Giveaway: Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

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1. I was Once Upon a Time in a relationship where my morals were in jeopardy. By God’s Grace the relationship was severed by a betrayal. It was traumatic but if it wouldn’t have happened I think I would have given in. Who knows how different my life would be?
   I’m so grateful for that betrayal now. I have a God-Honoring husband that I love and respect more than I can express. The pain was so completely, absolutely worth it.

2. Look for the silver lining in every cloud ~

3. i LOVE the story of Joseph. It is one that I go back to often in my life. Would so love to take my family to see this production. I was in this musical in high school and it has always been so special to me. I love Joseph’s outlook on life. He knows that no matter his circumstance that God is always with him. There have been many valleys in my life just like all of us, life is tough, the story of Joseph always speaks to me. One time I can think back on is when I broke my foot and ended up in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism and I almost died. It took me weeks to recover but I could feel God through it all. I was able to share my story with a friend who had knee surgery a few months ago. She has struggled with recovery and got blood clots in her leg but felt like she had to go back to work. By sharing my story, she realized God needed her to rest and recover. It is a beautiful thing to watch our hardships be used for His glory. It sure may not seem like it when we are going through it but when we can look back, that is the power of this story of Joseph. He shows us joy and perseverance in hard times.

4. My friends and family help me on a daily basis! I have so many people I can call on at any time to talk me off a ledge, I know I’m truly blessed!

5. I was diagnosed with cancer last year. It was a terrifying time for my family. My faith in God and support from wonderful friends got us through it!

6. When I was going through my divorce & I needed a new place to live, friends of mine helped me through this tough time. I was down to a week before I had to be out of my old house. And a friends stepped up to help me. One friend helped me find a house to rent. Another friend d rented it to me and another friend watched my kids while I was looking for a place to live.

7. There are too many time to mention that my friends and family have been there for me.

8. Our hardest time was when our son was born 10 weeks premature. He was so tiny – just 3 little pounds. We were terrified, but, once again, God surrounded us with his love and comfort. Friends and family stepped in and took care of everything from babysitting our three year-old daughter, all the way to cleaning our house and making meals. Now our little guy is a big six year-old with LOTS of energy. Every time we look at him we remember God’s faithfulness and the love of our friends and family.

9. The story of Joseph not only highlights Joseph’s faith, but it also reminds us how unworthy we can feel to be forgiven by someone we have wronged in some way. Joseph’s brothers knew they did not deserve Joseph’s help all those years later in Egypt during the famine. They remembered well their jealousy and betrayal of their brother, Joseph. But Joseph still loved them, embraced them, and forgave them. Forgiveness is a gift, and we must put our pride aside sometimes and ask for it when we are wrong. Good advice for myself!!

10. I would say I have seen the fruits of having to be frugal during tight financial times when my husband was in grad school and we were raising our babies while I stayed home. God always provided everything we needed and more and it’s helped show us what’s really necessary to have a happy life! Our family has always been really generous to love our kids so well.

11. Recently, we’ve gone through a season surrounded by challenges but very blessed with Gods grace and blessing… Although we already had a busy family of 4 kids, and had had a risky Csection delivery with the fourth, we’d had a restlessness for three years that our family wasn’t “complete” (and really were hoping for a daughter to bookend our oldest girl and three boys). We had been exploring international adoption and yet my husband was praying that if God had little person for our family and I could safely deliver, He would override birth control. Last spring, i got pregnant. I was hoping since it was “a God thing” it would be a problem free pregnancy/delivery. But we found out that once again I had placenta prévia and based on my fourth child’s delivery and this was a fifth Csection, our OB dr.Hix recommended we deliver at UAMS in Lr with the states best high-risk OB. There was a really good chance that I not only had prévia but accreta or worse, procreta where the placenta grows into the bladder. All along, I kept hearing God tell me quietly and peacefully “I’ve got this” and I felt peace that everything was going to be ok, in spite of the delivery problems looming. And my husband asked for prayer from every.single.person we knew in nwa (have to admit I was a little embarrassed over all the “prayer attention” ;)). Long story short, it was a very risky delivery…I did have procreta and almost died during delivery. At one point, my husband who was with two friends at the hospital, said he kept feeling God say that he NEEDed to pray urgently and not stop, and share what was going on to many to pray immediately. I had a hysterectomy, lost my whole body’s worth of blood two times over, was given 8 units, plus my daughter had gotten some anesthesia and was born not breathing. By Gods grace and providence, and through the prayers of countless friends, our doctors safely delivered Ella Grace and I through the other side. We had so many friends and even just acquaintances who told us they stopped what they were doing that morn to pray right away. We had so many friends and family who served us in keeping our kids, toting them around, helping keep them in as normal a schedule as possible while we were in Lr for a month. We had many meals afterwards, notes and generous gifts to help us set up for Ella Grace while staying within our ministry budget.
    It has been an indescribable experience to come close to losing the blessing of life with my sweet family, and come out with a new little beautiful blessing, and then to watch my children lavish her with Love! And even more a blessing to experience Gods hands that were all over the pregnancy and delivery!! We’re so beyond thankful in ways we feel inadequate to express! Thank you for giving me a place to share this morning…I’m positive God has purposes beyond our comprehension for the sweet story of His Grace and Protection that the delivery of Ella Grace became. 🙂

12. We went thru 7 years of infertility and now have been blessed with 2 beautiful boys. God taught me a lot during the 7 hard years and I have been able to speak with other women going thru a similar struggle.

13. God planted my best friend next door to me. We have been through pregnancies, miscarriages and been deep in the mom trenches together! So glad to serve a God that knows exactly what we need and provides it for us in advance!

14. Growing up with a mom attending college classes during my childhood definitely taught me the value of a college education and how many more doors it opened for employment and a much better life!

15. I had a hard time with having a second child. I had 2 miscarriages but now I have my own Joseph!

16. My poor dog got attacked and my best friend was so sweet to me.

17. God sent two wonderful friends to me when I had none, sent me a loving husband when I wasn’t wven looking for one, & has blessed us with two beautiful children after losing our 1st beautiful boy. God blesses & repairs our lives in so many wonderful ways. I love Joseph’s example of persistent love & a hopeful heart.

18. I am currently going through cancer and our friends have helped our family through SO much. We have been showered with love and meals and cards and encouraging notes, etc. To be able to take my boys (10 & 7) to this show would be so amazing for my family! I love how God provides just what we need when we need it!

19. I have so many to choose from, but the first that comes to mind was 7 years ago when I was a single mom and my only child, Isabella, was hospitalized. We hadn’t lived in Fayetteville long, and I didn’t know many people, but the way our church rallied around us, and the other moms in her kindergarten class (including her amazing teacher) stepped up to help were above and beyond. It was nothing short of a miracle and those people will be life long friends!!

20. I think that any time you are rejected, that is a difficult circumstance. I have been told no in job interviews. At the time it is hard, but generally I have found that God had a better plan in mind for me. The same can be said of relationships. Any time I had one end, it was so hard, but I now am married to a man who puts God first and his family second, so I would say that it worked out for the best.

21. I have always found when things get hard God shows us the way.

22. I was fired from my job at the General Office of Wal Mart and it totally destroyed my confidence. For one thing the reason was not true at all. My heart was broken but over time it turned out to be the best thing for me. I was able to be a full time babysitter for all my grand babies. I thank God for giving me the girls and letting me spend so much time with them.

23. I was passed over for a promotion that was given to a less qualified person. That was proven later when they could not mange then left. I applied for another job that turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life!

24. I have amazing friends that have helped me through so many tough times: job changes, financial issues, health issues, birth of 2 kids and deaths in the family. My support group has gotten me through and I’m so grateful for them!

25. When our daughter was unexpectedly in the NICU after birth for 4 weeks, many of our family and friends provided us meals to take cooking and planning meals off of our very full plate at the hospital. So thankful for the support during that time and beyond!

26. And following on Twitter now!

27. God has reminded me many times…”Be still and know that I am God.” Marriage stretches me every day, but God has molded into something that is a blessing ike no other. I am thankful every day that God hasn’t given up on us and that HE is faithful.

28. I am thankful to have amazing friends and family to share good times and bad times with. When my daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer at 24, I was shocked and horrified.! We were shown amazing love and support through prayers, visits, phone calls, and financial assistance. God taught me so much during this time.

29. I was in hospital. Not only did my sweet friends watch my three small children. They also painted my laundry room!! Now that’s love!

30. My father passed away from cancer a few weeks ago, and during the time he was sick and after his death, I received a lot of love and support from my friends, family, students, former students, but especially my two boys. They are only age 10 and 11, but they are wise beyond their years. Out of nowhere, I will find myself missing him terribly, and I will start to cry. Just yesterday, I had tears in my eyes, and my youngest son came over to comfort me. He said, “We will see him again. This happens to everyone.” He reminded me of my faith and that I was not alone with his few words. The hug meant even more. During hard times, faith, good friends, family, and even sometimes strangers can provide exactly what we need to keep standing and keep going. Never give up.

31. We are currently doing the hardest thing ever. We kind of fell into becoming foster parents to two little ones, in addition to having two of our own. It’s harder than I ever imagined, but so many friends have come to our aid. In spite of the difficulty, we know that we are making a difference in the lives of these kids.

32. I want to enter this drawing so I can bless a sweet friend with the tickets if I win. She is constantly serving at her job and her family. She has sacrificed her dreams to care for others. I would love to win this tickets to bless her during this stressful season of caring for others.

33. I was a stay at home mom for years, then after the birth of my 3rd son, my husband left me for another woman and a life of parties. It was a very devastating time for me and my 3 kids, but God brought us thru this time and I have a wonderful husband who adopted all three of my kids and made a life together for us. My daughter just delivered her 2nd child and history is repeating itself. I would love to take her to see this show and to be inspired by God’s faithfulness to bring her thru this time.

34. February 23, 2015, I had oral surgery which has been the nineth in a series of 11. So I see the light at the end of the tunnel. This time before heading to surgery every person who asked I accepted their help. In all sorts of ways, making meals, picking up groceries to even the really huge stuff like homeschooling my children for the day. Every bit of help was huge in my book. At a very vulnerable time I felt empowered my all the help that Yahweh sent my way! Even my children commented on how much more relaxed I was this time and how they enjoyed having so many people share this journey called”real life” together. Be blessed!
    Joy

35. When we started doing foster care and quickly realized how much different it is to parent kids who have been through tough stuff and don’t really appreciate the fact that you want to help them. After having them for a year and seeing their hearts soften we were able to adopt them and can’t remember what life was like without them.

36. My friends and family have always been there when I needed them!

37. A memorable tough time when friends helped us out so much was when I was pregnant with our 3rd child. Both of my grandmothers passed away within only 3 weeks of each other, and my only remaining grandfather went into the hospital with heart problems. Friends stepped up and helped our family in every way to help us get through a tough a stressful time!

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