From people across America & Beyond
My mom died of cancer when I was eleven. My dad was stuck raising a pre-teen on his own. There were plenty of nights he cried out for GOD’s guiding hand. A dear couple was chosen by GOD and helped my Dad out in every area of my life, mostly spiritually. I came to know the LORD when I was twelve. Now, I am married to a pastor and have four grandbabies. My life is full and I am blessed. Every day is not perfect, but GOD’s hand is steady. Romans 8:28 Whatever GOD has planned, I know it’s going to be good.
Barbara Long – Murfreesboro, TN
At the age of six, our family experienced a flood where we lost all of our material goods, but we were safe and sound. Although my parents worked hard, our lives were never materially restored. I remember praying as a child for a house with carpet when I grow up; nothing too fancy! The Lord has been so faithful in blessing me and my family, but I never forget what I experienced as a child to keep me humble. As I prayed to the Lord about writing this, He told me to send Ecclesiastes – "no matter what possessions we do or do not have is meaningless if we do not have GOD – He is our everything. Help us to not grasp for the wind!
Gina Doty – Vail, AZ
God has brought me a long way within a year, my husband passed away just over a year ago and it set me back spiritually, but just a few months ago God has restored my joy in my life and I really enjoy life more than I ever have, I just wish my husband was here to enjoy it to. I have been sick and in the hospital for about the past 5 years but this year has been a great change. When we get serious with God He will always give us what we need. God knows us better than we know our self.
Sharon A. – Coffee County, GA
I was diagnosed with a very rare form of Gillian-Barre Syndrome which caused me to be paralyzed from my head down. I am now working on head and spine control, transfers, and turning over without assistance. I can sit in my wheelchair for long periods of time and actually go without my rigid neck brace part of the time. Which is a welcomed relief, especially during the really hot days. I am making progress by leaps and bounds! My goal is to walk again, which is something I haven’t done since my stroke three years ago. Oh, how I will try to achieve that goal! At first it was very hard for me as I lay motionless all the time. I prayed constantly for strength and patience to see me through each day. Oh, how our Precious Lord and Savior answered our prayers, and the many prayers of you, our dear friends. One verse of scripture always came to mind and it was, "Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you." Psalms 55:22 What an AWESOME GOD WE SERVE! I have been so blessed. We truly believe God has great things in store for me and it won’t be long now until I am completely healed!
Arlene Murray
I had been saved and baptized many years ago, but as we all do sometimes, I had slid out of the reach of GOD’S preaching. I attended church for the first time in a long time when I moved back to GA, from separating from my husband of 11 years. We have 2 beautiful wonderful daughters. While sitting there in church that morning, I felt as though GOD speaking directly to me through your ministry. I started to cry. It was like GOD was trying to reach me through any means possible. That afternoon I went home and called my husband and ask if we could talk. He is active duty Air Force and stationed in San Antonio, TX. When I called him he was skeptical, because we have been through this once before. He and I talked for hours and hours that day and every day afterward trying to figure out how to put our world and our kids world back together. And THANKFULLY WE, along with a lot of prayer and talking, have managed to do so. I now have my family back my husband, our daughters! My kids are smiling again they have daddy back and I have my husband back.
Susan Mullinax
A friend of mine had an opportunity to lead her brother, Steve, in the sinners prayer. Her brother works as a guard at the prison, so he has been very difficult to share the good news of Jesus with. He was at the end of his rope and was open to hear her and gave his life to the Lord. Praise GOD!!!
Linda Bowers
Recently my husband passed away and while I thought I was doing great and trying to climb through the mountains of paperwork that has to be done when a spouse passes away and not to mention the closing of our business (another mountain and more of paperwork), I found out that God’s grace REALLY is SUFFICIENT. We have heard that all of our lives, but, don’t really KNOW IT (I think) until we face tragedy and Have to lean on the Lord and depend on Him for everything. He has seen me through and given me strength each and every day!
Nancy Hudson
My wife had breast cancer almost 5 years ago and I had prostate cancer a couple of years ago and today we are cancer free. My wife just recently had her 5 year examine and was released from the cancer center. The last test I had proved the cancer was gone. I will continue to believe God has completely healed us for His glory!
God Bless!
My husband and I have tried to have a baby now for almost 2 years my doctor diagnosed me with polycystic ovaries. I have prayed, cried and begged, and I believe God will give me a baby! He as promised and He never fails us!
Misty Brackins
At our church, there was one particular man that has been coming for months…he never moves…never says anything and always seemed to be the type that would not be moved by too much of anything. He came up to the altar crying…we were all so excited…he rededicated his life to the Lord and even came to our fall festival that we have every year for the children…and his facial expression showed the change that God has made in his life! I love when God shows up and shows out…God is good!
Pastor Billy Clayton
Since August I have reaffirmed my commitment to God, was re-baptized and have finally made the leap of faith to play my guitar and share the song God has written through me!
Carol Lynn Montgomery
I recently re-dedicated my life back to the LORD! Since then I have taught vacation bible school, and am now teaching Sunday school. GOD IS GOOD!
Heather
My husband is overseas in Iraq and I have a lot on my plate with two kids to take care of also. The Lord is Lord of my life and sometimes we just need to be reminded of that He is faithful! I sing in church sometimes and the only songs that I like to sing is songs that help me get through life’s trials and I like to just pass the message along. Just like the other song called "Press On". God says keep Pressing On I’ll be there all the way. And I won’t forget you either. "We know that everything that happens, fits into a pattern for good, to those who Love God." Romans 8:28
Betty Soto
My husband and I have been in the Ministry for about 60 years and about three weeks ago my husband was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus but we have no fear; God has given us peace about it. We are not going to take radiation or chemo. We are both in our eighties and we still believe in miracles! God is Faithful!
Pastor Willard & Marcella Irwin – Minot, ND
Our grandmother had been having a really hard time since the death of my grandfather. She had lost the will to live, however, through the ministry of Young Harmony at a concert one night, GOD restored her completely! PRAISE THE LORD!
Rich & Danielle
On one particular day, I was listening to the radio station here in Somerset, KY 9.05 and while driving along in my car I felt sad and hopeless in my life and I had been crying that morning and feeling that I was forsaken by God and felt in my heart that God did not love me, as I have fallen by the wayside in my personal life and I have suffered many heartaches, and trauma events in my life. Then, the song "God Has Not Forsaken You" begin playing and I felt the tears falling on my face and knew this was God’s way of telling me that he had not forgotten me. It gave me a source of hope and brought sunlight into my day.
Sue D.
I went to your site www.YoungHarmony.com and while looking at it, somehow God drew Himself to me and I was on my knees accepting Him as my Lord and Savior!
Ali Abbasi – Miami, FL
Several people had praying for these two children that were missing. I just wanted you to know that God answered our prayers. Something miraculous happened! Their grandmother picked them up in Tennessee. I’m telling you God works miracles!
David L
I was driving home late one night and noticed two people sitting on a bench next to a statue of Jesus. I drove past them and before I went a short distance, then the Holy Spirit prompted me to turn around and go speak to these people. I parked a short distance from them. I then prayed. I asked the Lord to have the people ask for me to speak. I decided to go over to where these people were and sit down and silently pray. If they did not ask me to speak, I would get up and leave. I went and sat down. Next the Lord blew my mind. There was a man and a woman there. As soon as I sat down, the woman asked me "that if I knew Jesus, please tell her friend about Him". Wow! We then had a lengthy discussion about the Lord!
Michael R. Blendowski
I was hurting, dealing with the passing of my father, mother and son from a car accident and heard the song, "God Has Not Forgotten You". I must tell you that through this song, the Holy Ghost reminded me that I was on God’s mind.
Sheila A. – Baltimore, MD
My son tried to kill himself. He said that he felt so alone and that no one cared. I received a CD in the mail that I won on a radio program just a day earlier. I let Andrew listen to the song, "God Has Not Forgotten You", and he sat there and just wept. My son is 18 years old and just came to know God through this song.
Jackson T. – Nashville, TN
Overwhelmed by my mother and her illness, I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I was driving and feeling like "what’s the use" and the song, "God Has Not Forgotten You" came on the radio. I must tell you that I feel that song was written for me. I have NEVER been affected by a song so much!
Breanna L. – Tyler, TX
My granddaughter was in the hospital because she thought she didn’t have anything to live for. My daughter dropped me off at work one morning and I gave her a CD called "Testimonies" and asked if she would listen to it when she got home. She did and called to tell me that the testimony about the girl at the bar was GOD’s way of telling her this was her last chance. She knew she had to get her life right with God and prayed asking for His forgiveness and to come into her life and help her be the mother and wife she should be! That very night, Sabrina was able to tell her mother about being molested at age 12 and that was the hurdle she had to get over to get better. They both have a long way to go but praise God they’re on the right path!
Faye
A man sitting in his car with a gun and a knife contemplating which should he use to end his life…..had the gun up to his chin. His life was hopeless. His wife had left him, his kids were on his wife’s side. Life was hopeless and Christmas was going to be bad. Well, he heard a song…. "God Has Not Forgotten You". When he heard this song, he broke and did not kill himself but called his wife and went before the Lord with her. The couple called and said they were going to have the greatest Christmas ever!!!
Bob & Glorya
Christmas Eve of 1981 I was preparing to visit my parents who lived 135 miles away. First, I felt a discomfort in my chest. So I sit in the recliner waiting for the pain to subside. It only magnified. Here we are only minutes away from jumping in the car and this is happening! I’m two weeks shy of my 43rd birthday and cannot or will not accept that I am having a massive heart attack. After about 10 minutes I told my wife that I would feel better lying on the bed. Yeah, right! About 20 minutes into the excruciating pain, I headed for the bathroom. I knew by this time that I was dying and finally conceded to have my wife called the Paramedics. What should have been a 10 minute drive to the hospital, took almost 20.
To make a long story short, I pulled thru the ordeal. Was given an angiogram that showed the bottom one fourth of my heart had suffered irreversible damage. It was dead meat!
Two years and two months later I was back in the hospital. Another angiogram showed that my arteries had taken over much of the job that my blocked artery used to perform. I was told that I had 100% blockage, 80% blockage, and 50% blockage in my arteries, and chances of surviving surgery was only 50%. Whoa, I did like those odds, so I continued to treat my condition with medication and exercise. Naturally my diet changed from the good old fried meals and it took me two years to drop 20 pounds.
Fast forward to 1995. Was awaken in the night around 2:00 a.m. Symptoms were exactly like the first heart attack. This time an aneurism was found and I was told that if I didn’t limit myself to picking up anything that weighed less than 25 lbs., I was at risk of my artery "exploding."
During a routine exam at the VA hospital, it was discovered that my aneurism had disappeared! Praise the Lord for his mercy!
Larry
In February my husband was critically injured in a brush fire. More than 50 acres burned around him but when they found him it appeared that the fire had burned up to him and went out. He only had serious burns on one leg but from breathing in the smoke and heat, his throat and lungs were burned. My oldest son said it looked like God has sent His angels to cover Dad and keep him from burning up. He went into kidney failure. No one could explain it but they all agreed that it was a miracle that he even survived after lying out in the field for more than 6 hours before he was found. He was airlifted to the hospital where they had intended to stabilize him then send him to a burn unit. He became too critical to transfer. It was touch and go for quite awhile but God answered my prayers and my husband survived. We are thanking God everyday for our miracle. During this time I heard the song, "God Has Not Forgotten You". Every time I heard it I felt the presence of the Lord and I knew that it was going to be all right. No matter what you’re going thru it is such a blessing to be reminded that God hasn’t forgotten you and that He is right there with you.
Susan A Steers
On September 29, 1996, I was in a car accident that left me paralyzed from waist down. I have a C-5 and C-6 spinal cord injury. I can move my arms but not my fingers and legs, so now I’m living life in a wheel chair. Before my accident, I was an energetic, young boy. I loved playing basketball, softball, swimming, hunting and fishing. Now all I can do is watch. I can still hunt, but I have to use handicapped hunting equipment for my gun. I also love watching Nascar, basketball and football. I’m also a Christian. Without GOD I couldn’t get by. Just think, what if you were in an accident and the doctors told you that you would never walk again and you had no fingers, no legs and had to use a catheter for your bladder.
Tracy Hurt – Fountain Run, KY
Peggy Ruth West will be 60 on December 17 this year. A very religious woman and has been very active in her church until her physical problems got bad enough for her to step down. When she was a sophomore in high school, she was put in bed for most of the year with hephiritis. Since then she raised two wonderful children. One girl, one boy – good kids. She also started having some physical problems of some kind or another, then in 1991 was diagnosed with Crones disease. She had part of her large colon removed then and maintained it with medications for two years putting "it" in remission for 13 years. She once told me, "Aunt Janice, it’s hard to have faith in something you can’t see, but I know He’s there and He will work it out for me." And HE did! With her strong will and faith, by the Grace of GOD, she will have a few more good years left.
Janice – Elwood, IN
My husband got to the point where he was drinking anywhere from an 18 pack to a case of beer a day. We were fighting almost every day. I prayed hard every day several times a day. He slowed down to about 6-8 beers a day but he still was not eating and he still was getting a buzz and just was not being nice to me or the kids. Well, Wednesday, May 3rd, he came home from work and said he didn’t feel right. Well, me and the kids were getting ready to go to church and he told me again he didn’t fell right, that he was going to turn the air on and lay back in the recliner, he had only drank two beers that day. We prayed that night at church that please LORD do anything to make him see that he is losing his family and his life. When I returned from church he said his fingers were so cold. He never told me his chest was hurting. The next day his mom drove him down to the Baptist Hospital in Nashville. There they took his blood pressure. It was really high. He told me that last night he had a long talk with "The Big Man Upstairs". He said he asked GOD to help him stop drinking and give him a second chance at life. Thursday, June 21, 2007 will be one month that he has had nothing to drink. PRAISE GOD! He has gone to church with me and the kids for the past two Sundays. Brother Tom was asking anyone if they had anything to Praise God for or thank God for and he raised his hand and said, "I want to thank GOD for my kids and giving me the strength to quit drinking." PRAISE GOD!!!
Tamera Shrum
My Grandpa and Grandma Randall were missionaries to China two time during the 1930′s with no aid from any church, but the LORD saw them through. One story my mother has shared with me is…
One night my mother’s family was sitting at the table for dinner, but there was no food in their house. My Grandpa Randall said to pray. There was a knock at the door and a delivery man gave them a $50 check. They never knew where that money came from, but they knew GOD had heard their prayers. When I was eight years old, I realized I was lost and needed JESUS in my heart. I wanted the LORD to hear my prayers and I wanted to be saved, so I asked JESUS for forgiveness and I asked HIM to live in my heart and be my Savior.
Rhonda Bray – Brodhead, KY
I had a car accident that I could have easily died in, but GOD spared me. A week after the car accident, I couldn’t move any part of my body and couldn’t get out of bed one morning. I really cried out and I heard GOD speak to me. He told me I had been wasting my life and it was time to change. My body then started to move again. A while later, maybe six weeks, there was a big argument between my spouse and me. Some very harsh words and he stormed out as I retreated to my office and cried out to GOD asking him to allow me to die if this situation could not be changed. I told HIM that I could not take anymore and I believe GOD knew that before I said it. After saying that, I felt peace come upon me and the thought came to me "it will be okay". About two weeks later, another argument started and without raising my voice, I told him (my ex-husband) to leave and not come back. His response was "you can’t make it without me", which was probably the best thing he could say to me because my response was "hide and watch". I have not looked back, my entire life changed in that phrase.
Joyce Harvey – Antioch, TN
Where do you begin when GOD has been so good to you! At the beginning, almost 60 years ago, I was born into a preacher’s family, but more than that, one who practiced what he preached. Parents who practiced the Word, as they understood it, and lived what they taught, example is still the greatest witness. Not unlike a lot of the 60′s generation, I rebelled. My rebellion started after an engagement was broken at 18 years old. I left home and within a year was married to someone else that I had known for only six weeks. I was married for almost 16 years. The whole time was very stormy and being the personality I am, I withdrew into a sullen, defensive person. Even though during that time, I did get back into church and took my children to church. They were very influenced by the lifestyle at home of their father. I lived those years on a fence, always trying to do what is right and trying to have some kind of peace at home. My husband was an alcoholic and drug user, which I did not participate in, but it made me angry at him, at myself, and at GOD for letting all of this happen. Anyway, I got a divorce after 16 years and many tears, because I felt that divorce was the ultimate sin. Remember, I had grown up in a glass house.
Early one morning, I contacted my ex-fiancé after not speaking for sixteen years. Not only did he recognize my voice, but we talked for hours. He was also a divorcee by this time. We have now been married 20 years. Have all of these years been easy? Well, in one word – NO. We had three teenagers between us when we married. We were severely tried and are still being tried, but we have a promise that GOD will be with us. More than that we know GOD is in control. When I heard your song, "All He’s Done For Me", I just wept. How true that is! No one can know. They see us now and think what an easy life, but have no idea the pain it took to get here.
So no matter what the future holds, unlike the past, I will hold on to the one who holds the future.
Joyce Harvey – Antioch, TN
I was raised in a Roman Catholic Church. My father was very strict and protective. He died of cancer when I was 15.
I met my future husband around this time at a hockey game. I was tagging along with my brother who was goalie on the American team. Philippe (a French Canadian), no my husband of 33 years, was here in the states visiting from Canada and was playing hockey against my brother’s team.
We adopted a baby boy here in the US, then four years later, adopted a baby girl from Seoul, Korea. There were miracles, too long to tell the whole adoption story, but I will just say adoption takes a long time, but GOD opened doors quickly for us.
I was working a night shift saving extra money for the Korean adoption, when a lady there invited me to hear an evangelist speak and sing. That was the beginning of my curiosity being aroused and the LORD began drawing me. I felt HIS presence and knew something had changed. At that time our son was about four years old and a year later he was severely burned in a kitchen accident, boiling water. It is still difficult to think of it, and I won’t go into detail, but I praise the LORD, he is fine today and married with two children of his own. Yep! I am a grandma. I thank GOD I knew HIM before this accident had happened. I do not know how I would have coped without CHRIST in my life!
Barbara Anne
I had gone down a bad road in life and made some bad choices. On Mother’s Day, I had taken Christen and Will, my two children, along with some friends of theirs, to a swimming hole in Suck Creek. While walking to get to the water I slipped and fell 25 to 30 feet below onto rocks. Will witnessed everything. I had broken ribs, brain trauma, fractured vertebras and should blade and a punctured lung. I have no memory of the accident or the hospital stay. I got my memory back about a week after I was home. I wanted to know when Roby would be there to pick me up. I soon started to remember with some help, that I wasn’t married anymore and that I had had a drug problem. I started to cry. I couldn’t believe I had done some of the things I had and I know I never will again. A lot of people, including doctors, say it is a miracle I am here. I know that it is all part of GOD’s plan. Recovering has been and still is painful, but I am so thankful GOD opened my eyes and has given me another chance.
Christina McNabb – Chattanooga, TN
First, I want to thank you for the opportunity to give my testimony. GOD has been dealing with me to do so lately and I haven’t done it yet.
Not long ago, I sent you an email asking you to pray for my son (Bo). In that email I told you about him being in prison on meth charges and we wanted to hear GOD’s voice. Well, he is home now, after two years. Since he has come home, he has been baptized by one of our best friends. I have sent you some pictures just to show the difference in him. Thank you Father, I have my son back, and I promised GOD I would do anything He wanted me to do, and I will! I love your song about being still and you will hear GOD, that is so true! I was saved as a little girl at nine years old, but as I grew up, I drifted and ended up in a very bad marriage. It was so bad my life and Bo’s was threatened. I knew I had to get out before it was too late, so I did and went to my mother’s house. I had only myself, Bo and our clothes. I basically started over (great song).
Now I live with what is called hydrocephalus and psudotumor cerebral and chiari malformation. Basically what all this means is my body doesn’t absorb my spinal fluid as fast as my body makes it. You take your worst migraine and multiply that by 100 and that is how bad it hurts. At first they were doing spinal taps to drain the fluid, but this had gotten to where it was being done daily, so a shunt was put in. This is a small tube that runs from my brain to my stomach so the excess fluid would be absorbed in my system. After the surgery I continued to leak fluid. They had to go in and practically lift my brain. I decided not to make a follow up appointment and told the doctor’s office that it would work as long as GOD says it would work. I am now going into my 5th year! PRAISE GOD!
Leann Dunkle
Before I got saved, I went to different bars, drink beer and gamble on the pool tables. My wife, Katherine would go to church and ask everyone to pray for me. She also asked our good friend, Dennis Rehders and Young Harmony to pray for me. After a while at the bars, I found myself sitting alone, wondering why I was there. I felt that I didn’t belong. Then one night in November of 2005, about 11:30 PM, Katherine had already went to bed, I was watching a ballgame on TV. I was thinking about the bills and about my business going under. I was worried about how we were going o make ends meet. About halfway through the game, I felt that there was someone else in the room with me, I evened turned to look, I heard a whisper, everything will be okay. I turned to look again, but did not see anybody. I knew then my heart was receiving JESUS and that He whispered to me. That night I wrote a song "THE WHISPER". It took about two hours and when I finished the song, I taped it to the bathroom mirror so Katherine could read it the next morning before she went to work. To this day, I still do not know who won that ballgame. Since that night, I have not been in a bar or had a drink.
Jim Ryals – Blountville, TN
My desire in life is to serve GOD both physically and spiritually and to always be in His will. But my life hasn’t always been so Christ-like. At one point in my life I thought I stood alone and was all I needed. I had a very successful career in medical and law enforcement. I, however, constantly hit a brick wall and chaos would be putting it lightly. I fell flat on my back and lost all I had. All my friends turned their back on me. Well a friend introduced me to a fine Christian lady and we eventually married. Today we serve GOD in ministry, reaching over one million people each month in over 120 countries. To GOD be the GLORY. NO TURNING BACK NOW AT ALL!
Steve – Pecks Mill, WV
Early one morning while driving, I had just gotten my car up to 40 mph or so and the Spirit of the LORD began urging me to slow down. A minute later that slow down warning came through, over and over. He kept urging me to slow down. Several more miles down the road, it’s still dark and my headlights don’t light up the road to well and I see a pair of headlights. So what’s the big deal? As I obey the promptings of the LORD to slow down, I finally get close enough to see what JESUS saw from the moment I pulled out of my driveway. In an area where there is no shoulder to the road, I see a tractor trailer completely blocking the two lane road. No room was there to avoid a collision. The only thing going for me was the Spirit’s urging me to slow down from the time I left the house. Without GOD coaxing me all along the road to slow me down I would not be in this world anymore. YeeeeHaaa! Thanks be to GOD!
Richard Whipple – Bolivar, NY
In 1974, I married my teenage sweetheart. He had been called to preach and we had a church to pastor. I, too, had felt the call to the ministry to be his helpmate. We worked hard for the LORD. He preached, we sang in revivals and we tried to be all we could be for the LORD. As the years went by, the devil began to fight us in ways that put walls between us. Problems arose and satan began to move in. We both let down and the marriage began to crumble. As I was getting ready for work one day, he told me that he thought we should separate. I told him not to keep threatening me – just do it. When I came home from work, he was gone with all his clothes and belongings. I felt my world crumble and with it I was falling apart piece by piece. Not only did I feel like I had lost him and my family was split apart, but I felt that I had failed GOD and brought shame and reproach to the church. As the months went by, he filed for divorce. I was left with two children to raise. I remember the day. I felt that there was no hope for me. That GOD would NEVER be able to use me again. I was finished, but GOD had other plans for me and a Christian friend being led by GOD helped me see that GOD wasn’t finished with me! I continued going to church and got my heart back in tune with the Master. With His loving mercy and gently leadings, I moved on with my life. I moved and became, once again, involved in church, singing and playing the piano, teaching and doing whatever He wanted me to do. He continues to use me. When I look back at those years of hopelessness and depression, I know GOD was loving me and holding me in His hands. My youngest son is a Youth Pastor – another great blessing! GOD continues to bless my life. My heart’s desire is to touch the lost and be used WHEREVER He wants me. I want to please Him – and only Him. He has been the source of my strength and continues to bless my life! Jesus is the most important person in my life. Without HIM there was NO HOPE – with HIM there is VICTORY! PRAISE HIS NAME FOREVER!
Psalms 9:1 "I will thank You, Lord with all my heart. I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done!"
Sherry Bess – Elwood, IN
GOD gloriously saved me the Sunday morning after Easter in 1986. I was 23 years old. When I was 19, I was diagnosed with cancer (Hodgkin’s disease). I went through surgeries and 5-6 months radiation driving back and forth five days a week to and from Atlanta, GA. I think back now at that time in my life since I was never in church. If I had died from this, I would have been in Hell today. GOD or heaven never crossed my mind than and no one ever asked me about it. I married when I was 20 years old. I had just been off treatments for three months. My husband and I drank and partied with not a care in the world or so I thought. Two years into our marriage, I wanted to have a child. I had gotten it cleared with my doctors that I could try, but was told that I may not be able to from all the radiation. One year later I was still trying with no results and getting discouraged. A man that had taken my husband to church a lot when he was growing up came by our house and invited us to church. This was the Sunday morning I was saved, thank GOD for HIM. Approximately ten months later I gave birth to our son who is 20 now. The hospital staff in Atlanta called him my miracle. I know GOD was just waiting on us to get our lives right before he sent a child into our lives.
Irene Holland – Dalton, GA
I don’t have a story to tell. Or at least that’s what crossed my mind when Johnathan asked me to put my testimony down with the rest of these stirring stories of what God has done and is doing in people’ lives. I grew up in a Christian home, accepted the Lord in our living room in Kentucky at the age of 5. At first thought, I’ve led a fairly mundane spiritual life. But, in the realm of human experiences, growth and pain are all relative. They are both relative to where we as people and souls are now. While I may not have an amazing story of an intense conversion experience, I have had the painful experiences that cause spiritual growth, just like the story above, below and all around this one, and… just like the one you could share if you were asked to.
From the age of 12 on, I’ve wanted to spend all my time playing guitar. I’ve used it as therapy, hobby, vocation, so much that, in high school, the thought of having to get "a real job" would cause me a lot of stress. So, in going to college, I delayed the decision by majoring in music. The idea was that college would occupy at least four more years and then I would settle in to life as a band teacher. I also thought that I would find someone to spend my life with pretty quickly and settle down. Well, I met someone, and we dated for a long time. A year and a half was plenty long enough to make all the mistakes that young men make with young women. The relationship finally fell apart, when she decided she was done pretending that she could be who I wanted her to be. I was crushed. Somehow during the year and a half we were together, I had decided I was in charge of my life. At that point, like anybody else who has had their heart broken, I went searching. Who was I? Was I a musician? Was I still redeemable as a Christian? As a student, was I worth the effort it would take to finish my education? I floundered on many levels for a year or two. Musically, the work I found were dead ends. Academically, I hated jumping through the hoops that "legitimate" music’s academic facet created for the performer in the popular or folk realm. Personally, I wondered who really wanted to seriously consider a life with someone who might not make a lot of money, might be on the road a lot, and at that point I was not even sure if I was good enough to get a job playing music with any professional organization. With all those things stacked against me, I felt worthless.
To make it through this time, I found comfort in truths that denied the defeating power of my circumstances. First, I knew that I had found truth at the age of 5 in my living room. God loved me, Jesus died for me, and therefore my feelings of worth could not be found in who I am to the world. They could not even be found in the God given talent of music. Most specifically to where I was, my worth could not be defined by a potential spouse, or even by my wife now. So, over time, I asked myself a series of questions, starting with the two below, built around the truth that I had found above.
Who am I, prioritized in terms of eternal value?
The answer was and is, firstly, a child of God. This means I do not have to search for worth in life circumstances, because this life is fleeting and meaningless when compared to the universal value of being loved by the Creator. (Romans 8:35, I John 4:19) Secondly, because I am loved by God and forgiven through Jesus’ sacrifice, I can stand on equal footing with anyone else on this planet. When viewed through the lens of Jesus’ grace, we have no reason that anyone else can make us feel small, and no reason to believe that we are superior to others. This allows complete forgiveness of others, and of oneself of any inferiority the world tries to impose upon us. (Matthew 7:1, Romans 8:1) Thirdly, I am who God made me. God gave me a love of music, and therefore, I refuse to believe that He sees this guitar player as "a dime a dozen", as I have heard about guitar players all of my life. When I recognized that both the gift of music and the love of it came from God, I realized that it was in God’s will that I have a future in it. (Jeremiah 29:11) Therefore the next question I asked myself was…
If God gave you a specific gift that blesses your life daily, don’t you feel that he wants you to share it?
When I decided to start sharing my gift without shame, I received the blessings of the life I thought I knew how to get in my own rebellious way. I have a great wife, who loves and supports me, great people to work with, and to date, I have never gone hungry. There will always be bills, and I would love not to have to check account balances before paying some of them, but the path laid out for me is the right one, and therefore the Bible says that the Lord will take care of me and my family. In debating the path of my life in college, I was always forcibly reminded of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and I felt like if I were to hide a musical gift out of fear of financial failure and embarrassment, I would be burying my talents. So I stepped forward in faith and started a career in music. I have moved to Nashville with no job, and had a touring bluegrass gig within a week. When I felt it was time to leave there, work came from nowhere and paid the bills. I do not universally recommend these actions, but I can say that if you are doing what you are supposed to with your life, the Lord will take care of his children.
There were more questions and answers, but these formed the basis of a better spiritual and emotional health. The bad times were also a journey that I had to go through to come to a firsthand understanding of the truths above. Before the realization of my eternal worth became personal, I would read stories like this one and scoff. My internal dialogue would say things like, "That’s easy for him to say, he/she has got it all together." You may be thinking that right now. You may be building a wall between where you think you are and where you think I am. Just so you know, I look like I’m about nineteen, I had a big fight with my wife last weekend, and I’ve got a couple bills I won’t be able to pay until the 15th of this month. If those details cannot talk you out of building that wall between us, at least let me say that as children of God that wall is only a matter of perspective. Through God’s eyes, we are all on equal footing.
Jonathan Maness – Knoxville, TN
In 1998, after a long illness, Gene’s first wife Sandi, went home to be with the LORD. Five months before her death, Sandi told Gene when something happened to her, GOD would bring someone into his life that would play piano for him, sing with him and would have red hair. Dismissing this with no interest, Gene continued on with a focus on writing and singing gospel music and promoting concerts to reach the lost that may or may not attend church. In 1999 enduring grief that only the loss of a longtime companion can bring and in search for a special friend, GOD brought about a tremendous miracle when Gene would make contact with a lady in Tennessee, 600 miles away, that he never met. Although he had vowed to never again be married, Gene & Ann soon recognized the sovereign hand of GOD bringing them together. Seizing this GOD given opportunity and under the unquestionable direction of the Holy Spirit, Gene was soon married to this lady who plays piano, sings with him and has red hair. Ann has written many choruses that are sung around the world and have been translated and published in Germany, India, Australia and several Spanish speaking countries. This is one uplifting testimony that brings hope and encouragement to people everywhere. You must hear the rest of the story!
Gene & Ann Young
For approximately 2 1/2 years, I had suffered with a disease called "Fibromyalgia", which is severe pain and inflammation of the muscles and connective tissues of the body. Doctors have no idea what causes this disease, therefore they can’t offer a person with this disease any hope of a cure.
March 31, 2002, Easter Sunday. I made it to church that evening with God’s Grace. At the evening service we had special singers. They did not know me, and I did not know them. After singing a few songs, the guy said something like this, "We had planned to sing a certain number of songs, but the Lord has directed me to something else," He began talking about the woman with the issue of blood. How she had spent all of her money on physicians, and how she had no hope.
Many went to the altar that night, but it’s what happened next that has changed my life.
The Lord spoke to me while I was sitting on the pew, in severe pain and fatigued, The Lord said, "Treva, press through." I said, "Lord, I am too weak and hurting so bad, I do not believe that I can make it to the altar." The guy singer began to speak again about the woman with the issue of blood pressing through, that if she could just touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole. I made it to the altar that night, and left church feeling the same, but Joy comes in the morning! By Monday afternoon I realized that I had felt no pain all day long. At present date, still no pain!
Treva F.
It has always been am
azing to mehow GOD’s hand of guidance and protection is around us from the moment we are born. That is the way it has been all my life. My mom died of cnacer when I was eleven. My dad was stuck raising a pre-teen on his own. I am sure there were plenty of nights that he cried out for GOD’s guiding hand. A dear couple was chosen by the LORD to be strong influences in my life. They helped my Dad out in every area of my life – mostly spiritually. I came to know the LORD when I was twelve. I knew Mom was in heaven and I wanted to have the assurance of being with her one day. People say it takes a village to raise a child. In my life that held true. My walk with the LORD started with all these people pushing my back on the right track. I was single until I was 38 years old. GOD’s hand held steady as I chose ministry to fill my hours. I married a pastor and have four grandbabies. My life is full and I am blessed. Everyday is nto perfect – but GOD’s hand is steady!
Romans 8:28 – Whatever GOD has planned, I know it’s gonna be good!
Barbara Long – Encounter
I would like to say I love the LORD and everything I have and ever have done HE has give me the power and time and love to do it. I cannot do anything without Him. He has given me a wonderful family and a good home and good health!
Jackie Bess
A year, no, not even six months ago, would I have been able to even willing to let others know my testimony about what GOD has been doing in my life. I was so angry and afraid and miserable, that I feld not even near GOD. I thought GOD was angry with me and that I had wronged HIM too many times for Him to forgive me again. Even though I am 22 years old, I felt my life and all the good I had done, left four years ago. That is where my story begins:
I had just graduated from high scholl recognized with an Honor’s diploma. I was planning on going to college for a human services degree to become a licensed social worker. I was so excited to being my freshman year at a small college in Michigan. I had attended school for nearly a month in the fall of 2003. This is the time I would like to forget forever, but GOD has reasons why some things happen and why I cannot completely forget of the tragic day in September, close to the nearing of my 19th birthday. I was beat, raped and scarred forever. Something was taken from me and not until recently have I come to terms with the fact that it was not my fault, nor GOD’s.
I blamed myself and I blamed GOD. I left scholl after only three months. I moved back home and took a small break from school. I told everyone that I needed to leave because of my major. I could not become a licensed solcial worker in Michigan with a four year degree in human services. I said that was my excuse for leaving. The following fall I transferred to a new school. Even by this time, my big secret was only known by me. In these months, I had developed what doctors and therapists call anorexiz. There were times I would not eat for several days in a row and if I would eat, I would get sick afterwards. I went from doctor to doctor with problems with my digestive system, losing up to 42 lbs in a near 2 1/2 month period. I was hospitalized several times for a day or two. When I would get out, I would be back to my same routine. To this day, I am still trying to pay off doctor bills.
Every day seemed to get worse. My grades in school were barely passing. I was beginning to shut myself down. On September 21, 2005, I couldn’t take it anymore. I took eight times the needed amount of my heart medication. Needless to day, I lived through that. I was checked in to a psychiatric hospital and was released five days later. My life drained on and I only got worse.
In January of 2006, my heart failed and I becamse unresponsive. Also, in the same month, I had two unexplained grand mal seizures. I finished my second year of college and began working two jobs that summer. I worked 7:30 to 4:30 and 5:00 to 1:00. I had to keep myself busy or else I would start thinking again. Also, during that summer, on the weekends, I began heavily traveling with a Gospel singing group, not singing, just going a long and helping out. During this time in my life, I really began to think and search and search some more. I wasn’t ready yet for what was beginning to happen. My thoughts were beginning to change about GOD and me. I went to school the next fall, August of 2006, so confused. My mind was shattered. My thinking process was uncomprehend able. I went to a concert in August, that is were I found JESUS. The JESUS that healed my broken heart, the JESUS that gave me a new hope for living, the JESUS that says "let it go and give him the guilt". My mind and body was still hurting. I was still unable to work on some issues. I had to leave school and get some help.
On October 1, I left school not knowing where to go. I had met a family who had a singing ministry about a month prior to me leaving school. They let me stay with them. I stayed with this ministry for a near month and a half. At this home, my spirituality began to build. The fact that I could be healed from my hurt and secrets was reinforced. My pain, hurt, grief was beginning to lessen.
I left that ministry. I was still searching for something. There were days when I was just so miserable. Then I discovered what was missing. I spent three days alone. Praying, listening to music and crying. After those three days, I can say I noticed a complete transformation. I let go of everything. My past, my feelings, my life. I gave everything to GOD.
I found myself attending church and loving it. I began diligently looking for ways to be used by GOD. In recent months, GOD has given me a desire to help those who are hurting. I found a message in Isaiah 61 to be my theme motto. I have had opportunities to share with people hurting and not, believers and unbelievers, what GOD has done in my life and what He has brought me from. I am excited to say, if it be GOD’s will and my finances and progress are good, I am planning on finishing my social work degree and on the weekend I plan to continue to share "All He’s Done For Me".
Unknown
Mere words can not express how your ministry has renewed my strength in JESUS today. I prayed for a miracle yesterday and today you came on a ray of sunlight. I promise to be of service wherever the LORD leads me. I promise to wait on Him to restore my family – I now know He will. I will always love you both as a sister in Christ. If you every need me no matter when or why, just call.
Jackie Robinson
The Lord has richly blessed our family. My husband and I are now the pastors of Amazing Grace Church of GOD. We have been there for 15 months. It is unbelievable what GOD has done since we have been there.
But I want to start at the beginning. My husband was a pastor’s aid and youth pastor for many years at Fairview Church of GOD. I was the youth director and we were members there around 36 years.
We got married when we were both in our teens. We had our ups and downs and Frankie decided he would try the world a while and ended up playing drums in a night club. The church continually prayed for him. I had him sleeping on Bibles and I put prayer cloths everywhere I could; to make sure he would not find them. I wanted him to be protected by the prayers of the church.
Come to find out, Frankie had the call of GOD on his life and he was running from GOD, but thank the Lord, GOD didn’t give up on him. After many miserable years of Frankie running fromt he Lord, he decided to give up and turn his life completely over to Him. During all of this, I was in a singing group called, The Last Day Messengers". Frankie rejoined us and we sang together for about 20 years.
After Frankie got saved, the Lord always continued to be faithful, but there was always that empty feeling that seemed to always be there. Frankie was still miserable because GOD was telling him what his call was on life and he was scared. So finally, one day, he accepted his calling to preach. This was what Frankie had been running from his whole life. He then called our pastor OA Bethune, and told him that the Lord had called him to preach. The pastor told him, OK, I want you to preach Sunday night. That was quick! Frankie finally started turning into the person that GOD wanted him to be after all these years.
I had been teaching Sunday school most of my adult life, so I jumped at the opportunity to be the Youth Director. Frankie was appointed the Youth Pastor and we really enjoyed our church kids. Frankie and I had three young children of our own and as they got older the were in our youth group also. We went through a lot of training, but after all of this, there was still a void in mine and Frankie’s life. You know you have to go through a lot of training from GOD before He will call you into the bigger jobs.
In 2002, we decided to go through the MAP program in the Church of GOD; you have to do this to go on to the next level of license. During this time our son was in the Marines, Sergeant Clint Carroll. He received his orders to go to Iraq; well you know how devastating that could be.
Our middle daughter, Leeanne Dove, was going through her second pregnancy. We worried about her because she couldn’t eat anything and keep it down. Our oldest daughter, April Grist, was going through a heartbreaking marriage, which her husband decided to take other avenues of life that lead to a divorce. It was one of the hardest years we had to go through. I know now it was just training for me and Frankie.
We trusted the Lord with all our hearts. We had given our children to the Lord when they were young and GOD know just what He was doing. Even though we were going through this trial, GOD came through with flying colors. He worked our every situation.
The Lord put in our hearts that He was calling us to a higher calling. I didn’t think I could ever leave Fairview Church of GOD. After all, we had been there most of our lives, our kids grew up there and we were married there. We had been there through all the births and marriages of our young people and even watched their own families grow up. Our lives had been at Fairview Church of GOD, but here was still that call from the Lord.
We were praying if GOD wanted us to have a church of our own, then He would open up the door for us to just walk right in. One Tuesday night in 2006, our pastor called Frankie and said you are coming to prayer meeting tonight aren’t you? He told him sure he was coming. Pastor said after prayer meeting tonight, I want to talk to you.
Frankie was excited because he thought pastor was going to talk to him about being the Associate Pastor. Boy was he surprised! He told him the church in Stevenson, AL is open and I think this would be a great opportunity for you. Frankie said I had just prayed in prayer meeting, Lord, if you want us to have a church just open up the door! Boy that was fast! He told the pastor, I have to go home and talk this over with Debbie.
When he came in and told me, I was in shock! I was excited, scared and sad that I would have to leave my home church and all our church kids. That next morning, Frankie called our pastor and told him he would take the position as the pastor of Stevenson if the Lord wanted us to have it. We didn’t know it at the time, but the faithful people were praying for a man that was sent by Him to come as pastor. Pastor OA said, I will call the state overseer and see what he says. Well, by around 9:30 that morning, we had been appointed the pastors of Amazing Grace Church of GOD.
We had our first service March 2006 on the 12th day of the month. If I remember correctly, we had around 30 people and most of them were our family and friends. When it came down to it, there were only around 10 people attending church reguarly. I was definitely in shock! We had no kids that attended Amazing Grace, then finally three children started coming to church. We had one teenager and two younger children. I was not acustom to this at all. I was used to having at least 25-30 kids at church. Needless to say, there were a lot of tears shed and a lot of praying done.
Amazing Grace was a brand new church, it would hold around 500 people. It is a beautiful church. When they first built the church they didn’t have the money for pews, so they sat in straight chairs, you talk about uncomfortable! It wasn’t long, GOD started working. We had a singing with Young Harmony just a few weeks after Frankie and I came to the church. The women of the church sold food after the singing and if I recall, we received around $800.00 that night for our new pews.
GOD was moving, our attendance was growing and so was our savings. There was a lady at our church that has an uncle who sent us $4,000 for the pews and not long after that, a donation was made for products that we sold. By the fall of 2006, just the week of our homecoming, we had new pews! We didn’t have a PA system and one of the women in our church gave us around $7,000. We got another donation from someone who didn’t even come to our church for $4,000. So we had a new sound system put in. Our church was growing and GOD was blessing. We had over 100 there for our homecoming that September. But before our homecoming, a wonderful Christian man told us he wanted to bless us and wanted to know what we needed for our kitchen at church. We told hime we needed tables. We were tyring to buy up some because we didn’t have many for the fellowship hall. Well, he gave us $500 to buy them with. That $500 bought us all we needed. Praise the LORD!
Our attendance has gone up now. We run from the 40′s to the high 60′s most Sundays and Sunday nights. We have around the same on Wednesday nights. On special services we have had over 100. You have got to remember it has not been that long since my husband and I came to the church. It hasn’t been much over a year.
In March 2007, I accepted my calling to be a minister of the Gospel. I am so excited that GOD chose my husband and I to be His ministers and I can’t wait to see how our church grows this year. Our son Clint is out of the Marines now since January. GOD took care of him for two tours in Iraq. He now lives in Chattanooga, TN with his beautiful wife Summer. Our youngest daughter Leeanne and her husband, Britt, live in Glencoe, AL. They have two children of their own and a foster son. Our oldest daughter, April, remarried a good man, Mel, and they live near Ider, AL. They are now expecting their first child
My husband and I are so thankful for everything GOD has done for us and the miracles that we have seen with our own eyes. We have gone through a lot to get where we are now, but it was worth every bit of it. It is never too late for GOD to use you!
Always trust, have faith and believe in the one who has total control of our lives and that is JESUS CHRIST!
Debbie Carroll
It’s kind of a sad story, but even GOD can use sad stories and turn them into a testimony of His goodness. I was brought up in an alcoholic home, where my dad would beat my mom, and make me and my sister watch. I would go to school looking for an escape, but all I found was more pain. Through school I was told by teachers I would never amount to anything. They went as far as calling me to the office everyday to change my clothes because what I wore that day was not good enough for them. My first memory of church was when I was eight years old. Daddy said he found Jesus, like it was Jesus who was lost instead of him. So Daddy stopped drinking and hurting my Mom and we started going to a Christian TV ministry called Heartbeat, where I learned about Jesus and His love for me and was saved at the age of 9 years old. By the age of twelve, we stopped going to church. Daddy said the pastor made him mad and he gave up on GOD, too. Later on that year, Daddy said GOD wanted us in heaven with Him and Daddy was going to see that we were. Daddy bought a pistol and made a gun belt and had four bullets, one for each of us and was planning on taking our lives and then his. But thank GOD, something stopped him that day.
At the age of 14, I started going to my home church in Graham, NC, where I met the love of my life. At the age of 17, we were married. Two years later, in November 2002, my Dad got really ill. The doctor warned him if he took another drink, it would kill him. David and I was planning a vacation to celebrate our 1st anniversary and the fact that we were going to become parents for the first time. Before we left, we went to see Daddy because it was his birthday and I wanted to give him the great news that he was going to become a Grandpa. He told me before I left that day, when you come back I won’t be here. I was thinking, you are just being silly and again he told me when you come back, I won’t be here. I just hugged Dad and told him Happy Birthday and that I loved him and would see him when I got back. After we got home, I got a message on my phone that said I needed to come quick that Daddy was in the hospital and it didn’t look good. He had liver cancer and only had two weeks to live. I watched him get sicker and sicker. On December 12, 2002 at 9:23PM, Daddy passed away and I blamed GOD for three long years. I remember I kept saying, "Lord, where were you when I needed you, you must not love me." The death of my fater made me blind to GOD’s never ending love that He has for me, and has always had for me even before the beginning of time, He loved me. I carried hatred and bitterness around for so long. I started getting depressed, and it started harming my family life. I started to want to block everything and everyone out of my life, good and bad. I went so far as even quitting church. For two months, we went to different churches, but I kept being reminded of the one I left my church family.
In January 2006, I dedicated my life to GOD again. "Lord, use me, I surrender, I can’t do it on my own. I need YOU!" As I went to church, I paid special attention to the special music they played before church service. It always touched me in a different way. This is what I am supposed to do for GOD. He wants me to sing and I have every since.
Misty Aiken