Megan Faught: When God Restores Hope

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Hey friends, welcome to the Her God Story Podcast,

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where you will always hear a powerful story to

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inspire and strengthen your walk with the Lord.

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I'm your host, Jodie Chiricosta, ministry leader

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at Somebody Cares America and international author

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and fellow traveler on this journey with Jesus.

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We all go through a dark night of the soul, seasons

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when we wonder if we will ever experience joy

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or hope again. King David, the author of most

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of the Psalms, went through a few of those. Hannah,

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the mother of Samuel, certainly experienced it.

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And the loyal band of disciples and friends of

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Jesus, boy, they knew excruciating pain and doubt.

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But God was at work in each one, even when they

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could not see what he was up to. In Psalm 30,

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verses 11 and 12, David acknowledges what God

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had done for him, saying, you have turned my

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mourning into dancing. You've taken off my sackcloth

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and clothed me with joy. that my heart may sing

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your praises and not be silent. Lord my God,

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I will praise you forever." What a powerful reminder

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of who God is. When life feels like it's unraveling,

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when grief, loss, or hardship seem overwhelming,

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we have a word that might be hard to believe.

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But scripture assures us that God does not leave

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us there. He steps in, often in unexpected ways,

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and transforms our morning into joy. He exchanges

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heaviness for hope. He brings beauty out of ashes.

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I've seen that truth not only in my own life,

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but also through the ministry of somebody cares.

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One of the ways we live this out together is

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through our widow and orphan fund. Around the

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world, women who've lost their husbands are also

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facing crushing poverty, persecution, and despair.

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Some feel invisible and forgotten, yet in those

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moments, God shows up. And because of generous

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friends like you, we've been able to step in

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with tangible help. A few months ago, widows

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in Myanmar, grieving, displaced, and struggling

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to survive in the midst of war and disaster,

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received support from this fund. Through trusted

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local partners, God comforted them in a very

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practical way. And in their darkest hours, they

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experienced his promise, despair clothed with

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joy. That's the heart of what we celebrate on

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this podcast, how God takes broken stories and

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brings redemption. And that brings me to today's

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guest, Megan Foyt. Megan served on the pastoral

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team at the Life Church in San Angelo, Texas.

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She's married to her husband, Zach, and together

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they are the proud parents of two children. Megan

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also holds a master's degree in curriculum and

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instruction, and for over 14 years served faithfully

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as a teacher and curriculum designer at the Charter

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School in Texas. In today's episode... Megan

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shares how she has seen God move in those moments

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when everything seemed to be falling apart and

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how his presence brings surprising transformation.

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Her story will encourage you to trust that God

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is still at work even in the hardest seasons.

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So, settle in friend. If you've been wondering

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whether joy can really rise from mourning, I

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believe Megan's journey will remind you that

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the God who writes our stories is faithful to

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finish them with hope. Welcome, Megan. Thank

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you, Jody. I'm honored to be here. So Megan,

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to start us off, would you share a little bit

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about your early years and how you came to put

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your faith in Christ? Yeah, so I've always been

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a pastor's kid. So I grew up in church, absolutely

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loved going to church, loved serving. Outreach

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has been a huge part of our church. So I was

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always part of community events, served in the

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nursery starting at a young age. and just a very

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big part of my childhood. And then I hit my teenage

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years and got a little rebellious. So I was actually

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at a really small school. And so my friends were

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about three to four years older than me. And

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I was learning a lot of things that I should

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not have learned, especially at 13. And yeah,

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it just kind of set me down a bad path. And I

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really started to resent the church. But I made

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it through high school, didn't know what I wanted

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to do with my life, but I knew I was headed down

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a wrong path. And so I decided that where I'd

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gone to summer camp throughout my childhood,

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they had a two -year Bible program. So I decided

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to go to that Bible program. I was just going

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to give it one year and then see how it went.

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But it was a great experience and I was really

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able to reset. refocus. Yeah, that's great. So

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you know, our college years, they have a huge

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impact on the trajectory of our lives. So tell

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us about yours. Yeah, so I was attending the

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Bible college near Houston, and the first year

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was still kind of a little rough. I was not doing

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everything I should have been doing. But I decided

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to stay for a second year at that point. And

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things really took a turn at that point. And

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I was I was feeling really great where I was

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in my relationship with the Lord and they started

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hiring, they would hire the Bible students for

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the summer camp and so I applied and I was hired

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to stay on and work the summer camp and while

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I was there I actually met a there was a band

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traveling through that was from New Zealand.

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So I met one of the New Zealand musicians and

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we kind of hit it off talking and things were

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great, but I just thought that would be the end

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of it. We didn't exchange any sort of contact

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information, but he ended up finding me on Facebook

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the next day. And so that started the beginning

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of a long distance relationship. So we talked

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back and forth for a few months and then he decided

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to stop traveling with the band since the tour

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finished So he moved to my hometown where I was

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at that place and he Yeah, he moved there we

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Were still dating. I was I'd started my undergrad

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in teaching and education at that point and We

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were trying to figure out the visa situation

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because he was there for a work visa and we knew

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that his visa had to get transferred over to

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another visa for him to stay. So we talked with

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an immigration attorney and he told us that the

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best thing to do would just be to get married.

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So I was 20 and very young still but we went

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ahead and we got married and then he started

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working for the church. as the worship leader

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and doing sound tech media things. So that sounds

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a bit of a whirlwind romance at the start and

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things really seem good at first. I mean he's

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working at the church, you're in school, but

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challenges soon followed. So share what happened.

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Yeah, so the first few years were really great.

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We bought a house together. We settled in. I

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mean, life was it was crazy, but it was fun.

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We really looking back, it just feels like a

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different lifetime with how our relationship

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was at that point. And we had Ellie, our daughter.

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And after that, things really started to shift.

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So I. there was just a lot going on in life and

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then adding a baby to the mix. We were both feeling

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the stress and the pressure of life and he came

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to me and let me know that he was gonna go see

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a doctor to get on some medication because he

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felt like he couldn't focus for long at work

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and so he actually got put on Adderall. and then

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it became a lot of Adderall and then so the Adderall

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was keeping him from sleeping at night and so

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then it led to sleeping pills and then it just

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it felt endless so he then got on anti -anxiety

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meds, meds for depression. He was on multiple

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SSRIs and he became a completely different person

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so he was dealing with deep depression and even

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moments of psychosis. where he would tape cardboard

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over our windows and doors and think that people

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were trying to get him and it was incredibly

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overwhelming and I'm still very young at the

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time. I didn't know what to do and I'm just a

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private person by nature and so I really didn't

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reach out to talk to anyone about it. I just

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thought it was a phase and it would pass and

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so... Was I was actually going for my master's

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as soon as I finished my bachelor's I went straight

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for my master's and so I was in master's classes

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I was working full -time and then had Ellie and

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so I I just kept putting one foot in front of

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the other and thinking that things would level

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out, but they certainly did not and I got to

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the point where actually I emailed my professors

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and I told them I just needed to drop out and

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They they asked me to not do that I was so close

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to finishing and I've been doing really well

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and so they told me they would work with me to

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help make sure I finished my degree and Looking

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back though. I I can definitely see where I should

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have prioritized some things differently, but

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in that moment, I just felt like it was fight

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-or -flight and honestly the the busyness of

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life helped keep me from really processing what

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was happening at home. It was really bad. I couldn't

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get my then husband out of bed in the mornings

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and I felt just utterly hopeless. I ended up

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going to a church conference and that was...

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an amazing time. I was able to slow down and

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I felt so renewed and refreshed. My hope was

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restored and I went back home just feeling like,

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all right, we're going to take this head on and

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fix it all and get help. And within a few hours,

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he let me know that we were going to get a divorce.

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So that really blindsided me, because I never

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thought that that would be part of our story.

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Yeah, that must have been just devastating news

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to receive. I mean, you came home full of hope,

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ready to renew and restore everything. And he

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said, no, we're calling it quits. So what unfolded

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next? And how did you respond in that season?

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Well, so I had family close by he did not all

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of his family is in New Zealand and So he asked

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that I take Ellie and I move in with my parents

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and at that point I was just really trying to

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comply I I thought this season would pass and

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he would realize what he was asking and it would

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Things would go back to the way they were before

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So I just I tried to do what he asked and I moved

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in with my parents and within a few days I actually

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discovered that he was having an affair and so

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that's when I really switched from just absolute

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sadness to anger and I I uncovered a lot of things

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and was very very angry not just with him but

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I was feeling even frustrated with the Lord I

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felt distant from the lore during that season.

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But part of me was still, even throughout it,

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just hanging on to hope that we could reconcile

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and work things out. But he actually, the girl

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that he was seeing, she ended up breaking things

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off. And he... Sent me a text message basically

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almost like a goodbye text message and I knew

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immediately something was wrong and so I drove

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over to our house and I'm so grateful that I

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did when I did because I found him and he needed

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urgent medical attention So he he ended up being

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hospitalized for a few days after that and That

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was that was really hard And his mom was able

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to convince him to go back to New Zealand and

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detox from all of the meds he was on and get

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help. And so he went back and he did. And that

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really that gave me some hope again and that

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we would be restored and be a happy family again.

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I ended up flying over to New Zealand. with Ellie

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because I just wanted to kind of check on him

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myself and see where things were and I was a

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teacher. I had summers off so I had a lot of

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time that I was able to be over there. I ended

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up getting pregnant while being over there and

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that was very confusing for me because I just

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I knew that the place we were at in life we were

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still married but I didn't know what the future

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looked like. The day before I was supposed to

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fly back home, I ended up having a miscarriage.

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He was really apathetic. I think he was at the

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point in life where he was still dealing with

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so much on his own that he couldn't handle anyone

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else's issues or things. Yeah, very kind of cold.

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And so I flew home with Ellie by myself and I

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felt absolute brokenness during that time. And

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just I didn't know what the future looked like.

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So I ended up meeting with my attorney, talking

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with my parents and I just I felt like I needed

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to go ahead and finalize the divorce. I didn't

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know how long he was going to be over there.

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Or if he was going to really get better and stay

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on a good path and I felt like to for Ellie and

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me I just I had to go ahead and finalize everything

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so I remember actually sitting with my attorney

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at that last meeting and I was just venting about

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everything and how I was the one dealing with

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the destruction and Ellie's emotions and her

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pain and She looked at me straight face and she

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said, and you're blessed to do it. And I was

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so upset that she said that because I was wanting

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someone to just really sympathize with where

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I was. And it's like, OK, she just she doesn't

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understand what I'm going through. But I got

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back in my car to drive away and I turned on

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worship music and I just started crying and I

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felt. the Lord so close to me and I realized

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that I was blessed to do it during that time.

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So anyways, he ended up moving back to Texas

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a while later after about a year and we tried

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to reconcile again but patterns were repeated

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and I just felt like I couldn't live my life

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continuing that and so I was I ended things for

00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:54.519
good at that point. So you were you were dealing

00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:58.419
with the fallout of your marriage and then another

00:15:58.419 --> 00:16:01.539
unexpected event happened, a hailstorm, which

00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:04.059
set off a chain of circumstances that became

00:16:04.059 --> 00:16:07.080
even darker and took years to resolve. So can

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:09.679
you walk us through what happened? Yeah. So a

00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:12.840
really bad hailstorm came through where I was

00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:16.820
living and completely totaled my vehicle. I broke

00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:20.820
out the back windshield. It was It depleted all

00:16:20.820 --> 00:16:24.299
of the took out a ton of vehicles in San Angelo.

00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:29.799
And so I had a rental car for a while. My insurance

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:31.620
company was paying for a rental car for a few

00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:34.940
weeks. And then I got a message where they said,

00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:37.580
OK, time's up. You got to find a new vehicle.

00:16:37.899 --> 00:16:40.960
So my parents were living in Arlington at this

00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:44.860
point. And my dad was actually undergoing surgery.

00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:49.019
And I. I mean, I didn't have a husband anymore.

00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:53.299
And so the young adults leader at the time, he

00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:56.460
was a family friend. He's my dad's age. And he

00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:59.940
offered to help me find a new vehicle. So we

00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:02.639
had to actually drive to another city to go get

00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:08.720
a vehicle because all of the the places in San

00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.799
Angelo, just the inventory was depleted because

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:14.579
the health storm was so bad. So we drove to another

00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:19.769
city. found a vehicle and ended up leaving my

00:17:19.769 --> 00:17:26.210
rental car there. So on the drive back, he attempted

00:17:26.210 --> 00:17:33.410
to sexually assault me and I was fearful for

00:17:33.410 --> 00:17:38.670
my life at that point. I was confused. I was

00:17:38.670 --> 00:17:41.390
shocked that he would try and do this and I think

00:17:41.390 --> 00:17:44.390
he could tell because he even made a comment

00:17:44.390 --> 00:17:48.740
saying that he'd made me too uncomfortable which

00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:51.839
then kind of made me panic and I was like okay

00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:55.339
I just have to do what I have to do to get home

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:58.839
and so I entered in conversation and let him

00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:03.200
know everything was okay and that I promised

00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:10.599
I would not tell anyone about this and he just

00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:16.440
kind of was really I was just still shocked at

00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:18.859
the things he was saying to me and what he was

00:18:18.859 --> 00:18:23.000
trying to convince me to do and we we ended up

00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.579
making it back to Sinangelo though and before

00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:29.619
he would get out of my car he just made me promise

00:18:29.619 --> 00:18:33.900
that I would not tell anyone about what had happened

00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:36.960
because it would make us both look bad. And so

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.859
I promised, I told him I would not tell anybody.

00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.960
And at that point, I really, I had no intention

00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:42.960
of telling anybody because I was just still in

00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:45.460
absolute shock. I mean, he was a prominent businessman

00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:50.599
and Sinangelo family friend. And I, yeah, I just,

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.880
I was still trying to even process everything

00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:57.099
that had just happened. So I start driving home

00:18:57.099 --> 00:18:59.160
and I had family that was watching Ellie. So

00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:01.079
I start driving home and I just completely, it

00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:04.640
was like my body finally just exhaled. and I

00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:07.420
had to pull over because I was crying so much.

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:13.980
I cried, I was shaking, and I knew I had to pull

00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:17.420
it together to get back to Ellie. So I got back

00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:21.500
home and I could not sleep that night. I was

00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:25.000
so messed up over this. I stayed up all night.

00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:27.460
I kept thinking he was going to come to my house.

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:29.500
I was living alone with Ellie at that point and

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:35.000
I was terrified. The next day, my younger sister

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:39.700
actually called me and told me that this person,

00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:41.619
the young adult sitter was going over to her

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:44.220
house to help her move, help her with some things.

00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:47.279
And I broke at that point and I told her, he's

00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:49.480
not who you think he is. Please do not let him

00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:54.319
go over to your house. And she instantly knew,

00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:55.839
of course, that something was wrong. And she

00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:57.720
told me she was coming over so we could talk.

00:19:58.269 --> 00:20:01.490
So she came over and I told her everything about

00:20:01.490 --> 00:20:06.349
the day and what had happened. And then we kind

00:20:06.349 --> 00:20:11.630
of scheduled a time to go tell my parents. I

00:20:11.630 --> 00:20:14.210
wanted to tell them in person and not over the

00:20:14.210 --> 00:20:17.170
phone. So we went and drove to Arlington that

00:20:17.170 --> 00:20:21.269
weekend and told my parents. And that just kind

00:20:21.269 --> 00:20:26.819
of set off several other events. we ended up

00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:30.160
finding out that there was another girl that

00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:32.079
had been part of the young adults group that

00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.640
had moved off that he'd done something very similar

00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:41.140
to. So after hearing that, I realized if there

00:20:41.140 --> 00:20:43.920
had been the two of us within a couple years,

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:47.839
there most likely had to be more. So I started

00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:52.910
down a rabbit hole and I researched. everything.

00:20:53.170 --> 00:20:54.950
I bought a software to do background checks.

00:20:55.109 --> 00:20:57.750
I researched everything about his life and I

00:20:57.750 --> 00:21:03.410
uncovered so many dark things and I ended up

00:21:03.410 --> 00:21:09.529
contacting his great niece and I sent her a Facebook

00:21:09.529 --> 00:21:12.710
message, gave her my number and she immediately

00:21:12.710 --> 00:21:18.250
called me. And she just she shared so much of

00:21:18.250 --> 00:21:20.650
her life and the things the horrific things that

00:21:20.650 --> 00:21:27.970
he did to her and So it it led to 40 years worth

00:21:27.970 --> 00:21:31.490
of evidence coming out We we handed everything

00:21:31.490 --> 00:21:36.930
over to a Texas Ranger and he found 20 plus victims

00:21:36.930 --> 00:21:41.410
And so then that led us it took it took a few

00:21:41.410 --> 00:21:45.640
years, but that led us to a Two -week long a

00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.440
really intense trial That was mostly based on

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:51.539
the the great niece and what she had endured

00:21:51.539 --> 00:21:56.279
but seven others were able to testify as well

00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:02.180
and so That was that was a really tough time

00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:05.400
I was feeling so scared and anxious especially

00:22:05.400 --> 00:22:07.180
the morning that I woke up and I knew I was gonna

00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:11.680
be put on the stand to testify and Asked the

00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:13.940
Lord just for a scripture. I'm like give me anything

00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:16.519
to help this follow You know what I'm feeling

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:19.680
give me something and he led me to Exodus 17

00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:22.779
14 Which I thought was just kind of odd. I didn't

00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:24.799
know that scripture off the top of my head. It's

00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:29.200
not a classic go -to encouraging scripture that

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:31.339
I read, Exodus 17, 14. I'm going to read it right

00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:34.819
now. It says, After the victory, the Lord instructed

00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:38.140
Moses, write this down on a scroll as a permanent

00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:41.140
reminder and read it aloud to Joshua. I will

00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:43.420
erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.

00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:47.559
As soon as I read that, I felt such supernatural

00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:50.220
peace. I immediately knew that the Lord was going

00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:52.700
to have his way in the trial and that no other

00:22:52.700 --> 00:22:55.319
generations would have to face what we were currently

00:22:55.319 --> 00:23:02.089
facing. So that led us to, he was convicted and

00:23:02.089 --> 00:23:06.970
he actually got two 10 -year sentences and the

00:23:06.970 --> 00:23:09.970
judge gave such favor to us. The judge stacked

00:23:09.970 --> 00:23:12.289
the two sentences to make sure that he could

00:23:12.289 --> 00:23:15.710
not serve them at the same time. And so he has

00:23:15.710 --> 00:23:21.650
20 years that he'll serve. And yeah, it just,

00:23:22.390 --> 00:23:26.059
it's amazing. to be able to look back and see

00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:29.500
what the Lord did even during that really dark

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:34.960
time. Yeah. So you mentioned, you know, a few

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:38.400
times that you were angry with the Lord and,

00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:40.099
you know, I mean, all of that must have left

00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:42.720
you just deep pain and some really hard questions

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:44.500
for God. And I mean, of course, God doesn't mind

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:47.940
hard questions. Yeah. But what was going on in

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:49.900
your heart during all of that time? And how did

00:23:49.900 --> 00:23:52.960
you start finding your way back toward healing?

00:23:53.390 --> 00:23:57.069
Because it was piling on. Yes. Yeah. No, I was

00:23:57.069 --> 00:23:59.529
in a several moments. I was in a really dark

00:23:59.529 --> 00:24:02.250
place. And so especially after the divorce and

00:24:02.250 --> 00:24:07.410
then the attempted assault, I felt broken, abandoned.

00:24:07.509 --> 00:24:14.109
I was questioning God a lot. And I stopped really

00:24:14.109 --> 00:24:18.529
going to church regularly. And we had a prophet,

00:24:18.750 --> 00:24:23.740
Ed Trout, who was coming to town and I used to

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:26.420
love going to his services and so I decided to

00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:29.539
go and I just sat at the very back and my sister

00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:33.960
sat with me and I really wasn't wanting a word

00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:37.019
I was just kind of observing but he called me

00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:40.400
out and he gave me a word and he told me that

00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:43.500
the storms I was enduring that God was not surprised

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:46.559
by any of them but that I had really gone down

00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:48.440
a path where I just wanted everyone to leave

00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:52.359
me alone. and that because I had isolated myself,

00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:55.299
I had locked up all of the gifts and the skills

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:58.980
that God had given me. And he told me that the

00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:02.000
Lord was trying to birth greatness in me during

00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:05.660
this time and that I needed to fully surrender

00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:07.519
everything over to the Lord and let him have

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:12.160
his way. So that kind of gave me some renewed

00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:22.259
hope, feeling heard and seen from the Lord. I

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:24.420
felt like I had been angry at him, so I didn't

00:25:24.420 --> 00:25:28.339
feel like I deserved to hear something like that.

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:34.460
I had taken to journaling. It became my outlet,

00:25:34.619 --> 00:25:37.779
so I would write poems, a journal, very raw.

00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:39.880
I look back now and I'm still like, wow, I can't

00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:41.819
believe I wrote some of those things down. I'm

00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:44.279
writing to the Lord almost in my journal entries.

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:51.680
Yeah, so I just, I would, I'd fill my home and

00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:54.160
my heart with worship music. I felt so connected

00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:57.940
to the Lord and such a sweet spirit any time

00:25:57.940 --> 00:26:00.200
I would listen to worship music. So I leaned

00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:02.960
into that. If I found that, and during that time,

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:04.900
if I listened to anything other than worship,

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:09.380
I just felt darkness and depression. And so I

00:26:09.380 --> 00:26:13.039
just leaned into worship and then I would listen

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:17.690
to the verse of the day. podcasts, sermons, anything

00:26:17.690 --> 00:26:23.529
I could to just feel his presence and peace surrounding

00:26:23.529 --> 00:26:28.910
me. So the healing was very slow but steady and

00:26:28.910 --> 00:26:33.910
I just saw God's quiet faithfulness and I knew

00:26:33.910 --> 00:26:37.390
I knew he was working everything for my good.

00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:40.980
During that time like Romans 828 says and so

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:44.059
that really became an anchor and I clung on to

00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:48.440
that promise and Yes now seeing the fruit of

00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:50.559
it. It's it's incredible to see the fruit of

00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:53.920
it now It's hard to cling on the cling to a promise

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:56.299
like that when you're in your darkest night So,

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:59.099
you know the fact that God was giving you the

00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:01.680
faith to do that was another indication that

00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:04.539
he was at work because even in your darkest season

00:27:04.539 --> 00:27:08.309
God was working redemption He was turning those

00:27:08.309 --> 00:27:10.769
ashes into beauty and mourning into joy. So how

00:27:10.769 --> 00:27:13.190
did you see him actually do that in your life?

00:27:13.470 --> 00:27:18.130
I met my husband Zach at a mutual friend's wedding

00:27:18.130 --> 00:27:26.369
and we talked at the wedding and things were

00:27:26.369 --> 00:27:29.890
great. But then we actually didn't start dating

00:27:29.890 --> 00:27:32.769
until about six months later. I still had some

00:27:32.769 --> 00:27:36.500
walls up. that the Lord was working through.

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:42.039
So the trial, it took us three years to go to

00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:45.039
trial. So from the time things happened to the

00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:47.839
actual trial, three and a half. I didn't want

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:50.720
to bring anyone into that chaos and burden them

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:54.180
with it. I didn't really like talking about it.

00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:57.980
So I just decided, okay, I was not going to get

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:59.799
serious about dating or marrying anyone until

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:02.980
after this was all over. and but of course at

00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:04.539
that point I had no idea it was going to take

00:28:04.539 --> 00:28:06.740
three and a half years. I just kept thinking

00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:08.720
okay another six months and then it was another

00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:10.960
six months and it just kept getting extended

00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:15.299
and so um and then there's Zach. Zach was 35

00:28:15.299 --> 00:28:18.319
at the time we met. He'd never been married and

00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:23.809
he was ready to build a family so I am so glad

00:28:23.809 --> 00:28:27.289
I did not put my life on hold like I wanted to

00:28:27.289 --> 00:28:30.569
because that has been such an incredible support

00:28:30.569 --> 00:28:35.529
system to me and to Ellie during a really tough

00:28:35.529 --> 00:28:40.210
season. So we married about a year after we started

00:28:40.210 --> 00:28:44.869
dating and then we had our second child a year

00:28:44.869 --> 00:28:49.619
after that. So it's, yeah. So how did he win

00:28:49.619 --> 00:28:53.440
your heart from it being closed off to saying

00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:56.460
yes to another relationship? Yeah, he just he

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:59.559
was persistent. So he knew he wanted to marry

00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:04.119
me. He was very persistent. Yeah, looking back,

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:06.579
it's so funny. I'm shocked I didn't push him

00:29:06.579 --> 00:29:11.200
away. Because of where I was at, but he yeah,

00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:15.779
he loved me even in tough times of Just still

00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:17.960
feeling like okay How am I gonna get to the other

00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:20.500
side of this and I didn't I didn't want any of

00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:23.500
these things to be part of my story to be quite

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:27.900
honest, so I I yeah coming to terms with that

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:31.839
still and some of just the shame and the rejection

00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:38.210
and It was really difficult but Zach was so gentle

00:29:38.210 --> 00:29:42.650
and patient with me and with Ellie. Seeing him

00:29:42.650 --> 00:29:46.930
with Ellie, it was absolutely beautiful and they're

00:29:46.930 --> 00:29:49.329
so funny together. They have a wonderful relationship.

00:29:50.250 --> 00:29:56.599
So that won me over a lot, to be honest. Well,

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:59.799
God is so good. And he is able to bring just

00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:02.319
what we need into our lives, even when we aren't

00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:03.839
asking for it, because you weren't asking for

00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:08.279
it at that point. No. You know, Megan, as you

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:10.319
navigated your own journey, you mentioned Ellie.

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:14.180
She was walking through it all, too. So how have

00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:17.160
you helped her process the pain and confusion?

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:19.519
And what encouragement would you share with other

00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:22.079
moms who might be facing similar circumstances

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:25.299
with their children? Yeah, so that was tough.

00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:29.079
We prayed, I look back to even the single mom

00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:34.400
days, we prayed every night for her dad, for

00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:37.880
us, for family. We just really leaned into prayer

00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:41.180
and I have recordings of her sweet little voice

00:30:41.180 --> 00:30:46.319
just praying during those times. And I was trying

00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:49.279
to prioritize helping her process things, but

00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:53.579
also protecting her heart. So part of it was

00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:57.259
I really saw what my my now ex -husband what

00:30:57.259 --> 00:31:02.880
his mom Put him through whenever she was divorcing

00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:08.230
his dad So this has now been 30 -something years

00:31:08.230 --> 00:31:11.609
of her just poisoning him against his own father.

00:31:11.990 --> 00:31:14.390
And I think that's caused so much trauma and

00:31:14.390 --> 00:31:16.450
turmoil and I knew I did not want that to be

00:31:16.450 --> 00:31:19.190
part of my story or Ellie's story because it's

00:31:19.190 --> 00:31:21.829
too easy to want to say horrible things about

00:31:21.829 --> 00:31:25.289
someone who is doing horrible things to you.

00:31:25.569 --> 00:31:28.430
And so I just made a point that that was not

00:31:28.430 --> 00:31:32.049
going to be part of our story. And I watched

00:31:32.049 --> 00:31:36.700
the Lord soften my heart towards him. and to

00:31:36.700 --> 00:31:39.700
where it turned from anger to compassion. And

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:42.460
that's how, even through praying, I just felt

00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:44.960
like we were breaking a generational pattern

00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:47.900
by doing that. And so I was very intentional

00:31:47.900 --> 00:31:50.700
with Ellie. I took her to a Christian counselor

00:31:50.700 --> 00:31:54.779
and she helped guide healthy conversations because

00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:58.900
I still, I was just... stuck in kind of chaos

00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:01.640
in my brain and I'd never navigated this before

00:32:01.640 --> 00:32:05.539
and so having her was amazing. She told me...

00:32:05.579 --> 00:32:08.500
To let Ellie keep whatever pictures she wanted

00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:11.299
to keep let her ask whatever questions she wanted

00:32:11.299 --> 00:32:14.799
to ask and just give her honest age -appropriate

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:19.579
answers and so that's really what I did and I

00:32:19.579 --> 00:32:24.500
also attended a Kairos event at a church in the

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:28.500
Dallas area and God walked me through and the

00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:30.259
biblical leaders are there just walked me through

00:32:30.259 --> 00:32:37.430
deep forgiveness which Yes, it's helped so much

00:32:37.430 --> 00:32:40.390
with the way that I feel now and it's amazing

00:32:40.390 --> 00:32:44.089
not feeling any sort of bitterness towards Him.

00:32:44.289 --> 00:32:47.150
Yeah, that's a work of the Lord, isn't it? It

00:32:47.150 --> 00:32:50.769
absolutely is. So recently, God has led you to

00:32:50.769 --> 00:32:54.029
make an unexpected shift in your career. After

00:32:54.029 --> 00:32:57.309
all of this and renewing your life, He's given

00:32:57.309 --> 00:32:59.869
you a new work to do. How did that come about

00:32:59.869 --> 00:33:02.069
and what does your role look like today? Yes,

00:33:02.069 --> 00:33:06.680
so I... was in public education for 14 years

00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:10.660
and I never planned on working for a church.

00:33:11.180 --> 00:33:13.299
Even though I'd worked through a lot of things

00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:19.099
from my teenage years, I still... seeing the...

00:33:19.150 --> 00:33:21.789
a certain side of ministry, it can make you not

00:33:21.789 --> 00:33:26.430
want that to be part of your life. And that's

00:33:26.430 --> 00:33:28.829
really where I was at, but my dad's a senior

00:33:28.829 --> 00:33:31.710
pastor and he called me. There'd been a lot of

00:33:31.710 --> 00:33:34.089
changes at the St. Angelo campus and he asked

00:33:34.089 --> 00:33:36.430
if I would just pray about moving over to the

00:33:36.430 --> 00:33:40.109
church side because the church could really benefit

00:33:40.109 --> 00:33:44.130
with having me and some additional help. And

00:33:44.130 --> 00:33:48.700
so I... Zach and I both, we prayed about it and

00:33:48.700 --> 00:33:51.039
I felt peace and I didn't want to feel peace.

00:33:51.119 --> 00:33:54.799
I wanted to stay where I was comfortable, where

00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:59.140
I had been for 14 years and great benefits, great

00:33:59.140 --> 00:34:02.039
retirement, all of the things. But I felt so

00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:05.240
much peace about moving over and so I did. And

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:09.860
then not long after that we had some major floods

00:34:09.860 --> 00:34:14.539
that hit central and west Texas and I was the

00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:17.820
new kid on the block. And so I became the flood

00:34:17.820 --> 00:34:21.019
relief coordinator pretty much. But that led

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:23.840
to so we've done so many outreach efforts now.

00:34:24.280 --> 00:34:27.099
And it has given us an open door into people's

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:30.400
homes to be with them now during their incredibly

00:34:30.400 --> 00:34:34.760
dark times. And so we've we've been able to help

00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:40.280
so many widows, elderly, disabled veterans. The

00:34:40.280 --> 00:34:43.860
list goes on and so that's been Really beautiful

00:34:43.860 --> 00:34:46.719
because I I've always loved helping people it

00:34:46.719 --> 00:34:49.760
does it fuels my fire And so it feels so incredibly

00:34:49.760 --> 00:34:53.179
kind of the Lord to put me in a position where

00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:58.380
I'm able to now do this as my job so one story

00:34:58.380 --> 00:35:04.429
in particular we have an elderly widow who she's

00:35:04.429 --> 00:35:06.710
experienced so much loss of course she lost her

00:35:06.710 --> 00:35:09.949
husband and then she lost another one of her

00:35:09.949 --> 00:35:13.849
sons and then another son is incarcerated now

00:35:13.849 --> 00:35:17.210
and so she had her daughter -in -law move in

00:35:17.210 --> 00:35:19.429
with her and then she cares for the 10 month

00:35:19.429 --> 00:35:22.550
old grandbaby so they were woken up in the middle

00:35:22.550 --> 00:35:26.130
of the night by thunder and lightning actually

00:35:26.130 --> 00:35:30.119
is what woke her up and thank God she woke up

00:35:30.119 --> 00:35:31.800
because as soon as she got up she went to check

00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:34.519
on the grandbaby who was in a very low pack and

00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:37.980
play and the water was already had risen to the

00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:42.460
back of the baby's body and so they got the baby

00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:45.420
up and they just they had no idea what to do

00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:48.519
they'd called to try and ask for help from the

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:51.119
city and the city there's not a whole lot of

00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:53.619
resources there and so that didn't happen and

00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:56.400
They managed to get a hold of us at the live

00:35:56.400 --> 00:36:00.480
church and we were over there shortly after she

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:05.239
submitted a form. And we mucked and gutted their

00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:07.320
home, everything. This was a few days after and

00:36:07.320 --> 00:36:09.380
everything was still just in the home and it

00:36:09.380 --> 00:36:11.360
smelled horrible and they were just having to

00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:13.159
live in that because they had nowhere to go.

00:36:13.780 --> 00:36:16.400
And so we were able to go in there and get everything

00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:19.260
out that was damaged. And we've just continued

00:36:19.260 --> 00:36:22.699
to walk. Through now the rebuild process with

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:25.699
them and she just she doesn't understand because

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:27.619
she was a complete stranger to us And so she

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:30.059
doesn't understand why a complete stranger would

00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:35.239
be willing to do all of this for them and It's

00:36:35.239 --> 00:36:37.260
been beautiful to be able to minister to her

00:36:37.260 --> 00:36:41.199
and they they're still they have their struggles

00:36:41.199 --> 00:36:44.440
and they have they're missing clothes and different

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:46.840
things, but she's ready to get back to church

00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:51.599
very soon. And so it's been incredible to see

00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:55.460
the church's response and then just giving us

00:36:55.460 --> 00:36:57.019
the ability to be the hands and feet of Jesus

00:36:57.019 --> 00:37:00.179
during this time and how it's ministered to people

00:37:00.179 --> 00:37:02.239
who've really needed help. Yeah, when you're

00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:04.400
talking about helping people, that is, I mean,

00:37:04.500 --> 00:37:06.579
it's not just bringing them a cup of coffee.

00:37:07.099 --> 00:37:09.400
which can be really helpful at times, but it's

00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:11.400
mucking out their homes, it's putting in new

00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:16.059
drywall, it's fixing broken plumbing, it's putting

00:37:16.059 --> 00:37:18.400
new roofs on that were damaged by the storm.

00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:21.139
I mean, it's really hard work that you're doing

00:37:21.139 --> 00:37:23.539
for people, and it is making an impact in their

00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:26.300
lives for Jesus. I mean, that's how we met. The

00:37:26.300 --> 00:37:29.480
Life .Church is doing such an amazing job. Somebody

00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:32.159
Cares is honored to... support and assist your

00:37:32.159 --> 00:37:33.920
efforts in any way we can. We've been sending

00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:38.239
you building supplies and assistance. So it's

00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:41.079
a beautiful thing that God took you through such

00:37:41.079 --> 00:37:43.300
a dark season, totally different than what these

00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:45.820
people are going through, but he brought you

00:37:45.820 --> 00:37:47.840
into a place of hope so you can give hope to

00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:49.400
others who are going through this dark season.

00:37:49.780 --> 00:37:53.940
Yes, it's beautiful. Yeah. Well, Megan, as we

00:37:53.940 --> 00:37:57.019
close, is there a woman in the Bible whose story

00:37:57.019 --> 00:37:59.840
has really spoken to you? And in what ways has

00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:02.280
her journey encouraged you and shaped your own

00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:05.340
walk with God? Yeah, so the story of Ruth has

00:38:05.340 --> 00:38:08.320
always spoken to me. She had every reason to

00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:11.099
go back to her old life in Moab after her world

00:38:11.099 --> 00:38:14.800
fell apart, but she stepped into the unknown

00:38:14.800 --> 00:38:18.530
and she trusted God with her future. And I feel

00:38:18.530 --> 00:38:22.909
like that's part of my journey now after what

00:38:22.909 --> 00:38:26.409
I endured. I didn't let shame or rejection define

00:38:26.409 --> 00:38:30.650
me. So I've trusted God to take me down a different

00:38:30.650 --> 00:38:34.269
path. And just like with Ruth, her story led

00:38:34.269 --> 00:38:37.590
to redemption for generations. I truly believe

00:38:37.590 --> 00:38:41.789
that that's part of my story as well. Amen. That

00:38:41.789 --> 00:38:44.869
is beautiful. Well, thank you so much for sharing

00:38:44.869 --> 00:38:49.030
your journey so vulnerably today. Your story

00:38:49.030 --> 00:38:52.809
does bring us back to the truth of Psalm 30 that

00:38:52.809 --> 00:38:54.869
God really does turn mourning into dancing and

00:38:54.869 --> 00:38:58.289
He really does clothe us with joy. So friend,

00:38:58.449 --> 00:39:01.489
if you are in a season of sorrow right now, take

00:39:01.489 --> 00:39:03.750
heart that God sees you. He's not forgotten you.

00:39:04.030 --> 00:39:06.250
I know that because He led you to this episode.

00:39:07.590 --> 00:39:11.630
Isaiah 61 -3 promises that he gives us a crown

00:39:11.630 --> 00:39:14.809
of beauty instead of ashes and the oil of joy

00:39:14.809 --> 00:39:17.809
instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead

00:39:17.809 --> 00:39:21.829
of a spirit of despair. In Jeremiah 31 -13, God

00:39:21.829 --> 00:39:24.349
declares, I will turn their mourning into gladness.

00:39:24.849 --> 00:39:27.710
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

00:39:28.130 --> 00:39:31.409
And that's his heart for you. Megan, before we

00:39:31.409 --> 00:39:33.929
close, would you take a moment and pray for our

00:39:33.929 --> 00:39:37.139
listening friends? Yes. Father, I thank you for

00:39:37.139 --> 00:39:39.800
every person listening right now, Lord. I thank

00:39:39.800 --> 00:39:43.619
you that you see every tear, every question,

00:39:43.800 --> 00:39:47.280
and every moment of pain, Father God. I ask,

00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:50.619
Lord, that you will continue to walk with us

00:39:50.619 --> 00:39:52.960
as we go through these times, Lord, and that

00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:55.659
you'll remind us that you're near to us, Father.

00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:58.420
You're closer than our very next breath, Lord.

00:39:59.630 --> 00:40:02.170
Thank you that you do bring beauty from ashes

00:40:02.170 --> 00:40:05.550
and that nothing is beyond your redemption, Father.

00:40:06.590 --> 00:40:09.090
Thank you for filling everyone with hope today,

00:40:09.309 --> 00:40:12.409
Lord, and continuing to give us everything that

00:40:12.409 --> 00:40:15.110
we need to do all that you've called us to do,

00:40:15.230 --> 00:40:19.989
Father God. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. As we

00:40:19.989 --> 00:40:22.369
close, I have a blessing to speak over you based

00:40:22.369 --> 00:40:26.250
on Psalm 30, verses 11 and 12. May the Lord turn

00:40:26.250 --> 00:40:29.150
your mourning. into dancing and clothe you with

00:40:29.150 --> 00:40:33.389
his joy. May he give you beauty for ashes, gladness

00:40:33.389 --> 00:40:36.030
for sorrow, and songs of praise that will carry

00:40:36.030 --> 00:40:39.730
you through every season. May his presence fill

00:40:39.730 --> 00:40:43.750
your heart with hope, and may your life shine

00:40:43.750 --> 00:40:47.610
as a testimony of his transforming love. Friend,

00:40:47.610 --> 00:40:50.170
just as God has met Megan, he wants to meet you

00:40:50.170 --> 00:40:53.469
too, and part of how we as a community come alongside

00:40:53.469 --> 00:40:55.590
others in their darkest hour is through the Widow

00:40:55.590 --> 00:40:58.219
and Orphan Fund. You know, around the world,

00:40:58.460 --> 00:41:00.639
from Myanmar to right here at home, widows and

00:41:00.639 --> 00:41:02.940
orphans are experiencing God's comfort and practical

00:41:02.940 --> 00:41:05.199
provision because people like you have chosen

00:41:05.199 --> 00:41:07.519
to give. If you'd like to be a part of that,

00:41:07.619 --> 00:41:10.000
just visit hergodstory .org and click on Help

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:12.920
Now. And yes, even cryptocurrency is welcome.

00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:15.380
And remember, you don't have to walk through

00:41:15.380 --> 00:41:18.199
this journey alone. If you need prayer, call

00:41:18.199 --> 00:41:22.739
or text our 24 -7 prayer or text line at 855

00:41:22.739 --> 00:41:27.280
-459 -CARE. or email us at prayer at somebodycares

00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:30.219
.org. We would be honored to stand with you.

00:41:30.940 --> 00:41:32.519
And while you're on our website, you can download

00:41:32.519 --> 00:41:34.739
a free six -week devotional on Women of the Bible,

00:41:35.079 --> 00:41:37.219
which is a great way to strengthen your faith

00:41:37.219 --> 00:41:40.739
and be encouraged as you grow deeper in your

00:41:40.739 --> 00:41:43.559
journey with the Lord. Until next time, remember

00:41:43.559 --> 00:41:46.800
God is still writing your story. and the final

00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:50.179
word is filled with joy. Her God Story is a ministry

00:41:50.179 --> 00:41:52.400
of Somebody Cares America and International.

00:41:52.800 --> 00:41:55.000
To find out more about or support the ministry

00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:56.920
go to somebodycares .org.