Gifts from Glory; A Collection of True Stories on Prayer

By Fern Hill

Gifts from Glory is the true account of some of the prayers God has answered during Fern's lifetime. They begin back in her childhood and continue through the present day. The book is entertaining and inspiring. It tells of the growth and expansion of God's work in transforming many young lives through prayer. One reader commented, "You've done it again. You brought me to tears. This is a clear testament to the power of God alive...in and through you." This book will help readers understand the blessings of trusting God in all of life's challenges. I put the manuscript on my computer about one thirty this afternoon, and I meant to just get a feel of the book by looking at the table of contents and format. Well, there was no stopping. I could not leave the computer until I had finished reading it. It was so mesmerizing. The time felt more like one hour instead of three. I truly could not "put it down." I can't imagine anyone reading it without coming away with an increase in the effectiveness and fervency, and likely frequency, of one's prayer life. God's people need to read Gifts from Glory. -Clara Shannon, Author, Speaker, Teacher, Wife, Mother, and Grandmother To know Fern Hill is to stand back at some point and say, "I just don't know how she does it." Well, this book is the answer. Fern goes back to her beginning in Oklahoma, then young adulthood through her zealous college years and early married life, and tells us the story of her conversations with God. We see her passion, faults and failures, and ultimately the knee-bending prayers that gave her direction and buoyancy through tragedy. Gifts of Glory is the backstory to a great life. -S. J. Dahlstrom, Author of the award-winning Wilder Good book series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781645596066

Book preview

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Gifts from Glory

A Collection of True Stories on Prayer

Fern Hill

ISBN 978-1-64559-605-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64559-606-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 Fern Hill

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

The Gift of Trusting—Proverbs 3:5–6

Gift of Joy—Psalm 37:4

Gift of a Spiritual Family—Philippians 1:3; Psalm 34:10

The Gift of Resting and Waiting—Psalm 37:7

The Gift of Wisdom—James 1:5

Gift of Acceptance—1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

The Gift of Receiving—James 1:6

The Gift of a Son—1 Samuel 1:20

Gift of Thanksgiving—Ephesians 3:20

The Gift of Intercession—James 5:15–16; 1 Timothy 2:1

Gift of Children—Psalm 127:3

Gift of the Power Source—Matthew 10:8, 20

Gift of Patience—James 1:3

Gift of Needs—Isaiah 65:24

Gift of Growth through Loss—1 Chronicles 4:10

Gift of Immediate Answers—Deuteronomy 31:8

Gift of Two or Three Agreeing—Matthew 18:19, 20

Gift of Above and Beyond—John 14:13

Gift of Abiding and Submitting—John 15:7

Gift of the Holy Spirit—Luke 8:39

Gift of Unanswered Prayer—Isaiah 55:8–9

The Gift of Giving—Galatians 2:20

Some of My Favorite Prayer Bible Passages

About the Author

Endorsements

The face of God smiles from every page of Fern Hill’s recollections. In her own humble, lighthearted way, she paints a self-portrait of truth, beauty, and goodness so familiar to those of us she has inspired over the years. In this prequel to her best-selling Graduation to Glory, Fern shares the early days of her journey with Jesus in entertaining, bite-sized vignettes. And she does it in such an engaging style that you can almost hear her sweet Oklahoma-Texas-Tennessee twang as she spins her tales of the young woman who would go on to become the mother, grandmother, friend, mentor, life and soul saver to thousands of abandoned and abused children. Just like her friend, Jesus…you can never get enough of this good woman.

—Bill Muir,

Clio Award winning writer,

Past-President, Catholic Charities of Palm Beach

As you read Gifts from Glory, you might question if this story is fiction or truth—unless you know Fern Hill and the Heavenly Father. We are blessed to know both and to have witnessed portions of this story. As young adults, Tracie and I lived with the Hill’s and worked on the Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch. Every day we witnessed Fern’s genuine relationship with the Lord. She trusts Him completely with all things. This book will help you understand trust in God and why we should pursue it. Trust may be the DNA of prayer that is most often missing. Yes, it is true, we can trust in the Lord with all our heart. After all, it is a gift from glory!

You will be drawn into this story and travel through life with one of the dearest women on earth. When you have read the last page, you will likely say, I believe, Lord, help my unbelief.

—David and Tracie Shannon,

President and First Lady of Freed—Hardeman University

Acknowledgments

Tell me about the book you prayed about this morning, Katherine Moore requested.

Katherine and I are Thursday morning prayer partners. She comes to my house faithfully at 8:00 a.m. One particular morning, I had asked God, Lord, if you want me to write the book that is on my heart, please show me how.

After the death of our thirteen-year-old son, Timothy, who was hit by a truck while riding his bicycle to school, I wrote the story of God working in his life. The book was entitled Graduation to Glory. All proceeds of that book went to start Timothy’s dream of a ranch for homeless children. At the time of his death, to fulfill his dream, he was saving his money and looking across the country for land to purchase. Unsolicited gifts began coming in to bring that dream to fruition. God gave me a perfect peace and joy that, though Timothy had died, he was still speaking. So much happened following his death, and many people kept asking, When are you going to tell the rest of the story?

As I explained to Katherine, it had been on my heart for years to write a book called Gifts from Glory. It would be a book about prayers God specifically answered for me. My husband Jerry and I are caretakers for the Hospitality House at the Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch, and we host board members, donors, volunteers, employee applicants, ex-residents, and their families. We have hosted thousands of guests over the past few years, so there hasn’t been a lot of time for typing.

I can type, Katherine responded. I would love to type it up for you. With that bit of encouragement, I began writing while Jerry and I traveled to and from work appointments. Katherine began the job of deciphering and typing my scribbles even though she is busy herself. She is a minister’s wife on the East End of Long Island. She teaches Bible classes each week, coordinates our Bible School program, acts as church secretary, is a mom of three daughters, and works part-time at the Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch.

Linda Bateman, a member of the ranch’s board of directors and recently retired school counselor in Knoxville, Tennessee, knew the situation. She was eager to move the job along and kept asking, Where are you with the book? Let me help. You’ll be in Smithville, Tennessee, for three months. I can type. If Katherine will email me what she has, I’ll be close enough that I can type the chapters and bring them to you so we can work on it together.

Katherine emailed the chapters she had typed. Between Linda, Katherine, and myself and with God’s help, He once again showed where two or three are gathered in His name, we can ask what we will, and see it granted.(1)

Thanks to God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, His sweet Holy Spirit, my supportive husband, for his patience in reading and retyping the original manuscript, Katherine, Linda, my friends Bill Muir, Nathan Dahlstrom, Ebeth Lones, and my son James Hill for helping in editing and making suggestions, and numerous others like Bob and Gwen Anderson, Clara Shannon, Terry Baker, and numerous others, whose encouragement pushed me along on this project. Thanks also to Covenant Books for their encouragement and help in bringing this manuscript to publication, especially Cindy Parrish, my Publication Assistant.

It is my earnest prayer that this book will bless the lives of all who read it. May it encourage each reader to understand more fully the tremendous avenue our Heavenly Father provides His children to the greatest Power Source known to man. Communicating with Him through prayer, we change even when circumstances remain the same. May it help increase your daily communion with Him.

Preface

Delighting God’s Heart—Proverbs 15:8

The prayer of the upright is His delight (Proverbs 15:8 b, NKJV)

He says: Let me hear your voice.

Focusing on the Lord who created us, knows us, and wants what is best for us delights God’s heart. He longs to hear our voice.

Long ago, Hannah prayed fervently for a son. God heard and answered her prayer. She named him Samuel, saying, Because I asked the Lord for him.(2)

It is difficult for me to comprehend when friends I admire desire my presence. There have been times when these friends have sent plane tickets so I might visit them. My mind questions, How could they love me enough to do this? There have been times when friends have taken Jerry and me on fully paid trips. Some trips were very expensive, to places like the Holy Lands, Ireland, England, and other places in the United States.

It amazes me and