Tragedy to Triumph: When the Pain of the Past Overshadows Your Future, Pause and Listen as God Blows the Trumpet to Triumph

By Anita M. Warfield

Tragedy to Triumph is a dialogical epic exuding with the wisdom, tenacity, faith, and profound love depicted between two biblical women---- Ruth and Naomi. It is a love story--- descriptive in nature of the love that existed between Ruth and Mahlon, her first husband; between Ruth and Naomi, her mother-in-law; between Ruth and Boaz, her new husband; between Ruth and her new God--- the God of favor and restoration.

Tragedy to Triumph is a faith-builder for anyone who has ever suffered sudden loss and vast emptiness and dared to abscond the pity-party in hope of a refreshing. Moreover, it is the true story of what results when one abandons his agenda, leaning not to his own understanding, and embraces the one of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 31, 2008
• ISBN: 9781469110059

Anita M. Warfield

Anita Warfield a native of Michigan, born the final if six children, saved at the age of 12 ran from God until the age of 21. Wooed into submission at age 23 and carries the message that “Jesus Saves” every since. Anita designed by name “Warfield” has been placed where God can use her best on the War field. Currently residing in Kalamazoo growing under the gifted teaching ministry of Pastor Joel A Brooks Jr. of Christian Life Center. Anita is still the vessel in the Potters hand being shaped for the return of the Lord. She is the mother of a 25-year-old son, who is currently enrolled at WMU as an Engineer student working on his final project and in his own right can be called a man of God. Hearing, answering and obeying God is her joy and delight. Licensed and ordained and ready for service she served as assistant pastor at Greater Calvary Missionary Baptist church in Austin Texas for thirteen years. She also served over the Prison Ministry at Praise Tabernacle also in Austin Texas. She is currently on the Prophetic Ministry Team at Christian Life center here in Kalamazoo. Warfield has traveled the states following the command on her life to “set the captives free.” Anita also is an anointed psalmist and writer. She co-authored a book with Reverend Verlean Turner and Sistah Voices of Richmond, Virginia called “She Said/ He Said”.

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Copyright © 2008 by Anita M. Warfield.

First Edition. First Printing            Some Month 2002

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Contents

Acknowledgement

Preface

Introduction

Chapter One

I Do

Chapter Two

The Bed is Empty

Chapter Three

Time to Get Steppin’

Chapter Four

Know When to Stop

Chapter Five

Learn to Listen

Chapter Six

Obedience Pays Off

Acknowledgement

To God be the glory for the things He has done, who without His love I would still be overcome by my tragedies, but by His Son I live triumphantly!

To my son, Kasi Martin, who doesn’t always understand Gods—moves in my life but still says, You have to do what God calls you to do. If anyone can say that life’s roads take many turns, each with its own set of trails, you can, for truly our life has been a journey. Thank you for traveling with me and holding in your heart a love that never dies, and faith in the impossible. I love you K.

This book would not have been possible without the unconditional support of my dear sister, Paula E. Graves, who with unfailing love has been a constant support. Thank you, my friend, for God smiled on me as he did David with Jonathan; for he caused us to befriend one another. Thank you for being you.

I also want to thank my Sistah, Verlean Turner of SisterCare International, who with loving kindness kicked me from complacency to victory in obedience to write the book. Your soft spoken words in a timely moment allowed me to gain strength to reach inside and pull out each and every line in this book. Thank you a thousand times over.

To Dr. Sterling Lands, II of Greater Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, my father in the ministry, of Austin, Texas, who through much pain, sweat, and tears birthed me into the seeker for truth that I am in Christ. I pray that in these pages you find some of your wisdom seeping out. God bless your ordered steps until His return.

To Dr. Dana Carson of Praise Tabernacle in Austin, Texas who through the mighty hand of God in his life created the atmosphere of praise so I could learn to hear God’s voice. You truly are a gift to the body. Thanks for releasing His anointing in my life. God has given you the keys and you unlock the doors in the gifts of the saints. Thank you.

To my sister, Dr. Sharon Rose Lockett, truly you were named appropriately, for without your fragrance added to this work it would still be just a draft. Your love and insight has made this a completed work of God.

To my Boaz, Joe Nathan Maloy, who found me in the field and placed his coat of love over me. I can truly say I have found in you the favor of God. I love you without end, my prophet, my priest and my king.

And finally, to all you unsung heroes that spoke a word of encouragement in the time of need; to you who in obedience spoke the Rhema word that set my affections above where the Spirit of the living God gave me a pen of the skillful writer.

Preface

Age has come and dreams have left. Looking in the mirror the wrinkles in our faces say, Could have, should have, would have, didn’t! Tragedy! The list goes on and on, but there is hope. There is a way to turn tragedy into triumph. Love is that emotion that has the greatest impact on humanity. Nothing like the power of love can turn a tragedy into a triumph. It is said of faith, hope and love, that love is the greatest.

Love does not only come from God, but God is love. Right here you might ask the question: What does that have to do with me in the midst of my tragedies? If in the darkness of pain and despair you can see the light of truth, you will see a way to triumph. And that truth is, God started out His relationship with man in love and wants to continue with you in love.

Yes, there, right there in your tragedy God is waiting to share His unfailing love, and it is this loving God who is able, to fill for us that need to experience love in full measure. It is in this God, that the answers to turn tragedy into triumph are found. Yet people seek all kinds of avenues to experience love, a love search that often ends in tragedy, often times leaving them spiritually wounded and physically marked for despair, depression and sometimes even destruction.

It is in the act of love that God set forth the creation of man. It was God’s creative act, the birth of the love relationship between the Creator and His creation; a love relationship that God was prepared to take total responsibility for developing. This kind of love God was not, leaving us guessing as to how to grow it. God in his love provided for His creation an environment that had all that was needed to support life. His provision in the garden shows God’s love on display. Notice in Genesis 1:28-31 God details his plan of provision for those He created in love to be loved.

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply: fill the earth and subdue it: have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit yields seed: to it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of