“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Throughout December, we’ve listened to Christmas sermons, sung carols, attended Christmas programs. We’ve been filled with awe over the BIG THING that God did for us when he sent Jesus to us in human form. And we should be filled with awe! The birth of Jesus Christ is the most powerful expression of hope, love, and redemption that our weary world has ever known.
A snowy road in Poland.
I’m praising God today for the BIG THING he did on that first Christmas and I’m thanking Him because He’s still in the business of offering hope, love, and redemption to this weary world. He’s still constantly at work. He’s still doing BIG THINGS and small things and everything in between.
To illustrate this, I thought I’d share with you an email I recently received from a reader named Dominika who lives in Poland. I was so touched by her testimony that I asked if I could share it. She graciously said that I could.
Dear Becky,
We would like to thank You for having helped us to survive the most difficult time for our marriage…
I got your book “Stubborn Heart” from my mom… It turned out that I’m in a dream first pregnancy, I could relax and read overdue reading. Our happiness was great. Our little treasure was to be a complement or to multiplication by a million this great love that we give to each other.
We’re seven years after the wedding. I met Patryk in high school. When I saw him the first time I knew then that will be my husband. Since then I prayed to God asking that if he is to be given to me so to please God was leading us to be together. And so it happened. At the time, my joy was great. Not wanted anything more, because I was at my side the love of my life and now together we waited for a little miracle.
Unfortunately, on the first ultrasound, the doctor told us that the diagnosis is not good. Heart was beating too slowly. We were sad, but we lived hope that everything will be fine, and heart soon starts beating like a bell. After returning from the doctor, I was very sad. I lay on the bed, then came Patryk picked up your book and began to read it aloud. I was not in the mood for anything, did not want me to read, although it was unusual because he rarely read books, and that he did it even aloud was a sensation. My husband was stubborn and despite my resistance continued reading until I fell asleep.
Over the next days the situation is repeated. In every free moment he sat down beside me and began to read to me. This allowed us to forget about sadness. We laughed together imagining characters from your book and experiencing with them their adventures. Many words of your book picked up at that time as if it were directed at that time for us. With your book we survived so all week.
A week later we were again on a visit to the doctor and we heard that our baby is no longer with us, his heart stopped beating. They sent me to the hospital. My husband could not be with me that night, but on the phone he continued contents of the book. In this way, we tried everything to survive, though it was not easy. The day after returning home, my husband read the last chapter of the book. I started crying. Everything is over.
Your book accompanied us in these difficult, very heavy and sad moments for us. We believe that God also for us will still have the right one, good, joyful time. We believe that this experience was something given to us. Although humanly difficult to agree to and accept. This sad and painful time certainly has enriched our love. We are closer to God. Recently we learned to pray with love, faith and trust.
I want to believe as a mother angel – Maximilian (so we gave it his name), he is happy there. Please day that someone instead of me every day hugging and kissing him up there.
Perhaps not the right words I gave all that I feel. Once again, on behalf of myself and my husband, I would like to thank you for your words, for your gift for the fact that God also in this way, your words spoken to us on the other side of the world, because it is felt. We believe that everything has its right time. God has a plan for us, and his plans for us are good.
I trust that God will give us even here on earth, a tiny little bit of heaven, which is called love.
Every day I pray for the grace of parenting. I believe that the time comes.
With greetings and blessing of God
Dominika and Patryk from Poland
A church in Poland.
Through Dominika’s letter, I was able to glimpse two things. One, how God’s moving in Dominika’s life. Two, how He’s able to use the things we entrust to Him to minister to others. Isn’t God awesome!?!
I wrote My Stubborn Heart seven years ago in Dallas, Texas. I had no publisher for it when I wrote it. Once it was finished, He opened a pathway to a publisher. Later, He made a way for the book to be translated into Polish. Later, He brought it into the hands of one particular Polish woman named Dominika.
God was at work the day of Jesus’s birth. And He’s still at work, friends. So much of the time, we can’t see how. Yet, in our sorrows and our joys, He’s there. And He’s at work.
How has He made himself known to you lately?
Becky Wade
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Thanks for sharing, Becky! Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
What a great post. God is faithful.
Becky
God is faithful!
Amen! God does things in such a miraculous way!!! How can people not believe? Thank you for committing your work to the Lord so He can use it.
Yes! God does do things in miraculous ways. Whenever I’m lucky enough to get just a peek at what He’s up to, I’m always astonished. His ways are so far above our ways and our understanding.
What a beautiful story, Becky! I’m convinced that part of Heaven will be learning all these connections and the stories behind the stories of how God worked in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. A great Christmas story for sure!
Yes, Deb! I, too, believe that Heaven will reveal the stories behind the stories. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then…. 🙂
Great story. My family is from Poland and have been there many times. It’s a beautiful country and the people there are so amazing. Love this place and the people so much!
I would love to go to Poland one day, Sonja. I was so moved by Dominika’s transparency, faith, and the kindness that inspired her to pen a letter to me in English.
What a beautiful testimony. Thank you for sharing it with us.
You’re welcome, June. I was struck by the beauty Dominika’s words, too. Language barriers are no match for the power of her testimony.
What a beautiful letter, Becky. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I am saying a prayer for Dominika and Patryk. It is wonderful to think of how God uses a story to encourage friends we’ve never met on the other side of the world. I just listened to My Stubborn Heart on Audio. I read it when it was released a few years ago, but I enjoyed it just as much this second time. Audio is a unique experience. Merry Christmas, Carrie
Hi, Carrie! Thank you for your kind words. You’re such an encouragement!
It was wonderful for me to get a peek into how God was able to use My Stubborn Heart in Dominika’s life. Writing can feel exhausting and extraordinarily hard and downright unsuccessful at times. But her letter reminded me (anew) that I’m writing for Him. He can use my work in ways that are ‘successful’ in His eyes. And that’s the main thing, the only thing of true value.
Beautiful, Becky. Thanks for sharing this story. It’s a wonderful reminder of the invisible work we get to be a part of.
Yes, exactly! “The invisible work” we get to be a part of it is such a wonderful way to put it.
Oh, how powerful. Thank you for sharing, Becky!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by, Rachelle.