Unexpected Transformation

At 50 years old, Mary wasn’t looking for a challenge. She felt relatively comfortable in the life that she had created for herself. But a message from Pastor Rick and a spontaneous birthday wish set her up for transformation in a way she never saw coming.

As she approached her 50th birthday last year, Mary heard a sermon from Pastor Rick where he challenged the church to memorize scripture. She decided she wanted to dive in deeper to the Bible, to get to know God even more, and she was inspired to create an audacious goal for herself. She would memorize 55 verses by her 55th birthday.

Despite the brave plan, she discovered that memorizing scripture was not easy. Even though the verses were familiar, Mary was surprised at the difficulty of the process. But every morning, she’d open her day with prayer to God, asking him to help her achieve her dream. Originally her five-year plan was to memorize 55 verses by her 55th birthday, but as God answered her prayers, he empowered her to do so much more than she could ever have imagined. God blew Mary’s original goal out of the water — she memorized a staggering 200 verses by her 55th birthday!  

But the transformation didn’t stop at memorization. Mary has found that hiding God’s word in her heart enables her to partner with God as he restores and heals others. As she sits with friends and acquaintances were are struggling, she is able to offer hope from the Word. To those who need peace, she offers them John 14:27, “Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” For those facing challenges, the verses from Philippians 4:6 – 7 are a healing balm: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.” To lift up someone needing strength, Mary can repeat Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

God’s word taught Mary that he can fill what is empty, repair what has been broken and redeem what has been lost. That is the message she shares with others as a member of the Reach Team Prayer Ministry at the Rancho Capistrano campus. This ministry prays for those who need God’s intervention in their lives. When people come to her with requests, Mary encourages them and gives comfort through Scripture. “I am humbled that people entrust their requests to me – their uncertainties and their fears. I am blessed so much by giving them Scripture to light the darkness that seems interminable.”