Page 74 - Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman

Unseen Hands
by the name-calling, she felt the mountain's dark shadow overwhelm her again.
"0 Lord," she prayed, "You have told me to leave the security of my job and marry a preacher who has neither dailybread, clothing, nor a house. What will I eat and wear? Where will we live? I am hated and rejected by my family. If I have children, how can I take care of them?
"Why is Your hand heavy against me? Have I been created for torture? And what do I know about evange lism? God, please let me die."
The divine response came with tender patience in recurring visions and through the Word. Matthew 10:36-39 challenged her: "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more thanme isnotworthy ofme. . . .Andhe that taketh not his cross, and folioweth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
She studied the verses, thankful for explicit promises on which to stand. Mark 10:29-30 and Matthew 6:25-34 also encouraged her. Strength to forsake all came with Psalm 45:10-11.
She felt sweet assurance from the Lord: Look at the birds of the air. I can feed you as easily as I feed them. I shall bless you as I blessed Abraham, and I will multi ply your descendants.
Slowly sheshook offthe shadows by clinging to God's promises. "Oh, please forgive me. Lord, for doubting You," she prayed with penitent tears.
Surrender did not eliminate the problems. They in tensified. Her brother agreed with the teacher who op-
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