Miscarriage, murder and mercy
April 2012

People who knew me growing up would probably have said that I was a "model" Christian. I went to church Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday evenings. I was in Bible Bowl, I was president of the youth group, and I could probably have rambled off how Christians are "supposed" to act.

When I was in college, I decided that I did not want to have a judgmental attitude nor did I want to be involved in a place that had judgmental people. So, I stopped going to church and decided to do things on my own.

I met my husband in the spring of 2005 and in 2007, we were married. God was not a priority even though we both grew up in the church. We were fine doing our own thing.

Then 2009 happened.

It started off great. Aaron and I bought a house and found out we were pregnant in February. We were very excited and started making plans. I was so excited and told everyone right away. In April, we miscarried. I had to go to the hospital and have a D and C. It was a traumatic experience. All the hopes that I had for my family and for my baby were gone and I was grieving for what I could have had. July 4th, we found out we were expecting another baby. We told family members but that was all. My brother, Shannon, was very excited for me. Through my miscarriage, he did not want to leave my side. My brother and I were very close and had a very special connection that not many siblings have.

On August 7th, I got a call from my husband and he told me that I needed to go to my friend's house. When I pulled up, I saw my husband, my mom, and a bunch of police officers. The police officer informed me that not only was my friend killed in a double homicide, suicide, but so was my brother. I remember feeling like my breath was knocked out of me. I remember saying over and over that it didn't make any sense. I could not comprehend it. I remember my husband telling me it was going to be okay and I remember yelling that it was not okay. I remember not knowing how I was going to live without my brother in my life. The rest of the day and the week was a blur. I would wake up every morning and tell myself that I had to get up. I had to go to work. I had to take it step by step and day by day. And I did. All through this time, I could literally feel the prayers that people were sending our way. I remember feeling a peace and knowing that it was God.

Two days after his funeral, I heard my baby's heartbeat. I remember laughing and crying at the same time.

Within that year, my family also suffered from deep depression. Our marriage was hanging on by a thread. For being such a young, married couple, we had endured a lot. Statistically, we should have been divorced. God defies statistics though and He had plans for us.

Looking back, I am in awe that God carried me through all of that. It's like He was saying, "Heather, I've got this. Lean on Me and let me carry you because I have plans."

We had our son, Maxwell Shannon Pratt, in March of 2010. We began having serious conversations about wanting to be more involved in church. We half-heartedly tried to get involved in places, but things just weren't clicking for us. In March 2011, we found out we were expecting again. In September, we found The River. I remember telling Aaron that if we were going to get involved, we needed to dive right in. So, we immediately got involved in a Life Group. We were welcomed into the River with open arms. It was so easy to get involved. For the first time, I finally got what it was to be a Christian, to simply love people and to do my actions in love. I must add here that our marriage is now stronger than ever.

We had our second son, Lincoln Henry Pratt, in December of 2011. He is such a blessing. I am so excited to raise my children in this church and to teach them, with the help of the River, to love like Jesus loves.

It is my prayer that my testimony will help those going through trying times. That they will know to lean on God and let Him carry them because "He's got this!" I am ready for God to continue to work through me to bless people. Thank you, God, for your blessings. Heather Pratt

‘It was God working through me’
September 2011

As I was driving to work, I realized that it had been a while since I had had a conversation with God. I had gotten so busy in my life, that I hadn't taken the time to just talk with Him. I asked Him to work through me that day to do His will in all I did.

A co-worker had had her door shut all day, so that afternoon so I asked if everything was okay. She admitted that she was having a rough day. Her young adult son isn't making very good choices, and she is exhausted with trying to get him to listen and straighten up. She said, "To tell you the truth, I am so angry with God right now I don't know what to do." I explained to her that she needs to go to Him and tell Him exactly how she feels. I told her that God wants us to come to Him open and honestly and yes at times broken. Sometimes that means that we shout out to Him in our despair. It is then that we are ready to let him in and work for our healing. If we wait until we are "better" or "fixed" we will never go to Him because He is the only one who can "fix" our problems, trials and yes at times our own bad choices.

I also explained that once you do go to Him, you also have to be willing to open your head and your heart up to hear what He reveals to you.

When I left her office, I felt very secure in the advice I had given because I knew that it was God working through me. Not only because I had just asked Him to do so that morning, but because it just rolled right out. It was Him speaking to her through me.

Upon entering my office again I noticed that I had a voice mail. It was from a lady in Arizona who had just been given the lead position of their special needs ministry and had been searching the Internet for other churches that offer a special needs ministry, and she came upon The River. (I am listed as the contact person.) We discussed some of the issues that she is facing with taking over an already existing special needs ministry that needs some tweaking, and our own ministry that hasn't yet taken off. I was so encouraged by her call and the fact that at the end of the conversation she told me that she and their church would be praying for us and for our special needs ministry. I told her we would do the same. I hung up the phone with tears in my eyes and goose bumps on my arms.

I went from office to office to share with everyone the way that God answered my prayer that day and then called Pastor Matthew as well to share my story. I get so excited when I take the time to notice God at work in my life and the amazing opportunities that He has given me to help others through His name. I wish the same for each of you.

Thank you for letting me share my story.

Becke Nauyokas
Director of Still Water

‘I never walk alone’
August 2011

Growing up, my parents had me involved in a church in my local town where every Sunday we would put on our "church clothes" and head there for Sunday school and then later the sermon.

After leaving home and starting my own family, church just wasn’t something I was interested in. As I continued to raise my boys, I felt like something was missing from my life, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. I had many conversations with my older sister, Kelly, regarding church and God, yet never getting the answers for the void I felt.

In the spring of 2010, I decided to take a mini-vacation for myself and visit my sister to be able to talk some more and to actually do some searching for answers within me. During this time I was able to realize I couldn’t face all that life was throwing my way alone and that I needed to find my faith again in order to not walk alone.

Renewing my faith and relationship with God was the missing part within me.

The first Sunday I walked into The River, I felt so broken and lost. There was so much going on in my life, and I felt like everything was going no where but down. I was turning into a person that I wouldn’t even want to be around. I felt as though I was failing as a mother, wife, daughter and every other area of my life. Basically, in my eyes, I had hit bottom, and I was there alone.

That day, I took the first step along my journey in renewing my relationship with God by welcoming Him back into my life. Since then, the journey has been one that has made me realize that, in both good and bad times of life, I never walk alone. I no longer feel lost or broken. I might experience bumps along the path, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

As I continue in my journey, I remember the verse "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Allison Trexler Campbell

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