Always Faithful: A New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
How far will God go to bring a soul to Himself? What is God willing to do to show His faithfulness to someone far away from Him? As we think about these questions, I want to introduce you to someone very special to Gina and me.
Meet Linda McQuiston, wife to Bryson (read Bryson’s story), mother to Charlie and Kenley, and now grandmother as well. Gina and I have known Linda for years and her testimony is another story of God’s faithfulness.
Linda’s story of God’s faithfulness begins with her family. Linda is from the great state of Michigan and spent most of her growing-up days there with her mom, dad, and three brothers. The spiritual influence in the family was her mother. She took Linda and her brothers to church, hosted Bible clubs at their home, and provided spiritual light for the family. However, at the age of 14, Linda would face an unwelcome visitor, death. Linda’s mom suddenly passed away as a part of a routine surgery. That left Linda in the home to be a “mom” to her three brothers. Linda’s dad was growing bitter as a result of his wife’s death and Linda would be the one to feel his pain. Much of his bitterness would be taken out on Linda. For Linda, that would mean that her teenage years would be rough and tumultuous.
But God would intervene and begin to demonstrate His faithfulness to Linda. After graduating from high school she was invited to move to Memphis, TN by her Aunt Vera to live with her family. Linda’s aunt was a part of a Sunday School class at a church in the Memphis area and that class began to pray for Linda. Linda would later say that that class “literally prayed me down to Memphis.” This move would be the first of many ways God was showing His faithfulness.
Once she arrived in Memphis, Linda attended a crusade held at the Mid-South Coliseum. Being at that crusade was something Linda had never experienced.
“I did not know there were that many Christians in the entire world.”
That night Linda trusted Jesus Christ and received His gift of forgiveness and eternal life. If you have never been to a crusade, you need to know that, usually, at the end of the message, trained Bible counselors are provided for anyone who has received Christ to come to share their news. That night Linda’s decision counselor was a man named Charlie Moore. And another display of God’s faithfulness began.
Charlie and his wife, Vicki, went well beyond the responsibility of a crusade counselor. They went the second mile. Charlie and Vicki began to disciple Linda to help her grow in her faith in Christ. But that was not all. They helped Linda get her feet on the ground and begin her new life in Christ Jesus. Not only was God faithful to save Linda, but He was faithful to help Linda grow as a new believer.
When God saves us, He also sets our lives on a whole new trajectory. Soon Linda became a foster mom, teaching young girls both in an orphanage and in her church. God had taken Linda from salvation to sanctification and then to serving - yet another way God was faithful as He was preparing Linda for the future.
But along this journey of life, things happen that can, if we don’t keep our focus on Jesus, derail us and set us back. Linda had experienced loss already, and now another loss would enter her life. One of her brothers, Kenny, was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident. However, Linda stayed strong in her new faith and was thankful to know that her brother was also a strong believer in Christ as well. While pain and discouragement had come knocking on Linda’s door, God was faithful to comfort her and keep her strong and growing.
Linda met and married Bryson, and entered a life of full-time ministry with him as a pastor’s wife. And all of those years of serving and teaching young girls proved to be foundational and providential. As of today, Linda has discipled and taught young girls and led grief support groups for over 25 years. God’s faithfulness continues to shine in her life as she invests and ministers to others.
And Linda continued to see God’s faithfulness. God would give Linda and Bryson two children, Kenley and Charlie who both love and serve Jesus. However, there is one additional lesson we need to know about God’s faithfulness. God is a restoring God and Linda would experience that firsthand. Linda would see God restore the relationship she had with her father before his death.
Bryson shared this about God’s faithfulness to Linda.
Linda’s life was radically changed by the Gospel. Her story is one of tragedy and triumph, loss and gain. God’s faithfulness has been seen firsthand in connecting her to her Aunt Vera, the Moore’s and even restoring her relationship with her dad before his passing. Her journey through loss and grief has been a testimony of the sufficiency of Christ in each situation. He has redeemed the years that were lost and given her a platform of ministry to many others along the way.
Wow, our God is faithful. It is no wonder that Linda Grace McQuiston’s favorite song is Amazing Grace. God will go to great lengths for a person to become a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.