A Letter from Mike and Cheryl…Re: Their Testimony

If you are not sure as to what the title of this article refers to, please check out the video of Mike and Cheryl’s testimony : Click Here

Below is Mike and Cheryl’s latest news about their testimony:

Friends,

I wanted to forward an email Cheryl sent out.  We both wrote parts of it as we were feeling the same way, but most of it came from her.  Please forgive me for not personalizing this to each of you or calling you individually.  I promise I will be better after things settle down.  We are praying for you, please keep us in your daily prayers as well.

God’s blessings upon you,

Mike

(The following e-mail is filled with lots of references to Bible texts, partially to make the letter shorter, but more importantly to encourage you to look them up on your own. We pray that the Lord will strengthen you through His Word as He has done for us! (Rom. 10:17)

Dear Friends,

We know that everyone is wanting to know if our house has sold in three days. We are writing to share the news that we are still waiting for the Lord to fulfill that 2nd promise. We still believe that the Lord will fulfill His promise, just not in the way we thought. He said that He would sell our house in three days. We thought He meant from the time we listed it, but obviously not. We aren’t going to speculate anymore. Although we were disappointed, we have learned several great lessons…

We should not rely on our own wisdom(James 1:5/ Col. 3:16). He will do things in His way and in His time. Who are we to try to put Him in a box and try to figure out how and when He will perform His miracles? We just need to believe His promises are true and leave it in His hands. We have chosen to continue to glorify His name and joyfully look forward to the time when He will fulfill what He promised (Heb.10:35-39/ Heb. 6:12/ Is. 26:3/Ps 46:10).

For those of you that tried to contact us, please forgive me for not responding back to you before now. To be honest, I had barely even spoken with Mike. I just didn’t know what to say to anyone(Ps. 19:14/1 Cor. 14:33).  I hadn’t had the time to process everything and spend time alone with God. I felt as though I need to seek the Lord first (Ps. 141:3). I needed to lay down every thought and burden before the Creator of the Universe and gain counsel from Him before I talked with anyone else(1 Jn. 2:27/ Ps. 32:8/ Ps.139:23-24/ Ps. 62:8).

The Lord is so good (Lam.3:22-25). He has been so faithful and provided scripture upon scripture! I don’t have enough room for all the texts and songs He has brought to our minds!

God has just strengthened our faith through this, which is originally what we had been praying for. It is our choice and…”We will fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith!” (Heb12:2 but actually verses 1-3 are all awesome). This is the perfect opportunity for Him to do just that!

We knew that the Lord had spoken to us and by His grace, His name was being glorified.  Many friends and family had shared with us that they were seeking a closer personal relationship with the Lord.  How could that not be bring honor and glory to His name?   We knew that this was a big disappointment in our lives. Although this is not on the same scale by any means as the Great Disappointment, we looked to how the founders of our church responded to that event in their life.  

My mother-in-law had been reading the Great Controversy and told us we should read chapter 22.  It is an incredible chapter that talks about the disappointment that the early church went through in 1844.  It also talks about how the disciples must have felt, when a few days after they were leading Jesus into Jerusalem to crown Him king, He was dying on the cross.  I wanted to put in a quote from p.408 (The page may differ based on your book.)  It is the last paragraph of chapter 22 in the Great Controversy.

“They had done the will of God in following the guidance of His Spirit and His word; yet they could not understand His purpose in their past experience, nor could they discern the pathway before them, and they were tempted to doubt whether God had indeed been leading them. At this time the words were applicable: “Now the just shall live by faith.” As the bright light of the “midnight cry” had shone upon their pathway, and they had seen the prophecies unsealed and the rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of Christ was near, they had walked, as it were, by sight. But now, bowed down by disappointed hopes, they could stand only by faith in God and in His word. The scoffing world were saying: “You have been deceived. Give up your faith, and say that the advent movement was of Satan.” But God’s word declared: “If any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.” To renounce their faith now, and deny the power of the Holy Spirit which had attended the message, would be drawing back toward perdition. They were encouraged to steadfastness by the words of Paul: “Cast not away therefore your confidence;” “ye have need of patience,” “for yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Their only safe course was to cherish the light which they had already received of God, hold fast to His promises, and continue to search the Scriptures, and patiently wait and watch to receive further light.” (Heb. 10:36-39)

Our faith has been strengthened yet again. God has amazing ways to encourage each one of us, doesn’t He!?!  He has done so for us from His word, the inspired writings of His prophet, as well as through friends & family. 

I wanted to share an email that Mike received from somebody that had seen our testimony.  It was received the Friday before we put our house on the market.  It said, and I quote “…I also suspect there will be a twist to the story that will allow the scoffers to comfortably continue to doubt and the believers to be ever more encouraged.  Jesus is amazing that way.”   We know the Lord used him to help prepare us, as well as, help us keep our faith after the house did not sell in the way we thought it would.

We have faith that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. Until then…..we eagerly await! And we will joyously share how He does when that happens (Ps. 37:5-7/ Rom. 15:13).

We are keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers. Please keep us in yours.

Many blessings,

Cheryl