{"id":630,"date":"2021-10-14T15:33:11","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T19:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/anewlifedesign.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=630"},"modified":"2024-08-26T10:09:20","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T14:09:20","slug":"myra-woods","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/anewlifedesign.org\/wordpress\/our-coaches\/myra-woods\/","title":{"rendered":"Myra Woods"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Myra is the wife of Mike Woods, former senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Powder Springs.\u00a0 As pastor and pastor\u2019s wife they served this church for 40 years. They are retired and live in Marietta, GA. \u00a0They have two married children and four grandchildren. Myra was raised by godly parents who brought her up to love Jesus, His Word and His church. She attended the Apprenticeship Training Program for two years at Precept Ministries in Chattanooga, and has taught multiple precept, discipleship and Sunday School classes. Being Mike\u2019s wife, the mother of two and grandmother of three girls and one boy is her greatest joy on earth. Myra has served on the New Life Design Board of Directors since its inception in 2008. Her passion is to encourage others to know and enjoy Jesus through regular quiet times, bible study and through sharing the message of our identity in Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Myra\u2019s Testimony:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of my life was characterized by fear until the Truth set me free! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early in my twenties I was drawn to the counseling ministry. Just as I was about to pursue it as a career, I met the man of my dreams and got married. That was 41 years ago. As it turned out, I needed to learn a few things before I could move forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deuteronomy 8:2-3<\/em><\/strong> says, \u201cAnd you shall remember<\/strong> all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years<\/u><\/strong>, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you<\/u><\/strong> and let you be<\/u> hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know<\/u>, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord<\/u>.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I reflect on my spiritual journey over the past 40 years I can see how he used trials and adversities to humble me.  There were hardships, but also some wonderful times when I witnessed His unwavering faithfulness.  In the hardships there were multiple counselors, looming anxiety, panic attacks, claustrophobic fears–particularly the fear of being stuck. There were also times when I desperately wanted my way more than I wanted His. Disappointments, loneliness, heartbreaks, and sorrows accompanied my journey.  My mind was never far from guilt, condemning thoughts and regret. I\u2019ve also been on both sides of clinical depression. My husband and I have both struggled through it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, I can see how God led me step by step, building trust and a greater dependence on Him. I learned how to trust Him with my heart and with my future.  He made good on His promises in Psalm 83:11<\/em><\/strong> \u201cFor the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory<\/u>; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in Thee!\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several benchmarks on my journey where brokenness occurred, but none so significant as the day I finally laid down trying to live the Christian life myself. I was attending a 3 day Grace Life conference which emphasized what Jesus did for me on the cross, who I was to Him and who He was to me. The leader pointed out a page entitled, \u201cThe Selfer\u2019s Prayer.\u201d He asked us to prayerfully take it home and come back the next day with our thoughts\u2026but not before he read it aloud.  As he was reading the prayer I recognized how hard I was trying to do everything right but always failing\u2026.because I was trying to do it myself. I broke. The tears flowed. I couldn\u2019t wait till I got home to pray that prayer. I had to surrender everything to the Lord right then and there. I let go. I finally let go. And that was the beginning of a great adventure!  Since then I\u2019ve been learning about Jesus living His life in me and what He has already accomplished on the cross for me. I didn\u2019t have to do everything right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I learned there was nothing I could add to, suffer for, or earn to be acceptable in His eyes. He loved me just as I was and had made provision for all my fears and failures, and not only that He also had an abundant life for me to enjoy. As a result my life was changed. I believe in the biblical coaching experience that New Life Design offers because the message of the exchanged life changed mine. I\u2019ve learned\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n