Magnifying the Master: My Book of Love

By Debbie Baker

This book is my personal testimony of Jesus and His faithfulness. Looking back over my life, there have been many big and small miracles, some trivial and some life-changing. I know without a shadow of a doubt that He was always present. I am not arrogantly boasting, but I can say assuredly that Jesus loves me. What He has done for me, He will do for you! I want to magnify the Master with my life!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 4, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973611899

Debbie Baker

Debbie Baker is a wife, mother, and grandmother who is the author of two other books. She lives contentedly in the Midwest, comforted in knowing she has always been watched over by an extraordinary and amazing Savior.

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Copyright © 2018 Debbie Baker.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-1188-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-1189-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017919536

WestBow Press rev. date:  01/03/2018

DEDICATION

I would like to acknowledge and thank two special men: Reverend Paul Barnes, our family’s patriarch of prayer, and my husband, Don Baker, who has loved and supported me since the first day we met.

CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1     Magnifying the Master

Chapter 2     Early Days

Chapter 3     Moving Up

Chapter 4     1977

Chapter 5     My Decision

Chapter 6     My Gift

Chapter 7     An Enlightening Evening

Chapter 8     Home and Family Promotion versus My Plan

Chapter 9     Still Growing

Chapter 10   Back to the Country

Chapter 11   Not This Month

Chapter 12   My Own Home

Chapter 13   We Will Fly Away

Chapter 14   The Mustang

Chapter 15   Running on Empty

Chapter 16   Returning Full Circle

Chapter 17   A Time for Poison Ivy

Chapter 18   My Trigger Finger

Chapter 19   Who, Me?

Chapter 20   At The Fair

Chapter 21   The Early Bird Blessing

Chapter 22   Vacation and Golf

Chapter 23   A Forgotten Wish

Chapter 24   In October

Chapter 25   Encouraging Words

PREFACE

In His wisdom-filled book of promises, the Bible, 1 John 4:19 (AMP) says that we love, because He first loved us. This book is my personal testimony of how I know Jesus loves me. I love and trust Him completely.

I cannot explain the decisions and outcomes that have occurred in my life without sharing the mercy of God. There are situations that would have turned out differently if not for His miraculous grace. Some events were trivial, and some were life changing.

I have spent most of my life doubting myself and wishing I could be worthy of His love. I struggled to believe that I was truly free from my sins and that Heaven was going to be my home when I left this world. I am finally convinced that He loves me. My prayer is that I will magnify His name and convince you that He loves you too!

CHAPTER 1

Magnifying the Master

W HEN I WAS A little girl, I remember, one evening, my dad brought an old record player home. We were very happy because we had never owned one before that night. Included with the record player was one small, round, vinyl record. Each family member excitedly circled around Dad as he placed the record on the turntable. Although I was only six years old, I can still recall the records title: Book of Love . Needless to say, we played that record repeatedly.

Before long, we could sing along with the record, as we had most of the words memorized. The only other song I knew by heart was Jesus Loves Me. Immersed in those powerful yet simple words, there is a beautiful message. The Bible tells us to come to Jesus with childlike faith. Those two songs will forever stand out in my memory. After all, Jesus is our Master, and He gave us His book of love, the Bible.

This book is about all the big and small miracles that happen in our daily lives. I am an ordinary person who is constantly amazed by God’s grace and mercy. Grateful that He could love me so much. I am confident that God does much more for us than we can ever imagine. He shows up daily and helps us in ways we may not even notice at the time. Looking back over my life, I know, without a shadow of doubt, that He was always present.

As I continue to grow closer to Him, all I want to do is give Him honor and glory with my testimony. My fear and shyness, for many years, held me back from sharing His mercy with others. I am not arrogantly boasting but want everyone to know His majesty.

He continues to pour out, like a funnel, His great love for each one of us. Please, take note of the last word in each of the following chapters. They all end with a single word: Why? The correct answer will always be the same: "Jesus