A DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT by Betty Miller
After watching our “Awe” message series this past month, Betty Miller was inspired to share her own story of an awesome God.
I was born in a very small town on the Kansas prairie the youngest of four children. In some ways it was a hard life. My dad passed away when I was eight and we were very poor as my mom struggled to support us. After a few years, she remarried and we moved to another small town, this time outside of Enid, Oklahoma. That is where I met my husband Al.
Although we lived in the same small town and knew of each other, at least I knew of him, we didn’t know each other because he was five years older than I was. It wasn’t until after he had joined the Air Force and had come home on leave that we really met.
We began to exchange letters back and forth, he was stationed in Hawaii, and eventually he proposed, by letter, and I said "Yes!" It was all planned, he was going to come home to Oklahoma and we would get married, but then his leave was cancelled.
If we were going to get married, it was going to have to be in Hawaii. The thought of going to Hawaii by myself was overwhelming. I had never been on an airplane before. For that matter, I had never really traveled. I had grown up in the country. Enid, was the largest place I had ever lived and, in retrospect, it wasn’t all that big. I thought, “I can’t do this.”
But I quit my job and bought a ticket to Hawaii. The trip was going to require three plane changes. When I got to LAX, I thought I was going to die, I had never seen anything so big. I was so scared. I started to doubt myself. Maybe I made a big mistake. But I finally made it. We were soon married in the Hickham AFB chapel by the base chaplain. I look back on that now and I can say, “AWESOME GOD” who protected me.
Nine months later, Al received orders for Dover, Delaware. When we arrived there we found out that base housing was full with a long waiting list. We would have to find a place off base, but we had no money. What were we going to do? Then. I received a phone call. My paternal grandmother, who I had only met once, had passed away and left me $800. It was a literal God-send. With that money we were able to make a down payment on a brand new 10X50 mobile home in a mobile home park just outside of the base where 95 percent of the residents were stationed at Dover. I look back at that now and can say, “AWESOME GOD!” He had provided for us.
Two or three years went by and our daughter Terri was born. What a blessing. What an AWESOME GOD!
But then, when Terri was three, Al was sent to Danang, Viet Nam. Al said the missiles would come in and he would run and try to find a good cover, but there wasn't any. I was scared and alone and again I said “I can’t do this, Lord, I can’t” I look back now and realize I was never alone. God was and is always with me. AWESOME GOD!
After a year Al's tour in Viet Nam was over and he was sent to McClellan AFB. We packed up and crossed the US. He had been in California before and was happy to be going back. I was too. And that is how we got to Sacramento and eventually PGCC. What an AWESOME GOD!
In 2012, I was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma, yet here I am today. The doctors are surprised how well I have responded to treatment. AWESOME GOD! I am protected. I am provided for. I have my husband. I have my daughter. I am blessed. God is with me!
We are grateful to Betty for sharing her story. We all have a story to share of God’s work in our lives. Would you be willing to share yours? You can write it, or we will help you write it, or we can interview you and film you sharing your story. Your story can bless someone else’s life.
