Releasing My Journey of Faith

FROM THE CK STAFF:
Our dear friend and intercessor, Lorraine Woodhouse, who turned 90 years old last month, has been on a journey of faith the last couple of years trusting God to help her write a book about walking out covenant in this broken world of ours. The title of her book, Lorriane's Journey of Faith, released May 24, 2018, is truly how she has lived her life for decades. Here is a short explanation of what her book is about...

"How do you gain the strength to stand for your marriage when your husband walks out on you? Do you conform to the ideas of the world? What if your well-intentioned family members encourage you to move on? Would you? If you receive counsel from your pastor to seek a divorce since your husband found someone else, would you? As Lorraine struggled with doubt, fear, and correction from God, all these battles could have easily outweighed the journey that was set before her. But God is a gentleman who never forces His will upon our lives. He gently sets a path before us and lovingly asks us, “What will you choose?” As you read Lorraine’s journey, I encourage you to sit back and attentively listen to God’s insight. Demonstrated through the life of a woman whose first response was often, “I don’t want to hear that!” Lorraine’s heart is that God’s people would be reminded that they can and do hear from the Lord!"

We at the CKI office asked her to tell us the process she has walked through as she was obedient to God’s call. This is what she shared:

"I wrote this book at the urging of many friends with whom I shared some experiences and disciplines I had received from the Lord because of my stand for my marriage. My friends wanted me to share what God has done in my life. I had no idea how to write a book, so that was an impossible task. Their suggestion of a book bothered me, so I just put it out of my mind.
I am certain many friends were praying because the Holy Spirit took over. He began His work by leading me and bringing discipline into my life. When I got into bed each night, all I could think about were all the things God was doing. The Holy Spirit was directing me, teaching me and testing my obedience to Him."

"The Holy Spirit wanted my relationship with Him to grow, specifically in the area of faith.
Nightly, as I got into bed the Holy Spirit wanted to talk to me about faith. This frustrated me. Finally, I asked the Lord why this always happens at night when I wanted to sleep. His answer was, 'Because during the day you are involved with all your activities and you don’t hear Me.' It was then I remembered the book. I did not know how to accomplish writing a book."

"At this point I was asked to give my testimony at a CK conference. As I remembered all that God had done in my life – how He taught me obedience, and how my faith had grown through the years – I knew that the Lord was leading me towards the book. The Lord asked, 'Do you want others to know about all that I did for you in your life and your marriage or do you want to keep it a secret?' He sort of got me there."

"So I began to pray for help. I had no idea how to accomplish the task set before me, but I knew the Lord would show me exactly what to do. I met a woman, named Maria, at church and she said she would help me. So we began. It was a real challenge. I wasn’t sure this could ever be accomplished, but we prayed each time we got together and trusted completely on the Lord’s guidance and leading."

"My hope and prayer is that this book will encourage others to trust God to direct their life when they are surrendered to Him. And to trust Him to change their life and marriage. He is an awesome and compassionate God."

"I had many people that God brought into my life. He used these people to get His message to me when I didn’t hear Him for myself. 2 Corinthians 9:8 was a scripture that I memorized and quoted each day as I went to work and in my stand because I needed His help. It says, 'And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.' (ESV)

"The question, 'What do you need?' continued to come into my spirit. I proceeded to tell God that I needed His love operating in me, His wisdom, courage, boldness, compassion, tenderness, understanding and His patience. I was void of all of these in my job and in my stand. His promise was that I may have an abundance in every good deed. I believe that this was His Word for success, revealed in The Book. In my Bible, beside this scripture I put two letters in red TP – Tried & Proved."

"I would like to remind you that God found Gideon in a hole. He found Joseph in a prison. He found Daniel in a lion’s den. And He found Lorraine in a marriage breakup. He has a curious habit of showing up in the midst of trouble, not in the absence of trouble. Where the world sees failure, God sees future. Next time you feel unqualified to be used by God remember this, He tends to recruit from the pit, not the pedestal."

THANK YOU LORRAINE, for your wisdom and insight. We love you and honor you in what you have done to be obedient to Him.

LORRAINE WOODHOUSE
Lorraine became a Christian at 12 years of age when her parents decided to send her to a Christian summer camp. She met her husband, Howard, in the eleventh grade and they were married in 1950. Then, after almost 30 years of marriage, her husband left the marriage. Lorraine stood strong and when Howard returned in 1997, they renewed their vows. Eighteen years of standing. Wow! They were restored for 7 years, when the Lord called Howard home in 2005. Lorraine has been an intercessor with Covenant Keepers since 2012, but has been involved for much longer. She currently lives in Lakewood, CA. Lorraine and Howard have two children, Galen and Deborah, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.