I wasn't sure where to put this so I believe it is encouraging to some who are going through bad times. It proves God is with us even in those bad times and can use our experiences to show that God doesn't give us more than we can handle. He also shows us that what seems kind of dumb is something that can make us happy in His time. God can use anything to teach us something and give us relief.

Who would ever think, going over old tax receipts about 30 years back, could be a source of joy and accomplishment? It was just that to me.

I have moved about 35 times in my 72 years and changed jobs almost as often though a couple jobs were of longer duration. Looking back on my jumbled life, I had no conception of where I lived and worked at what time. There was no feeling of continuity in my life or connection to anything concrete. Almost I was just floating in space and nothing to hang on to.

God has been taking me on a strange journey back in time. I am getting re-acquainted with people who knew me back when. They tell me some GOOD things about me that I didn’t remember. In short I am taking a sentimental journey to keep the good memories and forget the distorted bad memories, which had been haunting me from time to time.

In this past year, the Holy Spirit has started me on the business of getting rid of excess baggage. I had been a saver of everything. Not one paper would I throw away. Just about every week now, I have been throwing away one of two garbage bags full of useless papers and other items. The good things I don’t need or want any more, I give away. I was also led to a church I had joined about 40 years ago but never attended. I did drop my 6 kids off for Sunday School. They never missed a Sunday. My oldest daughter said she still has her perfect attendance record and got an award for it. Sunday she just told me that she and her cousin were also in the choir!

The strange thing is the woman’s Sunday School lessons are from Max Lucado’s “Traveling Light”. It definitely fits in with what God is doing in my life on a grand scale. It is a great joy to know God is taking me on this enlightening route to rid me of all excess baggage. Then I will be free!!!

The one thing I had saved was my income tax receipts from 1970 when my husband and I got divorced. I asked someone how long to hang on to these receipts. They didn’t save any of them. While going through them and tearing them up, I discovered that is what is giving me my identity back. Each copy had my address on and all the places I had worked and what year. The exact date, I don’t know but that doesn’t matter. I did learn I lived at Homeland Park in North Carolina and worked at a restaurant as a short order cook until I got fired in 1970.

My husband was arrested for drunken driving. He had to go to court to see if he would have to go to jail. He talked as though he might not even go. It was too early that morning for me to report off but I knew I had to go to court with him to make sure he went. I was fired, not because I didn’t report off (my boss wouldn’t admit that) but because I was a Yankee. She hated Yankees so that was a good excuse to fire me. She had to hire me or I could have reported her for discrimination.

My husband was relieved that he didn’t have to go to jail. First thing he said was “I’m going out and celebrate.” My reply was “Not with me you don’t.”

That proved to be the lowest point in my life and the highest. I left my alcoholic husband. I rented a room for $20 a week at a local motel. I felt as though my life was over; I was going to die. I was too proud to call my family for help and go back to Pennsylvania. I then remembered a couple who tried to get us to go to Church with them. I called and asked them to pick me and my meager belongings and take me to the motel.

They first took me out to dinner then to their house. They talked to me about Jesus. I knew the name but he wasn’t personal to me. He didn’t care! I went to church with them the next day. At the altar call, I ran up to the altar crying bitter tears. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I went from rock bottom to the ROCK.

I had lived in a trailer near a little store. I got groceries on credit for I had no money to pay cash. My husband took most of it for his beer. I didn’t know where the thought came from but I told the owner that as soon as I got a job, I would pay her. She wasn’t worried. Then she told me that an 80 yr. old woman who lived up on the hill, just lost her husband. She was afraid to live by herself. Maybe I could go up and stay with her. All I would have to do was drive her wherever she had to go. This was Wednesday. Friday I moved in just as my next week’s rent was due. God is never late; always on time. Praise the Lord.

She was more miserable to live with than my husband. No details. I stayed in my room most of the time except when she called me for a meal or I had to drive her somewhere. She gave me a beat up old Gideon Bible. I never had one before. I lived in that book and got to know it pretty well.

I went to Church with the folks who led me to Christ every Sunday. They invited me over for lunch after Church. My lady didn’t like that. Although she had said I could come and go as I pleased and even get a job if I wanted to. She really wanted me there all the time. She didn’t even want me to work as I found out later. She began going to church then had me drive her to places to eat just so I couldn’t spend time with my friends. I felt like I was almost in prison. I had no right to complain. She did give me a roof over my head and plenty to eat. She even bought me some clothes.

Looking over the newspaper one day, I saw they needed floor help at the factory I worked at before. Nine months I didn’t have a job! But that time was spent in learning about God. It was my time of new birth! I called and they had me come for an interview. The factory was right next door to where I lived. He wanted to know why I didn’t come back when he called me before. It was news to me. I wasn’t told.

God had His reasons why but I didn’t know it then. The old job was just standing in one place and snipping pant legs for the whole day. In the new job, I moved from one sewing machine operator to another to give them different parts to sew together. You have to know when I worked there before that I was very backward and never talked to any one. After my conversion I was telling everyone about Jesus. I got the opportunity to talk to many people in my new job!

My one favorite was a little Muslim lady. She asked me if I was in love. Yes, with Jesus. She could see him in my face. We became friends. She was there for me when my husband tried to give me trouble. I pray that some day along the way, she would remember me and meet Jesus, too. I may never know. And miracles of all miracles, just before I moved back to Pennsylvania, I went to say goodbye to the woman who gave me shelter. (I moved out of her place for a while) She had gotten saved and was telling every one about Jesus! God blessed her for blessing me when I needed help.

From these tax receipts, I am shown each place I lived and what year. I am saving one receipt from each address to put in my memoirs for my children along with this writing. They will know where I have been. I left them when they were young. God gave them back to me. They will understand better all my turmoil and how God has brought me through the rough wilderness to my place of rest and unscathed (unharmed). Nothing is too tough for God. He will see you through your valleys of despair if you will only trust Him. He loves you. Trials of all kinds bring you closer to Him.

Amazing that tax receipts could give my life back to me!!! I don't feel disconnected any more. God bless you