We are so happy to have a guest article by Elaine Ham to
share with you. Elaine is Founder and
National Trainer for Plans for You, Inc., a consulting company founded in 2000
to assist pro-life organizations in raising funds for their ministries. She has served as National Consultant for the
Southern Baptist Convention. Elaine has
more than 25 years of experience in the business world, as a manger and the
owner of two retail businesses. Elaine
and her husband Tom have two children and two grandchildren.
Shirley's favorite thing about Elaine is that she is her
cousin! Elaine is a beautiful lady who is
faithfully following God’s call on her life.
You will hear more from Elaine on this blog site in the future, as well as
other venues where she serves tirelessly sharing the good news of the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your
path.” Proverbs 3:5
& 6 (NIV).
Many times in our lives we define success
for ourselves based on actions that others must take to make it happen. For
example, because I grew up in a home filled with conflict and insecurity, I was
determined that my son’s childhood would be filled with love and happiness. For
the most part, that vision became reality.
However, nothing could protect him from a
broken heart when his girlfriend dropped him, or when his little league coach
benched him, or when he failed to get the part he coveted in a high school
play. While most of his life experiences were positive, without experiencing
disappointment and loss, he would not have grown into the thoughtful husband
and loving dad he is today.
I’ve often wondered why it’s so easy to see
God’s hands at work in the life of a friend or family member but so difficult
to apply that same principle in my own life. As a young child of about seven, I
still vividly remember a scene that happened one evening in my own home. After
going to bed, I was awakened by the sounds of my mother and father having a
heated argument about money and alcohol, a not uncommon occurrence in our
house. I quietly climbed out of bed and, with tears streaming down my face, hid
behind a piece of furniture in the living room and listened. The argument
finally ended, and I made my way back to bed—but not without making a decision
that changed my life. As I stood behind that door in a cold living room, a thought formed in my mind that has affected my entire life—“I can do better than this.” Throughout my school years I studied and made good grades and, because of my godly mother, made good decisions about my personal life. My drive to be a success in the business world took me to many places with many titles, and God blessed me with a husband who allowed me to chase the dreams and titles that were so important to me.
But through it all I knew something was
missing—a close relationship with Jesus Christ. A Christian since the age of
seven, I had never made the decision to put Him first in my life. That changed in
1993 when He very clearly called me into pro-life ministry. In that ministry I
found the satisfaction and peace of mind I had never experienced before. The
last twenty years my husband and I have spent in raising funds for pregnancy
resource centers that help women in crisis pregnancies make life choices for
their unborn children.
And now, facing retirement, once again I am
depending upon God to show me His direction for the latter years of my life. I
must admit it’s frightening and calls for more faith than anything I have ever experienced
before. But a lifetime of seeing God’s love and faithfulness, and the promise
He gave me in Proverbs 3:5-6, remind me that the remaining years belong to him—all
I have to do is sit back and watch Him work!
Elaine M.
Ham
PresidentPlans for You, Inc.
www.plansforyou.org
