Mustard Seed

When I was 7 years old, I heard my pastor say, “He replied, because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (NIV Bible, Mathew 17. 20-21). I asked my dad if that verse was true. My dad said, “Yes.” For the next month, I pretended I was Genie from I Love Genie. I would put my fingers to my temples, nod my head towards Mt. Rainier, and command the mountain to move. I did this every day and every time it never moved. I asked my dad, “How come the mountain isn’t moving?” He said, “You must not have enough faith,” as he chuckled to himself. This was a daily ritual for me for quite some time.

Now it is 20 years later, and I am married with two children. In the beginning, my husband and I fought about everything. There came a point where I was exhausted from fighting with my husband, Anthony. I finally sat down with him and asked, “When do you say enough is enough and separate?” He said, “You don’t,” and walked away hurt. I understood at that moment that he had a different mindset and was committed to the marriage.

A year later, we started going to church every Sunday. Anthony did not always go with us, but when he did, he always get mad about how I put God first and my family second. Anthony did not understand the love I had for God. Anthony was not going to church on Sunday mornings, so I consulted Mr. Bower, who was an elder of our church, about the problem. He said, “He needs some responsibilities. I used to be like him, and my wife would pack up the kids and go to church without me. Do you think my love for God happened overnight? It took time.” A few months later, we decided to change churches to one that was closer to us. The pastor at the new church gave Anthony some responsibilities: communion, running the youth group, and a sermon on a Sunday night. Anthony gave a great sermon! He had the love for God, and it did not happen my way; it happened God’s way and at God’s speed.

One night God laid a sweet message on my heart, ”You did move a mountain; it was bigger than Mt Rainier because you believed in me, and had faith in me that your marriage would grow stronger, and that Anthony would change his heart. See, nothing will be impossible for you as long as you have faith in me.” I believe in the verse Mathew 17:20-21, because God showed me I can move mountains as long as I have faith in him. I could have missed it all if I left Anthony in the beginning.