Christ in Control
Philippians 4:13, "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” (N.L.T.)
Philippians 4:13, "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” (N.L.T.)
Hi, my name is Darlene Applegate, and I want to welcome you to my page. Over the last 11 years, I've been on a journey that started with the loss of my daughter, Amber, on September 18, 2010. Amber was a beautiful shining light and Leukemia took her life.
While Amber was going through her cancer treatments, we wrote out scriptures placing them on the walls in her hospital room for encouragement. Amber named this wall, C.I.C. (Christ in Control). This is why I've called my site CIC Heals. Jesus heals today but His way might not be what we are expecting or want. We each have purpose in life and God chooses the time when His children are called home.
During my darkest days, God has brought me through the pain of losing my daughter to a place of finding healing and hope. This has been not only a spiritual journey but also one that has brought emotional, physical, and mental healing. I share my journey with the hopes it will help someone else going through a difficult season in their life, even though the circumstances might be different.
In 2010 my family entered a season of loss when our daughter, Amber, passed from having Leukaemia at age 20. As I watched my daughter fight for her life, I had my own struggle going on at the same time. Though it wasn't anything like my daughter went through, it was challenging. I was hiding a secret and holding onto other pain. Most of the time, I kept the pain locked up inside of me and that kept me from moving forward in life in a healthy way. God led me through a season of learning to forgive His way.
God has brought both healing and blessings over the years. With each passing year, I’ve been blessed by the people brought along my path, and through each life experience, many lessons have brought me closer to God. If you've experienced a loss of some kind or are going through a different struggle, Jesus will heal you if you let Him.
"Bad things happen but don't be sad your whole life, live and tell your story". ~ Amber Applegate
I look forward to the day that I am reunited with my late daughter, Amber. Amber wrote in her testimony, “I believe God is going to use me in ways I can’t imagine.” Through those and many other words my daughter left behind, God has continued to use Amber’s life to impact mine, bringing me into a closer relationship with Jesus.
Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (N.L.T.)
Today I share the hope and love God offers through His Son Jesus to anyone who chooses to receive it. There is nothing greater than God's love, so I give: "all glory to God who is able to through His mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think”. ~ Ephesians 3:20-21
My real journey in life started the day my eyes were opened to the truth of God’s Word. Each season brought different experiences and painful lessons that brought me closer to Jesus. My faith was tested when my daughter Amber passed away from Leukaemia at age 20.
When Amber was told by the doctors she was not going to live, our daughter told our family not to be mad at God; to find our faith and read our Bibles. As I watched Amber fight for her life, I had my own struggles going on. Holding onto hurt, I couldn’t move forward in a healthy way until I learned to forgive God’s way.
We all have struggles in life. Jesus can heal each of us if we let Him and bring something good out of pain, sorrow and mistakes. Are you ready to accept the truth of God’s Word and be set free?
The book, His Grace is Enough, shares Darlene Applegate's journey through loss, forgiveness, healing and hope. It is available for free as a print copy or a digital copy.
Read Amber's TestimonyDonations from this book will go to Compassion Canada.
Follow along and connect with the Holy Spirit through music from His Grace Is Enough journey.
Sam Crow, my sister was healed of alcohol and Lyme’s disease. Life is difficult and everyone needs the hope of healing, whether it is for emotional, physical, mental, or spiritual trials. Sam has a passion to share her story in the hope that her honesty will be a light to lead others into greater healing.
In all honesty, I started this journey with Compassion to fulfill Amber’s wishes to meet her sponsor child but God got a hold of my heart through my daughter’s tears when she received the letter of her sponsor child being removed from the program. God brought about His purposes and healing through these beautiful children that I love and treasure. Each child has blessed me more than anything I could ever do for them.
Compassion is simply feeling someone’s pain and struggle and having the heart’s desire to help them. God calls us to be instruments of compassion. He is asking us to let Him use us and flow through us. Jesus needs bodies to work through on the earth today, and the church is called the body of Christ. We are His hands and feet and whatever He needs to accomplish His purposes is through us. I couldn’t come home after seeing what I saw and be the same person or do nothing about it.
“Let us not Love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18)”.
We can ask ourselves, what difference will my contribution make to the overall poverty in the world? My daughter’s love for Jesus and her passion to help children started a ripple effect of children being sponsored. Seeds of God’s love continue to be planted through the Compassion ministry as more children are sponsored and learn how Jesus loves them and will never leave them. God blessed Greg and I with a beautiful family and called our family into action through Amber’s compassionate heart. Amber wanted to be a teacher and as His instrument; God continues to use the life she lived for His glory. I was the recipient of the blessing of my daughter’s obedience when Amber answered the call to sponsor a child.
Is God calling you into action? As your heart is being stirred; take that step of faith, sponsor a child, and say I’m here for you. You will become a missionary to a child just like Everett Swanson; the founder of Compassion who felt compelled to make a difference and so he did. A child’s life and your life will be changed forever.
Sponsor A ChildWould you like me to share my journey or my experiences with Compassion Canada at your church or at an upcoming event? Connect with me here if you would like to learn more.
Email Me© CIC Heals