A Reflection of How Jesus Cares

Judy Redd Wilbanks

Description

Through the heartbreak and trauma of childhood neglect and an abusive marriage, Judy’s faith never falters. Just when hope is lost, God steps in!

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

A Reflection of How Jesus Cares, portrays the miracle-working power of God in the life of Judy Redd Wilbanks.

We all have a story, and not all stories are about a perfect life. Some include heartbreak, abuse, poverty, or sickness. Life has many aspects. There is the normal and abnormal side of life, and the combination of the two.

The normal side of life is when all goes well and we have peace, joy, and love. The abnormal side is when, out of nowhere, life is turned upside down. The normal we can take; it is the abnormal that can destroy us.

A Reflection of How Jesus Cares consist of both the normal and abnormal sides of life and how Judy Redd Wilbanks experienced God’s love and care in every stage and aspect of her life. Even in the worst times, God turned it around for good, to bring glory to His name.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Inspirational
• Philosophie et théologie
• Deliverance
• Faith
• Délivrance
• Hope
• Miracle
• Courage
• Abuse

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 27 juillet 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798385000845
• Langue: English

Extrait

A REFLECTION OF HOW Jesus Cares
A true story of family, heartbreak, trauma, faith, miracles, and deliverance, brings glory to His name!
JUDY REDD WILBANKS


 
Copyright © 2023 Judy Redd Wilbanks.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Cover design by Judy A. Wilbanks
Cover photograph by Jessica Marie Davis
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
ISBN: 979-8-3850-0082-1 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-3850-0083-8 (hc)
ISBN: 979-8-3850-0084-5 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023910999
 
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 07/27/2023
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
PART ONE
Chapter 1A Child’s Faith
Chapter 2Young, Innocent and Married
Chapter 3Escape to Aunt Pauline’s
Chapter 4Moving Up and Moving Out
PART TWO
Chapter 5Going Back Home
Chapter 6Nothing Stays the Same
Chapter 7New Job Starts a New Career
Chapter 8All Things Must End
Chapter 9Last Home as a Family
Chapter 10Losing Mom and Getting a Puppy
Chapter 11Moving Back and Moving Ahead
Chapter 12The Truth Will Set You Free
PART THREE
Chapter 13First Time on My Own
Chapter 14Created From Clay
Chapter 15Empty Nest Syndrome
Chapter 16My Heart’s Desire, First Years
Chapter 17My Heart’s Desire, The Final Years
PART FOUR
Chapter 18Ministry and Healing
Chapter 19The Starting of a New Opportunity
Chapter 20My Trip to the Philippines
Chapter 21A Prior Request to the Lord and a New Job
 
About the Author
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO
My precious Jesus,
You have given me so much love. I have so much to thank you for.
Thank you for being my Savior and Lord.
Also, for being my protector, provider, friend, manager, and husband.
How could anyone here be so good to me? You have shown me so much mercy and grace.
My trust is in you. You have proven yourself over and over to me.
Thank you for your everlasting love, mercy, and grace you have shown me.
Your loving child and servant,
Judy Redd Wilbanks
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Along this life’s journey, no one was as close to my heart as my two daughters, Tammy, and Teresa. From the time they were conceived, I loved them. The point that I was young did not make any difference in my thoughts and responsibility as their mother. I just loved my babies because they were my babies and a part of me. To me, both were as close as my heartbeat.
Tammy and Teresa were sweet, beautiful babies who became adorable little girls and wonderful ladies. Each had their unique personality that I enjoyed as a mother, watching them mature into adults.
I have always thought of them as my babies, my daughters, and my best friends. We shared a life that was not always pleasant, but my love for them never changed. My decisions in life were not always the best but, under the circumstances and at the time, the only decision s I felt were best for us.
My circumstances and decisions were based on the era we lived in at the time. Ladies were not the financial workers but rather, were the caretakers of the family. As their mother, I was to love and care for my daughters from the time they were babies throughout our lives.
I hope that, in reading my life story, they will connect the dots of their lives, and both will see the important part they played in my life. Tammy and Teresa, you were the best part of me and my life.
I give God the thanks, for allowing me to be your mother. So, to honor you as my daughters, I have pinned my name, Judy Redd Wilbanks.
Love always, your mother,
Judy A. Wilbanks
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to my husband, Ronald Dalton Wilbanks for his love, patience, and support, while I was writing about my life and testimonies.
Special thanks, to Gale R. Cox for her statement on the back cover and supporting me with her prayers, friendship, and faith in this book, as a vessel to touch others of how Jesus cares for them.
Special thanks to Alissa G. Yeargin, with whom I found friendship through a scheduled medical appointment, for writing the foreword and for her encouraging words that the manuscript must be printed as a source of encouragement for others.
Special thanks to Jessica Marie Davis, my granddaughter who, while working in Hawaii, sent me the front cover photograph, not knowing I was searching for the perfect photo. But God knew.
FOREWORD
In your hand, you are holding a life-changing book. I know from personal experience. I vividly remember sitting down to read this book one Sunday evening in the spring. Cuddled up in my living room chair, I read page after page, never wanting the story to end. Little did I know that “A Reflection of How Jesus Cares” would take me on a journey even closer to my true self as a child of Christ.
I first met the author, Judy Wilbanks, at my office in Greenville, SC. She came to me for medical help. From the moment we met, it was obvious that God had put us in one another’s path for a reason. Prior to practicing in healthcare, I majored in English and almost became an editor. Once Judy heard this, she asked me to edit her book and I was thrilled to do so. While my intentions started with editing, I quickly became enthralled with Judy’s life story and abundance of personal testimonies.
With her servant’s heart and faithfulness, Judy offers an invitation to those seeking the Lord’s grace, healing, and guidance. In this captivating book, you are invited to walk along with Judy as she explores her past, finding hope amidst times of joy and sorrow and constant reminders of how Jesus cares for her and all of God’s children. In faith and hope, Alissa G. Yeargin, MSR, CCC-SLP
Master of Science in Rehabilitation, Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
INTRODUCTION
Casting all your cares on Him,
For He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Sometimes in difficult situations, we forget how much Jesus cares for us. It is easy to cast our cares upon Him because that comes naturally. But to realize that Jesus cares for us , is much harder to accept.
As you travel this journey with me, you will see that Jesus works in our lives, even in times we do not realize He is even there. All of this is because Jesus loves and cares for us.
While I was writing this book of my personal life and testimonies, I became even more aware of the truth and meaning of the scripture, 1 Peter 5:7, “ For He cares for you.” Each personal testimony reflected His care and love for me.
My prayer is that others may be encouraged and uplifted in their faith as they read, A Reflection of How Jesus Cares, a true story about family, abuse, heartbreak, trauma, faith, forgiveness, miracles, and deliverance.
Jesus can take what was meant for harm and turn it around for your good – to bring glory to His name!
Why?
Because Jesus cares for you!
PART ONE
A Reflection of How Jesus Cares
CHAPTER 1
A Child’s Faith
 
MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY – A Child’s Faith
Several childhood memories remain clear and vivid in my mind. One was attending Vacation Bible School, and another was inviting Jesus to play with my brother Benny, my cousin Linda, and me at age four, and Jesus letting me see Him.
My first remembrance of church is when my grandmother, Elizabeth Solesbee, took me to Vacation Bible School at Gowensville Baptist Church. There they taught me three things. One was “Jesus loves the little children.” They showed me a picture of Jesus sitting on a rock with children all around Him. The teachers taught me a Bible verse, John 3:16: “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life .” Also, they taught me a song, “Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” Everything was about Jesus’ love. I knew if He loved the little children, He had to love me because I was just a child. This became the foundation of my love for Jesus.
One day, after this awareness of Jesus’ love, my brother, cousin, and I were playing outside on top of a hill overlooking the mountains, which are some of God’s beautiful creations. I climbed into the back of a pickup truck and prayed up to Jesus: “Jesus, please come down and play with us.” I prayed and knew He would come to us because of what I had been taught.
As I prayed, Jesus descended far enough down for a child to see Him. If He would show Himself to a child, you know He is real.
That day I will never forget because He showed He loved me so much. Seeing Him as I did, I have no doubt He is real. He was alive then, and He is alive now. One day I will see Him again.
Over the years, that closeness has always been there. You must come to Jesus as a child (not a child in years but from a childlike heart) with the love a