I read an amazing article today at Yahoo.com about James King the man that rescued 11 year old Nadia Bloom in the swamps of Florida. Mr. King said it was God that directed him to Nadia. Nadia's father said in one article "Let God be glorified." Hallelujah! God is Good! I pray we hear more about God being glorified on the news. This is a great testimony about God protecting His children and showing how much He loves us. And thank God for a man like James King who humbles himself and gives God all the glory. He is a true Hero. There is a link below to the article and a clip of Mr. King on Good Morning America and The Early Show.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100414/ap_on_re_us/us_girl_found_in_swamp
Showing posts with label testimony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label testimony. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thursday, July 2, 2009
A Stormrider's Testimony: My Favorite Four Letter ‘F’ Word Meets Love
Forword: The following testimony is from a Stormriders reader. We believe that you will be truly blessed by these words, we know we were!
My Favorite Four Letter ‘F’ Word Meets Love.
I used to be this person that bought into that whole idea that many people are taught today: be independent, capable, fierce. Something in me wants to go back and poke this person’s eyeballs out.
You see, about two years ago, I met Jesus Christ. And no I don’t mean that I learned about Him, but that after 23 years of knowing about Him, going to church, including 6 years of being angry at God, I met Him. He became a real everyday part of my life, and an year later, I got baptized. Then almost immediately, the company I worked for announced it was shutting down and I lost my job in ten days, my following job turned out to be a nightmare I had to quit. Soon I had to leave the city, live in a half constructed house, with no transportation, no tv, no internet, or even a computer. I was my very own contemporary Robinson Crusoe. But while the situation was not pleasant, I only saw them as challenges to conquer like I had before. How wrong were my thoughts. I was totally wrong to think of it that way and most importantly, it turned out to be a revealing blessing in disguise.
When I was a little girl, there was a moment when I was molested by an uncle. I should have said something, told someone, but instead, I actively chose to stay silent and resolve the problem on my own. I did not want to burden anyone else and most importantly and eerily, as scared as I was, my little mind didn’t think she needed the help.
When I got older, there were other incidents that indicated a severe isolation and unhealthy idea of self-sufficiency. During college, instead of accepting a ride to the hospital, I insisted on driving myself to the ER, despite the fact that I did not even know where the hospital was. I eventually found my way there by asking a stranger on the street for directions, as if nothing was wrong. My love life wasn’t so much a love life but a shambles of sanitized laughter and entertainment. I dated men who amused me, but secretly I was choosing the ones that could never fall in love with me. I had a bad habit of never letting him pay or resenting roses on Valentine’s day. I ran the second I felt his emotions were in the picture. Many of my closest friends were people who wanted someone to listen, but people I had known from the beginning did not know how to give back. But I actively and willingly made these choices. I did not want the burden of ties. I was happiest alone.
And it was a high. When you’re alone, you have true independence, the kind that goes beyond the financial into the emotional. It’s easy in this situation to feel that every event in your life is your own creation. After all, you have no one to credit but yourself. There is a certain confidence that grows with you and a fierce conviction in who you are and what you can do. If I wanted something, I felt like I could have it. If I wanted to be someone, I felt like I could be her. My motto was “the only thing standing in the way is yourself.” I needed no one, I was beholden to no one, and I owed no one anything. I was free. In a sick masochistic way, I reveled in it.
But the empowerment, strength, and freedom of independence, comes with a sick cost to oneself. If I had spoken out about molestation I could’ve curtailed unnecessary pain to myself, or if I had accepted a ride to the hospital, that moment could’ve been a fond memory of someone’s affection for me. If I had learned to be a little more dependent, it could’ve been an earlier walk with Christ. A lot of things could've been easier, had I sought a little less isolation and independence.
Even after I accepted Jesus into my life, my Savior and God, I continued to seek independence. Even our relationship I thought of as a give and take I ahd to work for and resolve in my own capacity, instead of letting it just be. After I lost my job, I would wake up every morning and spend hours at my desk, reading the Bible and taking notes. I would look up devotionals on the internet and pray another hr before going to sleep. I even feared taking other jobs in the case they would not please the Lord. When the pressure mounted and I felt doors on all sides were closing, I found myself literally choosing to skip meals rather than admit need or accept help. I was still having difficulty accepting the blessings in my life. But one day, during prayer, I heard God speak these words into my ear, “Let me love you, child.”
I understood then, something He had been trying to tell me, it’s not about deserving His love through hard work or earning it, but just accepting it. He is a wonderful and great creator, who created you just for that purpose, to be loved. Because His love is FREE! God had already been loving me abundantly even to the point where He had taken away all my instruments for self-sufficiency and was forcing me into an austerity to teach me the most freeing lesson of all, to let in the love Jesus was sending me. IT was me who was rejecting His love by rejecting the love in my life.
It’s a funny feeling, that first time that you let someone pay for your dinner. Or to have someone offer you a place to stay and you accept. Or crying your eyes out in someone's embrace. It was unfamiliar, bizarre, and all very nice. It’s actually warm and cozy; a complete relief, like I was finally home. His love had already placed the people and things I needed for my joy. Even the trivial things I found myself blessed in, I ended up eating so much I gained all the weight i'd lost and more, I went to all the parties I wanted to, I still had delightful outfits coming out of my closet. I should've been unable to do any of these things! But here I am, fat, happy, spoiled, and loved. All I had to do was open up my heart.
I'm not perfect at this yet. Sometimes I'm even tempted to go back to the way I was and enjoy the thrill of running my own show, campaigning for myself. And still in other moments, I still feel I don't deserve without earning. especially a Savior. But no ego-trip or insecurity is worth losing what I now know. You can work hard and be strong, and someone will always always applaud you. But now, I can be weak and still be strong, because I'm letting someone else catch me. Someone so good He'll even force you to let Him catch you. His name is Jesus.
True strength is the courage to open your heart. True empowerment is the love of others in you. True freedom is a true love, one that takes you as you are and loves you. Even the secular saying goes, a true love sets you free. God's love is truly a true and good love.
So just let go, let down your walls, lose control, and BE FREE.
"What a man desires is unfailing love." Proverbs 19:22a
My Favorite Four Letter ‘F’ Word Meets Love.
I used to be this person that bought into that whole idea that many people are taught today: be independent, capable, fierce. Something in me wants to go back and poke this person’s eyeballs out.
You see, about two years ago, I met Jesus Christ. And no I don’t mean that I learned about Him, but that after 23 years of knowing about Him, going to church, including 6 years of being angry at God, I met Him. He became a real everyday part of my life, and an year later, I got baptized. Then almost immediately, the company I worked for announced it was shutting down and I lost my job in ten days, my following job turned out to be a nightmare I had to quit. Soon I had to leave the city, live in a half constructed house, with no transportation, no tv, no internet, or even a computer. I was my very own contemporary Robinson Crusoe. But while the situation was not pleasant, I only saw them as challenges to conquer like I had before. How wrong were my thoughts. I was totally wrong to think of it that way and most importantly, it turned out to be a revealing blessing in disguise.
When I was a little girl, there was a moment when I was molested by an uncle. I should have said something, told someone, but instead, I actively chose to stay silent and resolve the problem on my own. I did not want to burden anyone else and most importantly and eerily, as scared as I was, my little mind didn’t think she needed the help.
When I got older, there were other incidents that indicated a severe isolation and unhealthy idea of self-sufficiency. During college, instead of accepting a ride to the hospital, I insisted on driving myself to the ER, despite the fact that I did not even know where the hospital was. I eventually found my way there by asking a stranger on the street for directions, as if nothing was wrong. My love life wasn’t so much a love life but a shambles of sanitized laughter and entertainment. I dated men who amused me, but secretly I was choosing the ones that could never fall in love with me. I had a bad habit of never letting him pay or resenting roses on Valentine’s day. I ran the second I felt his emotions were in the picture. Many of my closest friends were people who wanted someone to listen, but people I had known from the beginning did not know how to give back. But I actively and willingly made these choices. I did not want the burden of ties. I was happiest alone.
And it was a high. When you’re alone, you have true independence, the kind that goes beyond the financial into the emotional. It’s easy in this situation to feel that every event in your life is your own creation. After all, you have no one to credit but yourself. There is a certain confidence that grows with you and a fierce conviction in who you are and what you can do. If I wanted something, I felt like I could have it. If I wanted to be someone, I felt like I could be her. My motto was “the only thing standing in the way is yourself.” I needed no one, I was beholden to no one, and I owed no one anything. I was free. In a sick masochistic way, I reveled in it.
But the empowerment, strength, and freedom of independence, comes with a sick cost to oneself. If I had spoken out about molestation I could’ve curtailed unnecessary pain to myself, or if I had accepted a ride to the hospital, that moment could’ve been a fond memory of someone’s affection for me. If I had learned to be a little more dependent, it could’ve been an earlier walk with Christ. A lot of things could've been easier, had I sought a little less isolation and independence.
Even after I accepted Jesus into my life, my Savior and God, I continued to seek independence. Even our relationship I thought of as a give and take I ahd to work for and resolve in my own capacity, instead of letting it just be. After I lost my job, I would wake up every morning and spend hours at my desk, reading the Bible and taking notes. I would look up devotionals on the internet and pray another hr before going to sleep. I even feared taking other jobs in the case they would not please the Lord. When the pressure mounted and I felt doors on all sides were closing, I found myself literally choosing to skip meals rather than admit need or accept help. I was still having difficulty accepting the blessings in my life. But one day, during prayer, I heard God speak these words into my ear, “Let me love you, child.”
I understood then, something He had been trying to tell me, it’s not about deserving His love through hard work or earning it, but just accepting it. He is a wonderful and great creator, who created you just for that purpose, to be loved. Because His love is FREE! God had already been loving me abundantly even to the point where He had taken away all my instruments for self-sufficiency and was forcing me into an austerity to teach me the most freeing lesson of all, to let in the love Jesus was sending me. IT was me who was rejecting His love by rejecting the love in my life.
It’s a funny feeling, that first time that you let someone pay for your dinner. Or to have someone offer you a place to stay and you accept. Or crying your eyes out in someone's embrace. It was unfamiliar, bizarre, and all very nice. It’s actually warm and cozy; a complete relief, like I was finally home. His love had already placed the people and things I needed for my joy. Even the trivial things I found myself blessed in, I ended up eating so much I gained all the weight i'd lost and more, I went to all the parties I wanted to, I still had delightful outfits coming out of my closet. I should've been unable to do any of these things! But here I am, fat, happy, spoiled, and loved. All I had to do was open up my heart.
I'm not perfect at this yet. Sometimes I'm even tempted to go back to the way I was and enjoy the thrill of running my own show, campaigning for myself. And still in other moments, I still feel I don't deserve without earning. especially a Savior. But no ego-trip or insecurity is worth losing what I now know. You can work hard and be strong, and someone will always always applaud you. But now, I can be weak and still be strong, because I'm letting someone else catch me. Someone so good He'll even force you to let Him catch you. His name is Jesus.
True strength is the courage to open your heart. True empowerment is the love of others in you. True freedom is a true love, one that takes you as you are and loves you. Even the secular saying goes, a true love sets you free. God's love is truly a true and good love.
So just let go, let down your walls, lose control, and BE FREE.
"What a man desires is unfailing love." Proverbs 19:22a
Thursday, June 18, 2009
A Reader's Testimony
This month we asked to hear from you. We wanted to know how the Lord has blessed you and kept you. The following is a testimony from one of our readers.
I am blessed,
For the past 22 years I have been in the USA as a semi-legal immigrant. I was born in Liberia and came to the US at the age of 3. I had a normal American childhood, very unaware of my fragile status in the US. This all changed when I was graduating high school and found that I was unable to receive financial aid because I was not born here and do not have a permanent status in the United States. Beyond this limitation the Lord removed barriers, sent angels which allowed me to graduate within 4 years with a minimal amount of college debt. AMEN!
Since then, I've always had employment, even though my employers were not sure if I would be legally allowed to work after the annual expiration of my status. My friends would discuss traveling abroad and I would sit silent knowing that I could not leave the country. This year everything came to a head when my differed enforced departure was expiring within 10 days and we had not heard anything regarding an extension, which meant I would need to leave the country. My company was discussing transitioning my duties and figuring out if they can rehire me in another country. Mind you, I had not left the country since I was 3! Anyways, through my doubts and fears the Lord allowed an extension to be granted for Liberians! I had another year to figure it out. After the last minute alarms, my job decided to sponsor my employment and I found out the application is approved for 3 YEARS!!! I am THANKING GOD for coming through as he always does! I can now leave the country, I have a status, and some time so that the other pending applications for permanent residency can come off the very long waiting lists. GOD IS GOOD!
What a awesome testimony! Please continue to e-mail us with your testimonies, exhortations, scriptures and anything else the Lord has laid on your heart to share. Who knows it might be a word that will really touch someone. God Bless!
I am blessed,
For the past 22 years I have been in the USA as a semi-legal immigrant. I was born in Liberia and came to the US at the age of 3. I had a normal American childhood, very unaware of my fragile status in the US. This all changed when I was graduating high school and found that I was unable to receive financial aid because I was not born here and do not have a permanent status in the United States. Beyond this limitation the Lord removed barriers, sent angels which allowed me to graduate within 4 years with a minimal amount of college debt. AMEN!
Since then, I've always had employment, even though my employers were not sure if I would be legally allowed to work after the annual expiration of my status. My friends would discuss traveling abroad and I would sit silent knowing that I could not leave the country. This year everything came to a head when my differed enforced departure was expiring within 10 days and we had not heard anything regarding an extension, which meant I would need to leave the country. My company was discussing transitioning my duties and figuring out if they can rehire me in another country. Mind you, I had not left the country since I was 3! Anyways, through my doubts and fears the Lord allowed an extension to be granted for Liberians! I had another year to figure it out. After the last minute alarms, my job decided to sponsor my employment and I found out the application is approved for 3 YEARS!!! I am THANKING GOD for coming through as he always does! I can now leave the country, I have a status, and some time so that the other pending applications for permanent residency can come off the very long waiting lists. GOD IS GOOD!
What a awesome testimony! Please continue to e-mail us with your testimonies, exhortations, scriptures and anything else the Lord has laid on your heart to share. Who knows it might be a word that will really touch someone. God Bless!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Testimonies, Part 1: Types of Testimonies
One definition of testimony is evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof. Therefore, there are many different types of testimonies. It is important to understand this point because your deliverance and overcoming of the desert depends on your type of testimony. We will look more into testimonies in the upcoming weeks, but let’s understand that there are different types of testimonies.
When the Israelites were delivered from the bondage they faced in Egypt, the Lord brought them into the desert. While they were in the desert (in this case, a physical place la
cking in something, desolate and barren) the Lord made provisions for them. Despite there complaining He delivered them from their enemies, fed them, gave them water when they were thirsty and so on. Their testimony was based off of the first definition, the evidence in support of a fact or statement: proof. If this is the case then their proof should have been, The Lord is Good and His Mercy endures forever and the evidence would have been the manna, water from the rock, parting of the Red Sea etc. This was their testimony, some like Joshua and Caleb understood while other, who would subsequently die in the desert, could not comprehend. The purpose of this kind of testimony is to make a statement. A statement that says, this is my God who never fails. Even though I may come under attack, He is always there to deliver me. Isaiah 43: 2 states:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Think about what God has brought you through! Yes it was tough, the fire was hot, the waters came up but they neither burned you or overtook you! This is the kind of God we serves! He never said it would not be hard, but He did promise to be with us and to get us through. I think that many of us understand this type of testimony. This is the type of testimony that we usually hear in church. Let’s looks at another type of testimony.
When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the scriptures say He (Jesus) was led by The Spirit into the desert/wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt 4: 1-11 and Luke 4: 1-13). While Jesus was in the desert, He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and was tempted by the devil. When the devil tried to tempt Him, His answers were scripture. Jesus would answer first by saying, “It is written”. This type of testimony is based off the word of God! This testimony defeats the devil. This type of testimony serves notice to the devil that we know our God and His words and that they have power over principalities of the seen and unseen. In order to give this type of testimony, you must know the Word of God and use it to conquer demonic spirits, strongholds and the like.
A testimony can also be the understanding and declaration of a prophecy of things to come or
who God says you are. In John 1: 19 -23 John the Baptist had a testimony of what the scriptures said about him. The Pharisees asked John who he was and he testified saying the following, “ I am, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord” (so that the prophesy of Isaiah would be fulfilled). The same goes for us, we can testify that we are, “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13) and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). We can testify to this! This is what our God says about us. So when the devil is trying to get to you, or unbelievers try to challenge you or ask who you are in Christ, you can testify to the Words of the Lamb! This type of testimony, silences the enemy.
When the Israelites were delivered from the bondage they faced in Egypt, the Lord brought them into the desert. While they were in the desert (in this case, a physical place la
cking in something, desolate and barren) the Lord made provisions for them. Despite there complaining He delivered them from their enemies, fed them, gave them water when they were thirsty and so on. Their testimony was based off of the first definition, the evidence in support of a fact or statement: proof. If this is the case then their proof should have been, The Lord is Good and His Mercy endures forever and the evidence would have been the manna, water from the rock, parting of the Red Sea etc. This was their testimony, some like Joshua and Caleb understood while other, who would subsequently die in the desert, could not comprehend. The purpose of this kind of testimony is to make a statement. A statement that says, this is my God who never fails. Even though I may come under attack, He is always there to deliver me. Isaiah 43: 2 states:When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Think about what God has brought you through! Yes it was tough, the fire was hot, the waters came up but they neither burned you or overtook you! This is the kind of God we serves! He never said it would not be hard, but He did promise to be with us and to get us through. I think that many of us understand this type of testimony. This is the type of testimony that we usually hear in church. Let’s looks at another type of testimony.
When John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the scriptures say He (Jesus) was led by The Spirit into the desert/wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt 4: 1-11 and Luke 4: 1-13). While Jesus was in the desert, He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and was tempted by the devil. When the devil tried to tempt Him, His answers were scripture. Jesus would answer first by saying, “It is written”. This type of testimony is based off the word of God! This testimony defeats the devil. This type of testimony serves notice to the devil that we know our God and His words and that they have power over principalities of the seen and unseen. In order to give this type of testimony, you must know the Word of God and use it to conquer demonic spirits, strongholds and the like.
A testimony can also be the understanding and declaration of a prophecy of things to come or
who God says you are. In John 1: 19 -23 John the Baptist had a testimony of what the scriptures said about him. The Pharisees asked John who he was and he testified saying the following, “ I am, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord” (so that the prophesy of Isaiah would be fulfilled). The same goes for us, we can testify that we are, “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13) and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). We can testify to this! This is what our God says about us. So when the devil is trying to get to you, or unbelievers try to challenge you or ask who you are in Christ, you can testify to the Words of the Lamb! This type of testimony, silences the enemy.There are many different types of testimonies, more than listed on this post. Let us learn the different types of testimonies so that we are prepared for battle. Testify about what the Lord has brought you through and done for you. Testify to demonic spirits about your God and His Words. Testify to your enemies about who God says you are. Testify! Serve Notice!
Father, I pray that you will give us our testimony. I pray that you will give us the wisdom, by the Holy Spirit, to know what and to whom we should testify!
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