Janna Faith: I’m Janna Faith.

Anna Faith: And I’m Anna Faith, and welcome to episode 11 of Faith Talks.

Janna Faith: This year, we are going to start out with a new theme focusing on stories. I don’t know about you guys, but everybody loves a good story. These stories are going to be coming from women who have gone through a lot of trials in their lives and have chosen to trust God and have faith despite their circumstances.

Anna Faith: We will interview women from the Bible that they love and that have impacted their lives

Janna Faith: I don’t know about you, but sometimes when you’re reading the Bible, you read about a woman and think, “Wow, I’ve totally been there. I know exactly what she’s feeling.” Relating those stories together shows that the women of the Bible aren’t really a whole lot different from us. They had trials and faced a lot of the same things we do.

Today, I’m excited to dive right into sharing an amazing story from Greta Bowlin. Today’s a special day for her. We should sing happy birthday to her. It’s her two-year anniversary of being saved—January 15th. Let’s see, it was 2020? Yes, 2020. So two years ago. We’re excited. We decided to do this on the actual day, two years ago, that she got saved. Greta, would you tell us a little bit about yourself, what you like to do, and who you are?

Greta Bowlin: Well, my name is Greta Bowlin. I am a wife and mother of one son, and he’s 13. Taking care of him is a full-time job in itself, but I also have a full-time job. I work in customer service at RJ Schinner Company. In my free time, I like to do my devotions, study my Bible, color, and sometimes do crafts and puzzles.

Anna Faith: And she’s an amazing cook.

Greta: And I love to cook.

Anna Faith: I have experienced this on multiple occasions, so I speak for her. So I guess we’ll get started with your story then.

Anna Faith: Greta, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your childhood and home life?

Greta: Okay, I was born into a family where both of my parents were alcoholics, so our home was plagued with that issue. They were both in bondage to that addiction, and most nights my dad wasn’t home. He was out at the bar, and on weekends my mom would go with him. I felt very alone and very abandoned. Weeknights, though, it was almost harder when my mom was home because she wanted to be with my dad and was angry at him for being out. She would take it out on us by yelling and screaming.

I felt like it was all my fault and thought that if there was something different about me,then they would want to be home.

And if I didn’t exist, then my mom could be happy and be with my dad or out with my dad. I just wanted love and peace.

Anna Faith: So how did you cope with those feelings? What did you do?

Greta: Well, when I couldn’t stand it anymore, I would run to my room and throw violent tantrums. I would pick up pillows, books, anything that wasn’t nailed down, and hurl them against the walls and the floor, breaking anything I could. As I got older, when I would calm down, I would find a razor blade and punish myself. As the blood would form and flow out of my body, I felt a momentary release from my chaotic life. I also did burning. I would smoke and then put my cigarettes out on my arm. Even though it was painful, it was nothing compared to how I felt inside. I had so much anger and resentment towards my parents. Why wasn’t I enough? Why couldn’t they love me? I felt very abandoned.

Anna Faith: I think that’s so characteristic of bitterness too. Like, it destroys you from the inside out really.

Greta: Definitely. Christmas Eve, when I was about 10 years old, was the first time that I personally tasted alcohol. My mom was upset at my dad. He was sick and not up with us, so she gave my sister and me some wine. I don’t know why she thought that was going to be fun for us because I spent the entire night throwing up. I got really sick. After that, I didn’t touch alcohol for a few years. Then I went to college, and it became a very easy way to cope with my life, my insecurities, and the feelings of abandonment that I just never got over.

Before that, when I was 17, my parents let my boyfriend move in with us. They were completely indifferent to my sinful life and literally didn’t care what I did. Some kids might have called that freedom, but it was just adding to the bondage that I was in. When I got to college, I hung around the party crowd. If someone knew how to have fun for a night, that’s who I was with. Between the ages of 20 and 30, I tried committing suicide more times than I can even count. However, every time, no matter how hard I tried and schemed, I would fail. I used to cry out, “Why? I can’t even do this right.”

Then, in my early 30s, I was engaged to be married. Six months before our wedding, my fiancé was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

And then, about four weeks after that, he was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma. We were told he had six months to live.

Anna Faith: Did you have thoughts of maybe just breaking up the relationship, not bothering to stay with him, or just not getting married but maybe still being friends?

Greta: It never crossed my mind, actually. I couldn’t bear the thought of him—he didn’t believe in God—dying alone without love. His family wasn’t very supportive. I just stayed with him. We decided to go ahead with the marriage, and he died about eight months after we got married. Once again, I was alone. I continued to drink and party frequently just to fill the void in my heart and my life.

Sometimes I would party near my apartment; other times I would go further away. It was one of those times that I met Tom. Our relationship was based on our common pastime—partying—so we would go out drinking together. As the months progressed, we talked about getting married in the fall of 2008. As the wedding drew closer, I began to have second thoughts. Was it really what I wanted to do with my life? Party every night? Maybe we should break up? I should do something else?

All my thoughts were interrupted when I found myself staring at a test in shock—I was pregnant. I told Tom, and he was not very happy. He was angry and yelled at me, “Well, now we have to get married.” I was excited. All I had ever wanted to be was a mom. That’s what I dreamed of. Some kids want to be a fireman or a teacher; I wanted to be a mom. So, I was pretty excited. We got married, and although our lives were supposed to join, they did nothing of the sort. Tom continued to party, and I wanted nothing to do with that life anymore because I had another life growing inside of me. This little life was depending on me, and I had to reform for the sake of my precious baby that would soon arrive.

As each month progressed, I transitioned into thinking about being a mom and looking like a mom really quickly.

Anna Faith: Now tell us about your baby. Did you have a first ultrasound that kind of stood out, or what was your first appointment like?

Greta: Oh, my first appointment. I remember going for my first ultrasound. I was super excited and trembling. The doctor came into the room, and as he spoke, I couldn’t believe his words. My mom, my dad, and Tom were there. He said, “Ma’am, your baby is not okay. We cannot find all of his internal organs,” and I will never forget those words.

In my mind, how he said, “You need to consider other options.” My mind was swirling, and I said right away, “No, this is not your decision to make. God put him in me, and God is the only one that can take him away from me.” The doctor shrugged and left. A week later, I was back for a second ultrasound. This time, they found that my baby had two club feet and a hole in his heart, but at least they found all of his organs.

The weeks passed, and August came. They put me on bed rest. It was not an easy pregnancy. I wanted to have him at Community Memorial, but I was at Freidert. I finally got up the courage to ask the doctor, “Can I be transferred?” He said, “You can go home on Friday, but be at Community Memorial Monday because we’re going to do a C-section at noon.”

We were all excited. Tom said on Sunday night, “Let’s go out to dinner, our last night as a couple.” The Brewers were in the playoffs, so he went out to the bar. He didn’t come home for dinner and said he was gambling. When he didn’t come home, I looked at our bank account and noticed that the money was going out faster than usual. I was very shocked to find he had spent almost everything we had.

Being a short woman of five feet, at this point, I was nearly as wide as I was tall. But this didn’t stop me. I took my big, pregnant self and marched down to the bar to confront him. I said, “Give me that card. We’re having a kid tomorrow. How can you spend all our money?” He wasn’t too happy, but I grabbed the card and marched my big, pregnant self right back home.

The next day, did you go in? Was Tom sober by that time?

Yes. I found myself numbed and ready for the birth of my precious baby. I insisted on being awake, and as they pulled Trey out, the nurse turned to me and said, “Oh mama, you’re gonna have your hands full.” The doctor said, “Normally I just pull them out, but he was climbing out.” He was pushing his way through my stomach, arms and legs flying. That was very characteristic of my little boy’s life.

The birth went smoothly, but shortly after he was born, things started to go downhill very fast. He couldn’t suck or swallow. His body wasn’t producing—his pancreas wasn’t working. They had to take him into the NICU. He had a feeding tube and was there for 21 days. At six months old, he started having surgeries for his feet because that’s how old he had to be to take anesthesia.

Anna Faith: Knowing that he had all these physical problems, did you ever think anything was internal? Did you see that as a mom?

Greta: I had a feeling.

Um… but having him as my first child and just being so starstruck—I don’t know—I was starstruck at having this little life, a baby, being everything I’d always wanted to be. Then, I was talking to his physical therapist one day, and she said, “You know, it’s not just the outside. I think things are going on inside as well.” I knew she was right. She said I needed to get him evaluated.

I stared at my then two-year-old boy, and I just knew she was right. I had been noticing stuff for a while, but you just try and—

Anna Faith: At this point, he didn’t talk, right?

Greta: Right. He didn’t walk or talk, and he didn’t eat anything except yogurt.

That’s right, and saltines, right?

Yep, yogurt and saltines. So I knew, but you don’t want to think about that. I told Tom that I wanted to get him evaluated. He was in complete denial. He was angry and said, “There’s no child of mine that is defective.” As I watched Trey struggle, I knew I had to do something. So, I went behind Tom’s back, scheduled an appointment, and sure enough, Trey was diagnosed as needing every kind of therapy they offered—speech, occupational, food, everything.

During that time, did you guys attend church anywhere?

We did. We were faithful Catholics. I taught catechism for special ed kids and parents. I was content to listen to what they told me to believe. But Tom and Trey, not so much. Every Sunday, Tom would complain about the priest’s political speeches to convince his flock to vote Democrat. Trey would whisper to me why does the priest always talk about himself “Isn’t the church supposed to be about Jesus?” We stayed in the church because we didn’t know any different. Honestly, we kind of fit in. We were the typical dysfunctional Catholic family: drunk, angry people during the week and filling a pew on Sunday.

I prayed a lot and thought I had a close relationship with God, but it was based on works. I first started to notice something was off when I started to read the Bible. I noticed that God was working in my life, and I wanted to learn more about it. So, I started—you know, you just pick up a Bible and start at the beginning. I remember asking myself, “Why don’t we follow these rules that are here?”

Anna Faith: Because you were in the Old Testament.

Greta: Yeah. Interesting. I thought, “Well, maybe if we started doing this…”

Anna Faith: Was it right around this time that Trey started becoming interested in taking music lessons, or was that a little bit after?

It was a little bit after.

Greta: Trey wanted a piano. He loved his music teacher at school, and I think it was Christmas of 2017 when he decided he wanted a piano. When he gets his mind stuck on something, it’s happening. So, we started looking for a piano teacher. We went to Casio, and their special ed music teacher was… she was not patient. The way she taught Trey was mean. After one lesson, we were like, “Nope, thanks. Thanks for the book. Bye.”

I prayed and prayed, calling several places to find another teacher. No one could help me. I would explain the situation, and they would just kind of put me off.

Trey’s Child Development Clinic is on North Avenue, so we would drive down North Avenue quite a bit. I was thinking that I would call the Steinway place, but I ended up calling White House of Music by accident. I explained my situation again, that I needed a teacher for Trey—someone patient and loving but not someone who could be manipulated, as Trey was really good at controlling the conversation. I knew it would be hard to find someone, but he said, “I have the person, I have the teacher for you. I know exactly who, but I don’t know if she has any openings.”

Anna Faith: I remember the day. My boss texted me, saying, “We have a student for you. It’s another special ed situation, but I know you don’t have any openings, and I know you’re really busy. Would you consider opening something up?” A few days later, he called me back and said that Ms. Janna would open another slot for us at noon on Saturdays.

It could have been three in the morning—I would have taken it.

Anna Faith: I wish I had more students like that. When working with scheduling, you’re about to rip your hair out sometimes. We were not picky. We were excited.

Greta: From the moment we met Ms. Janna, we were captivated. I don’t want to sound weird and say it was love at first sight, but there was just something about her. She had a light.

It was weird. I looked in shock as Tom started coming with us to Trey’s lessons, offering to take him and sit in there. He never participated willingly like that. He didn’t even take Trey to school or doctor’s appointments. That was always just “Mommy’s thing,” and that’s just the way it was.

Piano lessons were different, and music was really hard for Trey, but he loved the challenge and the adventure of it. We had so much fun watching him learn and flourish. It was our favorite time of the week.

Anna Faith: That’s where the Bear family was birthed.

I don’t know if your listeners might think we’re crazy, but for rhythms here, we teach them with a Bear family. You clap different rhythms with Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear. With the whole family squished in that little room at White House, Papa Bear was the Papa Bear. We would give him the Papa Bear stuff, Mama Bear, and then Baby Bear. Trey just fell in love with that. To this day, he still calls Papa Bear, and I’m Sister Bear. He has Mama Bear, Baby Bear, and my dad is Dr. Bear—Dr. Jim, Dr. Bear. That works out.

I remember meeting them at first, just loving their family and falling in love with them. I remember going home after the first lesson thinking, “That’s not at all what I thought it would be.” I was impressed with how Trey was doing, and we had a blast those different weeks. But right from the start, I noticed that they probably weren’t saved. I remember asking you guys where you went to church, and you told me, “Oh, we go to such and such Catholic church.”

I also remember Trey would use a lot of wrong language, and you would always yell at him, “Stop, stop!” He would be like, “Oh,” but you could tell he didn’t even barely know what he was saying. It was just what he heard at school, repeating it, but he would use them all the time. One of the real blessings has been to see him change. Now, you don’t hear that at all—he just doesn’t even think about saying it. I remember starting to really pray for them, that God would give me an opportunity to be able to share the gospel or be a light more to them.

Just through a couple of different weeks watching their family and observing different things, I remember one particular time after I taught them on Saturdays, I went in my car and was just praying for them as I drove home—for their family and their salvation. I remember the Lord just absolutely broke me, feeling that they had to get saved.

It was more than just, it was like God gave me a little glimpse of what he wanted to do in their family. And I just remember I started crying and I just sobbed all the way home just praying for the Bowlin family. And I remember I even mentioned something to my parents later just, you know, I think they’re going to get saved. Like I think God’s going to do this. And at that time it was the farthest thing from what was happening. But God gave me that confidence like, no, he’s going to do it. He’s going to save them. And it came time for our Christmas program.

And so I gathered up an invite and went and invited them and they were excited. What did you think when you got that flyer?

Greta: Oh, we were super excited and Trey was just I mean he had to see his Janna and we were so excited to go. And so we actually got home from the lesson and I mean, I didn’t even like set my stuff down. And so I’m calling the number and I’m trying to register and they were like, what are you talking about? That’s not even open yet. And so, but they took my name and everything. They were really gracious and registered us probably when they got around to it because well, actually I did call and say, are you sure you got it?

Anna Faith: I mean for the record they were in the second row so they did get good seats. Greta: Yes we did we got very good seats

Anna Faith: So what did you think when you showed up? What were your first thoughts? Greta: Well we walked in and like we walked into church and Tom looked at me and he said it feels really weird here. It feels like like we’re home and I nodded and I said you know it’s It’s amazing. And he said, everyone here is like Janna, do you think it’s a cult? And I said, maybe. That’s the best phrase. I said, maybe, but I don’t want to leave. And he didn’t die there, and Trey was obviously just beside himself. And the program was incredible.

Anna Faith: I remember actually the first time you came, Janna had told us about you coming and she’s like, you gotta meet this family. And I remember meeting Trey. And then I remember seeing him during the concert, like stand up and start conducting. He loves to conduct. He does. So I remember you that first time that you came. Now, what’d you think as unsaved folks at that point? What did you think of the message?

Greta: Well, I was I was worried how Tom would respond. But he seemed to be listening. And then during the message, Trey turned to me and said, Mommy, listen, he’s talking about Jesus. And so at the end of the message, the pastor asked if anyone would like a packet with more information about accepting the Lord as their savior. And three bear paws shot right up. And after the program, Tom said that was amazing. And Trey announced coming here? Do they have Sunday school? When is church? And just like his piano when he sets his mind to something. Anna: He’s all in.

Greta: Yep and as we filed out of the second row I just knew we’d be back.

And did you think at that point, like, we’ll still go back to our Catholic church or were you just like, I’m coming here? No, I seriously thought, okay, I have my obligations there. You know, I have these things that I am supposed to do, you know, my teaching and everything. And so I thought, okay, you know, we’ll do every other, we’ll bring trade to Sunday school and, you know, we’ll, one of us will come every other and we’ll just work it out that, you know, we can do both.

And then we went back to our Catholic Church the next Sunday with this plan all in place and that was the last time we were ever there.

Anna Faith: And then I guess we’ll move along to the follow-up visit. So I remember we were trying to line up follow-up visits and there were several families that had come that we were trying to visit. And so I was like, mom and dad, you have to get, you have to get the Bowlin family and go visit them. So I got the paper or maybe my dad did, I can’t remember. And we got the paper and they went for the follow-up visit that first time. So fast forward to you. What did you think when you heard that random knocking after a couple of weeks?

Greta: So, it was Monday night it was cold, and it was cold and it was winter and Trey and I were just like scampering around the living room throwing Christmas wrapping paper and you know just I was trying to get him ready for bed. And so it was just Christmas chaos and then we heard a knock at the door and we were both like super startled and we both froze and he like looked at me and he’s like, should I answer it? And so he went and he like peeked out the window next to the door and he’s like, it’s Janna’s mom and dad, should I let them in? I said, of course. And it was a wonderful visit and Mrs. Van Gelderen did a salvation drawing for Trey. Tom was asleep and so it was just Trey and I and they decided they would come back when we could all be together as a family. And, but it was a wonderful time talking that night I just knew in my heart that our lives were never gonna be the same.

Anna Faith: And then I remember they came home and told us that family devotions that night just what had happened and my mom’s so smooth that way she’s like the family needs to hear the gospel so then she’ll say oh can I show your small child a gospel drawing and like show it huge so the whole family can see she’s great at that. Yes she is. But then I remember they were talking about they were gonna head out on their tour so they need they wanted to visit you guys

That second time. So there was some reason none of us girls were able to go.

Greta: So they brought Silas with them and they showed up for that second visit. Yes and so they brought Silas and so he could be with Trey and so then we got to sit down with the Van Gelderens and talk.

And as Dr. Jim started talking to Tom, I was just truly amazed with how open Tom was. Being a Catholic, he never went directly to God and never had a close relationship with him. But as they talked, Tom was agreeing. And you know, I had always thought that in order for someone to gain salvation, they had to do some measure of good works.

As I read a sheet of verses from Mrs. Van Gelderen, I realized that the Bible clearly taught, you know, exactly what they were telling us, that salvation is through faith alone. And after reading the sheet, I looked up at the Van Gelderens and I said, it’s pretty clear that it’s not by works. And at the end of the presentation, Tom and I both bowed our heads and asked Jesus to save us. And This might sound like a good end to my story, but it truly was only the beginning. From that moment on, I learned how life really is and how to really live, and the Bible became my instruction manual, and how I loved, love to talk to my new friend.

Anna Faith: And I remember getting a text from my parents.

I was downstairs in youth workers meeting on Wednesday night and I’m getting a text the Bowlins both got saved and I’m like wait what? So I like I just like Mr. Rains was talking and everybody was sitting there listening and I was just like oh my word that is so exciting I like literally started yelling and everyone was looking at like what are you even thinking Mr. Rains is like, “Janna, are you okay?” And I’m like, “The Bowlins just got saved.” So that was an exciting day.

Was.

Janna Faith: Now so after you got saved then you started coming to Falls right away then? Yes.

Greta: Yes and it’s funny because for the Christmas Spectacular we sat in the second row those first three seats and for the Christmas Carol we sat in that second row those first three seats and Every Sunday, there we are. And Wednesday and every other activity, we’re in those first three seats. And we joined pastor’s class right away. And as he discussed the history of the Baptists and the reasons behind why they believe what they did, I saw God clearly changed Tom, with deep conviction. He explained to me, I was lied to my entire life and. He has this anger in his heart knowing that he was being led by hypocrites and didn’t know the truth. And now he knows the truth for himself and he was adamant and excited and it was just amazing to see him passionate about God.

Anna Faith: I remember him several times sharing that even just that different discipleships how that was one thing that really bothered him when he was at the other church just and I think it kind of parallels to the political parties I’ll leave it at that but just yeah not being told the truth was a huge theme in his life.

Greta: Yes.

Anna Faith: And then Trey got saved a couple

February 28th. The next month. I’m sure I’ll hear about it on February 28th. Oh yes, you will. You will tell me. She’ll probably send a birthday greeting. Yes. So that was in 2020, January, correct? Yes.

Greta: So then right after that is when COVID started and how did that affect your family? Well, as the tragedy rocked the world, it helped our little family. It turned out to be a very strange blessing. It took us out of the world.

away from people, away from Satan’s traps, took Trey out of a public school, which was a horrible influence. And it allowed our little baby Christian family to grow and prepare for when we would be forced to return to the world. As a child and young adult, I always wanted freedom. And I always wanted peace. I always wanted to go home.

And I could never figure out why I wanted to go home, wasn’t I home? But now I realize that all of those are Jesus, and it is he who has changed our family and our lives. And I know that some of you ladies listening might look at the world with desire or envy, or think that’s exciting and shiny and sparkly, but I can tell you what it’s like, because I came from it.

it’s painful, it’s very painful. There’s no love, there’s no peace, it only destroys you from both the outside and the inside. You know, be content where you are because you’re lucky to have, you know, a godly family.

Be grateful for that because not everyone is that blessed. And if you have a hole in your life, that hole in your life is Jesus shaped and he’s the only one that can fill it.

Janna Faith: That’s really good. Just going back to, we just had our spiritual awakening conference and one of the messages, Pastor Ingram, talked about worldliness and how that affects our lives so much. And that was really impactful to me. And even just realizing how much I still look to the world and kind of let the world influence my life. And even just hearing your story and just how empty the world is and how you didn’t choose your home that you grew up in, but that was just full of the world and it was so hard for you. And just to see how the world is so empty and it is so destructive. And I think that’s really, really important to just realize as Christians and as, I’ve grown up in a Christian home, Janna has, and just be so thankful for what we’ve been given and to just, not look at the world at all with any, you know, just wanting to be satisfied by it at all, but to realize that Jesus is the only thing that gives us true fulfillment, true peace. And so that’s really, really good.

Anna Faith: I feel like it’s easy to wanna be, or just end up being influenced by the world, just through media or even just being around, you know? But just to realize that we do have that truth, that one way.

And to be thankful for that. Now, could you tell us just a little bit about how your life is different now that you’re saved? What has changed? This is the happy part. We spent like the whole podcast on the sad part

Greta: Oh, it’s changed profoundly. It’s exciting to see how Tom has changed and how he’s finally finding peace and just coming to terms with so many things in his past that he could never deal with and that you know it’s taking him a while but you know he goes he goes to the word.

You know, he’s there’s Bibles laying all around our house, you know, just in case you need one right there. It’s you know, it’s there. We all have our favorites, but. I’ve got that easy read. Yes. But it’s, you know, the truth. There’s that solid foundation. You know, when you’re in the world, you’re just like floating. There is no nothing solid. It’s just a constant, you know, what next? And. you know, being saved, you have that foundation, you have the end all be all of life. This is what it’s about, this is our purpose. You know, there’s no questions. And that must be amazing too, just to see how,

Anna Faith: you know, you remember Tom, when he would come back from the bar, you know, and just like the complete change what Jesus has done in his life. That’s amazing. It is, and Trey, I can’t even,

I will be driving down the road and you know he’ll be rolling up his window or you know rolling up his window saying that’s not godly. It’s just neat how he has

Anna Faith: hold on wait youve got to tell them the restaurant story.

Greta: where he went okay now I’m forgetting oh where he went and talked to the people yeah cursing that’s right yes there was this is coming from Trey who normally did yes we were sitting in a local restaurant eating one day and there was a table of and it was like older and he was sitting there and he was just shaking his head and he started slamming down his french fries and I’m looking at him just curious what he was gonna do and he’s like I can’t take it so he gets up and he goes over to the table and he’s like excuse me which one of you took the Lord’s name in vain just now and there was a guy and a lady and they both pointed at the other lady and she’s like what I didn’t And he just went off on them saying, you know, it’s you’re taking the Lord’s name in vain. You’re disrespecting Jesus. And he just went to town. And, you know, I part of me was like, you know, horrified, you know, not that he was doing that, but, you know, just like.

And then the rest of me was like, go Trey. You know, and so Tom and I just sat there chuckling. And you know, after he had had his moment and they were quiet and he came back.

Janna Faith: I bet she has not forgotten that though.

Greta: She probably hasn’t.

Anna Faith: Now let’s move on to our woman of the Bible focus now. You were reading the Bible as an adult, so you maybe were hearing some of the stories or reading them for the first time. Was there a character that stuck out to you?

Greta: It was definitely Esther. I love Esther. And I think it was Esther because of her simple acts of obedience and just, you know, she was just she just did what she knew was right. And it was like God’s providence. You know, she just was abandoned as a child, you know, and then She just went along with whatever God put in her path and embraced it and took it and didn’t worry about, you know, herself. Like when it came to, you know, going to the king for her people and she knew that she could end up, you know, dead from going to the king. She didn’t think about that. She didn’t think about what would happen to her. She just wanted to do the right thing for Jesus and for God.

Anna Faith: I think that one word that sticks out to me is the same one.

the providence just seeing how God guided you from your even early age all the way to where you are now and just seeing how God guided Esther you know his unseen hand just throughout that whole book just guiding and directing everything and you know you both have had to trust that God had a plan even though you couldn’t see it you know you might if you looked right in the story like if I was living your life with you it might seem like why are all these and everything was what led you to the Lord. And I think that’s so neat that trials can often lead us to freedom, you know. And even that desperation of you crying out for, even just praying about a piano teacher or praying about for the truth, you were definitely seeking.

Greta: Yes, and he was answering. He was there. Tom and I were talking this morning, looking back just how everything happened. You know, you can see his hand all throughout,

together even from the yucky part to now. God’s hand was in it. That’s really true.

Janna Faith: And I think another theme just hearing your story is that as you sought the truth you just took that simple step of obedience and you know each of us have our own story. Each of you girls listening have your own story and if we can just you know see that next little step that God wants us to take and trust him and find ourselves in the end being where we want to be, even though at the moment we don’t see that end result like Greta was saying, but as we just see what God has for us, we can just simply take that next step of simple obedience to God and just be so thankful for where he has brought us and from the sin even if you girls have come from broken homes, just thank God so much for what he has done in your life and how he’s gonna continue to grow your faith and your trust in him. So I just encourage each one of you as you see that next step, whatever that may be, to just choose faith in each situation. And remember, faith doesn’t just talk, faith walks.