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Testimonies
Read how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ has changed 1M4JC members' lives.
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At the age of fourteen I smoked my first marijuana joint and felt like I had discovered an alternative to God. God seemed too restrictive, and I did not want the responsibily of a love so unconditional. I spent the next thirty years using whatever I could to escape the realities of life. I was a wimp. I didn't like the fact that pain was part of growing, so I stayed stoned to escape it.
Then came a time when I wanted to stop getting high, but every fibre of my body would scream for the next drink, the next joint, the next crack rock.
I was addicted to not just the substances, but also a life style and a thought process with very few boundaries. The people I had hurt were collateral damage and nothing more. I did not care, and could not understand why others did. I was resigned to a wasted existence, and any admirable qualities were aberrational to my existence.
Thirty years later I gave my life to Christ and he fill the God size void that had develope at the core of my being. My life has changed so much that sometimes I don't recognize myself. I am still discovering the person I abandoned at fourteen years old. God stayed with me through all the muck and mire I wanted to plod through. Picked me up and dusted me off and watched with a heavy heart each time I went back to the darkness.
When He allowed me to come out, and I decided I had had enough He immediately said I love you still. Come and let me guide you through this life to life eternal.
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Re Dedication and Healing
Marcus’s Testimony
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I am a Cancer survivor, stomach cancer in 2002. Every day is a blessing and I live it, as if there were no tomorrow. I have a beautiful wife and three great children. A son 15, and two daughters 12 and 8 years of age.
I re-dedicated my life to the Lord December December 9th, 2009. Since that night, I have been over come with joy, healing, and a hunger for his word. I have many friends all over the country whom share testament and prayer. We are currently involved with the medical care for my wife's mother. She has metastaic breast Cancer, and is currently under going her third cycle of chemo treatment at Duke University Hospital Oncolgy Unit. This is her third battle in ten years, and the worst to date. The Cancer has spread into four regions of her body, causing her pain, restlessness, tiring rapidly, and a Spirit of Worship that would make anyone PROUD!
I have learned more from this woman in the last six weeks, than I have in my four years of our relationship. She is a believer, she will not give up on anything, has a heart of gold and is true testament of Faith in our Lord.
I love my Family, my church and our lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
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In 2003, March 6 to be exact, I took the walk down the aisle at Mt. Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia and was saved and then Baptized into Christ. I felt my old life washed away and my new being born again. I lived the life of a Conservative Jew for nearly 36 years. I love my heritage, yet, I still felt that I was truly "incomplete" in my faith and coming to know Jesus Christ has truly given me a new lease on life. I am no longer afraid of death or what the future holds. Granted, no one said that being a Christian would be easy, yet, it is a great life. I have found that my brothers and sisters in Christ care more about love and each other than the material things that are offered up in life.
To witness to others is a blessing. I truly understand now that my personal Lord and Savior IS Jesus Christ and that He is truly the begotten Son of the Most Holy God in Heaven.
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I grew up in a Protestant home and knew who Jesus was before I could even walk. My mother was a very strong Christian who raised me in a very close church family and for this I am very thankful. I had such a love for the Lord as a child, but that sadly changed. As I grew into a young adult I started to notice that my church had become more about man, than about God. Church politics, hypocrisies, and the judgemental nature of the members took center stage concerning my views of Christianity. This was a perfect tool for the enemy to use to get me away, and it worked. My new-found justification to walk away from the Lord led to me not having anything to do with Christianity and I lived a lonely life of sin without God for about 15 years. I had even gotten to a point where I questioned His very existence. After marrying my wife in 2005, I had attended several churches with her and our children but nothing ever came of it and our first visit was usually our last. In January of 2009 that all changed. I was in my brother-in-law's wedding which happened to be in a local Catholic church. I cannot begin to describe how I felt when I saw that crucifix right there in front of me. I had never stepped foot into a Catholic church before, partly due to the fact that my whole family was very anti-Catholic. After that wedding however, for several weeks a voice inside my head kept telling me I needed to go back there. I recognized this voice. This was the same voice that spoke to me in my youth and up until that moment, I had ignored. One evening sitting home alone I stumbled across a video that was on Youtube. This video featured video footage from a Catholic Mass, scenes from The Passion of the Christ, and a song by Hillsong United titled "From the Inside Out". By the time it was over I was crying and I dropped to my knees right then and there and came back to the Lord. What an amazing feeling! I immediately wanted to tell everyone, and I did...even if they didn't care! Two days later I started going to Mass at the Catholic church and haven't stopped since. There were many unkind words from family when they found out where I was going. People from my childhood church would no longer talk to me, and yet with all this going on I had such a peace and I knew I was where God wanted me. Imagine how I felt at first; since my family was anti-Catholic, naturally so was I. And here I was becoming Catholic, but more importantly becoming closer to the Lord than I have ever been. The Lord convicted me many times when I would get dragged into debates and arguments about doctrine because my approach was wrong, and it never beared any fruit. I am always being shown something new, everyday, non-stop, and no matter what denomination, we are all God's children. I have now found how to love him like I loved him as a child, with unrelenting faith and trust.
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I once was lost but He found me!
Hope’s Testimony
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I'm a 34 year old mother of 2 and I have been married for 15 years. I thought I had it all and was happy. So I thought. Even tho I've had a wonderful marriage, healthy children, and great family, there has always been something missing. I tried filling the void with just about everything out there. Drugs, sex, alcohol, and gambling. No matter how high, drunk, or how much money I would spend I would always wake up the next morning feeling worse than I did when I had started the day before. I'd also wake up with a lot less money and a lot more worries too. I had been saved a long time ago but never truley knew what that meant. When my grandmother who raised me passed away I was hooked on cocaine. Her funeral is a blurr. I decided the day we buried her that I was done. I hit my knees and just like He said He got me through that time. But just like I was so good at doing, when the hurt dulled I went back to my old friends and my old way of living. I put Jesus on the backburner. If I were to list all the times He saved my life we'd be here a long, long time. So needless to say, just like a child I had to learn for myself (that thing called free will). For 4 years I would use for a while and then quit. I stopped the coke but then I got started on pain pills. I would always justify it by saying "it's not as bad" but I now know it's all the same. I was miserable and my family was miserable. Finally about a week before this Christmas I came to the realization that I was sick and I needed help. Not help I could get from anyone around me. I was so tired of being sick and tired. I had tried every other route and it all led me back to the same road. I hit my knees and cried and cried and cried. I asked Jesus to take over. I was so tired. I knew that day just as I know now that I can't do it. So for over a month now He's doing and continues to do great things in my life. I can smile and mean it. I don't have to lie. I don't have steal. I tell my family and friends I love them everyday just like I know He loves me. I don't know what He has in store for me but I know it's full of happiness and peace like I've never known. God is GREAT! I'm living, walking proof!
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Self-absorbed Musician Makes Room for Christ
Benjamin’s Testimony
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I have somewhat a unique way of having come to Christ. While my parents were raised by godly parents themselevs and went to Church with their own families as children - teens, I wasn't truly raised in the Church. I was by far and wide, growing up a liar, idolater, thief and a murderer. I started playing guitar when I was nine and although music has been a refuge for me, I knew something was terribly missing. My soul kept telling me that God existed and was broken hearted over me and my sins, but I ignored the prompting for years. I was rebellious and disobedient to authority although my parents claim, "You have been a good child."
When I was about fifteen or so, a youth group at a Methodist Church was wanting those of us who wanted to attend Six Flags over Texas to go. I had no idea we were also there to attend a Christian concert. That night Petra was playing and I recall that the Lord was wanting to baptize me with His Spirit. Although I still disobeyed, I knew I was a sinner and needed to invite Christ into my heart. I was also writing some Christian songs while not a Christian myself.
That all changed when I was thirty. I was tired of feeling empty, being disobedient and continually breaking my Lord's heart. I ran to him on September 3, 2000. My life hasn't been the same since then and it's still a battle for me to let Christ stay on the throne. Gordon Robertson said it this way, "The closer we get to Christ, the more we feel we fall short of His glory." It is a daily choice to be holy as the Lord is. I pray this helps others out.
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Thank you Lord for blessing me. For blessing me with my health. For blessing me with my children. For blessing me with a husband who I know loves me unconditionally. Thank you for continuing to bless me with the presence of my parents. Thank you for all the opportunities you have given me to be a better christian and a better person, I do appreciate all you do for me, even though I don't always deserve it. I apologize for every time I have said your name in vain. I apologize for every time I blamed you for something you had no part in. Why is it Lord that all humans hurt the ones we love the most? I am so blessed to have you in my life. And I ask that you teach me your way and be patient with me when I don't learn as quickly as others. I do want to be in heaven with you and my family, and I ask all of this in Jesus name....Amen
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When my oldest son Daniel was born in 1989, he was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. The doctors told me he would not live past the age of 3. At first I got very angry at God. Then I realized that if the doctor's ("gods" on Earth...) couldn't help him, then I needed to put all my faith and trust in Jesus. I was saved and attended church regularly. Daniel did not have the same views I had. On Novemember 15, 2008, Daniel woke up that morning saying he didn't feel well and "couldn't do this anymore". I called 911 and got him to the hospital. While in the emergency department, I asked him if I could call my pastor in to see him. He was not too thrilled with the idea at that time. Later that night, some specialist came to see the "the boy who should not be alive let alone talking". He had only a spot the size of a pea left to his lung capacity. Sunday morning I left the hospital and went to church. While I was at the alter praying for God to "just please come" one of my pastors was at the hospital. Daniel accepted the Lord that day. He spent that night with his best friends at the hospital. They sang and talked the night away. During the night, Daniel fell asleep. He never woke up again. He passed away on Monday Novemeber 17, 2008. He was 19 years old. Praise God for all the years I had with him. I know he is out of his wheelchair and dancing in Heaven now. We will all see him again soon! I love Jesus with all my heart, mind and strength! And I thank him for answering prayers always on time! HIS time!! XO
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Just wanna say "thank ya..."
George’s Testimony
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My story is not unique. For many years, I was strangled by worldly "strongholds"....but GOD delivered me!!! After many years os disobedience, I found myself at a homeless shelter in Clevealnd, Ohio with nowhere to go. GOD had led me there and it was there that I found the 'peace' I needed. I am now an ordained minister and i strive to introduce GOD to others who are in the predicament I was in...!!
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A Lifetime of God and his Understanding me
Randy’s Testimony
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I have been a Diabetic since I was Nine years Old , I know for a Fact That God has made me understand this disease and has had a Hand on me since that day forward , I had to learn to give myself injection's at an early stages of this and without his help and understanding I would never have done this , he has a mission for us all on this earth and contnues to protect and point me in the right direction at all time's , I have had time's when I have thought I Myself can handle this , but a little reminder always show's up and points me in the right direstion again , really hard to put into word's But I believe this with my entire Heart and soul , God Is Our Direction , Amen
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