Tuesday Testimony – Elaine Skaggs

As we travel on our spiritual journey, it’s always encouraging to hear from others how God has worked in their lives. Periodically we’ll share testimonies from our NAOBC Women on how God worked in their life. Today’s testimony is from Elaine Skaggs.

Elaine has been a member of NAOBC since 2021. She is active in the Ladies’ BFG, serves in the preschool ministry and sings in the choir.

I am a mother of two sons, Nate the younger a Major in the United States Air Force, who lives out of state, and Robby who many of you know, is a pilot with LMPD and a deacon here at NAOBC. I am mother-in-law to Rachel, his wife, and grandmother to his daughters Hannah, Kaelyn, and Rebekah, and my grand dog Lucy, protector to us all. I retired from my career in life insurance sales in March 2018, but have worked in various positions including retail, daycare, and 18 years in Accounts Payable for the Defense Commissary Agency. My late husband, Jerome, was in the United States Army, and because of that we had lived in many places including Germany, and stateside in Texas and Ohio. We returned home to the Louisville area in 2008, where I now reside in the Fern Creek/Highview area. Upon returning home, Jerome and I attended Valley View Church on the southwest side of Louisville; the church I grew up in and where I accepted the Lord as my personal Savior at the age of 12. As Jerome’s health deteriorated, our attendance at Valley View decreased, and we began attending NAOBC on special occasions. In April of 2021, Jerome contracted Covid-19, and passed away on the 19th of that month. The membership of NAOBC rallied around our family through that very difficult time with love and compassion and prayer. It was truly amazing and prompted me to begin attending on a regular basis. There was no doubt that being involved in ministry here was exactly where God wanted me planted. A few months later I joined the church and the Ladies BFG led by Jaylynn Cook where I have enjoyed making friends, lots of sweet fellowship and studying God’s word with an amazing group of ladies. In addition to that, I recently joined the adult choir and serve in the preschool ministry.

However, the death of my late husband was not the first time the people of NAOBC have stepped up to support our family through prayer and ministering to us through a tragedy. In April 2015, I was involved in a very serious motorcycle accident that ended in the loss of my left leg. Yet I count that experience as a blessing, to have only lost a leg, and still have my life to live. I prayed the prayer of Jabez for many years, and through that accident, God answered that prayer, and enlarged my territory through my involvement in a local support group for amputees, for which I now hold the Vice President’s chair. The Moving Forward Limb Loss Networking and Social Group was instrumental in my recovery, and another avenue that allows me to advocate, mentor, and minister to other amputees whether they are new to the community or long-time amputees in need of services. This is just another instance where God has shown me His Providence, and how He works all things together for our good and His Glory. Looking back over my life I’ve realized and understood why He has allowed things to happen the way they have happened, and how my prayers have been answered every time. Not always in the way I wanted or expected, but always according to His Word as in 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.” In the midst of what seemed the most difficult circumstances, I now see the good He has accomplished. And still my prayer is that He will continue to use me in whatever way is necessary to fulfill His perfect will. I believe that it wasn’t me who chose to be at NAOBC but was part of God’s plan all along. It has truly been a blessing and privilege to get to know Rose Booth as she navigates her journey of becoming and living as an amputee. In the last year I have learned that God doesn’t just have one big purpose for us all, but we have a purpose for every day of our lives. When I look back over the last year of my life, I know that God has much more to accomplish, and my prayer is that my eyes will always be open to opportunities to serve Him.

Like many other women I know, my mother has been one of the most influential people in my life. I’ve often said that if I could be half the inspiration that my mother was to other people, I would be one of the most compassionate people anyone would want to meet. My mother passed away November 11, 2010, after a long battle with lung cancer, but it was she that gave me the will to survive the day I had my accident. As I lay on the pavement that day, in horrific pain from a mangled leg and praying that God would just take me home, it was Momma who appeared in the clouds, waving me back, and letting me know that God had other plans for me. Throughout her life she was an example of Proverbs 31, a woman after God’s own heart, with a zest for life, and serving others. 

I’ve been the recipient of so many of God’s blessings over the last year, it would be near impossible to name them all. I have enjoyed so much meeting new people and making new friends both at church and out in my community. I have learned that God brings people into our lives for many different reasons, sometimes because those people need help and other times because we need their inspiration. God has brought me both a helper and companion in my friend, Lyn. With his work in the medical supply field, and my involvement with the amputee support group, we have been able to help many of my amputee friends. We’ve enjoyed spending time together, and found that we have much in common, including a desire to serve others. I’m convinced that God brought us together to accomplish His greater purpose, and to enrich our individual spiritual journeys. We look forward to many more opportunities to be a blessing to others.

In conclusion, I will tell you that I don’t always take my amputation too seriously, because I believe God also has a sense of humor and life is hard enough. That is the reason I always tell people I meet that I’ve already turned down the job at IHOP. And every time I get ready to leave the house there is ‘some assembly required’. God bless you all!!