Day 19 – Second chance

“Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.” Micah 7:18
Rene shares her testimony with us, “As I’m sitting at work my thoughts wander over the past fifteen years. I cannot believe it’s been fifteen years. Was it easy? Not at all. But one thing I can say for certain is if it wasn’t for God, and still because of God, I do not know what would have happened to me. What would have happened to my child… And when I look at my daughter today, I do not have the words to thank God for the second chance He gave me.
Every year on her birthday I renew my vow I made on the day she was born: “Lord, if you give me a second chance, I will dedicate my life and that of my daughter to You.” When she was a little girl, it was easy, but as she grew older and developed her own personality (and moods) it became a lot more challenging. But I remind her (and mostly myself) that God’s grace is enough.
My husband passed away twenty-one years ago, and as a single mom, it was tough. The living conditions with my mom at that time were rough and I begged on corners for an R1 here and there just to buy food for my four children. Around my birthday a gentleman invited me to dinner. I am sure most single moms struggling to survive would understand that you completely forget who you (as a person) are. But that night he made me feel like me again. Like the Rene I knew and not the one begging to survive day after day. That night I fell pregnant and because he was a married man, I decided to tell no one.
I wasn’t saved back then but for the next nine months, I begged and pleaded with the Lord to forgive me and to make a way for me. I got a low-income job and we lived in a small Wendy house sharing a single bed. Nothing else happened in those nine months, circumstances did not change.
The night before her birth it was raining, and the roof leaked onto the bed. I had to wake the children to help me move the bed and the leg broke. I couldn’t take it anymore and the walls of my heart broke and I cried. That deep, sorrowful wailing the Bible talks about. It was just too much. That morning the labour pains started. I was overcome with panic and an all-consuming fear. But I got dressed for work, like normal, cause I had to go to work to earn money for my eldest son to go to a camp. As I tried to walk to work, I felt it was time for this baby to be born. On my route to work was an open field. I was so scared I could not think straight. I walked into that field and gave birth to the baby. In my state of panic, I left my baby and went home to get dressed in clean clothes to go to work. I lost so much blood and fainted at work. I woke up in hospital.” To be continued.
Prayer: Father, so many times we find ourselves in situations where we are so consumed with fear and not knowing what to do that, we take matters into our own hands. Lord, I pray that if there is anyone in a situation where they do not know what to do, they will turn to You. You are a gracious and loving God and I ask that You bless Rene for sharing her beautiful testimony with us. Amen.

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