Sandy Minnick: A story of man’s betrayal, a heart’s loneliness and God’s faithfulness.

One of Sandy Minnick’s favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:28, which reads, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

 

“Wow, has that ever been true,” she said. 

But she didn’t always know this in her heart as she does now. She said there was a time in her life when things were so bad she even reached the point of writing a suicide note to her oldest daughter, although she couldn’t bring herself to go through with it. 

“I had never felt emotionally lower than I did at that point in my life,” she said. “I cried all the time, could barely function at work, and thought about suicide many, many times.“

Her husband of over 20 years, with whom she had three children, had informed her he no longer loved her and wanted a divorce.

Minnick was raised Roman Catholic and brought her children up in the same faith. Her oldest daughter, however, had been attending Grace Bible Church in Catawissa, where she enjoyed listening to the sermons. The same weekend that Minnick received the divorce papers, her daughter invited her along to church.

She said she woke up that Sunday depressed, but her daughter encouraged her to get ready to go, so she went, reluctantly finding a seat in the back row in case she felt she couldn’t stay.

The sermon that Sunday was on “Love and Marriage,” and Minnick said the pastor spoke on divorce and what it means to be in a Christian marriage. 

“I could barely breathe and my daughter kept squeezing my hand telling me it was okay,” she said. “I knew that day, that I was meant to be in that church for a special reason.”

God didn’t immediately fix her life. 

Her husband still went through the divorce. 

She still describes it as the worst time of her life.

She said, however, that Jesus came into her heart during the worst time of her life, becoming the best part of her life. 

“Christ knows exactly everything we are going to go through in this life,” she said. “I firmly believe that He gives us these trials to draw us closer to Him…People will always fail and disappoint us, but He will never leave us.”

She said she now longs to help others who are going through similar trials and don’t know Jesus, and she would tell them to “love God and ask Him for His guidance, and to come to know him personally.”

Another of Sandy Minnick’s favorite Bible verses is Phil. 4:13.

Minnick now serves in various ministries in her church and town, and was even able to travel on a mission trip to Kenya, Africa in January. She’s proud of her children, who are now all grown. Her oldest daughter, who she said “is a believer and married to a wonderful Christian man,” recently blessed her with her first grandson. 

“I never dreamed that my life would be so fulfilled,” she said. “I love my church and my church family and I love the Lord with all my heart.” 

Guest Post: "Strike Three"

by Stacy Pelz

Originally posted on www.dailysurrendertojesus.com

Sitting on the curb listening to the deep rumble of rigs on the freeway. Tears falling on asphalt as I lean over my knees, holding them close, rocking away the feelings of failure and guilt. My dad's new car now mangled by my one careless moment of inattention, was now towed away, but I was left to wait in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant. The sun was shining, birds cooing, people smiling as they stepped by me on break for lunch, but I only saw the shadow of black between my feet, head bowed with shame, for the scenario seemed altogether too familiar. A brief distraction teamed with too much speed, and the third of my father's cars... totalled.

I remembered the words of my driver's ed teacher... "You have to pass this test to get your license, but the real test begins after you pass." I had failed the real test.

Perhaps my last failure could be blamed on the black ice, but this one... this momentary neglect while merging onto the freeway made me shake my head at the silly girl who just two years before rushed into the room proudly waving that slip of paper exclaiming "100%!" with head held high. Such a different posture from this girl waiting quietly for dad to arrive.

Empty of thought, struggling for ease of breathe, numb, until I saw a familiar set of shoes beside me and an arm of love wrapped gently around my shoulder. "Dad, I'm so sorry about your car!" Perhaps 2 could be forgiven, but 3? That was surely asking too much. 3 strikes and you're out, right?

But my compassionate father understood 70 x 7, and his arms of forgiveness held a little tighter as he whispered words of honeycomb, "A car is replaceable. But you are not."

That was when I first noticed the cement being prepared for pouring into a new life. The churning of thoughts, and glimpses of understanding... Cement for a new foundation. That was when God first whispered the word grace into my life.

"You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love"

"He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
(Neh 9:17, 2Cr 12:9)

Will you boast with me, about our weaknesses, so that Christ would be glorified? So that His grace would be brought to light? When, in your life, have you walked in failure only to see the faithful hand of God come through with grace?