By Valerie Matyas
Each chapter of Ponder Anew: A Hymn Journal for Trust and Confidence includes an experiment of some sort to help you take a small next step in following Jesus. Some of the experiments focus on faith, while others focus on prayer. No matter the focus, the invitation to spend time with Jesus pondering and meditating remains the same.
Hymn #10 “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” introduces us to the Faith Experiment: Rock of Help. The exercise asks you to consider your own personal “Eben-Ezer” by posing the question: “If you were to raise your own Eben-Ezer, what events in your life might fit on your memorial Stone of Help?” The experiment concludes by encouraging the participant to “share your Eben-Ezer with a friend or family member.”
In this week’s video tutorial, I tackle this Faith Experiment. Join me as I visually illustrate and verbally tell the story of God’s faithfulness during a stressful, nerve-wracking fire alarm snafu.
By sharing my story I am reminded that God sees me through the tough, the stressful, and the unexpected. He lovingly and faithfully came to my aid, answered my prayers, and saw me safely to the end. The story shared in the tutorial is one of hundreds of stories that God has worked in my life. Sharing the story with you helps me to re-remember how He has worked (and continues to work) in my life.
These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)
The fire alarm story is one that happened quickly, was resolved quickly, and would perhaps be quickly forgotten. Remembering, recalling, capturing, and sharing the story deepens my trust and further cements my faith in a God who is my Stone of Help.
I would love to see your Faith Experiments from pages 100 and 101 of our book. Take a photo and tell the story. Send me an email (valmatyas@gmail.com) or post it in the Ponder Anew Pop Up Group. Capturing the story is an important first part of the experiment; sharing the story brings the experiment to fulfillment.
Blessings on your week!
Valerie Matyas
Lead Illustrator, Ponder Anew
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