LCS Cyber Reunion
ANN’S TESTIMONY
Inaugural 1956-57 Class



Ann’s Testimony (continued)
Together Ron and I have weathered storms and trials that would have been impossible if it had not been for our faith.
      Raising five children was hard and would have been harder without the Lord. As in all marriages and family life, there were the usual ups and downs. As I look back at the “trials” now, they do not seem as bad as they did then. Now we look at our grandchildren and we are faithful in praying for them everyday. The challenges our children face in raising them are more than 100-fold compared to twenty years ago. But I guess most parents say that. I am sure our parents said that of us when our children were young.
      We nearly lost our third-born due to a lung problem. We would stand at the nursery window and watch her struggle for air. The doctor said it was just a matter of time. We prayed and our prayers were answered. The Lord was there in control. When we got pregnant for the twins, I developed a problem with hemorrhaging. Again, they had safe passage and were healthy happy babies—weighing in at 6 lb. 9  oz. and 6 lbs. 13oz. The Lord was in control.
      But I cried that I wanted more; I wanted a home of our own. When we were first married, we wanted to buy a home but either we made too much money for a government subsidized loan or not enough money for a conventional loan. We lived in a two-bedroom house for four years with five children. Finally, I wrote down on a piece of paper all of the confessions I could think of and my petition to the Lord for a home of our own for our children to grow up in. One with lots of room and bedrooms for each. One with a nice basement to play in on rainy days. I took the letter to God down to the “Michigan cellar” and placed it in the woodburner (we burned wood for heat) I just “let it go” to the flames. Not a week had gone by when my mother in law called and told us of a builder who could use our land as collateral. We went to see the builder, and six months later we were in our new home. God answers prayers.
      Thus is my life so far. My body is aging and my physical challenges are becoming many. I was afflicted with Fibromyalgia (FMS) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) years ago. I was also diagnosed as having SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Michigan is not the best place to live when you have this. Since then I have acquired three different types of Arthritis which has affected my hands, wrists, feet and destroyed four discs in my back. My physician says now I am facing Lupus. Most of my days I wake up with pain and go to sleep with pain. I am now on a Vitamin/Mineral therapy, and we are trusting the Lord that it is going to be better for me than all of the medications that I was on. I just could not handle the chemicals, anymore.
      I know that the Lord is still answering prayers. I know he is still in control. He knows I have alot to do with my life, yet. There are seven (soon eight) grandchildren who need me. When I think I “can’t go on”, I hear the words "Grammy", "Nana", "Gram"—and I know that my work is not done, yet. When the grandchildren come to visit, especially in the summer time, it is such a joy to see them run and pick fruit from the orchard and berries or climb the nut trees and pick the flowers. It is what keeps us going. The sweet untouched innocence of the young. It just makes me want to be around to reaffirm what their parents tell them:
•   “Jesus gave us all of this.”
•   “Jesus is the one who makes things possible in a life of trials.”
•   “Nothing is going to ever happen to you that you and Jesus cannot handle.”
•   “Keep your eyes on Jesus.”
      We never go through anything alone when the Lord is there. I am not experiencing any kind of pain that He is not aware of. To me that is comforting. I love the book of Psalms—especially Psalm 139. The 13th verse says, “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” He knows us inside out. He knows our ups and downs; and even when we think He is not there or listening, He is closer than ever.