Mission Hope: Inspirational Stories of Faith and Triumph

By Char Murphy

Life's many upheavals, sharp curves, twists and turns, the challenging circumstances coming right at you are non-stop. The inner wars within and outside your control feel overwhelming; you feel alone, and the seemingly endless battles rage on. You feel like you have lost all hope and faith, questioning, Why me? Why now? How can I handle

• Language: English
• Publisher: BelieveInspire
• Release date: Oct 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781956353471

Book preview

Mission Hope

VOLUME 2

Inspirational Stories of Faith and Triumph

Copyright © 2023 by The BelieveInspire Team with Char Murphy

Printed and Electronic Versions

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-956353-48-8

ISBN eBook: 978-956353-47-1

(Char Murphy / Motivation Champs)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form

or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,

or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The book was printed

in the United States of America.

To order additional copies or bulk order contact the publisher,

Motivation Champs Publishing.

www.motivationchamps.com

CONTENTS

Prologue

Foreword

Harry Spaight

A Lifetime of Devotion and Surrender

Elizabeth R. Urabe

Stepping Into The Unknown

Dr. Jo Anne White

The Knowledge of Faith

M.L. Sutton

Borrow Some of Mine

Todd George Stone

From Darkness to Light Through Faith

Babien Avila

Choices Made Through Faith

JK Ellis

The Pathway of Return

Karen Ortega

Healing Waters: Duality and the Dream

Kathleen Dutton

Angel On My Shoulder

Loree Dittrich

Rise, Rise! Believe in Yourself

Maria Lehtman

Dragons, Dreams, and Dragonflies…the Journey to JoyKindler

Vicki J. O’Grady Longo

I AM THAT I AM

Mary Ann Falletta

Living In Fearless Faith

Sarah Polyakov

Faith in Self to Accept Change

Ali Anani, Ph.D.

The Power of a Praying Parent

Deborah A. Griffiths

Faith Has the Power to Transform Your Life

Jennifer Bassett

Miracles of Faith

Dobby Webb

The Survivor’s Key: Finding Your Why

Meche Barba

Discovering the Path to Joy Through Faith

Brad Burchnell

Transforming Generational Pain

Blondie Rebecca Amelia

Epilogue

Char Murphy

Clear vision can get fogged over when we least expect it.

We make our plans

Fill our schedules

However ...

Sometimes trips get cut short.

Things happen

Unplanned, not scheduled

and we have to decide ...

What will we do?

How will we respond?

What can we live with?

Leaning into the answers within, we know what must be done.

It can be grueling.

Once the decision is made, the peace arrives and we see something new within the clouds of doubt and uncertainty.

We adjust our path and glide into the shadows.

The light may be hidden,

But it is still very much there.

Faith carries us forward

—Faith by Susan LePlae Miller

Praise for Mission Hope

I am pleased to endorse Mission Hope: Faith as it launches. It is a collaborative effort of the Mission Hope project led by Charlotte Murphy with inspiring contributions by many of my colleagues who are committed to uplifting humanity and providing hope in overcoming difficult life and work challenges.

The world continues to go through a very difficult time, with an extended period of instability and insecurity. That negatively impacts each of us emotionally as individuals, leaders, and organizations. What I have learned during my work in the corporate and nonprofit segments is that faith, hope, and love are key to moving from a negative to a positive perspective. I am a big believer in servant leadership and feel that each of us can make a real difference by simply reaching out and serving others with hope, love, joy, kindness, and gratitude. My personal hope is that the Mission Hope project will inspire you to reach out and serve others while creating a positive ripple effect. I encourage each of you to intentionally work to help create a better world!

Dick Gourley

Founder

Sol Duc Leadership

Life’s journey is not linear; rather, it is woven into the very fabric of our experiences, threading together knowledge, wisdom, intuition, and emotions, creating incredible transformations. Each contributor in Mission Hope: Faith has shared their intimate connection with a part of the universe tethered to their soul for exceptional faith that enables them to overcome some of life’s most arduous trials and tribulations. You will be amazed at the depth to which we humans can find an ounce of faith to pull us through with strength, achieving the most powerful outcome—healing. Reading each story, you will understand the value of faith and how it balances mind, body, and spirit for self-preservation and confidence in a power greater than us.

Trevor & Eileen Bild

Executive Producers

Ordinary to Extraordinary Life/Core Thinking Blueprint

OTEL Universe, A Universal Voice

www.oteluniverse.com

[e-mail]

Wow! From the opening pages until the closing ones, I can see that faith gives the authors and their readers hope. With faith, all things are possible, and these authors are able to look for light even on the darkest days and nights. This book does a great job of sharing that our hope has to be predicated on something; that something is faith. Hope has given these authors the confidence and motivation they need to carry on. In fact, picture it like this: Hope shares the yoke they bear, and sometimes it even carries the whole darn thing! Such a fabulous read!

Dr. Calvin H. Lawrence, Jr.

It is up to us to give the memories life, new beginnings, and boundless possibilities. Only we can put pen to paper, writing those whispered memories so that others will know and remember the stories that belong only to them.

I look up at the book still on the bookcase, warm from my touch, and I know that within it, there are empty pages waiting to be filled. It has been said that the Book Of Life has many chapters, and tonight, I will walk the night and follow the whispers, the stories, and the memories.

It is often said that the true writer will start with a blank sheet and write of life itself. The words pile high as the writer looks at the keys and lets the words flow to the page like pieces of a puzzle falling in place, and life writes its story coming through you and not from you. Some say it is a gift, a talent, and perhaps writers are the vessel that holds the works, the stories that are truly from life.

In the end, our words, regardless of where they are from, will become words reverently wrapped within a leather-bound book, cherished and kept on a special shelf by the window always within reach; memories from the Book Of Life.

If you want to be inspired, pull up a chair and reverently open that book to the first page, the page where the story starts; the journey reveals itself as we turn the pages, and we read on, not wanting to put the book down, yet often we need to pause a moment and savor the words, words that an inspired writer gifted for us.

Here, in this amazing book written by an abundance of talented writers, you will shed tears, find joy and laughter, and answer questions that you thought were unanswered.

The talent in this book is so powerful it will light the night sky, and the writers’ stories become a book created by so many talented and inspiring writers with an abundance of Strong Ink they give their book life, perhaps even a book about life.

Larry Tyler

Poet, Writer, and Photographer

Dirt Road Storytellers

The Writer’s Café

Mission Hope: Faith is a wonderful anthology of powerful first-person testimonies to the capacity of hope and faith in all their iterations to change one’s life. Each chapter represents a heartfelt and moving story of how hope and/or faith impacted the writer’s life, allowing them to weather great difficulties, recover from trauma, or find the courage to forge a new path for themselves. Readers will surely be able to learn from and take comfort in these stories of strength, perseverance, and resilience in order to find within themselves both the will and ability to change their own lives.

Jane E. Berne, Ph.D.

As I reflect on hope, I am grateful for the opportunity each day to hear people’s personal stories. The stories told in this book will hopefully open your own heart to see that people’s lives matter and that we should respect the greatest gift we have, which is life. As I read these stories, my heart continues to open more and more in a way that helps me find meaning and purpose in my own and truly understand that faith in God is bigger than ourselves. Living from the heart to continually learn from others truly drives my hope that I can continue to grow in faith and live a life of gratitude to love and serve others.

Brent Pohlmani

Each author brings their unique experiences with how faith has impacted their lives. The reader is left inspired and reassured that even in our darkest hours, faith can bring meaning into all that we go through on this journey of life. As humans, we all seek to be a part of something larger than ourselves, and faith brings deep fulfillment and joy into our lives. Faith can unlock our potential and connects our souls to humanity and the energy of the universe more broadly. When we allow ourselves to have faith, we simultaneously are embracing self-love. Faith is a powerful and unifying force bringing together people who share beliefs, values, and convictions and can create a deep belonging with each other. This wonderful collection of stories each shows us the power of faith.

Tim West

Lifelong Learner, Coach, Technologist

Prologue

As we awaited the publishing of this book, within the last month, I was yet again literally ‘blindsided.’ To say my faith was seriously tested is an understatement. Two unbelievable back-to-back events, including the shock of the sudden death and loss of my youngest brother, occurred. The second happened at the time of writing this book.

I am a four-time breast cancer survivor. I almost went blind five years ago and had to undergo five different procedures and surgeries to correct the issues. I was blessed through my hope and faith to have enjoyed the gift of life itself and my eyesight during those five years.

I went in for my one-hour eye exam, and instead of being there for one hour as estimated, I was there undergoing a dozen tests for three long hours. At the end of the day, I was informed that my glaucoma had worsened, despite the eye drops I was using relentlessly to keep it from getting worse. Additionally, the macular degeneration was also worse and now in both eyes, not just one.

I was, of course, still in shock from the loss of my brother, and now, this … I blurted out, questioning the doctor, Why? How? What do you mean? This can’t be true! Wow! I was so upset by this news I could barely drive home.

When I got home, I dropped to my knees in prayer, still not knowing what next to try to correct the new worsened problems with my vision.

Don’t feel sorry for me. What I want you to know is, my hope and faith are stronger than ever, and I believe with all my heart that whatever comes out of this, I will overcome it and be even stronger than I was before. There is a gift in everything, even the not-so-good stuff.

If you are going through anything in your life, with hope and faith, I know you, too, can and will overcome it and be even stronger for it. We are blessed in ways we can’t even imagine or see at the time disaster occurs. It eludes us; we are blinded by our shock.

This book details the numerous powerful accounts of how hope and faith have impacted the lives of its contributors. We all encourage and empower you to keep your faith strong and your armor handy. You never know exactly when you will need it, but having that one thing will help you get through it too. We truly do walk by faith rather than sight alone.

Be on the lookout for the next books in the Mission Hope series, where we look forward to sharing love, joy, grace, and, gratitude with you.

Many blessings of faith,

Char Murphy

Foreword

Harry Spaight

Faith. What does it mean to you? For some, to have faith simply means to have a religion. What is your faith? is a common question. For others, they will die for their faith. It goes beyond belief. It is a complete trust in the promise.

I find it interesting and am honored that I was asked to write the foreword for this great collaborative book of stories about faith. For nearly 20 years of my life, I was involved in mission work. Faith was a daily thought of what I was doing. In fact, I can more or less quote the book of Hebrews 11:1 (New International Version), Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. My understanding was that this is all about having confidence in the promises of the Creator, and although I was not able to see the Creator of the universe, I could see through nature and life His marvelous works.

Life itself has millions of reasons for me to believe in a Creator. Every living creature, to me, is a miracle. Each points to having a Designer or Creator. They are too numerous to mention them all, but the simple act of childbirth, which happens millions of times throughout the year, is, to me, a miracle. It’s not my goal to try to convince someone to have faith as I once did. I learned that we are all on a journey in life. We may ‘believe’ or not. I am not the one to judge. Some people find faith later in life. Others have faith at a young age. Life can have moments where we completely lose faith or seriously question it.

Many have asked the question, God, why? Why so much pain and suffering in the world? I don’t pretend to have the answer. But I have come to accept that just because I don’t know the answer to something does not mean there isn’t a good answer that will be revealed eventually. Some feel they know the answer. That is fine. I will not argue again about faith. Those days are behind me.

I have moved on to a belief that the Creator, God, the universe, or whatever you choose to call this Source of energy exists, and we are all here for a reason. Sometimes we may not know what that reason is, but we can find it if we listen. Some feel that God spoke to people thousands of years ago, and today, we have the writings, but God does not speak to us directly. I thought this was my truth in the past. As I began to question my beliefs and continued my education, I learned that God does speak to us in a number of ways. It can be a thought that reoccurs in our mind; it can be through the voice of a friend or a loved one; it can be through a book, a dream, music, nature, or life itself.

This is where the new journey began. One where I could have a completely open mind to pursue. Faith was now more personal than ever before. I looked back at my past 20 years and thought, Was all of this for naught? Instead of regret, I felt that this was the road I had taken, and there were significant rewards along the road. I chose this road. Seeing others’ exemplary faith apart from my restricted views of the past has made my world even better. Before, I would feel sorry for people because they weren’t part of the true faith. That thinking, for me, was completely wrong. Now I see the miracles and stories of inspiration in a completely different light.

God loves all of us. He can work miracles with all of us. We are all still learning. Who are any of us to judge another person’s view of faith or miracles? How does this help us when we judge others? Simply, it does not help.

In the book of stories you are about to read, you are going to hear stories of faith and inspiration. People who live very ordinary lives and have experienced a challenge in one form or another. Hardships, tragedies, awakenings, and experiences put them in a position where a choice can be made. Do they continue, despite adversity, or do they make changes to be even better? Are they now given a new mission to serve others in an even greater, more meaningful way? The power of God through these individuals is beyond inspiring for me. Many times, I have been moved to tears over their stories of faith and inspiration.

People throughout our lives have taken adverse circumstances and become heroic in their service to others. People who come to mind are Oprah Winfrey, Nick Vujicic, Stephen Hawking, President Franklin Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, our friend Char (Charlotte) Murphy who has survived and thrived despite adversity, and now these 20 authors, along with countless others. Why does this happen? I believe that God speaks to these individuals, and they listened to the calling. They are here to make an impact on others. Through their journey, they could help others through a similar journey as a guide.

What about you? What have you gone through in your own life that could become a story of inspiration for others? Is there someone telling you that you should write a book or get your story out? Is there a nonprofit that you can relate to? Who needs to hear from you? Who will be inspired when they read about you or see your video on social media? Heroic stories are everywhere. Don’t think this does not include you. If God is speaking to you, are you up for listening and acting? If you are, you will have a whole new purpose or WHY that you will want to share. When you do, good things will happen for all who hear it.

CHAPTER 1

A Lifetime of Devotion and Surrender

Elizabeth R. Urabe

Where Faith is King, Surrender Queen

I have scars and wounds unseen

but my Soul remains pristine

I wend my way through life’s ravine

a constant, ever-changing scene

Inner mirrors must we clean

that outer worlds be fairly seen

Ancient secrets there to glean

newfound gems of brilliant sheen

Let not the pain of past demean

our confidence when times are lean

But rather, seek the realm between

where Faith is King, Surrender Queen

And like a peacock proudly preen

the Self’s real colors, Spirit’s mien

A face of ever-youthful green

where love and kindness reconvene

And from illusion’s nipple wean

identity from false routine

That Truth and Joy might reign supreme

with Faith as King, Surrender Queen

I have scars and wounds unseen

but my Soul remains pristine

I wend my way through life’s ravine

a constant, ever-changing scene.

—Elizabeth R. Urabe (May 2021)

I knew when I was invited to write a chapter for Mission Faith that it was time to start sharing more of my remarkable story because what follows began downloading into my awareness before I even had time to think. But before I began delving into the creatively colorful annals of my life history to date, I decided to self-inquire into what the word ‘faith’ means to me as an individual because I truly believe that there is nothing more important at this point in the evolution of consciousness than for each person to be fully aware of how the words he or she uses are actually reflected in the day-to-day living of them.

When I quieted my mind and allowed the fire and force of faith, as it has weaved its way throughout my every experience, to make itself known not just in essence but in form, what I received was the single word: breath. This resonated with me immediately, and so I will use the acronym below to give context and structure to the overall manuscript, with seven subchapters making up this unique offering; shedding light on how faith has guided me to where I find myself today and hopefully allowing the reader to feel the crescendos of energy, as each section builds upon the one preceding it:

• Born

• Raised

• Energized

• Awakened

• Transformed

• Healed

• Emerged

BORN

I was the eldest child of three, an unplanned and unexpected arrival to a couple who were highly intelligent but barely adults themselves and much too young to be parents. When I was sucked out of my mother’s womb by a medical instrument very much like what is used for more modern-day D&Cs, they hadn’t even graduated from college yet, and my father apparently attributed the pregnancy to the failure of my mom’s diaphragm. They named me Elizabeth Rochelle, and with the maiden name Rubin, I carried the original wound from my inception of believing that I was a mistake: ERR. Six decades ago, it was not uncommon to just knock a mother out to spare her the pain of having a baby and speed up the process, rather than allowing her to have any kind of natural childbirth experience. I have always been fond of saying that although I, too, was physically asleep along with my mother when I made my grand entrance, I was most definitely already at least partially awake from the spiritual perspective. The sense of not being of this world and yet innately knowing I was here to change it was an integral part of my DNA and would be part of the inner light guiding me from the moment I took my first breath.

RAISED

Both of my parents were Jewish by default and not because either of them was particularly religious. My father was the only male child with three younger sisters and, as such, never knew he had a choice in anything until much later in his life; and my mother, because her own father passed when she was only 9, and God became the one she believed would take care of her when her father died. Even at a young age, I instinctively knew that I had a divine destiny waiting for me that was completely independent