what you’re going to need. Because as you heal, I will heal them.’”

Katie started a small group for widows in her church that began to grow quickly. “We talked together,” she says, “and before we knew it, we were laughing together.”

“Together, we’re letting God lead us and show us what he wants us to do next. And that is how God is working. He’s working through these women. While he’s healing our brokenness and our loneliness, he’s also equipping us to take it out and share with others.”

When we encounter Jesus in our storms, when we reach out to him and are saved, we can’t help but worship him and our faith is made stronger.

Imagine that the storm is over, Jesus and Peter are back in the boat. Peter is soaking wet. The sun is coming out from behind the clouds. What would your heart say to Jesus?

*Names changed to protect privacy