Like dying embers of a fire, sometimes our faith needs to be revived in order to spark back into the roaring flame it once was.

The best ways to do that is by remembering the miracles God’s preformed in our past.

For me, it took a dream to do this.

I saw a stone lion’s head perched like an elaborate door knocker. When I awoke, I felt like it was powerful. So I paged through my Bible-based dream Dictionary to find a lion’s head without a body represents Jesus Christ.

Then, I followed up with scripture and was lead to read this:

Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins. They couldn’t stand the thought of food, and they were knocking on death’s door. “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.” Psalm 107:17-22

These words reminded me of how God saved my life. You see, it’s not something I like to talk about much, but I once rebelled against God. In fact, I hated myself, but was in love with my sins. From the age of 18-20, I was on a downward spiral. I wasn’t just knocking; I was POUNDING on death’s door.

What makes that time of my rebellion worse is that I knew better. I was baptized as a child. I attended a Christian church, and before that, I was raised Mormon. Yes, things happened at the Christian church that made me question my faith. Yes, my dad was a devout alcoholic. It was so confusing for me to go to the Ward with my mom and see dads who loved their kids, only to come home to be despised by my own. So yes, there were problems in my environment that I could easily blame for that dark chapter in my life. But I know that nothing and no one is responsible for a person’s actions, other than the individual. When I came crawling back to God at the age of 21, and was baptized as an adult, my entire perspective changed. I began to see outside of myself. I lost self-pity, and became empathetic to strangers. It was incredible. Ever since that moment, I’ve been hard-charging forward, not wanting to look back, but…

During that time of transformation, it was my prayer that God would bring me so far from that terrible life; no one would believe I lived it. I asked this so my testimony would bring Him glory.

Yet, it’s not something I like to think about. We’re often our harshest critics, and that chapter of my life is one I like to remain closed. Today, when reminded of my past, I didn’t feel condemnation. I felt the joy of Jesus rescuing me all over again.

God has brought me so far, and I’m not talking about how I live, but who I am. He has literally healed me with his word, and I no longer hate myself. It’s a gift, the gift of life.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10

Only Jesus can do that.

So during these uncertain times, I want you to think back to all the times God has rescued you. Either a bill you thought you couldn’t pay, but He provided for. A physical healing, or a moment when a near-miss happened, and you were spared from harm. Those miracles, those gifts, should fill your heart with gratitude, even now. We must remember how God’s worked on our behalf in the past, in order to rekindle our faith in the present.

This is not the time to grow weary in praise. God is sovereign. Rest assured He doesn’t change.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Don’t lose hope. Know that He loves us, and will save us.

For those reading this that aren’t rescued yet, don’t let the shame and condemnation of your sins keep you from repentance. Jesus is waiting for you with open arms.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep her entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Luke 15:8-10

I also want to encourage praying moms out there who have a child, or a grandchild, living in rebellion. If Jesus can rescue me, He can rescue anyone. To put it in perspective, I even dabbled into witchcraft, okay. My mom never stopped praying for me. No one is beyond His reach. So stay strong in your faith, and don’t stop praying. Jesus hears your prayers, and will rescue them from death’s door.

Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear deaf to hear your call. Isaiah 59:1

Let the godly sing for joy to the LORD; it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does. Psalm 33:1-4

Since we’re living anyways, might as well live with joy, singing songs of praise to our mighty God.

Kimberly Humphreys