Smile! Even If Your Life Is Upside Down: A Memoir of God’S Unfailing Love, Protection, and Restoration

By Jenny Matula

This book is the true story of a child-abuse survivor who found Gods love and through it was able to survive the hard times in her life. The inspirational story of Jenny Matula shows how Psalm 23 came alive and describes how Gods miraculous works in her life gave her the strength to overcome hardships.

Each chapter of the book will uplift your spirit with examples of how faith in Gods love enables her to overcome challenges and become stronger in her Christian faith. It is a story that will inspire you to place your trust in God in his love for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490830674

Jenny Matula

Jenny Matula lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband and two happy dogs, Lucy and Prince. She has four adult daughters and five grandchildren. Jenny has a master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Bethel University and serves God as a counselor at Central Christian Church in Henderson, Nevada.

Book preview

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: God Is Sovereign

My Childhood

Move To The Farm

First Grade

My Shepherd’s Protection

Life At The Orphanage

Chapter 2: Trust God

Moving In With My New Family

My Savior Sends An Angel Through Anna

My College Life

Rape By The Doctor

Challenges Of Being A Teen Mother

A Glimpse Of Heaven

Wandering Away From God

A Miracle: God Healed Joan

Chapter 3: Surrender Everything To God

Never Hide From God

Do Not Let The World Defeat You

Chapter 4: Forgiveness

God Healed Me From The Trauma Of Child Abuse

Abortion

Divorce

Motherhood

Chapter 5: Abundant Blessings Through Serving God

Obedience To God’s Calling

Be A Blessing To Others

Divine Intervention

Think How Big And Powerful God Is

Chapter 6: Have A Grateful Heart

Rejoice In God’s Promises

Count Your Blessings

Chapter 7: Fellowship And Friendship

See The Beauty In Others

Chapter 8: Travel And Praising God’s Creation

Love The City You Live In

Chapter 9: Pray Every Day

Pray Without Ceasing

Chapter 10: Make Reading God’s Word A Habit

God’s Word On Being Pregnant

Vengeance Is Mine Says The Lord

Salvation Is For Everyone

Afterword

I lovingly dedicate this book to my Mama.

Thank you for your love and sacrifice.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am forever grateful to all of my sisters in Christ for encouraging me to write my story: Lydia Armstrong, Sue Nelson, Remy Blake, Leah Impey, Joyce Shook, Paula Hosier, Denise Miller, Pel Reid, Malou Giles, Lisa Aschberger, and my Jonah ladies study group at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I am grateful to my amazing daughters Lani (Dorcas), Joan, Allie and Ellie who did not cry after reading the manuscript, but instead showed support. Thanks also to the twins, Allie and Ellie, for editing some of the chapters. You Rock

To the man who has been the wind beneath my wings throughout my journey, Thank you so much my love for your unending support, I couldn’t do this without you.

And most importantly, I humbly vow to the one true King, my savior Jesus Christ.

Thank you Lord for your unfailing love, mercy and grace. To God be the glory!!

FOREWORD

Smile, indeed.

Jenny Matula’s lucidly simple autobiography is as touching as it is sincere. This heart breaking depiction of the life of a brutally abused Filipina girl who earns an MA in marital and family therapy to become a wounded healer as a mature woman makes me smile throughout its pages–especially through the tears.

For Ms. Matula’s story is true, as the redemptive power of Jesus Christ is true. What shines through is the perseverance of her smile: the depiction of a single ray of sunlight upon the floor, the sound of her husband’s sleeping breath, the touch and reach of a helping hand. Her smile shall warm the darkened paths of many young girls and women who have suffered abuse: The radiance of her constant smile and the transformative guidance of scripture is the radiance at the end of all our darkly human tunnels.

Smile gave me Christ’s greatest gift–-hope.

Dr. Gretchen Skivington PhD, Comparative Literature

Great Basin College

Elko, Nevada

An inspirational, motivational, heartwarming, and soul-fulfilling guide for Life challenges, shared from a selfless, benevolent, and loving servant of the Lord who exemplifies God’s great gifts of true Love, Devotion, Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Kindness, Strength, Courage, Patience, Endurance and Gentleness by the nurturing of a solid foundation of Faith and Trust in the Holy Trinity: God: our Almighty Creator, Jesus Christ: our Savior, and The Holy Spirit: our Advocator.

As Jenny shares her overwhelming, tragic life obstacles that no one could ever imagine enduring, they were transformed by the One and Only, God into tribulations of restored peace, joy, and love which she so graciously shares by her amazing smile, and desire of love, encouragement, and kindness to others.

- A great self-help manual for redirecting one’s life to self-renewal, need for encouragement, and for seeking hope from believing that God is our Rock.

- A sincere, genuine, and generous outpour of Love as Jenny uses God’s Love and miracles as the most appropriate, therapeutic, healing tool for living Life here on earth.

- A selfless gift of love offered to others of God’s true love, joy, peace, restoration is portrayed in this soul-fulfilling, uplifting testimony of faith and trust in the Lord.

- This book is a great instrument for someone who is wholeheartedly seeking the Lord, for His strength, for learning of self-identity in Christ, for encouragement, and for the ultimate will to never give up and remain steadfast in His Word, Prayer, and exemplifying Jesus Christ.

Deena Luat, Ed. M., Registrar, USAF Weapons School

PREFACE

I felt the calling to write in 1994, but my insecurities got in the way. I have been praying ever since for the Lord to give me courage to fight my fears, especially the fear of rejection. I started writing some over the years, but every time I sat down to write, my tears poured out, so I knew that the memories were still too painful. I went to get therapy, which helped me immensely when it came to healing my childhood wounds. The most therapeutic thing I’ve done was to share my testimony of God’s love for me. The more I verbalized my feelings, the better I felt. Only God’s love brings true healing. Now, I only have the memories to share. With God’s mercy and grace, I have been able to write without pain. Of course, I still cry, but my tears are tears of joy. God has replaced the pain with love and compassion for others.

As God gave me courage to fight my insecurities, the Enemy played with my mind, saying, Who would be interested in reading the life story of an ordinary person like you? I knew I was afraid of being laughed at by friends and family. I prayed for strength and wisdom, and God answered me with Moses’ story in Exodus chapter three, when God called him to lead the Israelites. Moses felt inadequate for the job, so he was reluctant to accept his calling. The important part of this story is when God said, I will be with you (Exodus 3:12).

Yes! I am just an ordinary person, not equipped to write. However, when God calls us to do something bigger than we think we can accomplish, He will equip us by working through us. I have confidence writing with the power of the great I am (Exodus 3:14).

When I was in high school, I memorized Philippians 1:21 (NIV): For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Since then, I made it a life goal to live in love and joy. As I was brainstorming what to write about, many different topics came to my mind, but God’s still voice was saying, What is the compliment you receive the most from people? People often tell me that I have a beautiful smile and say that it’s hard to tell if I have a problem because I act like everything is fine and always look happy. So I thought, why not share the reason and who is behind my smile?

I grew up with an upside-down life. I did not have a normal childhood, and my nickname when I was young was ugly. I used to think that my purpose in life was to be abused and that my life was meant to be upside down. However, as I spent time reading God’s Word and established a relationship with Him, I found out that this faulty way of thinking was all lies. I learned from several verses that I matter to God and that I am beautiful because God made everything beautiful (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and because we were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). God doesn’t make rejects, and I am not an accident. Jeremiah 1:5 states, I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. So, despite my upside-down life,