Susie's Story

I welcome to the Salvation Army's words of life. Welcome back to words of life, were glad you're here.

I want to welcome Cheryl Gillam to the show so nice to be with you Bernie. Thank you. It's just becoming like a good worn shoes. Cheryl is still comfortable part of our family. We started a new series this week. Barefoot Cinderella's and for this 11 week series will be joined by Maj. Susie Erickson as she walks us through her new book, which just came out a few days ago. Very exciting in each of these episodes is he is joined by someone who's been through similar circumstances that she discusses in her chapters this week. She is joined by Col. Susan Buck… As I discussed Susie's incredible story that led her to the realization that she was born for a purpose. I don't want to give too much away because her producer has told us not to what's amazing about both of these women is there almost both 5 feet tall. If they stand on each other's shoulders with us untrue their short women but they're powerful for the kingdom's rights and Susie story is incredible. She and David have been here in Atlanta for a few years and they were here previously in a different what the Salvation Army calls appointment in different role for each of them so I'm excited to hear how their sharing what God has delivered them from and through their journey because it will encourage your listeners for sure, yeah, and you're not want to miss it because it's our prayer that her story is to remind you that you two were born for purpose doesn't make accident and he has an incredible plan for each of you as well. As we hear several people stories throughout the series. Please don't be afraid to share your own as we'd love to hear from you and possibly use your story on the show. Call 1-800-229-9965 and with your permission, we'd love to share your message on the air you will know your story can encourage someone else and I Maj. Susie Erickson with the Salvation Army and I am so excited today to have Col. Susan Buck… With me in the studio and today were talking about chapter 1 barefoot Cinderella's and the title is born for purpose and Col. is so good to have you with us today.

Thank you Susie it's a pleasure to be here. I have the privilege of working with you every day in ministry to women. And this story while it really is relevant for everyone. I think that it's really a story about women walking the journey of life together right and this first chapter talks about the story of my birth and the journey that my mother took and having her seventh baby.

It's a remarkable story.

My mother really went through quite a journey and she had had numerous health challenges throughout her pregnancy. She ended up having major operation, and in the recovery time. The hospital released her a little too soon and when she stood up to be discharged from the hospital. The incision busted. So here she ended up back in the hospital and she laid there for days before any further medical attention was given to her and she knew she was in trouble erratically and so when they brought in another team of experts and specialists for that in that day 1966 they rushed her back in emergency surgery and they gave her the strongest antibiotics that were available at that time. When she came through that the doctors told her on weave to like you will survive, but we don't believe the babies gonna serve on this and if the baby does.

There will be great health challenges.

So here my mom was.

She had six children at home and alcoholic husband, a son who was following in the footsteps of his father is an alcoholic and now she has this incredible worry and fear upon her of what is life can be like so you're in that place of you desperately want the child you're carrying, but you just know you can't handle any more stress and so many women in our society. They carry that type of burden.

They have this deep love for their family but they carry these deep heavy burdens upon their shoulders right of you experience that as well. As a little girl I was. I was one of the firstborn. I say I was 1.5 M because I have a twin sister and Cindy and I are the oldest. My parents were Salvation Army officers, hard-working court officers always. They had three other girls in close succession. Knowing and seeing how hard my parents were my mother could do absolutely anything. She was phenomenal. And if you knew her, you would see she was a saint. She had a lot on her shoulders five little girls five mouthy little girls to take care of and to try to integrate into a family ministry and it wasn't easy. I had sister number four had severe health issues with her lungs and she still does.

The Lord spared her life over and over again, but even during those days of our childhood we knew with illnesses among the sisters. My baby sister had scarlet fever. All those things weighed very heavily on my mom went the bulk of responsibility for the household as well as her full-time ministry right now. Well my mother on went throughout this pregnancy, not knowing that the child within her wasn't going to cause even greater burden right on this household. That really was already in a crisis situation and so the last month of her pregnancy. The baby stopped moving. Just she felt nothing against all odds, a healthy baby girl took her first breaths. Not by a father's will, but by God's will. I'd heard that story of my birth over and over my entire life growing up every year on my birthday. My mother told the story about that month before she stopped feeling any movement in her womb, but do you know it did not really register in my mind until my 50th birthday that I wasn't supposed to be here while and it was at that moment that I came to realize that I was born for purpose that God had placed me on this earth for purpose and I truly believe that about every baby that is born and not you have quite a unique story about your birth as well. Right. Well of course this was way, way back in 1958 with my my mom and discovered she was pregnant and it was a normal pregnancy. Everything was going well, but she was feeling kicks and nudges all over her abdomen, and as the months went by, she would go to her. Her checkups with her doctor in despair and wondering if she was having a monster. In fact she told her doctor that she thought she was having a monster because this baby could not possibly have as many appendages as she was feeling so the doctor in order to you know help her feel better. Took an x-ray went to they didn't know was that somehow my moms x-ray got mixed up with another other expectant mothers. And when the x-ray came back. The doctor called my mom and said Alberta.

You just need to know you are only having one baby so that was a weird thing for the rest of my moms pregnancy with her first baby, feeling all of these strange things and and thinking within herself that something was not right and the day her water broke hook.

My dad likes to tell the story that he ran down the stairs and picked up the phone and called my mom's doctor and and said Alberta's water broke. I'm bringing her to the hospital right now and the doctor said. Will John be sure you tell her that she's having twins out. We found her x-ray she's having twins so my dad says he ran back up the stairs said to my mom Brenda were having twins and ran back down the stairs and caught the phone in midair that that was the urban legend in our in our family was the weird thing about that is, of course, my parents wanted a boy firstborn boy and his name would be John Robert after my father. But the thought of having a girl they couldn't decide on on a name for the girl and my mom wanted Cindy and my dad wanted Susan and they just could not decide to so when they had two girls. Mom got her wish to get his wish and that's how it worked out. It was great well who can even know the plans and purpose God has for her child tonight when they are conceived and so many children are conceived in circumstances that just really aren't ideal. Yeah, some of them are born on two mothers that weren't expecting a child at all but yet God has a plan and a purpose for that child tonight, but you can sometimes think that your life doesn't matter and that you're not seen, and that you're not heard, and what I would want women and children and men to know is that the circumstances of your life may say you were unplanned and unwanted and unloved, but nothing is farther from the truth. God had holy plans for you. When he spoke you into existence right birth is a miracle.

Yeah, and children are a gift from God and God's got a plan for all of us yes and he does know, and it's it's our responsibility to listen to his voice to to find the path he's chosen for us. And he doesn't hide it from us. Does the know he doesn't tease us in that way.

So if there was a mom out there right now is expecting in she's received heartbreaking news to say to her home. What can you say other than trust.

Trust the one who knows who trust the one who made you trust the one who loves you unconditionally and his plan for your life. Includes this precious life you're bringing into the world.

His plan encompasses all of it to yes so embraces plan trust him. He loves you.

He knows you and God has a holy plan for that they be right, just as he has free yeah the Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs to become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and love to hear from you.

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