BERNADETTE TODD: A TRUE INSPIRATION

Every Christian has a testimony on how God led them from periods of despair to having faith in the LORD Jesus. And last night, I was blessed to hear one of the most powerful expressions of this truth.

If you have never heard the testimony of Bernadette Todd, a woman crippled with Muscular Dystrophy from childhood, you are missing out on one of the most emotional, riveting, and inspiring stories that you will ever hear. In hearing about Bernadette's life, there was hardly a dry eye in the church. She told of how doctors informed her parents that she would not live past the age of 8, how other people ridiculed and embarassed her, how her parents went through many struggles--both emotionally and financially, and how she endured periods of confusion and anger towards God and his Sovereign plan for her life-- all due to her condition.

But by the grace of Christ, and followed by a deep love and determination from both her parents and her husband Jeff (shown with her in the picture above), Bernadette was able to overcome all these hurts and became a champion in showing the power and mercy of Almighty God. For a woman who wasn't supposed to live past 8 (and was satisfied just to reach 30), to currently be the age of 40, shows the awesome grace and love of our LORD.

And while her battles on earth still continue--especially as her body continues to get weaker day by day--the joy that she now relishes is in knowing that she has ultimate victory because of her faith in the LORD Jesus. Truly Bernadetts's story puts to life the words of Andrae Crouch who wrote:

I've had many tears and sorrows,

I've had questions for tomorrow,

There've been times I didn't know right from wrong:

But in every situation God gave blessed consolation

That my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all, through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God

Through it all, through it all,

I've learned to depend upon His Word.

If you would like to learn more about Bernadette Todd, please click on the links below:

http://www.bernadettetodd.com/ (Personal Website)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HMRwvw6LCcA (YouTube video of Bernadette in Bolivia)

http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/5853.article (Article about Bernadette on Florida Baptist Witness)