the song was written in high C, a most stringent song for any singer.  I had practiced, but I couldn't sing more than ½ an octave in practice, well below what I am capable of.  My dear mother wondered what I was going to do.  In faith I said,  I'M GOING TO SING!"
      During this time, I had never put Jesus to such a test except when my sons were gravely ill.  But when the day came; there I was at the church.  My mother had accompanied me as I let the pastor and his wife know that after weeks of practicing my voice was very weak.  Nevertheless I walked to the podium;  I took the microphone in my hand;  I opened my mouth and   SANG!  I was flabbergasted!  My voice was soaring to previously unattainable heights.  I kept thinking, Lord this is YOU, this is YOU!  You did it!  I left the platform transformed, blessing the name of Jesus.  When I approached my seat, my mother could have almost fainted.
      Later that day at our Home Missions Church, I still couldn't sing well.  I continued to believe God for my healing.  Then Camp meeting came in July of the next year.  The minister asked all those with a physical growth in their body to stand.  I stood in faith to the Lord.  After a week, in which I religiously drank water and stopped talking, a fact that my husband joked about and truly appreciated, I still saw no results.  I called the minister that Saturday night and we prayed over the phone and he pronounced healing to me.  The next morning, at our home missions church my voice reached the rafters!  That night my complete healing came!! 
      The Stop N Go in front of our subdivision still bears the bullet hole that was meant for my husband, Curtis.  We had stopped there to get gasoline.  This guy came up and put a gun in Curtis's stomach and demanded he take out his wallet.  Although Curtis let him know he had no more money than what was used for gas, he decided to wrestle with the man.  Our son Dustin, who had gotten out of the car to pump, got under the car.  I had gotten out too, but to jump on the back of the man and bent his thumb!  The guy wanted to shoot Curtis, but instead the gun went off and punctured the awning.  Friends just don't believe how the Lord protected us.
      In any trial or test, I feel that the situation that I am in has gone before God first.  Rest assured, He knows where we are and has confidence in us that the trial will make us better.  We learn from our test by not trading any trial or test but seeking never to go through it again!  Looking back from what I thought I knew to where I am in my experience today.  I can see God's protectiveness of us.  His purpose is to refine us, not change our personality or individual talent, but to change (maybe increase!)  our character, to change our seemingly normal character flaws into gold.
       Every time I get down to pray, I would think that my Bible was rigged.  It would always fall open to the scripture in Matthew, "judge not…". When I wanted to look at and believe other scriptures concerning me, this one would blaringly display.
      Throughout the years, I have tried to work on this flaw in my character.  Even though I was bold as a child as a teenager, God doesn't want us to be harsh with people.  I could easily say one word, and cause another to stumble.  When I thought I had conquered my weakness, God would send a test.  While I was dressing corn to put on the grill I had cut myself, and was rushed to the emergency.  Because a tendon was severed, I had to have surgery, afterward, I would have to keep bending my finger and then have a cast put on it to keep it straight.  I heard the Lord say, "Lynette you are going to put away the pointing of the finger, as mentioned in Proverbs.
       He wants me to be released from judging any man, but to judge man by the fruit of the spirit beginning with LOVE!  How much I love, not to define myself or decide that someone is not as spiritual.  I learned that lesson, and I don't want to go through that test again!  I want to learn it for good; I only seek to know Lynette's heart, to live by His mercy and grace.  It's what I want, its what I have always wanted: to live for Him because He's allowed me to show His glory; and given me authority to speak healing to a needy soul; to cast out devils in His name.
I would tell anybody to keep the fire intense in your life because the enemy is real: he's come to destroy anybody he can.  If I don't feel God's presence, I walk by faith.  He has done so many