Our most recent guest on the Ask About My Faith podcast, Jen Becker, is a mom, wife, and leader at Teen Challenge. Join us as she shares stories that remind us about God’s goodness and His perfect ways.
The Story That Started it All
Growing up, Jen lived in a divided household. Her mother was a devout Christian, her father was an alcoholic bent against religion, and both her grandmothers followed Jesus in two very different expressions. Even though religion and church was all around her, Jen struggled to find the one true God in the midst of it.
As life went on, Jen married her high school sweetheart, and at 19, she had her first child. Five years into marriage, divorce was on the table. The only positive in her life at that time was that her dad was entering into sobriety.
While discussing the possibility of divorce with her dad, they both began to talk about church due to a flier that was sent to them in the mail. The church was promoting a Sunday service where they were planning to speak on the topic of marriage. Jen decided it would be wise for her kids to be introduced to God. To her surprise, her dad offered to accompany her at the service.
“I’ve tried everything else and I’m just going to see what happens.”
At that church service in 2008, Jen gave her life to the Lord. The most profound miracle of all was her dad’s resulting tenderness, surrender to Jesus, and the restoration of his marriage. Jen began a journey of restoration as well, with God’s perfect timing.
Are you waiting for God’s perfect timing? We have some resources on how you can trust God in the waiting. See our article: How to Trust God When Life Isn’t Going Well
God’s Timing, Generosity, and Genuine Love
“God is building a family and He wants you in it!”
After Jen gave her life to the Lord, she was eager to tell anybody and everybody about the saving power of Jesus. While teaching at a beauty school, Jen had a student who usually attended class late, was generally disheveled upon arrival, and ran with the wrong crowd. Jen knew this student had a story of deep pain and trauma and slowly began to ask her more about her life. Throughout the process, Jen shared the same words that she heard from the pastor who brought her to the Lord. She would tell this student “God is building a family and He wants you in it!”
When this student turned 19, Jen gave her birthday gifts and a birthday cake. When Jen showed her gifts, her student physically fell to the floor and told Jen, “I’ve never had a birthday cake in my life!”
Jen’s generosity, selfless love, and humility led to deeper faith conversations with this student. The perfect timing of the Lord changed everything in this student’s life.
Before Jen was a teacher at beauty school, she worked in salons. During this season before she met the Lord, Jen encountered a customer who said to her, “I see that you’re pregnant and not wearing a wedding ring. You know you’re going to hell, right?”
Jen was taken aback and hurt by her words, but knew that her work day would not come to a pause. After the rude customer left the store, Jen’s next client, Lin, swooped in with the truth that only God could offer. Lin confidently told Jen, “I want you to know that the God I know has a plan and purpose for your life and your baby’s life!”
Thankfully, Lin wouldn’t stop with there! She would begin to pursue Jen by visiting the salon weekly with diapers, baby clothes, and scheduling haircuts for her boys even when their hair didn’t need a cut. She would tip Jen extravagantly and always offer encouraging words. Lin’s persistent love and care lasted for years and pulled Jen towards the path of Jesus.
Generosity, genuine love, and God’s perfect timing spread seeds of the gospel and point those we love toward God.
A Lifestyle of Being Like Jesus
Jen shared a story that casts a powerful vision for yielding to the ways of Jesus. While driving home one afternoon, Jen witnessed a head-on car collision and was the first person at the scene. The woman in the car nearest her passed away immediately upon impact.
Jen then ran down to the other car involved. She helped the 19-year-old driver, who kept on repeating, “My life is over, my life is over!” Jen came to find out that the young man was driving high and had a stash of drugs in the car. Despite the tension, Jen began to speak life-giving words to the man. Jen stayed in touch with him throughout his sentencing and time in prison. A few years into his sentence, Jen received an email where the young man explained that he was following the Lord, was currently in treatment, and how the family of the woman he hit had even visited him in prison.
God is Enough
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. - 2 Peter 1:3
As we finished our conversation with Jen, she reminded us of these simple truths:
1) No matter what we’re going through, God will give us all we need to do the work He’s calling us to.
2) God’s divine timing is orchestrated perfectly and we need only follow, listen, and do what He says!
Remember, God truly is enough and His perfect timing empowers us to boldly share our faith. Wherever God is calling you today, remember to stay present, step out in faith, and follow where He leads.
Related Post: What is God’s Will for My Life?
