I believe that God has a certain time set for his children to help through someone when they are struggling. I know He did that for me. I have an older cousin who I only really got to know about two years ago. Before that we were never that close. Her name is Megan O’Dell. My angel from God, my youth leader, my cousin, but most of all my sister in Christ.
Two years ago on September 30,2006 I lost my closest uncle in my mom’s family. I remember coming home from a choir concert and finding a bunch of cars in my driveway. I don’t remember much after my dad told me what had happen. For the next few months I was really angry at God. I couldn’t understand why He would allow someone I love so much die. I was ready to give up. Little did I know that my precious Savior would use these circumstances in my life to send me on a roller coaster of knew understanding and deeper connection with Him. My uncle had asked me on several occasions to go to my cousin’s church to hear their new pastor, but I would always turn him down. I finally decided to go one morning. When I got there the first person Isaw was Megan, smiling her big smile at me excited to see me. We only got to see each other a few times a year, and I hadn’t seen her since my uncle’s funeral. I don’t remember much about the sermon that day, all I know is that I got such a different feeling that I keptwanting to come back. In February 2007 as I was sitting listening to the pastor, something inside of me started to stir, all of a sudden a wave of emotions hit me. I suddenly was at the alter, giving God all of my worries, my anger, my stubborn pride, asking Him if He would forgive me. As I was praying, I felt a hand touch my back. It was Megan praying over me and all I once my new life with Christ began.
When I was fifeteen, I remember Megan talking about her mission trip to Kenya with AIM. Right away I could see her pure devotion to Him and the lost. Whenever I had a question about the Sunday school lesson or something I read in the Bible or if I just needed to talk to someone she was and is still always there. One day I was sitting in my room reading devotion and praying to God. I remember thinking about my uncle and how I had never asked him when he was alive if he new Christ as his Savior. (later I found out he did) I started praying to God with the senerity of my hear, “Lord, please give me the chance to help those you don’t know You. Give me the chance to be Your hands and feet.” A couple of weeks later, I got a phone call from Megan. She said, “For some reason God told me to tell you that I’m praying about a mission trip to New Orleans and that you should pray about it and see what He says.” After weeks of praying, God answered me and told me this wasn’t the trip I needed to go on and that He had something else in store. As disappointed as I was listened to God, keeping my faith in His plans for my life.
Now God has revealed His new plan for me through this mission trip to Ireland. Since I’ve been getting prepared I have had some struggles that God has really brought me through by my prayers and the prayers and support of Megan. One day we were talking about my uncle and about the day I started going to her church. I confessed to her my spiritual struggles with what had happened and about how I was ready to give up on God. She was silent for a minute and then said “Christine, not long after your uncle died, God told me to pray for you because you were struggling, but never really revealed it to me.” I believe that if Megan hadn’t obeyed God , I wouldn’t have made it through those strugglies. I believe that her prayers were what kept me from giving up. Also, the way she lives for Christ everyday and is so devoted to Him and her youth group has been an example of what kind of life of joy you can have when you obey God’s calling in your life. There’s a saying that Megan once told me. “There’s always a Test before there’s a Testimony.” I believe that because of the support Megan gave me through my tests has given me a testimony that I can share with the people of Ireland that are searching for hope. A hope that can only be found in our beautiful Savior Jesus Christ.
