Hey everybody! ^^ Long time no see (me making a thread-wise, at least)!
Well, a lot of things have been on my heart and mind recently (as always). One of which has to do with our witness or testimony. Granted, a pastor/boss's sermon helped egg this one on, but everything we say and do really does make a difference.
Take the woman at the well. Scripture says that many believed in Jesus because of her testimony, and that as they encountered Him for themselves, they no longer needed her words only due to their own experiences with Jesus.
This is important to think about. 'Many believed because of the woman's testimony, ""Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did."
What about you? Do you have a story about something God has done for or in you? Would you please share it? You never know who you may encourage, or spur on interest...
____________________________________________________________
For me, there are many...
Once at an Administrative Board meeting ('Church Council'), all the heads of ministries/staff were asked to sum up their lives/walk with Jesus in a word or phrase. When it got to me, after thinking about it for a while, I replied, "Miraculous."
You see, my mom only had a 2% chance of ever having a child, and there on February 8th, 1989, I was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Her chances after that went down to 1%. My younger brother was born in 2004.
Back in what was then the RSA, my Father was an upcoming businessman in NCR. He had been a youth minister and active in the church since his conversion at 17, but was also one of those fortune 500 types, dreaming of being a millionaire by 30 (*and working hard to attain said dream).
Well, one day, God called him to sell everything he had, move to America (a place he did not know, nor had any people to connect with apart from my Uncle), and become a minister. Long story short (as that one is part of his), he did.
It didn't take long for our resources to be exhausted, exchange rates and foreign college tuition what it was, and we became very poor. It was the kind of poor where you may still have had a house and clothing, but never knew where your next meal was coming from. Well, God always provided, often in strange ways. (...but that is also another story.)
During this time, I became very sick. There was some neck disease which I had fully progressed in me, and when the doctor came to the house for a check up, he said I would not survive. My parents were crushed. I was not but a 2-year old, gasping for air with pained expression. My dad went out on the porch and cried. You see, the pact he made with God, God's promise to him, is that if he trusted Him, everything would be alright/taken care of (similar to the field with bountiful harvest scripture). My father brought this up as he sat broken and defeated on that porch, but God spoke to him there. He said, "David, did I not promise you everything would be alright? Do you trust me?" ...and in what I'm sure had to be great pain, fear, and all manner of thought and emotion, my father responded, "Yes, Lord, I trust you."
At that moment, my mother came flying around the corner shouting my father's name. She seemed excited and scared, having just been in a similar tearful state as my father, I'm sure she was a sight. He came running with her to my room where I stood happily in my crib, giggling, fully healed, and wanting to play. This was miracle #2.
Fast-forward a few years to being about 4 or 5. We had gone on a family trip, and were visited relatives which established themselves in Florida. They had a pool, and being the adventurous young boy I was, my feet seemed to bring me around it, often. Well, one day, someone had just gotten out of the pool, and the area on the deep side was quite slick. I had been 'swimming' (as in, making my way around the edge of the pool with my hands, as I didn't know how to swim), and hit that spot. My hands slipped, and I floated away from the wall. That's when I started calling for help.
A gulp of water filled my lungs with each gasp of breath, and the chlorine (among other things, I'm sure) burned. I tried to scream for help, but each attempt was only met with more water as I bobbed like a fishing lure. Well, eventually, I stopped bobbing. I sank, slowly, underwater, and felt darkness overtake me, as the pain began to fade away. It was right then that I heard the muffled sound of voices, and a splash. It was my father. My mother had happened to see me, and immediately yelled at him for help. They struggled a bit with the sliding door being locked/blocked, but eventually made it out to me. My dad tried to reach in at first, but was too far, so he dove. I remember waking up to his first attempt at resuscitation, and spitting water out of my lungs. I believe, this, was miracle #3.
Fast-Forward to Middle School. Long story short, I went through a rough time, and understood how the kids at Columbine felt. I wanted to kill some of my classmates too, but wasn't the type. Those extreme negative emotions then turned inward, and I reached the point one night where I didn't want to hurt anymore. I had the knife in hand, and held the blade to me wrist. 'It would be so easy...' I thought. Just a few moments of intense pain and mess, and then I'd be free of it all. You see, life had become a hopeless, helpless, dark prison to me. Well, no sooner had the thought and action occurred, then God broke through and said quite plainly, "Reece, put the knife down, and go to sleep." Praise God, that's what I did! Miracle #4.
Fast-Forward to High School. I had been visiting my Dad and his secretary at church. The building was just across the street from my school, and I often went over afterward to see how everyone was doing before going home. My house was only about 10 blocks or so away.
Anyway, I was thinking about something (can't remember what exactly), but was trying to envision it, so I closed my eyes (look both ways before crossing the street!). I realize it was silly of me, but I was so lost in thought and hadn't seen any cars before stepping out, so I continued on. The next thing I knew, I heard screeching tires from applied brakes and felt two hands, one on either shoulder, violently shove me to the ground. In a state of shock, I opened my eyes to see my body lying beneath what was something of a small RV, and my face quite literally an inch away from its bumper.
Well, I pulled myself out, dusted off, and continued over to the sidewalk. The driver was quite adamant in attending to me, and profusely asked if I was alright. I told him all was well, I was fine, and after a minute or two of this, he eventually, uncomfortably, drove off. Miracle #5
__________________________________________________
Now, these are only a few of many more encounters I've had with God, some quite personally, other times through people... I know God is real more than I believe any of the people around me are real, and that He's also exactly who He (not necessarily others) claims to be. I hope that hearing this small piece of my story, and what God has done for me will encourage, spark interest, or otherwise stick with you in some way.
You, too, may have a story to tell, and I, for one, would love to hear it! God bless!
Well, a lot of things have been on my heart and mind recently (as always). One of which has to do with our witness or testimony. Granted, a pastor/boss's sermon helped egg this one on, but everything we say and do really does make a difference.
Take the woman at the well. Scripture says that many believed in Jesus because of her testimony, and that as they encountered Him for themselves, they no longer needed her words only due to their own experiences with Jesus.
This is important to think about. 'Many believed because of the woman's testimony, ""Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did."
What about you? Do you have a story about something God has done for or in you? Would you please share it? You never know who you may encourage, or spur on interest...
____________________________________________________________
For me, there are many...
Once at an Administrative Board meeting ('Church Council'), all the heads of ministries/staff were asked to sum up their lives/walk with Jesus in a word or phrase. When it got to me, after thinking about it for a while, I replied, "Miraculous."
You see, my mom only had a 2% chance of ever having a child, and there on February 8th, 1989, I was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Her chances after that went down to 1%. My younger brother was born in 2004.
Back in what was then the RSA, my Father was an upcoming businessman in NCR. He had been a youth minister and active in the church since his conversion at 17, but was also one of those fortune 500 types, dreaming of being a millionaire by 30 (*and working hard to attain said dream).
Well, one day, God called him to sell everything he had, move to America (a place he did not know, nor had any people to connect with apart from my Uncle), and become a minister. Long story short (as that one is part of his), he did.
It didn't take long for our resources to be exhausted, exchange rates and foreign college tuition what it was, and we became very poor. It was the kind of poor where you may still have had a house and clothing, but never knew where your next meal was coming from. Well, God always provided, often in strange ways. (...but that is also another story.)
During this time, I became very sick. There was some neck disease which I had fully progressed in me, and when the doctor came to the house for a check up, he said I would not survive. My parents were crushed. I was not but a 2-year old, gasping for air with pained expression. My dad went out on the porch and cried. You see, the pact he made with God, God's promise to him, is that if he trusted Him, everything would be alright/taken care of (similar to the field with bountiful harvest scripture). My father brought this up as he sat broken and defeated on that porch, but God spoke to him there. He said, "David, did I not promise you everything would be alright? Do you trust me?" ...and in what I'm sure had to be great pain, fear, and all manner of thought and emotion, my father responded, "Yes, Lord, I trust you."
At that moment, my mother came flying around the corner shouting my father's name. She seemed excited and scared, having just been in a similar tearful state as my father, I'm sure she was a sight. He came running with her to my room where I stood happily in my crib, giggling, fully healed, and wanting to play. This was miracle #2.
Fast-forward a few years to being about 4 or 5. We had gone on a family trip, and were visited relatives which established themselves in Florida. They had a pool, and being the adventurous young boy I was, my feet seemed to bring me around it, often. Well, one day, someone had just gotten out of the pool, and the area on the deep side was quite slick. I had been 'swimming' (as in, making my way around the edge of the pool with my hands, as I didn't know how to swim), and hit that spot. My hands slipped, and I floated away from the wall. That's when I started calling for help.
A gulp of water filled my lungs with each gasp of breath, and the chlorine (among other things, I'm sure) burned. I tried to scream for help, but each attempt was only met with more water as I bobbed like a fishing lure. Well, eventually, I stopped bobbing. I sank, slowly, underwater, and felt darkness overtake me, as the pain began to fade away. It was right then that I heard the muffled sound of voices, and a splash. It was my father. My mother had happened to see me, and immediately yelled at him for help. They struggled a bit with the sliding door being locked/blocked, but eventually made it out to me. My dad tried to reach in at first, but was too far, so he dove. I remember waking up to his first attempt at resuscitation, and spitting water out of my lungs. I believe, this, was miracle #3.
Fast-Forward to Middle School. Long story short, I went through a rough time, and understood how the kids at Columbine felt. I wanted to kill some of my classmates too, but wasn't the type. Those extreme negative emotions then turned inward, and I reached the point one night where I didn't want to hurt anymore. I had the knife in hand, and held the blade to me wrist. 'It would be so easy...' I thought. Just a few moments of intense pain and mess, and then I'd be free of it all. You see, life had become a hopeless, helpless, dark prison to me. Well, no sooner had the thought and action occurred, then God broke through and said quite plainly, "Reece, put the knife down, and go to sleep." Praise God, that's what I did! Miracle #4.
Fast-Forward to High School. I had been visiting my Dad and his secretary at church. The building was just across the street from my school, and I often went over afterward to see how everyone was doing before going home. My house was only about 10 blocks or so away.
Anyway, I was thinking about something (can't remember what exactly), but was trying to envision it, so I closed my eyes (look both ways before crossing the street!). I realize it was silly of me, but I was so lost in thought and hadn't seen any cars before stepping out, so I continued on. The next thing I knew, I heard screeching tires from applied brakes and felt two hands, one on either shoulder, violently shove me to the ground. In a state of shock, I opened my eyes to see my body lying beneath what was something of a small RV, and my face quite literally an inch away from its bumper.
Well, I pulled myself out, dusted off, and continued over to the sidewalk. The driver was quite adamant in attending to me, and profusely asked if I was alright. I told him all was well, I was fine, and after a minute or two of this, he eventually, uncomfortably, drove off. Miracle #5
__________________________________________________
Now, these are only a few of many more encounters I've had with God, some quite personally, other times through people... I know God is real more than I believe any of the people around me are real, and that He's also exactly who He (not necessarily others) claims to be. I hope that hearing this small piece of my story, and what God has done for me will encourage, spark interest, or otherwise stick with you in some way.
You, too, may have a story to tell, and I, for one, would love to hear it! God bless!