Nicole Allen
I was, thankfully, born into a long line of amazing women who all had a powerful love for God. My mother, grandmother, and great grandmother have always been spiritual teachers. They showed my sister and I, through example, how to be strong women in this world, and to be powerful instruments to share God’s love, word, and teachings. My brother is also a fighter in God’s army. My family is very close to each other and we moved to Branson 1 year ago from Georgia.
You have asked me to write about how God changed me and saved me. I’ll tell you. After several failed marriages where my husbands had pressured me into having sex before marriage, (which never sat well with me because of my religious upbringing), my first husband abused me so bad physically, that children were out of the question to bring into a situation like this. My second husband was so adamant about our not having children, that I tired of trying to convince him into having the children that most women want. However,… alone again, I most surely didn’t plan on having a baby without the protection and covering of a marriage. And yet,…there was no one on the horizon. And, after two failed marriages, it takes a lot of butter to get you back in the frying pan! When I turned 30, I received a message from God during my prayers. I often get pictures or messages during prayer so I was not alarmed by it, you see. No, I was alarmed about what the message told me I had to do. God told me to “Prepare for the Children”. OK, I could do this. After all I was a Social Worker in a Children’s Protection Service Unit. I was on the front line fighting for the children daily. No problem, God, I got this. But he then said, “No prepare for YOUR Children, the ones I am going to send you, I will tell you what to do”. Ok…ummm….?!? I had just ended a 9 year marriage and was enjoying my freedom. I worked full time, I am committed to my family, I love my job, I don’t have time, and on and on and on went my excuses on how I couldn’t possibly do his bidding this time. Who was I to be a parent anyway? I was sure there were more qualified people out there who would be much better parents than I. What was he thinking? This was when my mother would tell me God knows what he is doing and what he is asking and does not need my help in figuring it out. I knew the enormous undertaking being the mother to the broken children of the world and I was terrified yet, I always said I trusted and had faith …Ok God….Here I go. I completed the (Parenting) program and became the first, female, single foster mother in North East Georgia! Over the next several years I proceeded to have 23 children assigned to me. I took special classes to learn how to take care of the worst of the worst cases. I specialized in addicted newborns, severely abused babies and toddlers. God was with me. He sent children to me, and he restored them through the love and care he had always placed inside of me for children. And,…He saved them from a fate worse than death!
Every time I wanted to give up I heard “Not Yet.” When I judged the parents or abusers of these children, I heard “Forgive Them“. When I called my prayer sisters on the phone in the middle of the night to pray for one of my kids, I heard “Thank You“. There were so many times I called on him. I saw many, many miracles. God forgave and saved me daily from my indiscretions, and allowed me to be of service to children in need of love and shelter. And once I laid eyes on the eleven year old girl who was to be my daughter, I petitioned the courts and won custody! Today, she is my greatest gift from God, along with my two nieces. And,…they are being raised to be strong, loving, compassionate, faithful and devoted women for God!