forEvEr chanGEd

Four words changed our lives forever. That is not hyperbole. It is the truth. We were expecting our second child. Our first, Kylie, was a month shy of her third birthday. Life was normal and filled with happiness and hope.

January 7, 2004, proved to be a challenge to that ‘normal.’ Our lives came to a screeching stop that day. Happiness and hope immediately vanished.

Can you imagine four words so powerful they bring everything to a standstill? Can you imagine four words so devastating? From the doctor came those four words, “Your baby has anencephaly.”

In all honesty, we did not understand in that moment what “anencephaly” meant. The doctor’s explanation made those four words so powerful, “This has a 99.9% fatality rate.”

It is every parent’s worst nightmare. The child in Frances’ womb, our child, was going to die. The source of so much happiness and hope in our lives would not live.

The pain today is as real as it was on the day we received the news—our baby would not be able to sustain life. But the fact that we are writing this article today is a testimony to God’s grace and faithfulness to us. Undoubtedly, God has used this heartbreak to teach us lessons about living by faith. The Testing of Your Faith Proves the Genuineness of Your Faith

We are often tempted to say, “If only we had faith....” The Bible is very clear the reason God tests His people is to prove their faith is real (1 Peter 4:12-19). This is the very nature of a test, isn’t it?

Why do products have quality tests applied to them? To prove the product measures up to the manufacturer’s claims. Your test is not to prove you have no faith or even some faith. God is proving the genuineness of your faith!

Every decision about the baby confronted our faith. But every decision was informed by our faith. This does not mean the decisions were easy. The struggle was real, especially in light of our doctor’s recommendation to end the pregnancy. The Testing of Your Faith Is for Your Good

Everything we believed was tested. We believe in the sovereignty of God, His providence, His love, grace, and mercy. We believe in the sanctity of life. Yes, our beliefs were tested. Yet today, we can honestly say those tests strengthened our faith.

The Bible often speaks of the testing of faith as a precious metal being refined (Psalm 66:10). This was certainly true for us. We had faith, but our faith, like precious metal, needed to be refined.

The struggle of difficult decisions was a part of that refining. It is okay to struggle with such decisions. Not until this moment had we ever thought of ending a pregnancy. In reality, faith and a medical opinion collided. Ultimately, faith won. The Testing of Your Faith Is for Others

The world is filled with trouble and is looking for answers. There is no greater witness to others than how we handle the testing of our faith.

Take great confidence in the truth that God will not test you above what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). No matter how deep the pain, handle the testing of your faith with great care. Depend upon the Lord to carry you through. This is a testimony the world needs to see! Prepare for the Testing of Your Faith

The previous paragraphs focus on why we are tested. It is also necessary to remember we should be prepared for the test. One thing we learned during this particular time was the importance of God’s Word in our lives. Like a tree that digs its roots deep, we should dig deeper into God’s Word (Psalm 1). God’s Word is our source for the promises that will carry us through. God’s Word is a sure foundation for our faith. About the Writer: Paul and Frances Etterling have three children, Kylie, David (now at home with Jesus), and Joel. They live in Westerville, Ohio, where they are active in ministry at Westerville Free Will Baptist Church. Paul has written about their experience with the death of their son in “Genuine Faith and The Test of Love.” The book can be purchased on-line: https://amzn.to/3uipaMG .

WVISION by Phyllis York

Isn’t it amazing to watch fruit trees bud and flower in the spring, with tiny fruits slowly replacing the blossoms? God is truly a marvelous designer.

An amazing phenomenon happens if a fruit tree doesn’t receive proper care and maintenance. Unpruned fruit trees (and, sometimes, even pruned trees) will set more fruit than the tree can support. While “too much fruit” sounds like a good thing, it can lead to major problems. In some trees, individual fruits do not receive enough water. As a result, the fruit is small, hard, or bitter.

More commonly, the excessive fruit grows so large and heavy that branches begin to break. In extreme cases, the branches grow so heavy that the trunk itself splits, damaging the tree beyond repair.

Fruit cannot be produced without the tree. And that’s why it is so important to take care of the tree that bears the fruit.

For 87 years, WNAC has been “bearing fruit” as one of the most effective supporters of Free Will Baptist missions work. In the last decade alone, the ministry has given over $2 million to home and international missions. And this does not include the hundreds of thousands of dollars given to the Steward Provision Closet, children’s homes, college scholarships, and local missions projects. To the glory of God, WNAC has produced excessive fruit.

But we need to take care of the tree.

While Free Will Baptist women always have been faithful in giving to missions, special projects, and the Steward Provision Closet, we have not given enough attention to the WNAC office itself—the tree bearing the bountiful fruit.

As a result, the WNAC office is currently understaffed and underfunded. The budget has already been pruned to the breaking point. If something doesn’t change soon, the office could experience lasting damage. Continued on page 38

P. O. Box 5002 Antioch, TN 37011-5002 www.wnac.org 877-767-7662

Continued from page 37

To meet financial needs, the WNAC Board has established the WNAC Giving Tree, a fundraising campaign designed to increase annual income to the office by $35,000, relieving financial pressure and making future growth possible. You can join the Giving Tree by partnering with WNAC in one of the following categories of monthly giving:

White leaf : $10 per month Bronze leaf : $25 per month Silver leaf : $50 per month Gold leaf : $100 per month

How many monthly givers will it take to meet the $35,000 per year goal? 30 individuals, groups, or churches to give $10 per month 25 individuals, groups, or churches to give $25 per month 20 individuals, groups, or churches to give $50 per month 10 individuals, groups, or churches to give $100 per month

WNAC Board member and CPA Jonda Patton (KY) encourages Free Will Baptists to join this exciting campaign: "Through the Giving Tree, we are laying the financial roots for Free Will Baptist women's ministries to branch out and grow even more. Working together in Christ, we can continue to bear much fruit. Will you help us?"

About the Writer: Phyllis York has been the administrative assistant for WNAC for the past 11 years, and is now serving as Interim Director. She and her husband, Tim, live in Smyrna, Tennessee, where he pastors The Grove Free Will Baptist Church.