May 3, 2020
“I HOPE MY OTHER MOMMY TAKES ME TO CHURCH…”
When asked to write about an inspirational woman, I had a difficult time narrowing it down. Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other women who have supported her.
In 2011 I was mentally preparing myself to be a divorced woman. Jason and I had been going to marriage counseling. Finally, after months the marriage counselor closed her book and said: “Well, unfortunately, I don’t see how this marriage could possibly ever work.”
We talked to the girls, and our sweet Breanna made the comment that changed the course of the Shillingburg household. She said, “I hope my other mommy takes me to church like Mam-Maw Johnson.” The following Sunday we walked into Living Hope Church, we had attended numerous times but this time was different. I could not tell you what the service was on, but following the service there was a program called Recipe for Marriage. After class Tom and Karen pulled us aside and just spent some time talking to us.
I would like to say I was this lovely person, but I was not. I was bitter, I was angry, I was irritated, I was over it. But Karen loved me right where I was, she met with me regularly and spoke the truth in difficult circumstances. She never made me feel like I was wrong for feeling the way I did, but just showed me how biblically wrong I was.
Through the years I have watched how Mrs. Karen has taken every adversity she experienced and still stayed the course of what God called her to do. She never flinches when she’s in the trenches with messy marriages. Karen has overcome so much in her life and continues to be an inspiration to my daughters and me. One of the most inspiring things Mrs. Karen ever said to me was the night of her stroke, she was at peace just knowing who her savior was. She continues to remind me who I am in Christ, who Christ has called me to be, and how no matter what, know where you’re going when your time on earth is up.
I thank God for her willing heart to save my messy marriage. Without her willing heart, and my mom’s dedication to taking the girls to church, I would not be writing this devotion for you today. Numerous Bible verses come to mind when I think of Mrs. Karen. Pretty much anything in Proverbs and Titus has great examples also; but Colossians 3:23 says whatever you do accomplish it from your soul, as to the Lord, and not to the people. You cannot do what Mrs. Karen does without passion from the soul. She doesn’t do it for people; she does it because she is on a mission from God, and it’s her soul’s work to save and inspire young women and marriages.
Standing Together
Maggie Shillingburg