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| Status Update |
.jpg "Tell Your Testimony - Status Update - Scott")
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friends 49 hours ago...
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.JPG "Tell Your Testimony - Status Update - DALE")
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my dad went to be with the lord he was 92 pray for me lol 219 hours ago...
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has lost 27 lbs since mid May! Feeling GREAT! 269 hours ago...
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has lost 23 lbs since mid May!!! I feel better than I have felt in a very long time! 4 hours ago...
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.jpg "Tell Your Testimony - Status Update - Ryan")
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Ryan is 4 minutes ago...
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| Teresa's Testimony |
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My life verse is "When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10
Little did I know as a 16 year old, when I chose that verse for my life, that it would mean so much to me later on. I really didn't understand the meaning completely when I chose it. At 16, the biggest trial I had in my life was whether I was going to have a date on Friday night or whether I was going to have the right thing to wear. The real trials of life came a little later.
When I was in Nashville, Tennessee, my first year at Free Will Baptist Bible College, I heard a minister at chapel say that when gold is taken from the earth, it must be heated to a very high temperature to burn away all the impurities...the dirt and rock that were brought out with the gold. What makes gold so precious is that it can withstand these high temperatures, only to be stronger and more pure than it was before. I began to associate this with my life verse, wondering if I could withstand the heat of trials and be made more pure and stronger, more precious to Him, just like gold.
After my husband Rick and I were married, we were excited a few months later to find that we were having a baby. However, it was not to be and at 13 weeks, I miscarried our first child. I was devastated. I had waited what seemed like all my life to be a mother and had been told that the possibility was slim that I would succeed. The fact that I got pregnant so early was a big shock to us, but the loss of the baby, and the fear of never having another was an even bigger shock.
We battled infertility for 3 long years. I had two surgeries and wondered if the scars would prevent a pregnancy. Finally I took a test and it happened. The joy was overwhelming. We were excited to get to our first doctor's appointment to hear about our baby. The doctor examined me and the look on his face clearly said that something was very wrong. He began to tell me that I had a huge mass growing around the baby. Due to what he felt during the exam, it did not look good. The mass was quite large and was "as hard as concrete." He wanted to prepare me for the worst and told me that he could not just allow it to stay there. He was fairly certain it was malignant. He told me that the nutrients going to the baby would also cause the mass to grow, not only endangering my life, but restricting the baby's growth. Because the mass was attached to the uterus, if surgery was performed, I would not only lose the baby, but would also probably lose the uterus and be unable to conceive again. Needless to say, this appointment was not the happy, exciting one we had dreamed about. The doctor told me to come back in 4 weeks, when he would call in specialists, do an ultrasound and make the decision then of what to do.
Have any of you ever been so numb and in such a state that you felt you couldn't pray for yourself? That's how I felt for 4 weeks. The night before the appointment, as Rick and I were having our devotions at bedtime, I told him that I knew God could speak a word and the mass could be gone. I also knew that not everyone is healed, that sometimes God chooses to allow the person to be healed in heaven and to perservere here in their faith during adversity to give Him glory. I knew that I didn't have the strength to go through something like that when I wanted to be a mother so badly. Rick began praying exactly that. He prayed telling God that we had the faith to believe He could speak a word and remove the mass. We also knew that we may need to go through this trial instead of being pulled from it, but that He would be with us and give us the strength we needed to go through the battle and give Him the glory.
At the appointment the next day, the doctor began by examining me. All he said was "hmmm," with a puzzled look. He then turned on the ultrasound machine and much to our delight, we saw a tiny baby rapidly moving around with a strong heartbeat...and NO mass. The doctor said, "I just don't understand this. Things like this just don't happen." I looked at him and said, "Things like what?" He said, "There was a huge mass and the tissue surrounding it was as hard as concrete. See? I have it in my notes right here. Now, I feel nothing but soft tissue and a healthy pregnancy. As you can see on the ultrasound, the mass is gone and the baby is fine. Things like this just really don't happen." Through tears, I answered, "With prayer they do."
Our baby was born February 15, 1983. We named him "Micah," meaning "loved of God." He was saved at the age of 4 and has always loved God and served him... from the age of 2 when he hopped on stage for the very first time, plastic guitar in hand, from the front pew of a church, to belt out "I've Got the Devil by the Tail," his life has been spent in Christian ministry and service...and he wouldn't have it any other way!
You are probably thinking, "Wow! What a miracle and what a great testimony! That is not the end of our trials or going through the fire. Here is the rest of the story...
When Micah was a year old, we wanted to have a sibling for him. Having an only child was never our intention. I have a cousin who is an only child and she has told me many times that it can be very lonely. Since we had Micah without much difficulty...well, other than the miracle God performed in healing me, the infertility, etc....we assumed that maybe we would have an easier time with the next baby. Wrong! There were 7 years of infertility, surgeries, test after test, pokes, prods, fertility drugs, long trips to fertility specialists and lots of heartache.
Rick and I had always told each other that if the doctors ever said there was nothing more they could do, we would just accept that and thank God everyday that He gave us one miracle. That is exactly what happened at our last appointment in March of 1990 in Columbus. They called us in for a conference and told us that they had done everything possible. They did not even understand how I had gotten pregnant twice, much less had a child, and that we should be very thankful for the one miracle we had. We went home a little sad that Micah would never have a brother or sister, but also thanking God for His blessing of a miraculous pregancy and birth and the privilege of being parents.
In September, we were still traveling and singing Southern Gospel music to churches throughout several states. I began to get very ill on the bus, something that had only happened twice before, during my pregnancies. Because I had been told that getting pregnant again was impossible, I didn't even take a test. Finally, with all indications that I could be, and much prodding from the girls in the group, I took a test. I couldn't believe my eyes when it was positive. Rick and I were afraid to actually believe it, so I called my doctor's office and went to the hospital for a blood test. Again, it was just as positive. After years of fertility drugs and procedures, God had performed this miracle totally free of medicine.
Micah was so excited that night at his elementary school open house, he told every teacher and everyone he saw. What a miracle! Five months went by and finally we had an ultrasound which would tell us whether it was a boy or girl. It didn't really matter to us. With such high risk pregnancies and difficulty with even getting pregnant, we were not going to argue or send it back. However, all mom's dream of having a little girl and I was no different. We were both happy when the doctor told us it was a girl.
One Saturday morning during the final three weeks of my pregnancy, Micah had his first minor league game at the school near our house. The baby was always active during my morning shower, but this morning was different. I didn't feel anything. I had heard the nurses as other women came in for checkups who didn't feel their babies moving. They had recommended caffeine and sugar to get the baby moving. I had craved sweet tea during my pregnancy, but had avoided the caffeine. I made a big glass as we went to the ballpark, thinking this would get some action. We had a sibling class for Micah at the hospital after his game. If nothing happened, I would get the baby's heartbeat checked while we were there.
After the game, I asked my doctor to check while Rick and Micah waited in the sibling class. A nurse came into the room and tried for 10 minutes to find the heartbeat. The doctor, who was performing surgery, had to be called back to do an ultrasound and it was difficult for him to tell me that my baby had died. At that minute, I felt the Holy Spirit roll over me in waves. I felt God saying "Something good will come out of this. I am with you." I was devastated and more sad than I could ever explain. However, I was not hysterical or in shock. That had to be God! I felt peace like I had never known in the face of the greatest storm in my life. The nurse went to get Rick. Three days later, I delivered Canaan Sommer, 6 lbs. 10 oz., 22 1/2 in. long on May 7, 1991, the Tuesday before Mother's Day.
At Canaan's funeral, her daddy spoke about her little life and her ministry, because even in her death she had touched people. At the end of the service, an invitation was given and 11 people were saved. Shortly afterward, my father, whom I had prayed for for 29 years was saved. My brother, who was going through a divorce, was saved and remarried his wife 7 years later. (Now that's a miracle!!!) Within the year, my doctor and three of my nurses were saved. Other women, to whom my doctor gave my phone number, had prayer with me over the phone to be saved. I wrote a book about my experiences and many others were saved through reading it, contacting me later for the next few years.
If you are questioning why God would allow the miracle of this pregnancy, only to have the baby called back to heaven and not even live, I also questioned at times. I'm human. However, it wasn't long until all of the people whose lives were touched began receiving Christ and I knew...Canaan was sent here for a purpose. She may have won more people to Him through her death than she ever would through her life. All our lives have been about ministry and she had her own. Most of all, we have a hope of seeing her again one day.
If you are going through a trial in your life, remember that God is with you as you go through this fire. It will make you strong and get rid of some impurities in your life. If you will just let Him go through it with you, you will become precious gold.
Our son Micah is the drummer for the Dove Award winning Crabb Family and now Crabb Revival. I would recommed anyone going through something like this to listen to the Crabb Family's signature song, "Through the Fire" sometime and remember Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; neither will the flame kindle upon you."
If you do not have any hope today or you feel like everything in your life is going wrong, you can have peace and hope in the greatest of trials or storms. I know. I've been there. I've been through the fire...and He was with me. Remember my life verse Job 23:10 says "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." I want to be gold to Him. Do you?
Rick uses an illustration when he preaches sometimes that reminds me of how I felt through this great storm in my life. It goes like this...
It seems that there was a very rich man who had no peace in his life. All of his money and possessions had not brought him what he longed for most. He commissioned a great artist to paint him a picture for his wall. He told the artist that he wanted him to paint a scene that would calm him, one which, everytime he looked at it, would bring him peace and tranquility in his mind.
The artist was gone for months and finally came to the man and brought the painting. With much anticipation, the man uncovered the artist's work. The scene was an ocean with jagged cliffs and dark clouds depicting a horrible storm. Wind was blowing the shrubs on the cliffs and the sky was dark and ominous. Lightning lit up the sky and the man felt nothing but fear, depression and turmoil. He yelled at the artist, "I give you much money and ask you to paint me a picture of peace and you bring me this! What is wrong with you?" Calmly this artist said, "Sir, you haven't seen the whole painting. Look in this cleft of the rock." There the man saw a tiny bird sitting without a care in the world. There was no fear in the bird's face, no worry. The artist said, "Though the storm rages around him, he is safe in the cleft of the rock. He has peace."
I thank God for a peace like that, when you look on an ultrasound screen and see no bleep of a heartbeat on a tiny baby girl you have longed for all your life...peace when the doctors tell you there is no hope of ever having another child...peace when you have a malignant tumor around the baby you are carrying in your womb...peace when all around you storms are raging...peace that God is with you, even in the most tragic circumstances. He is there. He always has been. He is just waiting for you to call on Him to give you peace.
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Teresa's Testimony Info
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Which categories of people did you belonged to before you were saved?
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A Child
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| Who have been your best examples? |
My Christian grandmothers and mothers taught me about God's love and how to have feminine strength.
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| List books, music or ministries that have helped your walk: |
Books: The Bible, The Fascinating Girl, A Purpose Driven Life, My Missing Piece, Twice Pardoned
Music: The Crabb Family/Crabb Revival, of course! Just about any Christian music from CCM/Christian Rock to Southern Gospel.
Ministries: Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren
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| List ministries you are involved with: |
Crabb Revival, Driven Artists, New South Artist Agency
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| List ministry websites: |
www.myspace.com/rickandteresas
www.myspace.com/newsouthartistsagency
www.crabbrevival.net
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Church:
Church website:
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| Prayer requests: |
My mother is having some health difficulties, passing out occasionally
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| Occupation/Business/School: |
Teacher of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children
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| Business Website: |
sce.sumnerschools.org, www.myspace.com/newsouthartistsagency
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