91 ~ Mother's Day Surprise

By Kay Heitsch

It was the day before Mother's Day a few years ago. I was sitting in my usual spot, spending alone time with the Lord. I looked up and noticed the little Mother's Day statue Todd had given me many years before. I had it on a shelf, along with other memories of days gone by. It was hard to believe it had been so many years since Todd had died in a car accident. It seemed like yesterday.

As I sat in my chair, lost in my memories, I thought, "It would sure be nice to receive something again from Todd on Mother's Day, Lord." I knew it was far-fetched to desire something like this, but I wasn't going to tell anyone, and I even thought, "This is between You and me, Lord."

I got up and went about my daily activities. I was out mowing when the thought came to me again. I smiled, wondering if I might be surprised.

Later that night, my husband, Bill, came in from being gone for a few days. He walked in with a rose. He handed it to me and said it was from Todd!

I was overwhelmed! Since Todd had died, no one had ever given me anything and said it was from Todd. I knew the Lord had heard and answered the "desires and secret petitions of my heart."

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Psalm 37:4

90 ~ A Wink From God

By Kay Heitsch 

Since it was getting close to Memorial Day, I wanted to get the flowers planted at home and at the cemetery. I knew I had bitten off more than I could chew, but I started with enthusiasm. But my spirit was in low gear after I had finished planting the last flowers at the cemetery. 

Hot and exhausted, I gathered the sprinkling cans and started over to the water faucet. I was about halfway there when I noticed a sign hanging on the handle. As I got closer, I read, "Water available at the north end of the cemetery. Sorry for the inconvenience." I have no sense of direction, but it was clear; I wasn't at the "north end" of the cemetery.

 

With a super pail in one hand and a sprinkling can in the other, I headed for my car. As I walked, I started to whine to the Lord about my situation. In jest, I said, "Boy, it would sure be nice, Lord, if someone would show up with some water." 

As I was about to put the pail and sprinkling can in the car, a van drove up. A man got out with two sprinkling cans full of water and a big smile. He looked at me and said, "Here I am at your service!" I stood there speechless.

Since I wasn't responding, the man said cheerfully, "Well, where do you want me to put this water?" With tears in my eyes, I choked out the words, "Over here on my son Todd's grave would be wonderful. Thank you." 

Over the years, I have heard that when these things happen, they are "Winks from God." I certainly felt God had given me a wink and a smile that day.

Another reason to praise Him! He cares about our every need.

She Surrendered to God Part 4

By Kay Heitsch

She Surrendered to God. Part 4

One Saturday before Christmas, I sat near the front of the church, taking photos of Ricky and Danyelle as each performed a piano solo in the annual children's program. Later, I gave each a photo album. The albums soon filled with photos marking various achievements and memories we made together.

In February 1990 (just so happened it was Feb. 6th), I received a call telling me that Ricky and Danyelle had not been in school for several days. I later learned that their mother had suddenly moved away with them. As the days and weeks passed, I was not sure I would ever see or hear from them again.

At first, I did not "wait on the Lord." I tried to take matters into my own hands, with no positive results. Finally, I turned the situation over to the Lord. Kneeling, I thanked God for the time I had been given with Ricky and Danyelle and prayed that, if it be His will, the children would return. But if they did not return, I would accept it as His will.

Eight long months passed!

Finally, I received a phone call from their mother. She began by apologizing for not sending the letters the kids had written to me. But there was more to her call than just an apology. She asked if Ricky and Danyelle could stay with us for an extended time.

That night over dinner, I told our family about the call: "Ricky and Danyelle need a place to live. How would you feel about them moving in with us? Without hesitation, they all applauded the idea.

That is how, on October 18, 1990, one day after we became foster parents, Ricky and Danyelle moved into our four-bedroom house. With them came their two teenage sisters, Tina and Nikki.

Incidentally, Nikki was pregnant. Two weeks later, I was able to be in the labor room with Nikki when she gave birth to a baby boy. We now have a total of 5 foster children.

For the next month, our household was hectic with seven children. While washing 12 loads of laundry a day, I found myself jokingly asking the Lord if perhaps He had made a mistake. But deep down, I knew there was no mistake because of the inner peace I had.

Later, the older girls and the baby were taken in with some relatives.

Then another foster child, Brock, came to spend the night and stayed for six months.

All in all, we have opened our home and hearts to nine children. Each child who has walked through our door has given our family and me the opportunity to express Christ's love.

One May, we loaded our two kids and three foster children into our family van and headed north to Michigan, where Todd is buried. I fought back tears as I watched the kids lovingly plant flowers around Todd's headstone. I was sure Todd would be pleased.

By surrendering myself to God, I have managed to turn a terrible loss into a terrific gain, a tragedy into a triumph.

88 ~ She Surrendered to God Part 3

 88 ~ Why I Praise Him! By Kay Heitsch

She Surrendered to God Part 3

My desire to move forward in a positive way after Todd's death led me to answer an ad in our local newspaper that was placed by a group called the T4C (Tuscarawas County Council for Church and Community). T4C, a non-profit, ecumenical agency, was looking for "positive" people to serve as boosters in its youth program.

A T4C "youth booster" assists children ages 8-12 who, for various reasons, need a positive role model in their lives. I answered the ad just one month after Todd died. Even though my husband Bill and I have two other children, Shannon and Brandon, I signed up.

At first, I didn't realize what a positive effect it would have on all of our lives. But I gradually became aware that by reading out to help others, I was also helping myself. And taking that step immediately after Todd's death was one of the smartest things I had ever done.

Our first booster child was a cute nine-year-old boy named Ricky. Tall and thin, he had blond curly hair and sad bown eyes. When I met him, he seemed quiet and shy. His mother said he liked to lie on his bed and listen to music. He didn't like to try new things.

Sensing that he was insecure and afraid of failing, I talked quietly with him on Saturday, when he was spending the day at our house.

"Ricky, I said, "in order to succeed, you have to fail. Failure teaches you how to grow and to succeed. Everyone fails. It's normal." Ricky just stared.

To alleviate stress, I began running. I asked Ricky to join me. At first, he was hesitant. "Come on, you have long legs, you'll make a great runner." I offered him a pair of my running shoes. They fit perfectly.

Minutes later, Ricky and I were running down the street together. It wasn't long before I was working hard to keep up with him. From then on, Ricky and I ran together on Saturday.

A few weeks later, Ricky and I agreed to enter a race in a nearby town. Ricky was one of 40 boys and girls who competed in the age nice-and-under category. In the first race of his life, Ricky finished first! He was ecstatic, eyes dancing, grinning from ear to ear. A miraculous change had come over this shy boy as he began to realize his own potential.

I encouraged Ricky to try other things. I suggested tennis lessons. Not long afterward, he came over with several prizes he had won at tennis.

When Ricky's sister, Danyelle, turned eight, I became her booster, too. One day, the two kids were at the piano, playing with the keys. I asked, "Would you like to take piano lessons?" To my delight, they both replied, "Yes!"

All summer, Ricky and Danyelle came over to our house to play and practice the piano. Our family began taking the two kids on our family outings and vacations.

To be continued...

87 ~ She Surrended To God Part 2

By Kay Heitsch

Since Todd's death in February 1988, God has given me many opportunities to exercise my faith in Him. As I continue to practice positive thinking, I show the Lord to others in a positive way by distributing Dr. Pealse's book and booklet. I regularly give them to friends and relatives, to my children's teachers, to kids going off to college, to residents in nursing homes, to inmates in the county jail, and I leave copies in waiting rooms throughout the community.

I carry booklets with me at all times, in my purse. Whenever I meet someone I feel will benefit from reading a booklet, I hand them one. Many times, people will say, "How did you know? This booklet is just what I needed."

When "In Loving Memory of Todd" was published in PLUS, I ordered 1000 copies to hand out. Almost every time I gave people copies, they asked for more so they could pass them along to others they knew who would benefit from reading the story.

What appeared to be the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me, Todd's death, has been turned into an outreach to others, sharing the positive power of Jesus Christ.

I have been able to speak publicly about my experience. At first, I was hesitant. Even though many positive things have happened as a result of Todd's death, the pain of my loss is still fresh. It is still difficult for me to speak of Todd without choking on the tears his memory sometimes brings. I knew I did not have the strength, on my own, to speak publicly about Todd. But I never said no. I left the door open for the right time.

Because Dr. Peale says that the Bible is a positive book, I decided to find out for myself. Over the past two years, I have spent every spare minute studying the Bible. I found some colored pencils the kids had around the house and started to highlight all the words that I felt spoke to me.

The more I read, the more I began to trust in the Lord. I began to see that He was not asking me to do anything that He would not give me the ability to do.

It was clear that God had a plan for my life in relationship with Him. As my eyes were opened, I felt confident that God had begun a good work in me and He would continue it. Once my focus shifted from my inability to His ability to work through me, I agreed to speak publicly and have shared my testimony many times.

To be continued...

86 ~ She Surrended To God Part 1

By Kay Heitsch

I'm going to start sharing "She Surrended To God," the second letter I was asked to write Dr. Peale. I'll share it in parts since it's long.

After the first letter, In Loving Memory of Todd" was published, Dr. Peale's staff called me quite often. They always wanted to know what was going on.

When Ric, the editor of Plus, called and asked me to write another letter, I told him that if it was the Lord's will, it would be, but I was swamped. I reminded him that I was not a professional writer.

We now had foster children who had moved in. They came in with scabies and pink eye. All were highly contagious. I washed sheets, towels, and clothes, and put cream on and eye drops in the kids ' eyes every day. I was also spraying RID on the furniture and van seats, on top of cleaning and cooking. Plus, we were planning to drive to Michigan and tend to Todd's grave on the weekend.

Ric was insistent and asked me to send my letter to Dr. Peale on Thursday.

I set up a typewriter in the bedroom on a card table, and when I had a spare second, I would come in and type a few lines of things I could remember that had gone on since "In Loving Memory of Todd" had been published.

It certainly must have been God's will because I did write my second letter to Dr. Peale and sent it off to the Peale Center on Thursday at Ric's request.

I will be writing this letter as I wrote it. When this letter was published, they changed it to the third person because of giving me the Norman V. Peale Award. I had never heard of it before I received it.

Three people receive the award each year. The year I received it, Angel Wallenda and General Colin Powell did, too.

She Surrendered To God By Kay Heitsch

Dear Dr. Peale,

It has been more than a year since the letter I wrote to you was published in Plus, titled "In Loving Memory of Todd."

What a year it has been! As a result of the article, I have received many phone calls and letters from people all over the United States. To say these calls and letters have been uplifting to my life would be an understatement.

One such letter came after the July/August 1990 Plus article was reprinted in our hometown newspaper in Dover, Ohio. As you know, the article told how I discovered your writing, how I shared them with my teenage son, Todd: how I drew upon them for strength and comfort, when Todd was killed in a car accident; and how I had begun using them to reach out and minister to Todd's friends.

The letter came from a young woman who had been a high school classmate of Todd's. She wrote that when she heard that Todd had been in a car accident, she prayed that "the Lord would do what was right for His kingdom. She felt the right thing would be that Todd would live.

Later, when the young woman learned that Todd had died, she was devastated. She could not understand why God had allowed Todd to die. Because of this, she almost lost faith in God.

Then, in the newspaper, she read the headline, Dover Mother Finds Triumph Through Tragedy." As she read the article, Todd's young friend realized that the Lord had answered her prayer.

Her letter made me do a great deal of thinking. How often have I allowed my faith to be shaken when I did not see the immediate answers to my prayers? I have learned to trust God more, remembering that He will do what is best for His kingdom.

85 ~ Little Country Church

By Kay Heitsch

I met many people when I shared my testimony at these county meetings. I didn't have to drive, which was great since I have no sense of direction. However, people were now calling from these meetings, asking me to share with their church or group.

This was way before GPS. Bill said he knew this must be God because I would agree to go even though I had no idea where I was going.

A sweet lady called, inviting me to share at her church. I wrote down the directions, but I found myself lost a few times. However, whenever I stopped, someone was always there to guide me.

I was starting to feel uneasy as I turned down one dirt road after another. I was out in the middle of nowhere.

Finally, I could see a little white-framed church sitting on a hill. I felt relieved as I pulled into the gravel parking lot. I whispered a little prayer of thanks and walked to a door that I noticed was open.

The ladies were preparing a potluck in the basement before the service. I could smell the delicious homemade food as I walked in. I noticed the men were taking off their farm boots and leaving them at the door as they came in to eat. I had to smile as this was something I had not seen before.

Everyone was friendly. Two little girls in cotton dresses approached me and asked, "Are you the speaker?" I smiled and told them I was. It was cute to see how excited they were.

This was an experience I will never forget. The love I felt from these people was amazing. The following Bible verse came to my mind. "By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another." John 13:35

I've worshiped and shared my testimony in churches of all sizes and denominations, across various musical styles. One thing I know is that it's not the denomination, size of the building, or the music. It's the love of the people who worship there that brings a smile to God's face.

I praise God for showing me what is important. It's all about the love. I also praise God for helping me to start out not knowing where I was going.

"Write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done, so that people not yet born will praise Him." Psalm 102:18