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Sunday School 9:00 am
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Sheboygan, WI 53083
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FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS!
Judy Felten

         I’ve always remembered God in our lives growing up. Dad did a great job trying to keep us all from too much chaos in the family. Mom was very loving and a lot of fun. They always made sure that we knew God was the main focus in our lives and without Him we would be lost. I was 12 when Mom found out that she had cancer. I didn’t really understand a lot of it, and I don’t think I accepted the fact that she would be leaving this world soon. I remember always wanting to be with her to comfort her, but she was the one that comforted me. After she died, I prayed to God, asking Him “why?”  I guess He needed really beautiful people in heaven. I knew someday it would be clear to me, and I was totally willing to wait until I would see my Father in heaven. I was so sad for Dad, because he missed her very much. I prayed that God would give us another Mom. He answered my prayer when Mary Lou and her family showed up at our church. It was good to see Dad happy again.

         Unfortunately, I slowly drifted away from God and my family. After all, Dad had a lot of struggles with his new stepchildren. Challenges that he never experienced with his own children. I started working in a bar. That was an experience that I will never do again. After being sheltered in a loving Christian home, I learned about life without God. I never denied Him, but I did not put Him first. After a bad seven-year relationship, it was time to move on. I started seeing my son’s father. We had a very loving relationship; lots of fun together, but still I did not put God first in my life. It was whenever I made time for Him. I found out I was going to have a baby. I felt differently. For some reason, I knew that this was going to change the direction of my life. I would call him, “My Little Miracle.” I was going to have a real family. We were going to get married just as soon as we could afford it. It was a wonderful time in my life. I had a man that loved me, and a baby we adored.

         After 5 months, a dreadful thing happened. My world was turned upside down. The man I loved, the father of my precious baby, got killed in a car crash. I didn’t understand, I had my family that I loved dearly. How was I going to handle this one? The sadness was overwhelming. I believed God allowed me to have this baby to give me rays of sunshine. Having my baby helped me pick up the pieces of my sad world.

         Somehow, I felt that God was knocking at my door. My sister Nancy called one day crying on the phone. She told me she had an incurable cancer. We would get together, she would come for a visit, and I would love spoiling her. I served her all her meals, like I was her servant while she was here. We would go shopping; I would buy her anything she wanted. She never got much from her own family, so I wanted to make sure she felt really loved.

         I had an ache in my heart to see my other sister. After all, I had only seen her a few times in a very long time. I prayed to God that I could see her more often. I came up with the idea to go see her. I felt God was talking to me and whispered, “Why don’t you bring her here?” He made it possible for me to have the money to bring them all home. One day I made the most beautiful phone call to my sister, Lori. I said to her, “Hi Lorietta, how are you?” She said, “Good, what’s up?” I asked her, “If you could come to America for vacation, how long could you come for?” She said, “…I don’t know?” I said, “Give me an approximate time.” She said, “Maybe a month. Why?”  I said, start packing your bags, you’re coming home!” She was so excited; she could hardly catch her breath. “What…why…how…when” - I think were her words. I told her to find out how much, and I’ll send her the money for the trip. I really felt that God was making a miracle happen. I can’t tell you the excitement we were all feeling. Little did I know, this was only the beginning? We wanted to make every day a special one. We spent almost every waking hour together for the entire month. It put so much joy in our lives. I was watching a miracle in action. I thanked God so much. I didn’t want it to end. I thought to myself, wouldn’t that be awesome if they would move back? I quickly removed it from my mind; I knew that would be impossible. The bonds of love were connecting, ever so beautifully. It felt like God was smiling down on us, saying, “You ain’t seen anything yet!”

         The last day came quickly, and sadness was in the air; but only for some of us. Little did I know God was already working in Mario’s heart. He called me over and thanked me for this wonderful time. Then he had a question for me. He said to me. “Judy, if we would move to America, and if we would get a church, would you come there?” Joy filled my soul! I said to him, “Mario when you move to America, and when you get your church, I will be there every week!” I made a vow to God that day that I would always be faithful to Him. I knew that He was trying to tell me, “Judy, I’ve done a miracle that you didn’t even notice.” God was revealing himself before my eyes, and boy did I take notice!

         My sister and her family went back to Italy, and I prayed every time I thought of her, and that was very often. God has such great timing. In the middle of all this, my other sister was getting worse, and God was going to be there too. Lori and I e-mailed each other often. Obstacles would get in the way, and I felt that all we needed was faith. She would tell me about the obstacle of the week, and I felt God telling me “share this verse.” “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything; let your request be made known, and the peace of God will be in you!” Every time something would seem impossible, I would tell her not to worry about anything, pray about everything! I knew God’s timing would be perfect.

         While they were getting things finalized in Italy, we were getting things done in America. God found us an apartment and gave us enough opportunities that we could also furnish it. We had so much fun buying things for the place, that my beautiful sister and her family could just bring their bags and start their new lives in America. The same month that they moved to America, the pastor of the church my Dad went to, was leaving. I felt this was it! This was the church that was going to be mine. We all started attending this church, and immediately my brother-in-law was asked if he would be a temporary pastor for this church. He very graciously accepted. When that happened I looked up to the heavens and winked at God! I knew with God all things are possible. Mario was asked to be the permanent pastor of our church. Thank you God!

         My sister Nancy was getting worse and we went to visit her as often as possible. We would go see her, and her and Lori and I would sneak off to Nancy’s room. We would talk and giggle and share our love with each other. God was working in her life, even as it was coming to an end. She was confused about God. Her husband’s family were all Jehovah’s witnesses. They wouldn’t accept her if she believed anything else, so she went along with it, and tried to convince herself that it was true. As things got worse, I kept praying that she would believe like she did when we were growing up. I worried that she would be alone when she died, so I prayed to God that I could be one of the people with her when she died.

         One day when we were visiting her in the hospital, she woke up from a dream. She wanted to talk to me alone. She had prayed and asked God to help her find the truth. Everyone cleared out of the room. She looked at me and said, “Judy, I had a dream and the shoe pointed to the way we used to believe.” She was very relieved. She felt that God pointed her in the right direction. She had to keep it quiet from her family, because she didn’t have the strength to fight the Jehovah witness argument. She didn’t want to die and was very afraid. I told her I would be with her, and God would be with her. I told her that she would see mom again, and Grandma Felten, but most of all she’ll see God. Things were very hard for us, but I knew God was wrapping His arms around my family.

         On another visit, after everyone else had gone home, I sat and held Nancy’s hand and told her how much I loved her. All the fun times we had together, all the times she got me in trouble. I told her how very much I would miss her, but would see her in heaven with mom. It was 8:30 and something was happening, I called the nurse, she came in, I looked at her and said it’s time isn’t it. She said yes. I wanted to say so much, but time was running out. I told her to give mom a big hug for me, and that she was waiting at the gate with Grandma Felten, and most of all, Jesus will be there with arms wide open. I told her not to be afraid, that we could do this together. Be together like always. I started singing, “Jesus loves me this I know”. All of a sudden, I felt this burst of loving spirit shoot from my toes though my head! It was the most amazing presence I’ve ever felt. If I were to describe it, it would be the same feeling when you fall in love, with the love of your life, only better if you can imagine. I felt loved, comforted, and protected, all in this beautiful embrace of spirit. Nancy then died.  

         I called the nurse in to let her know and she saw God’s presence through me. She looked at me and asked if I was OK, with great joy, I said,  “Yes, yes I’m OK.” God was there. I felt so much love. I didn’t feel normal. It was like I was feeling a little bit of heaven. I knew at that point that with God’s help I could get through any challenge life had to offer. I believe that God sent me back with a message of love and that we would see her again in heaven.

         Our church was small and we were renting a building for our services. For years we were praying for some kind of miracle that we could have our own place to worship God. One Sunday, Pastor Mario took us out to the land that we had obtained to someday build a church on. He asked us what our vision was. It was my turn, and my vision was a little church like we had when we were kids, with a little kitchen in the basement. God was listening to us, but we needed faith. A few opportunities came up to get buildings but just as quickly fell through. Our church talked about it, and realized that we should sell the land, and invest in the money for a little while, so we did. God was pointing us in another direction, and this was evident.

         It was summertime and our family got together at Mom and Dad’s for a picnic in the back yard. Mom told me about some trouble she was having in her back. I told her to go see my Chiropractor, so she did. After a few visits he told her it was something more and he sent her to a neurologist. After many tests and seeing different doctors, she was diagnosed with ALS. We were all in shock and tried to make the best life we could while mom was alive. I’m so glad that Mom and Dad were so close to God. God gave them the grace and love that they needed for this terrible disease. Each obstacle was a big hurdle to get through. Dad had so much love and patience. He made mom feel so good, so loved. He took care of her day and night, and never complained.

         One day there was a call. A church was going to be put up for sale. This church, this very special church, was the church my Grandpa Felten built, with all my Uncles and Dad. How amazing! I grew up in this church! This church was my vision! Oh thank you God! We were so happy! It just so happened that we had exactly enough money to pay cash for this church! Here was this big bright light, our Oakbrook Community Church. We bought the church, and I thanked God for yet another miracle.

         Mom was getting worse. Her prayer was to be able to come to our new church when it was ready. She was terrified of the last stages of ALS. We prayed often for her that God would take the fear from her. She was so excited about coming to our new building, but there was a problem. She couldn’t get into the church, because she was wheelchair bound. We didn’t have the money to build a ramp, so we had to have faith that God would bless Mom with a ramp for her to come to church. A retired missionary found out about it and volunteered to build it for nothing.

         God truly loves us, and we don’t even realize how much sometimes. The ramp was up, and we all could come, even mom. That was an answer to her prayer. Shortly after, Mom got worse and could no longer come. She was so happy that she got to see inside the church. God really took care of her in the end. He took her fear away. Her breathing was getting worse and Mom ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. She had Dad call everyone from our church, her friends and everyone she could think of. She knew it was time. God gave her the love, the peace, no fear, because He was with her. We were all so thankful to God for making her death peaceful.

         God wants so much to be a part of our lives. He wants us to ask. He wants us to love. He wants us to have faith in Him. Without God we are nothing. God knew I needed my sister back. He knew I needed Him. He showed me His love, and I will forever love Him. “Thank You God for not giving up on me, even when I had given up on You.”