Many wonderful Testimonies post here please

by Joyce C. Lock Testimony
The Joy of My Salvation
My name is Joyce.

Everyone believes in something.

As for me, I am a Christian. I am not a Christian because I chose their religion. I am a not a Christian because I invited Jesus to come live in my heart and life. In the Bible, people were disciples first, before the name "Christian" was given. For, to be a Christian means to be "Christ-like" and we can only be like Him to the extent we allow Him to be our counselor, teacher, and guide.

Christian religions do not necessarily adhere to that definition. But, that is somewhat of a scriptural explanation of the true title "Christian".

However, for those of us who really believe in Jesus, we "know" that He is real; because, once we ask Jesus to come into our hearts and lives, something supernatural happens inside of us which is often wonderful and joyful. Though, even though everyone may not "feel" the exact same way, once Jesus comes into our hearts, we know there is a difference in us. Our souls have been cleansed of past sins, as though a heavy weight has been lifted. Our desires are not the same, as we want to choose good. Our insides are bursting to tell others about Jesus, so they can know Him, too.

Thus, having invited Jesus into our hearts, we begin to experience Him; for which we then "know" this isn't like other belief systems. Then, as we welcome Jesus, also, into our daily lives, we begin the process of also becoming "Christ-like" . and discover that Jesus is real, in all ways.

Only, for me, in my confusion over religious teachings, God came to me in a personal way. And now, I have a greater testimony as I have seen Jesus; and this is how it happened .

During a church revival, I came under conviction and asked many questions, on the way home. I remember the fear of not wanting to go to hell.

It was my father that came into my bedroom, which was kind of odd, being that dad and I had never talked about much of anything. But, mom wasn't saved, yet, herself. So, she reneged on this one.

Though, it wasn't bad at all . our first meaningful conversation. Dad brought a kitchen chair into my bedroom, I sat on the bed, and we talked. He explained several things and led me as to how to ask Jesus into my heart.

It has been said that I began carrying my Bible everywhere and that I went to every house, in the neighborhood, to tell others about Jesus (also with Bible in hand). I have no idea how I might have used that Bible, if called upon to do so. But, carrying it seemed the Christian thing to do.

Though, I wish I could remember that, the Joy of My Salvation. But, instead, I was sort of robbed.

There were many preachers and evangelists at the church, this week. They had come for the revival. And, they all wanted to meet me. My parents did ask if I would agree to the meeting, for which I did. But, still, I didn't expect the pastor's office to be standing room only, filled with wall to wall preachers. It was a bit intimidating, having to answer to all those giants.

You see, they didn't believe I was yet at the age of accountability. They thought I was too young and said that it was almost unheard of. Their concern was that I wouldn't understand what I was doing. I may have only been six years old. But, they were wrong.

Then, once mom got saved, her and dad began mission work. Today, it's called 'church planting' and, of course, laborers were few. Thus, new converts were often my teachers. It was the era (error) of Hell, Fire, and Brimstone preaching and that was the only God these new converts knew.

This was also the age when it was, yet, the common and expected thing to do ~ to go to the altar, seeking forgiveness. It didn't help to not even have a memory of the Joy of My Salvation. So, there were times I questioned if I had been saved at all.

One of our preachers even testified that he had been called to preach, but had not yet done so ~ and that God told him He could even take his children if he didn't agree.

Thus, my concept of God gradually developed to envision a monster that couldn't wait for me to mess up, so He could hit me over the head. And, I was sure that is what happened when my marriage turned into an abusive nightmare.

Truly, there was much deliberation between 'kill or be killed', as there didn't appear to be another out. To 'take my chances with God' didn't seem to be a viable option. Only, with death or prison the only other solutions ~ with the support of family and a team of officers, I took a flying leap into the unknown, escaped, and filed for divorce.

In my training, divorce fit right up there with the unpardonable sin. Even though he had also been unfaithful, I was more than shocked that God didn't strike me dead.

There had been no prior training to be anything other than the virtuous woman. A child had been conceived in rape, which was my only hope of not living my remainder years alone. Another marriage wasn't within options God allowed, or so I thought. I hadn't prepared to be the breadwinner. Really, I thought my life was over . and I was only 18 years old.

For three days, I sat in a trance while listening to the record "Like a Bridge Over Troubled Waters'. Only, the song had never been explained to me. I thought I was that sinking bridge, as I just couldn't be that strength anymore.

Books on overcoming the effects of abuse had not yet been written. The only answer I could come up with was this . if I just did all the right things, I would never have to live like that again. In such thinking, I began to adopt the lifestyle of legalism.

Still cold and dead inside, none would be the wiser. Only, God knows what service is from the heart . and I didn't have one. If I didn't feel, no one could ever hurt me like that again.

~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~

In time, I did remarry and, eventually, a miracle child was conceived . and I was sure this was the child God would take.

Labor did not produce birth and, with each contraction, the baby's heart rate diminished. Hour after hour, doctors deliberated as to whether to do a c-section, then still did nothing. This was the beginning of the new (barbaric) era of natural child birth.

Only, there was no doubt, death was imminent; mine, the baby's, or both. Unknown to anything else, mom said she had felt it, too ~ and she was miles away.

Fully understanding that I deserved for this baby to die, I was prepared to accept it. But, this was my husband's only biological child and he would not understand why God would do this to him.

Thus, I asked God to preserve the relationship between Him and my husband. The baby didn't yet know me. So, she would not know to suffer my loss, as was my thinking. I was prepared to go, even if in her place. Only, I had another child that really needed me and there was no other answer for that.

All considerations were in love and I was ready to live, die, or whatever God decided. Maybe that was a good thing, that I had opened my heart to love again.

Though, once I had finished talking with God, I began to make a scene. Nurses had said that, if the mother became under stress, the doctors would then act. So, I behaved very badly (on purpose) and they couldn't get me into surgery fast enough.

It was then that peace came. It would be alright, now, whatever that meant.

Anesthetics kept me asleep for most of the first 24 hours. Though, between each spurt of alertness, I watched people, carefully, trying to determine if they were telling me the truth. Finally, pinning a nurse down, I asked, straight forward, "Why won't you bring my baby to me?"

The nurse promised that, as soon as I could stay awake (so as to not accidentally injure the baby), they would bring her to my room. Except for being in an incubator the first days, precautionary being that she was so small, all appeared to be well; with no heart problems either.

Only, a hard year followed. Baby and I took turns at being ill. A year later and my strength was, still, at the stage of crawling to get up the stairs.

Finally, I determined that Satan was never going to allow us health to go to church, again, and I knew just the remedy for that. If neither of us were running a temperature, we were going ~ no matter how bad we looked or felt.

It was then that things started improving. Within six months, baby and I were able to attend church regularly and I joined our church choir.

My piano teacher had, once, taught me how to feel the music when I'd play and I had used those same tools to spiritually go there, to imagine and feel whatever I was singing.

Then, one day, while participating in the choir, in the middle of a song, God said, "You know how to feel it. Now, I want you to see it."

I thought, "Ok. But, I have no clue how to do that."

God said, "Find a spot on the wall and focus. Envision seeing Jesus."

"But, all we have are pictures. I don't know what he looks like."

"Whatever you envision him to look like will be fine. Do you see it?"

............ .... "Yes, I see it."

"What is he doing?"

"He's suppose to be doing something? I don't know."

"Well, look."

I looked up, at that picture of Jesus, and studied it for a few seconds, to see whatever I might see. Honestly, I had no idea what I was suppose to be looking for. But, God had said to look.

Keep in mind, we were still standing in the choir ~ singing. Then, suddenly, I noticed Jesus changed from a portrait to a full body image, making him appear farther away. He was holding something. But, I couldn't make out what it was. So, I watched closely.

Now, I was on live television, in that choir. I have no idea if I kept singing or not. But, the image gradually came closer and closer.

I thought, maybe Jesus was carrying a lamb. Yes . it's . it's a lamb. Ok. But, wait. The image is a little fuzzy. Something is happening. It's transforming. What is it? I studied carefully . until . Oh, no! Oh, NO! It was my baby!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

I do not know if or how I maintained composer. I must have done ok, being that I didn't get scolded for messing up the televised program. But, my knees felt so weak that I don't know how I even remained standing.

Jesus had my baby in his arms and he was giving her back to me. Tears rolled and flowed, and must have turned into an avalanche. Jesus, JESUS, . JESUS had become My Lamb and I will never be the same again!

~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~ ~+~

My God is not a God of Hell, Fire, and Brimstone. He is a God of Love. Love is who He is.

He has saved us. He continues to save us. And, He will save us. And, now, I have the memory of a true salvation experience. I pray God grants me the mental capacity to always remember the Joy of My Salvation!

And, now that I 'know' God's love, I love God enough to live for Him and, through hard times and all, I can be a bridge that won't fall ~ because, the joy of the Lord is my strength.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://iam.homewith God.com/glimpses ofgod/
This testimony may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

Testimony of a Muslim Convert to Christianity
Posted by: "Salem Voice Ministries"

MY BACKGROUND
I am Sir Ciniraj Mohamed alias Paul Ciniraj Mohamed. I am being
known as Paul Ciniraj. I was born and brought up in a Muslim family
of Thiruvanandapuram in Kerala in India. My date of birth is 25 May,
1954.

My Father, Kassim Pillai Labba, was a retired Headmaster of a Higher
Secondary School and also an Islamic Scholar. My mother, Fatima
Beevi, was a house wife. Traditionally ours is a priestly family of
Muslim community, called "Labba family". Labba (Al-Abba) means
Father, that is "Father of the Community". In our society Labbas are
highest as priests.

In my early childhood I have learned how to read and write Arabic
(though it was not my mother tongue) and the Qur'an. I have written
and published books about the Qur'an too. but I came to the saving
grace of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on 1975, while I was a
university student. There were some Christian boys distributing
tracts which explained who the Lord Jesus Christ was. I, being a
Muslim, was dead against their activities and used to threaten and
torment them both physically and mentally. I was young, self-
righteous and rigid in my views and was fully convinced that
harassing and hurting them was the right thing to do.

A PIECE OF TRACT
One day I found a piece of tract in my notebook. It still remains a
mystery how it has found its way into my book. I was about to throw
it into a dustbin when my eyes caught the following words: "For the
wages of sin isn death, bu the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). These words made me feel uneasy.
Still in spite of myself I read on, "Here is a trustworthy saying
that deserves full acceptance : Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners - of whom I am the worst" (1 Tomothy 1:15). Until this
moment I was convinced that I was not a bad man, and led my life in
a proper way. But now, all of a sudden, I was full of doubts about
my own attitudes, intentions and conduct.

THE VISION
I went to bed, but was restless and could not sleep for a long time.
When I finally fell asleep, I had a very strange and disturbing
vision: One by one, all the transgressions and violations I had
committed since my childhood began to appear before me, like the
scenes in a movie. Then each one of them transformed into a blister
on my body, till I was completely covered with festering sores. I
felt unbearable pain. Realising not I was doing, I cried out "God!
Here me! Save me!"

Then, a person surrounded by bright light came down from heaven and
touched me. I understood that He was Jesus, the one whom I had been
waging a war against. His touch was pleasant, it cooled both my body
and mind. I closed my eayes with a heavenly joy, and when I finally
opened them again, I saw that all the blisters and sores disappeared
from my body. But Jesus, who came in bright and spotless, was now
infested with my sores. I immediately understood the meaning of this
vision of mine, although it was only later, when I began to study
the Bible, that I read this verse in the Bible: "Christ was without
sin, but for our sake God made Him share in our sin in order that in
union with Him we might share the righteousness of God" (2
Corinthians 5:21). I woke up a new man. At once I shared my
experinece to my father and my mother with a great joy. But my
mother said, it was not from God, but trick of Iblis (Satan). But I
was fully convinced that God the Heavenly Father made me as a new
creation and His own child by the power of Salvation of His Only
Begotten Son Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

This is my story how I, and later, my family too believed in the
Lord Jesus Christ. I was called for His powerful ministry. He filled
me with the Holy Spirit and gave me the gifts of preaching His Word,
healing the sick, evangelising the unreached and many others.

FACING THE WRATH
But mine was by no means an easy path. Some of the community I
formerly belonged to felt that my accepting Jesus Christ was an act
of betrayel and they tried to take revenge. Once someone sprinkled
sulfuric acid on my body. But by God's grace, they could not do any
serious harm. The other time an assassin attacked me with a knife,
intending to kill me. I survived the attack, though my lower jaw as
badly damaged and I lost several teeth.

I made known that I had forgiven that person and hold nothing
against him. Amazingly, later he had repented for his act and his
own accord accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour.

CHILDREN NOT SPARED
The Supreme Head of the Indian (Orthodox) Syrian Church, His
Holiness the Catholicose Baselios Marthoma Mathews I (Vattakkunnel
Bava) enrolled me as a member of the church. He initiated to find
out a lifemate for me from the church and I married with "Mercy" on
17 January, 1988 by the blessings of His Holiness. He himself
granted me permission to do the evangelisation works in the church.

I have two sons named Besly and Lesly and a daughter named Hepzy. A
secret terrorist group had sent a man to destroy my entire family.
He managed to make my children consume poison, and all of the three
of them were in the hospital in a critical state. Christian
community kept praying for their recovery. One by one, they began to
get better. My daughter, though, remained in coma for nearly 30
days. Her recovery was just like someone being raised from the dead.
the man, who gave poison to my children, was shaken to see the power
of our Lord in action. He too bnecame a follower of Jesus Christ and
dedicated himself to working among the Muslim nations, particularly
those involved in the acts of terror, and winning them over for the
Lord.

Three years ago I and one of my fellow evangelists were severly
beaten in a village by a Hindu and Muslim mob and they burned down
our prayer hall. God alone has saved me. Recently our Lord has
enabled me to overcome a murder attempt. By making an accident
somebody tried to kill me and I am undergoing the treatment. While I
was in the hospital my wife and children also faced a murder attempt
at home and God saved them miraculously.

FAMILY REUNION
I must mention that my parents, my brothers and sisters were all
devout Muslims. Most of the seniors are Hajis (man who did
pilgrimage to Mecca is called Haji) and Hajjummas (woman who did
pilgrimage to Mecca is called Hajjumma). Having let Jesus Christ
into my life, I was ex-communicated and for quite some time was not
allowed to have any contacts with my parents and the extended
family. I and my wife felt sad about it and brought this matter to
the Lord in prayers. Gradually, I began to re-establish links with
my people through letters and telephone calls. Finally, a day came
when they had accepted the fact that I worship Jesus Christ, visited
my place and stayed with us and their grandchildren. I spoke to them
about the love of God. They left, and we had maintained good
contacts since then.

Later I was told that just two days before his death, my father
accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour because he had had a
vision of Jesus with the marks left by the nails and His hands and
feet. My mother too became a believer shortly before her death.

SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF HIS LOVE
Presently, I work for Him who took away my sin. My family is
assisting me in my mission. Our ministry is called "Salem Voice
Ministries". Jesus Christ is the King of Salem (king of peace) and
priest of God Most High (Hebrews 7:1). We proclaim His voice
(Gospel). That is Salem Voice Ministries. "Injil Ministries Alliance
Mission" is a special wing of the Salem Voice Ministries to reach
the Gospel to the Muslims. (For more details, visit:
http://www.salemvoice.org).

Our Lord has given me inspirations by the Holy Spirit and enabled me
to write and publish several devotional books in the language of
Malayalam related the Bible. By the grace of our Lord, many are
inspired and got salvation by those books. Some of my books are (1)
Itha Ninte Amma (Behold, Thy Mother), (2) Maranavum Roopantharavum
(The Death and transfiguration), (3) Swargeeya Ayiru (Heavenly Ore),
(4) Bible Tablet and Quiz, (5) Parishudha Qur'an Quiz (Quiz from the
Glorious Qur'an).

It is God's grace that the Holy Episcopal Synod under the
Presidentship of H.H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews II appointed me as
the official missionary of the Orthodox Church and declared as
the "MALANKARA SABHA MISSIONARY" as per Decree No. 29/91. It was
first ever in the history of the Indian Orthodox Church an official
laity missionary was being declared.

I am helping the Bible Society of India to prepare New Testament for
the special audience too.

We love India as our mother and we are keen to win India to the love
of Jesus by spreading the message of the Gospel through charitable
and social activities. We distribute tracts and Bibles, provide
missionary training to volunteers, help to educate both children and
adults. We pray and plan to launch some mobile dispensaries to reach
remote rural areas. Also we have an intention to establish a Cross
Cultural Training and Rehabilitation Center for the Persecuted
Christians. It is to give them Bible and Missionary training for the
believers as well as sheltering and nursing care for those who face
persecutions and hardships because of the precious faith in Jesus
Christ.

Nowadays, persecution towards minority people in India, especially
Christians and Dalits are increasing vastly. Holy Spirit is guiding
me these days to concentrate them to have a great deliverence.

(Paul Ciniraj Mohamed, Missionary of the Indian Orthodox Church,
Devalokam, Kottayam-686038, India).

I was very young , and my husband had just recently abandoned me and my
18 month old son. We had no idea where he was, he just took off.

I had no money, no job, no car........not even a drivers license.
I had moved back to my parents house and my Mother had kicked me out of
the house in the middle of the night....... ..in a snow storm.

I had been sleeping in the ladies room floor in the local bus station. A
janitor would watch for the police , cause they came by , every so often
to look for vagrants that hung out in the bus station. He would knock on
the door to warn me, and I would gather up my sleeping baby, and go out
, and pretend to be waiting for a bus to come in.

During the day, I would ride with some of the citys local bus drivers,
and just ride around town, all day long. It was the only way I had of
staying out of the cold.

I had found a few local resturants, that would give me free food , for
me and my son, on occasion.

I couldnt get welfare, cause they told me I had to have an address to
apply , and if they found I had no where to live, they would take my son
from me. So we hid......... .and lived on the streets in the day time,
and on the cold bus station ladies room floor at night. (This was almost
40 years ago, and they didnt have homeless shelters, etc, as they do
today)

This had begun just after Thanksgiving.

Just before Christmas, one day I had the strangest urge to get off the
city bus we were riding, and just take a "walk" The bus driver tried to
talk me out of it, fearing something would happen to me and my baby, or
we would get too cold........ but I assured him I wouldnt go far, and
would hop on the next bus, that came by. Most of the bus drivers, by now
knew us, and were doing their best to "look out for us "

I walked just a few blocks, when I saw this duplex, and one side was
empty, with no curtains or furniture.

For the oddest reason, I walked up and began to knock on the empty
door.......the lady in the oposite side of the duplex came out and told
me it was empty, but that the land lord was around back. Just then he
came around the side of the house and asked what could he do for me.
I asked him how much to rent the duplex, and he took us inside and
showed us all around. It was a gorgeous three bedroom, two bath, old
fashioned country kitchen, laundry room, dining room,
etc......... ..house. Big tall ceilings.... ...wood floors...... ...it just
looked like a mansion to me.
Then I explained my situation to him, and asked what could I work out to
try to move in.
He had already told me, he wanted first months rent, months deposit, and
last months rent, to move in.

I didnt have a dime to my name, no job, nothing.....
But he only hesitated a few seconds, before telling me he would let me
move in for NOTHING..... .....and would give me three months to come up
with the money, before he would make me move. He handed me the
key.......

I was in shock.
And on cloud nine.

But I still had to get utilitys turned on. I had no money for utility
deposits.

I was very young....... and had never lived on my own before, or taken
care of bills, or business...

I knew now I could get welfare, but it would still take a while to go
through. But I still had to manage in the meantime.

I got a friend from high school to agree to move in with me, and babysit
if I got a job. ( since I had to pay ALL the bills !)

She came over with her boyfriend and set up a "Christmas tree" and they
left to go to their familys for Christmas.

Here I was with my baby......in this huge house, on Christmas Eve, with
a Christmas tree........ ...and NOTHING else !
No furniture... .....no curtains, no blankets, not even clothes.
I had his diaper bag I carried with me everywhere, the clothes on my
back and my coat........ ..and nothing else.

I couldnt even get ahold of the utility companys to try to get the
utilitys turned on, cause it was Christmas Eve and they were all closed
to be home with their familys. It was a Friday, and they told me they
wouldnt be open to start new accounts until Monday.

It was freezing out, and beginning to snow.
My son had a bottle of water, and that was all we had to eat or drink. I
kept shaking his bottle to try to keep the water inside it from
freezing. We layed down on the floor under the Christmas tree, and I
tried to keep his as warm as possible. Suddenly I was regretting not
going back to the bus station to sleep on the floor there......at least
it hadnt been "as cold".

I began to cry, and my tears were actually freezing on my face. My
little son looked up and began to wipe my tears away, and in his little
boy voice he told me :
"Dont cry Mommy, I take care of you !" and he snuggled up against me
and feel asleep.

I was so hurt........ so bitter...... ...so angry.

In my minds eye, I began to envison all the worlds children waking in
the morning, and stepping on , throwing, and breaking their toys they
didnt appreciate.

I began to envision them sitting at tables with feast prepared for them
to eat, and throwing their food unto the floor to the dogs waiting at
their feet.

And I got angrier.

I began to SCREAM.....
"God, what about MY BABY ???"
"Dont you care about MY BABY ???!!"

In the back of my mind I thought I heard this nagging small voice saying
His son had been born in a manager..... .....but I didnt want to hear
that. ALL I cared about was My little boy, freezing in my arms. The
weeks of trying to keep it together was wearing me down, and I had hit
rock bottom. I was weary mentally, and physically.

I tried and tried to stay awake....... afraid if I feel asleep ,
hypotheramy would set in and we would freeze to death. But try as I did,
I couldnt stay awake ,and leaned into my son, and feel asleep , under
the Christmas tree........ ..in the dark, and cold.

First thing I knew as I began to shake from my slumber was a knock
pounding at the front door........ .....someone wanted in, and they
werent taking no for an answer. It was daylight.... .....and it was WARM
!!!!!

I went to answer the door........ ..and person after person , just
marched into my new home, on Christmas morning..... .....

One lady stopped long enough to give me a business card, and a christian
tract, and to explain that they were from a church down the road, and
someone had called the Pastor in the middle of the night to tell them we
"needed stuff" so they began to march in bringing furniture to fill
EVERY room........ ......the men hung shades and curtains in every
room.......and the women had cooked enough for an army. They said they
didnt know what we liked so they cooked a turkey and a ham, and ALL the
fixins...... .and they FILLED my kitchen with dishes, and pots and pans,
and enough food that lasted us MONTHS.

They even bought us a washer and dryer and installed it.(and stove and
refrigrator !)

They showed me reciepts , they had had my utilitys connected. (seems the
Pastor knew someone, who knew someone..... ....) they were going to pay
all deposits and the first three months utilitys bills, they had paid
three months rent, and all move in deposits.... .......

They left me speechless, and never even asked or made me feel obligated
to come to their church. And in fact I never did, till many years
later, to go back and say THANKS.

They wrapped all sorts of "presents" for me and my son for Christmas
also.

I cant even write this so many years later (my son is now 38 years old
with his own family) without tears....... ....

Those people have no idea........ ......how they changed my life.

How much that show of love on Christmas morning meant to a young scared
girl........ or how it helped me to grow and be the person I am today.

The Pastor left that church sometime later....... ...he is a world
renowed Pastor now........David Jeremiah. I have never had the privelege
of meeting him, or sharing with him, how much what he and his church
members did, for us that Christmas.

Every year, my family has a tradition now. No matter HOW broke we
are......... we LOOK for a family in NEED......and try to help them as
much as we can........and try to do it without their knowing where it
came from.......sometime s, we leave stuff on their door step, and knock
and run......... ....but it always makes me feel like "Christmas "

Hope you and yours have a Great Christmas , this year and always.

jackie

ps. Later on a lady came to my door, to explain to me she had been
walking in between the houses and over heard me screaming at God , if
He cared about my baby........ she had called the Pastor, in the middle
of the night waking him up, to tell him we needed help........ ..

In Jesus name,

Jackie

Jeremiah 32:
27. Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing
too hard for me?

<>< <>< <><
From: inapickle22 Sent: 05/12/2008 11:32
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story of how God steps in, even when we think our prayers are not being heard.
May each of us too, have our ears open to help anyone at this time of year esp.
Lyn

Irena Sendlerowa
1910-2008
http://www.irenasendler.org/

Here is the lady who lost to Al Gore for the Nobel Peace Prize

There recently was a death of a 98 year old lady named Iliana.
During WWII, Iliana, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a
Plumbing/Sewer specialist.
She had an ulterior motive....She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the
Jews,(being German).
Iliana smuggled infants out in the bottom of her tool box she carried, and
she carried in the back of her truck a Burlap sack(for larger kids).
She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi
soldiers let her in, and out of the ghetto.
The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog, and the barking
covered the kids/infants noises.
During her period and course of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and
save 2500 kids/infants.
She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, and arms, and beat her
severely.
Iliana kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out, and kept
them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard.
After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it,
and reunited the family. Most, of course, had been gassed.
Those kids she helped get placed into foster family homes, or adopted.
Last year Iliana was up for the Nobel Peace Prize...She LOST.
Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming.

The Gospel at Gunpoint

Two weeks ago on "BreakPoint," I shared with you the crisis

facing this nation's criminal justice system. With half-a-million

prisoners being released each year--two-thirds of them re-offending,

50 percent of them being re-incarcerated--we are discovering that

we simply must be changing the hearts of criminals.

Thankfully, Christian volunteers are stepping up to the task of

mentoring inmates. And faith-based programs, such as Prison

Fellowship, are discovering innovative ways to bring Jesus into

the prisons. But there is still a question, and it is one that may--

unfortunatelyhit you where you live. What do you do when crime meets
you?

I came across an amazing story the other day that reminded

me just how much being a follower of Jesus can shape the

way you face what you hope you never have to face: a thief

at gunpoint. Maybe you saw the story, too.

Ninety-two-year-old Pauline Jacobi had just finished loading her

groceries into her car at a local Wal-Mart in Dyer County,

Tennessee. She got in her car, and a moment later, a man

climbed into the passenger side. He said he had a gun and that

he would shoot her if she did not hand over her money. What

she did next did not involve pepper-spray or martial arts, but

it did save her life and may have saved his.

Pauline calmly refused her would-be robber three times. Then

she said, "You know, as quick as you kill me, I'll go to heaven

and you'll go to hell." Then she told him that he needed to ask

God for forgiveness. "Jesus is in this car," she said, "and He

goes with me everywhere I go." Jacobi said that the man looked

around, and then tears began to come to his eyes.

For 10 more minutes, Jacobi shared with the man. Finally, he

said, "I think I will go home tonight and pray." But Jacobi told

him that he did not need to wait to pray; he could pray now.

Then Jacobi, voluntarily, offered the man all the money she had

on her, 10 bucks, on one condition--that he not spend the money

on whiskey. After that, the man kissed her on the cheek, got

out of the car, and walked away.

You know what really impresses me about this story is how

this woman's faith informed her in this moment of crisis. She

was not using her faith to save her skin. It was simply a faith

that was so close to the surface, she could not help but

respond from it. Her audacity could have very well led to her

death. But the beauty of it was that even if it had, she knew her

Maker and had a secure future hope.

Is your faith so close to you that in the time of ultimate testing,

it rises to the surface that quick? Or if you have been the victim

of crime, is your faith informing how you process that experience,

how you think about forgiveness, how you think about justice, and

how you hope for restoration?

We live in a fallen world, a world in which crime is a tragic
reality.

We cannot control always when or how it may visit us, but we can

be ready with a faith fit for any trial--including that one.

Mark Earley

Mark Earley, 50, former State Senator (1987-1997) and Attorney

General of Virginia (1998-2001), became president of Prison

Fellowship on February 1, 2002.

As President and CEO of Prison Fellowship USA, Earley oversees

the national ministry founded by Charles Colson in 1976, which has

since spread to 108 countries in addition to the United States.
Prison

Fellowship's core commitments are Fellowshipping with Jesus, Visiting

Prisoners, and Welcoming Their Children. In line with these
commitments,

PF works with thousands of churches and volunteers across the U.S.

to disciple prisoners and prepare them to re-enter the community; to

minister year-round to prisoners' children through Christmas,
camping,

and mentoring programs; and to help redeem the culture by embracing,

defending, and applying a clear biblical worldview.

You can contact Mark via the Prison Fellowship website at:
http://www.pfm.org

TONY SNOW TESTIMONY

This is an outstanding testimony from Tony Snow, President Bush's Press Secretary, and his fight with cancer. Commentator and broadcaster Tony Snow announced that he had colon cancer in 2005. Following surgery and chemo-therapy, Snow joined the Bush Administration in April 2006 as press secretary. Unfortunately, on March 23, 2007, Snow, 51, a husband and father of three, announced the cancer had recurred, with tumors found in his abdomen,- leading to surgery in April, followed by more chemotherapy. Snow went back to work in the White House Briefing Room on May 30, but has resigned since, "for economic reasons," and to pursue another interests." It needs little intro... it speaks for itself. Tony Snow died, July 12, 2008.

"Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today - find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.
The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this, - or because of it, - God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life,- and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts - an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, exuberantly - no matter how their days may be numbered.
Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, - but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension - and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.
'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet, a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.
The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter,- and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."

There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing through the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain),
shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.
There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, - for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself , but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.
We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears.

'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love.

I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, - filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.
Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, - to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand."

T. Snow

Testimony of a Muslim Convert to Christianity
Posted by: "Salem Voice Ministries"

MY BACKGROUND
I am Sir Ciniraj Mohamed alias Paul Ciniraj Mohamed. I am being
known as Paul Ciniraj. I was born and brought up in a Muslim family
of Thiruvanandapuram in Kerala in India. My date of birth is 25 May,
1954.

My Father, Kassim Pillai Labba, was a retired Headmaster of a Higher
Secondary School and also an Islamic Scholar. My mother, Fatima
Beevi, was a house wife. Traditionally ours is a priestly family of
Muslim community, called "Labba family". Labba (Al-Abba) means
Father, that is "Father of the Community". In our society Labbas are
highest as priests.

In my early childhood I have learned how to read and write Arabic
(though it was not my mother tongue) and the Qur'an. I have written
and published books about the Qur'an too. but I came to the saving
grace of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on 1975, while I was a
university student. There were some Christian boys distributing
tracts which explained who the Lord Jesus Christ was. I, being a
Muslim, was dead against their activities and used to threaten and
torment them both physically and mentally. I was young, self-
righteous and rigid in my views and was fully convinced that
harassing and hurting them was the right thing to do.

A PIECE OF TRACT
One day I found a piece of tract in my notebook. It still remains a
mystery how it has found its way into my book. I was about to throw
it into a dustbin when my eyes caught the following words: "For the
wages of sin isn death, bu the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). These words made me feel uneasy.
Still in spite of myself I read on, "Here is a trustworthy saying
that deserves full acceptance : Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners - of whom I am the worst" (1 Tomothy 1:15). Until this
moment I was convinced that I was not a bad man, and led my life in
a proper way. But now, all of a sudden, I was full of doubts about
my own attitudes, intentions and conduct.

THE VISION
I went to bed, but was restless and could not sleep for a long time.
When I finally fell asleep, I had a very strange and disturbing
vision: One by one, all the transgressions and violations I had
committed since my childhood began to appear before me, like the
scenes in a movie. Then each one of them transformed into a blister
on my body, till I was completely covered with festering sores. I
felt unbearable pain. Realising not I was doing, I cried out "God!
Here me! Save me!"

Then, a person surrounded by bright light came down from heaven and
touched me. I understood that He was Jesus, the one whom I had been
waging a war against. His touch was pleasant, it cooled both my body
and mind. I closed my eayes with a heavenly joy, and when I finally
opened them again, I saw that all the blisters and sores disappeared
from my body. But Jesus, who came in bright and spotless, was now
infested with my sores. I immediately understood the meaning of this
vision of mine, although it was only later, when I began to study
the Bible, that I read this verse in the Bible: "Christ was without
sin, but for our sake God made Him share in our sin in order that in
union with Him we might share the righteousness of God" (2
Corinthians 5:21). I woke up a new man. At once I shared my
experinece to my father and my mother with a great joy. But my
mother said, it was not from God, but trick of Iblis (Satan). But I
was fully convinced that God the Heavenly Father made me as a new
creation and His own child by the power of Salvation of His Only
Begotten Son Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

This is my story how I, and later, my family too believed in the
Lord Jesus Christ. I was called for His powerful ministry. He filled
me with the Holy Spirit and gave me the gifts of preaching His Word,
healing the sick, evangelising the unreached and many others.

FACING THE WRATH
But mine was by no means an easy path. Some of the community I
formerly belonged to felt that my accepting Jesus Christ was an act
of betrayel and they tried to take revenge. Once someone sprinkled
sulfuric acid on my body. But by God's grace, they could not do any
serious harm. The other time an assassin attacked me with a knife,
intending to kill me. I survived the attack, though my lower jaw as
badly damaged and I lost several teeth.

I made known that I had forgiven that person and hold nothing
against him. Amazingly, later he had repented for his act and his
own accord accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour.

CHILDREN NOT SPARED
The Supreme Head of the Indian (Orthodox) Syrian Church, His
Holiness the Catholicose Baselios Marthoma Mathews I (Vattakkunnel
Bava) enrolled me as a member of the church. He initiated to find
out a lifemate for me from the church and I married with "Mercy" on
17 January, 1988 by the blessings of His Holiness. He himself
granted me permission to do the evangelisation works in the church.

I have two sons named Besly and Lesly and a daughter named Hepzy. A
secret terrorist group had sent a man to destroy my entire family.
He managed to make my children consume poison, and all of the three
of them were in the hospital in a critical state. Christian
community kept praying for their recovery. One by one, they began to
get better. My daughter, though, remained in coma for nearly 30
days. Her recovery was just like someone being raised from the dead.
the man, who gave poison to my children, was shaken to see the power
of our Lord in action. He too bnecame a follower of Jesus Christ and
dedicated himself to working among the Muslim nations, particularly
those involved in the acts of terror, and winning them over for the
Lord.

Three years ago I and one of my fellow evangelists were severly
beaten in a village by a Hindu and Muslim mob and they burned down
our prayer hall. God alone has saved me. Recently our Lord has
enabled me to overcome a murder attempt. By making an accident
somebody tried to kill me and I am undergoing the treatment. While I
was in the hospital my wife and children also faced a murder attempt
at home and God saved them miraculously.

FAMILY REUNION
I must mention that my parents, my brothers and sisters were all
devout Muslims. Most of the seniors are Hajis (man who did
pilgrimage to Mecca is called Haji) and Hajjummas (woman who did
pilgrimage to Mecca is called Hajjumma). Having let Jesus Christ
into my life, I was ex-communicated and for quite some time was not
allowed to have any contacts with my parents and the extended
family. I and my wife felt sad about it and brought this matter to
the Lord in prayers. Gradually, I began to re-establish links with
my people through letters and telephone calls. Finally, a day came
when they had accepted the fact that I worship Jesus Christ, visited
my place and stayed with us and their grandchildren. I spoke to them
about the love of God. They left, and we had maintained good
contacts since then.

Later I was told that just two days before his death, my father
accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour because he had had a
vision of Jesus with the marks left by the nails and His hands and
feet. My mother too became a believer shortly before her death.

SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF HIS LOVE
Presently, I work for Him who took away my sin. My family is
assisting me in my mission. Our ministry is called "Salem Voice
Ministries". Jesus Christ is the King of Salem (king of peace) and
priest of God Most High (Hebrews 7:1). We proclaim His voice
(Gospel). That is Salem Voice Ministries. "Injil Ministries Alliance
Mission" is a special wing of the Salem Voice Ministries to reach
the Gospel to the Muslims. (For more details, visit:
http://www.salemvoice.org).

Our Lord has given me inspirations by the Holy Spirit and enabled me
to write and publish several devotional books in the language of
Malayalam related the Bible. By the grace of our Lord, many are
inspired and got salvation by those books. Some of my books are (1)
Itha Ninte Amma (Behold, Thy Mother), (2) Maranavum Roopantharavum
(The Death and transfiguration), (3) Swargeeya Ayiru (Heavenly Ore),
(4) Bible Tablet and Quiz, (5) Parishudha Qur'an Quiz (Quiz from the
Glorious Qur'an).

It is God's grace that the Holy Episcopal Synod under the
Presidentship of H.H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews II appointed me as
the official missionary of the Orthodox Church and declared as
the "MALANKARA SABHA MISSIONARY" as per Decree No. 29/91. It was
first ever in the history of the Indian Orthodox Church an official
laity missionary was being declared.

I am helping the Bible Society of India to prepare New Testament for
the special audience too.

We love India as our mother and we are keen to win India to the love
of Jesus by spreading the message of the Gospel through charitable
and social activities. We distribute tracts and Bibles, provide
missionary training to volunteers, help to educate both children and
adults. We pray and plan to launch some mobile dispensaries to reach
remote rural areas. Also we have an intention to establish a Cross
Cultural Training and Rehabilitation Center for the Persecuted
Christians. It is to give them Bible and Missionary training for the
believers as well as sheltering and nursing care for those who face
persecutions and hardships because of the precious faith in Jesus
Christ.

Nowadays, persecution towards minority people in India, especially
Christians and Dalits are increasing vastly. Holy Spirit is guiding
me these days to concentrate them to have a great deliverence.

(Paul Ciniraj Mohamed, Missionary of the Indian Orthodox Church,
Devalokam, Kottayam-686038, India).

DEDICATING AN UNBORN CHILD

Mother lay in bed, twisting the sheet in her thin, frail hands.

It was the beginning of the Great Depression and things couldn't have been
worse. Daddy had been laid off from his job at the railroad, they were
struggling to make their mortgage payments, and with four other children
ages 8, 6, 4 and 1½, Mother was pregnant again.

This time her morning sickness seemed to last all day. Blood tests proved
she had pernicious anemia that made her too weak to even hold her youngest
toddler.

A longtime friend came every day to care for the children and prepare the
meals. She was a godsend and Mother and Daddy couldn't thank her enough.

Late that afternoon, Mother called Daddy into the bedroom. "I believe I'm
about to miscarry, "she whispered hoarsely. Daddy responded as he always did
by kneeling by her bed, holding her hand and praying fervently.

In spite of their dire circumstances, Mother and Daddy could not bear to
lose a child. It was unthinkable. Each life was precious in the sight of God
and therefore precious to this devout couple.

During the last year, visiting missionaries had spoken at the church Mother
and Daddy attended. So impressed were my parents with the scope of the
missionaries' work that they desperately wanted to contribute to the
offerings designated for their ministries. The problem was, they had no
money.

After considerable discussion, they decided to give Mother's gold wedding
ring toward the missionaries' support. It was not an easy decision, but not
one they never regretted and which had far-reaching effects.

Now as Mother lay on her bed, with evidence that she might soon miscarry,
she and Daddy dedicated the unborn baby to the Lord, asking that if God so
chose, the child might one day be called to Africa as a Christian
missionary.

As the days and weeks went by, Mother passed the crisis and their healthy
baby, their fifth child, was born. Wisely, Mother and Daddy never told their
daughter, Norma, about their dedication until years later.

Norma was not only a strong baby physically but grew into a strong-willed
child. As a teenager, she went through a rebellious stage that prompted
Mother and Daddy to double their prayers for Norma. Still, they persevered
in prayer.

One day when Norma was still a teenager, she made a life-changing decision
to commit her life to Jesus Christ. Like Saul of Tarsus, Norma never looked
back, never changed her mind and never strayed from the path she felt God
had chosen for her. So, it was a tearful time of thanks and praise when
Norma announced to Mother and Daddy one day that God had called her to be a
missionary to Africa. Only after her plans were complete and Norma was sure
of her calling did Mother and Daddy tell her of their dedication prayer
before her birth.

Norma graduated from Bible College and married her fiancé, Andy, who was
also preparing for missionary service in Africa. Arriving in Guinea, West
Africa, Andy began building schools, churches and missionary homes while
learning the language and preaching through an interpreter. Norma involved
herself in Bible translation and working with the native women.

After eight years of marriage and still childless, Norma was diagnosed with
cancer. So grave was the prognosis, that it was determined she only had
about three months to live.

Norma and Andy immediately returned to the United States where oncologists
in a New York hospital confirmed through extensive tests and x-rays that
Norma did indeed have cancer in her abdomen. But before any treatment or
surgery could begin, God performed a miracle of healing in her body.

She had tenaciously held on to Psalm 118:17,18, "I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore; but he
hath not given me over unto death," and God had honored her steadfast faith.

Returning to Africa, God blessed them with three children born two years
apart. All three later graduated from Seminary. Two of them returned to
Africa as missionaries and the other joined the staff of a large church in
the Northeast.

Norma and Andy were able to complete over 35 years of missionary service in
Africa before their retirement.

Mother and Daddy's sacrificial gift of her gold wedding band to support
foreign missions would reap great benefits. But even more, their dedication
of their unborn baby to God, their exemplary lives and their unshakeable
faith resulted in their daughter, Norma, becoming an outstanding missionary,
wife and mother in West Africa.

While some might have immediately accepted a miscarriage as God's will in
desperate circumstances, Mother and Daddy viewed it as an opportunity for
God to show His power and His will. They entered into a covenant with God
which He abundantly honored.

The blessings of God are indeed passed on to our children and to our
children's children.

...Mariane Holbrook by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoice sWorldwide. com) Mariane is a
retired teacher, an author of two books, a musician and artist. She lives
with her husband on coastal North Carolina.

Divine Protection
I will protect those who trust in My name.
Psalm 91:14
NLT
On a chilly March afternoon before going home for dinner, Pastor Walter
Klempel fired up the church furnace in preparation for choir practice. When
it was
time to return to church with his family they were delayed because his
daughter changed clothes. At the same time student Ladona Vadergrift was
struggling
with a geometry problem and stayed home to work on it. Sisters Royena and
Sadie Estes' car wouldn't start. Herbert Kipf lingered over a letter he'd
put
off writing. Joyce Black was feeling "plain lazy" and stayed home till the
last minute. Pianist Marilyn Paul fell asleep after dinner and her mum, the
choir director, had trouble waking her. Pals Lucille Jones and Dorothy Wood
were late because of a radio broadcast. Every single choir member was late;
something that's never happened before nor since. Was it just a fluke? No!
At 7:30 that night the West Side Church was flattened by an explosion from a
gas leak ignited by the furnace. directly below the empty choir loft!
God's looking out for you when you don't even know you're in danger! As His
child you "live within the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered by. God. He
rescues
you from every trap. He will shield you with His wings. His. promises are
your armour. He orders His angels to protect you wherever you go" (
Psalm 91:1-11
TLB). The Bible says: "The Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who
reverence Him" (
Psalm 34:7
TLB); "To trust in God means safety" (
Proverbs 29:25
TLB). You can call it coincidence, chance, fate, or you can call it what it
really is - divine protection!
The Word for Today
with Bob Gass - Tuesday, 5th February 2008

Forgiving the Man who Killed my Husband

by Kimberly Collins with Laurie Wang

I witnessed the death of my husband with my very own eyes. I will never forget it. I was holding our baby girl in my arms and looking out my son's bedroom window. My husband was walking across the street towards his best friend's home when his best friend came out and shot him. The bullet sped through his chest and blew-up his heart. In one instant, my life would never be the same again.

Earlier that night, my husband and I went out partying with his best friend. They were drinking and started fighting. We got back home and they still continued to fight. My husband's best friend, driven by anger, went into his home across the street and pulled out and gun. My husband didn't know his friend had a gun, or would ever shoot him.

He told me he loved me and breathed his last breath.

Many thoughts ran through my head as I rushed to my husband, but all I could do was pray. I remembered that, the night before the shooting took place, my husband was changed as he asked me many questions about God, prayer, and going to heaven. He never came with me to church and it was just so amazing that he was so eager to learn more about God. I told him to ask Jesus into his heart and pray for forgiveness. As long as you believe in God and know that He loves you, you are forgiven. I am at peace knowing that my husband believed before he was taken away. When I reached my injured husband, he held my hand, told me he loved me, and breathed his last breath.

When I came home from the hospital, I knew I was going to have to face three beautiful children and tell them that their daddy wasn't coming back home. I let them know that their daddy is with Jesus. I had to keep praying and keep staying strong. I knew God was with me and carrying me through all of this.

I was grateful to have the support of many friends, through all the difficult times, when I felt I needed much prayer and encouragement. I am thankful to have a good friend of mine who babysat for me whenever I needed it. I also had the support of a man from my church who I consider to be like a father to me.

Saying "I forgive you" in court.

Because of Jesus' love and forgiveness, I had the peace and love in my heart to forgive the man who killed my husband. I can't say it was easy, but I finally forgave him and wanted my children to feel safe if they were ever around him. During his trial, I got up in front of what seemed like thousands of people and looked him in the face, and told him, "I just want you to know that my kids and I forgive you and that we pray for you to ask Jesus into your heart. Know that God can and will forgive you. We love and pray for you!" Most people may think I'm absolutely crazy for doing this, and I was even rejected by my late husband's family for it, but I know God led me to do the right thing. Many people thought Jesus was crazy to show such forgiveness and what he had to go through on the cross is far greater than what I have ever gone through.

Today, I still know that God can take me through anything and give me strength each day. I know that God is always in control. I still keep in touch with my husband's friend and he's been sending birthday cards to my kids for a few years now. I currently help with prison ministry, where I write letters to prisoners, telling them the story of my husband and God's forgiveness for them. If someone as little as I am can forgive my husband's friend, think of how much more God, who is far greater than I am, can forgive you.

No matter who you are or what you have done, God is ready and willing to forgive you. He gave His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for all our sins. Everyone feels unworthy sometimes, but God thinks you're worth it-even worth the death of His Son.

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

~ Kimberly Dawn Collins currently resides in the same home in Virginia with her three beautiful children. She keeps in touch with prisoners and helps them find pen pals who will love them and let them know there is always forgiveness and grace.
~ Laurie Wang recently graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.A. in English. She aspires to be a journalist and hopes to go overseas to report international news one day. She's a big fan of hockey, sleep, and purses and thinks there's no such thing as too much of the three.

"I Can Do All Things Through Christ Which Strengthens Me"

This testimony may be shared for non-profit ministering purposes.

HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!

THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS...

Happy RESURRECTION SUNDAY (Easter to the world around us)!

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.

One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way:
"Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"

Beverly said, "Why, yes I do."

Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?"

Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested."

Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you."

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day."

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, "Do you believe in Easter but you have never asked me."

Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked."

Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life."

Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday."

Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter, Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.

When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead.

Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

If you believe in Easter, forward this on. God works in wonderful ways, and to believe in his power is to truly be free. If Jesus had e-mail, he'd do the same for you.