God speaks in the midst of Barbs depression

Barb LaTorre & family

[Note from El McMeen: I have written regularly on the subject of "everyday miracles". A Christian friend, Barb LaTorre of my church, has shared with me an example in her life, and I asked Barb to share it with you. Her story appears below.]

(By Barbara LaTorre)

I had a chance encounter recently with a friend from my church, El McMeen. We sat by each other during a potluck dinner and talked about our best friend, the Lord. He shared with me what we like to call, "God-at-Work Moments". In particular, he was sharing about hearing God's voice. Afterwards, I told him my story of a time God spoke with me that was surprising and powerful. El asked me to share my story with you.

My story begins with my husband being laid off from his job as chief financial officer of a company in Chicago, in the American Midwest. Following a desire to move our family with 3 young children back to our roots in NJ and to family, we packed ourselves up, put our house on the market and arrived in NJ to stay with my parents. Immediately my husband began networking and the long search for a job in a market where he was an unknown. I took over my parents' house with a rather large dog and 3 young children, whom I was home schooling. (The dog was not the best student!) My folks were very happy we were there and supported us tirelessly.

The job hunts began to take a toll on our family as we waited month after month with no responses, no invitations even for an interview. My hopes and my confidence that we would find employment there grew smaller and smaller as the months passed. My spirits sank, and the temptation to give in to depression as the months passed became a reality. I clung to the Lord by my fingertips on some days and on others I didn't even feel like getting out of bed. The migraines I had suffered since I was 18 became unbearable and frequent, sometimes 2-3 times a week; sometimes more often. I was at an all-time low. My husband and I discussed heading back to the Midwest with our family.

Then God spoke.

It was early morning and I was in the kitchen making coffee and as clear as if I were talking on the phone to a friend, God spoke to me! It was on the inside, but direct. He said, "Turn on the Christian television station. John Hagee is going to say something that I want you to hear."

First of all, I'm shaking because I had never heard God's voice speak to me so clearly. Secondly, I had never heard of John Hagee and had never turned on a Christian television station!

I called up the stairs to my mom and asked her if she knew what channel this station was on. I grabbed the remote and turned the channel. The next program was just beginning, and it was a Pastor John Hagee! I sank into the chair as my legs gave out. God had my attention, and I was going to listen.

The message was about attitudes, both in the O.T. times with Moses and the Israelites in the desert, and God's people now. How our bad attitude leads us to have to "take another lap around the mountain," until we line up with God and His Word, so that we can move into the promised land.

Well, needless to say I had to confess my bad attitude about my husband not getting a job quickly enough and the fears that went with it. I searched for a scripture to help me. My spirits lifted as I lined up with God's promise in Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."

After that, I started speaking out to my husband and family that I believed he was going to get a job very soon. I became an encourager as I declared God's word for our lives. I became hungry for more of God's promises, and I dug into the Bible.

My husband did begin getting his first interviews and eventually a job. More importantly, though, I had had an encounter with the God of the universe in a very personal manner. He spoke with me, really spoke with me. I had a testimony.

My faith was certainly changed, too. It's been growing steadily ever since. Our entire family is on an adventure with God now, involving personal experiences with the miraculous and healing in the name and through the power of Jesus.

But that's another story for another day!