Supernatural in the Normal

by Taylor Pittman

I walked a long road before I started walking with Jesus.

My parents were high school sweethearts. 
They had me at 17 and 18, but their relationship didn’t last.

When I was three, my mom started dating my stepdad. 
They had my sister, Courtney, the following year, and they married two years later.
When I was eight years old, my sister was diagnosed with leukemia. 

 In 2000, my mother gave birth to my sister Brooklyn while Courtney was still at Texas Children’s. Brooklyn was transported to the same hospital because her lung collapsed at birth. My mother had one child on the cancer floor, and one on the neonatal floor. Both fighting for their lives. 

 Brooklyn regained her strength, fully recovered, and was released.
Courtney received a bone marrow transplant and went into remission briefly.

This stirred up anxiety and depression within my mom, and she got on medication.

As our family attempted to heal, my mom started noticing my stepdad was using drugs.
She left him, but because of all the anxiety and insecurity, she moved back in with him.
She eventually gave in and began using and abusing drugs with him.

 We started visiting random houses, full of strangers, often.
Their addiction became clear and the unknown became our normal.

 In the middle of this, Brooklyn was diagnosed with Autism. 
My mom continued to use drugs to cope, and our lives grew unstable.
We never knew who we would be around or where we were going to stay.
In 2004, I moved to three different schools and my mom had my third sister, Harlie.
That same year, we were all removed from my mom’s custody and placed with my grandparents. 

 In July 2005, Courtney was diagnosed with leukemia again.
My grandmother stayed with her at the hospital and my siblings and I were dispersed.
They went to different family members and I stayed with a neighbor for the time. 

Courtney passed away in December 2005, and in 2006, my mom had my little brother, Trenton.
When he was only ten months old, she passed away.

At fifteen years old, I was being raised by my grandparents with no idea of who Jesus was. 
Every once in a while, I attended Bridge City United Pentecostal Church with my dad’s stepmom, 
but it was years later until I understood who Jesus was to me.

I moved in with my aunt and uncle in 2007, and I started dating Justin the next year.
Trenton still lived with my grandparents, but he started having behavior issues when he started pre-school.
I decided to step in and help my grandparents and planned to take him in.
Justin’s mom graciously chose to keep him in their home until 
Justin and I were able to get out of college and on our feet.

 By 22, I was living in a rent house with Justin and his sister, with full custody of Trenton.

For so long I lived in the unknown:
Where was I going to be living?
Which school was I going to?
Who would I be around?

 As soon as I could take control of my own life, I did. 
I wanted to know and control every aspect of my life.

 I know now that I was carrying around feelings of 
abandonment and bitterness from my mom’s absence, 
but I had to keep walking. 

Justin and I started attending BridgePoint Fellowship in 2015. 

 This is where my walk with Jesus seemed to begin.

 We attended church to receive guidance, but I began digging for more.

I remember listening to a testimony on YouTube at my work desk in 2016. I listened as someone spoke of their near-death, heavenly experience. They described this moment of peace and liveliness as they approached death. They explained this unexplainable moment with heightened senses and vibrant colors. 

They said that being on earth felt like death compared to this moment. 
They said that Jesus looked into their eyes with total, complete love.

 I was so intrigued by a God who loves fully and wholly. 
A God who loves without condemnation or shame.
A God who can be trusted and relied on.

I kept listening to testimonies while I worked, and they all confirmed the same thing:
God is real and alive.
He loves me fully.
He chose me. 

One normal day at work, it all clicked.
I had a complete revelation of Who God was to me.

God’s love brought me to repentance.
I gave my life to Jesus right there at my desk. 

 God supernaturally met me in the most normal place.

Instantly, I completely quit cussing.
I changed the music I listened to.
I had no desire to drink anymore.

I started reading the Bible and it came to life.
I couldn’t get enough of His Word and Truth.
I knew I wanted to know Him and obey Him.

In January 2017, I followed God’s lead and got water baptized. 
From there, I joined and led small groups.

Through the next few years and two pregnancies, I felt unavailable to God.
I attempted to control the chaos as life grew busier and busier.
Although I had seen God meet me in the middle of ordinary days, 
I felt disconnected, discouraged, and distant from Him.

I got back to my work routine and started listening to Elijah Streams on YouTube.
I listened and learned about spiritual gifts and prayer languages.
I sat at my work desk feeling ordinary, but wanting God’s extraordinary. 
I wanted more spiritually.
I wanted to hear from God.
I wanted peace and purpose.
I wanted to break free.

Towards the beginning of 2021, I listened to Christa Elisha on my way to a doctor’s appointment.
She was explaining the value of praying in spirit and prayed for us to receive the Holy Spirit. 
I prayed with her and opened my mouth in faith that He would move.
As she made declarations, I felt heat flood my body and I wept.
My mouth uttered words of prayer that I couldn’t control.
It wasn’t weird, it was absolutely incredible.

It felt so much like the scene that Acts 2:2-4 describes: 
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

I, again, saw God’s supernatural meet me in the middle of my normal day.

Despite seeing God’s work in my life, I continued to live longing for control.
I went to church, went to work, and continued to listen to YouTube, 
but I felt a deep longing, a need that was still unmet.

In hopes of digging deeper, I joined a Zoom call with Shannon, a woman gifted in healing and deliverance. 
I expected a call where I would remain unseen and muted, but there were only six of us.
Eventually, I shared my desire to always control.

I was asked to pinpoint when it started, so I shared how I grew up with so many unknowns.
I explained that the moment I could take control of my life, I did in every aspect.
Shannon asked if I walked through forgiveness with my mom…I thought I had.
I asked her to explain more and decided to follow her in any prayer she led.
I wanted forgiveness and freedom.

As she prayed, an overwhelming flood of emotion filled my mind and boyd. 
I felt a sense of deep weeping, but there were no tears at first. 
My body tensed and released over and over.
I felt the spirit of unforgiveness leaving.

I had watched enough people be delivered to know that I was going through it myself.
I fully believe that right there in my home I was delivered from unforgiveness.
I was set free from bondage of my past that had enslaved me for so long.

I, once again, experienced my supernatural God in a normal place.

God has saved me, gifted me, and delivered me in ordinary places. 

I am learning that by walking in unforgiveness, I was walking in sin.
I was opening the door to the enemy, allowing him to torment me.
I see that unforgiveness festered and created a desire for control.
I am learning that sins I don’t repent of will continue in my family. 
I know that sins I don’t close the door to are being passed down.

I am also seeing that you can be a Christian and still be bound by bondage.

Accepting Jesus as your Savior frees you from the power of sin,
but doesn’t exempt you from enemy attacks. 
There is still a war to wage. 
There is still freedom to seek.

Jesus came to set the captives free.
He wants us free from bondage.
He wants generations healed.
His Spirit is moving.

He is not confined to the four walls of a church building.
He is moving and flowing throughout our natural places.
He is working in and within our everyday spaces. 
He is ready to meet us when we call out in faith.

When I doubt that God can work in my normal life, I remember the truth: 
God’s Spirit is everywhere.
His Holy Spirit and miracle-working power is active and alive everywhere.
He cannot be bound by rules or religion.
He cannot be changed or contained.

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Acts 2:17

God’s giftings are available.
God wants to give us His Spirit and power, but we have to receive it.
He wants us to humbly surrender and actively seek Him. 
He wants us to walk in love and walk out our purpose.
He wants us to want Him and His gifts.

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
1 Corinthians 14:1

God’s desire is us.
Above all, God just wants us.
He wants to love us and spend time with us. 
He doesn’t just want us to work for Him, He wants us to know Him.
God desires to spend intimate, private time with you, simply because He loves you.

God is with you today, right where you are.
He meets you in the middle of the mundane
to find you, love you, save you, and change you.
Give Him time. Invite Him in. Let Him work.