Our guest this week on the Everyday Faith podcast is Hillary Zimmer, a wife, mom, and passionate follower of Jesus who has miraculous stories of God’s faithfulness, healing, and resurrection power. She shares about her faith, how she experienced freedom from fear, and how she replaced lies with truth, even in the darkest of times. Keep reading for insights on how to overcome fear and how to live out your faith in practical, everyday ways.
Choosing God in High School
Hillary grew up in a family that loved Jesus and attended church every week. As far as she could tell, everyone in her community was a Christian who loved God. However, Hillary’s faith didn’t become her own until she was a senior in high school.
While she was on a trip visiting colleges around the country, she was struck by how the students behaved at one Christian college. She watched how these students lived their lives for the Lord and were serious about their faith. During this trip, Hillary felt moved by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus with everything. She went home, opened her journal, and wrote to the Lord, telling God how she was fully giving her life to Him.
How you live your life is powerful! Everywhere you go, people are encountering God through you. Learn more about living your life on mission, no matter where you are in your walk with Christ: How to Live Out Your Christian Faith by Blessing Others
Finding Jesus in the Gospels
In the Bible, Jesus is the focal point in the New Testament. His signs, wonders, and miracles are testimonies of His love, power, and kindness. In the Gospel of John, we read:
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.- John 5:19-20
As Hillary studied Jesus in the Gospels, she was challenged to follow in His footsteps and be a person who ‘only does what the Father is doing’. At Everyday Faith, we believe that everything starts with belief in God, then you embrace your mission as a Christian, committing to obedience, and being faithful to pursue community. Remember: we were never meant to walk alone!
Learn more about obedience and why following Jesus is beneficial for you, for others, and for the world: Why Obedience to God is a Good Thing
Simple Steps for a Lifestyle of Obedience
Obedience doesn’t have to be super extravagant, super scary, or wild. Hillary shared some simple ways to be obedient to God today! You can:
- Show someone kindness at the grocery store or coffee shop
- Pause if you’re in an argument and ask the Lord for wisdom and clarity
- Acknowledge God through small moments of prayer throughout the day
Discovering the Power of Words
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. - Proverbs 18:21
As Hillary continued to share stories with us about following Jesus, she opened our eyes to the power of our words and why we should be careful with our words. When Hillary was young, a doctor that she would have arthritis in her knees as she grew older. This declaration became a part of her vocabulary and she would explain to her friends that she would have arthritis in her knees when she was older. However, that all ended when a friend confronted her on the power of life and death being in the tongue. Her friend told her,
“Don’t speak death over your body! You can speak life over your body!”
The spiritual realm is more real than we know. Declaring the word of God over your life can change your circumstances and renew your mind. Learn how to renew your mind by meditating on the Word of God: How Do I Meditate as a Christian?
Meeting the God of Miracles
Hillary and her husband Brian have three kids, and they love to share stories about how God has redeemed hard situations in labor and delivery. During Hillary’s first pregnancy, her baby was born happy and healthy, but after delivery, Hillary began hemorrhaging, and the doctors couldn’t figure out why. A few years later, when Hillary gave birth to her second child, the same thing happened, but much worse. The bleeding progressed so badly that Hillary was rushed to the ICU due to how much blood she had lost. The situation was so severe that Hillary nearly died.
Thankfully, through much prayer and multiple medical interventions, Hillary made a full recovery. However, after she stopped bleeding, the medical staff warned her not to have any more kids because the bleeding was so severe and the cause was unknown. One doctor even said to Hillary, “If you have a third, you will die.”
After hearing such sharp words from the doctors, Hillary and Brian paused on having children. Several years later, Hillary and Brian found out they were expecting. Immediately, Hillary remembered the fearful words her doctor had spoken over her in the ICU.
The Lord spoke to Hillary in prayer and reframed the situation for her, reminding her that she had two choices. The Lord said to Hillary,
“You can die or you can partner with Me and redeem the lies.”
Hillary chose the second option, choosing to partner with God to redeem the lies. God led her on a beautiful journey of redemption during her pregnancy. Hillary enjoyed pregnancy for the first time. And when it came time to deliver, Hillary watched as the Lord redeemed her previous births. With only three hours of labor and a supernaturally pain-free birth, their baby girl, Selah, was born in one push. There was zero hemorrhaging, and God had done what He had promised.
The peace of God was present in the room as Hillary held Selah for the first time, despite the fact that her baby had been born lifeless and blue. As those around began tending to Selah and doing everything to bring her back to life, Hillary felt held by God. She began praying these verses over her baby in her time of need:
I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. - Psalm 118:17
I remain confident of this:I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. - Psalm 27:13
The medical team immediately started CPR as they tried to revive Selah. Hillary experienced constant peace throughout this entire experience as the Bible promises:
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7
Selah was taken to the hospital via ambulance, where she was resuscitated. Hillary would find out that her daughter had stopped breathing for at least eight minutes. She had swallowed and aspirated meconium, and because of this, it was in her lungs and her stomach. The medical team kept reminding Hillary, “She is the sickest baby here.”
The peace that Hillary experienced during labor dwindled as the team's hopelessness and fear began weighing on her. After a week, the hospital said that there was nothing more they could do for Selah. However, one life-saving treatment, called ECMO, was available at another hospital. Selah was transferred there to receive the treatment.
Despite multiple seizures and an extended hospital stay, Selah left the hospital with no brain damage and in good health. In total, Selah spent 40 days in recovery and is now happy, healthy, and bringing joy to everyone she meets! God is the miracle-working God who loves to heal.
Learn more about healing, hope, and the goodness of God in our blog: Stories of Prayer and Healing
Unexpected Faith Conversations
Even when faced with tragedy, Hillary still shared the love and hope that Jesus offers with those around her. During one of the first moments when Selah nearly passed in the hospital, Hillary was led to a room with other moms and their babies.
One of the families near her was a Muslim family, and their baby was also very sick in the hospital. The mom came over to Hillary, got on her knees, and began asking her, “What’s going on?” Hillary immediately started crying because of the honor and humility this woman shared with her in the hospital.
As Selah started to heal, the mother, who had been so kind to Hillary, saw her own baby’s health decline. The Muslim woman’s daughter needed a second surgery to see if her life could be saved. Hillary sat with her, prayed with her, and closed her prayer with the name of Jesus. Though the name of Jesus made the Muslim family uncomfortable, just a few days later, the mom came to Hillary full of joy! The surgery was a success, and her daughter was doing much better.
Stepping out in courage to pray for someone may feel scary, but it is an awesome way to share God’s heart with others. You never know what someone is going through or the struggles they face. As we see in Hillary’s story, sharing the love of Jesus through prayer is an easy way to show the love of God, minister to others, and even see healing!
Wondering if healing is still for today? Hear stories of how Jesus is still healing through His word and through prayer: How to Wait on the Lord for Healing
Encouragement from Hillary
All throughout Hillary’s stories, we see that prayer, encouragement, conversation with God, and the Bible are pillars of her life in God. If you’re looking for practical steps on how to share your faith with others, remember these four tips from Hillary:
1. Pray: It may sound cheesy or simple, but prayer changes everything. Prayer is where we talk to God. It doesn’t have to be polished or perfect. All you have to do is talk to God! Check out our resources on prayer to help build your prayer life and enjoy prayer.
2. Encourage others often: Learning how to listen is the first step to encouraging others. Hillary’s stories show us that as you listen to what others are sharing with you, you can learn how to encourage them and give them hope.
3. Slow down and make time for the Lord: We all know how rushed and hurried our world is. However, we don't have to live that way. As you learn to live out our faith every day, Hillary invites you to slow down and intentionally ask the Lord questions. Hillary encourages our readers to remember this piece of wisdom as you begin your journey of hearing the Lord:
“There’s no audible voice, there’s no angel singing, it’s just a thought that comes to my mind.”
A simple place to start is to ask God, “Is there anything you’d like me to do today?” Ask God this question as you wake up in the morning, as you head to the grocery store, or while you’re in line for coffee. This simple question to the Lord could change someones life! God is always thinking about us and always speaking to us! As we read in Psalm 139,
How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. - Psalm 139:17-18
Taking time to slow down and seek the Lord helps us to see the person in front of us as someone who God loves. Learn more about evangelism in our blog: Creating a Lifestyle of Evangelism
4. Be challenged by Jesus in the Gospels: As you read the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you will find that Jesus showcases how Christians are supposed to live. These two Bible verses in the Gospels will encourage you to take risks in your faith and be more like Jesus:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues - Mark 16:17
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. - Matthew 10:7-8
Conclusion
It's clear from Hillary's experiences that a strong connection with God is unshakable. Her walk with God is rooted in prayer, Bible study, and a willingness to share her faith, even in the most uncertain of times. Remember, you too can follow Hillary's example. By prioritizing prayer, offering encouragement, taking time to listen to God, and immersing yourself in the Gospels, you can create opportunities to share God's love and make a real difference in the lives of those around you. It's all about being open to those unexpected moments and letting God's love shine through you!
Further Reading:
8 Ways to Pray Throughout the Day
How to Have Faith in the Fire
50 Bible Verses Every New Christian Should Know
Faith, Fatherhood, & Fathering the Fatherless
3 Reasons Why Sharing Your Faith Story Matters
