Testimonies

Christian Testimonies: The Stories of Our Lives

Christian testimonies are the stories told by believers about what God has done and is doing in their lives.


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Dave Parrish Testimony: Joyful Surrender Unto The Lord Our Maker

What a joyful surrender unto the Lord, our Maker. Dave is a precious brother in the Lord and continues to be a blessing wherever he goes.

I have been a “people” who have not known “God’s ways” and have had a hardened heart to the call of God for many years. And I will call it my desert living season. Yes, He provided for me in that season by His Grace. And He still loved me with His everlasting love upon me in Jesus Christ. I stayed accepted in the beloved Son of God. But Christ was not my life for that season. And the chastening I suffered as a New Covenant, called out one, was to eat the corruption of the sin of unbelief that was my heart’s desires.

The corruption was tremendous, picking my own jobs, my own marriage partner, reading the Word of God to study God afar. I just was in the season of rebellion unto God. And I had no presence of His Blessing over my life. I abhorred in my heart to be His sheep. To be in His Pasture, I strayed to eat of other pastures that had food of corruption. And the corruption took its toll. And I had no rest in God. All my footing was on slippery ground. I reaped the corruption of sowing to the flesh.

Even when I first came back to the church, I was in repentance to my straying, but to come back to be His sheep, I resisted and sought to be part of the other popular religious systems that are about. But I had tasted the Living water again. God knew how to draw me back here. Then He just put a heavy call on me to come back. I could feel the arrows of Satan coming against me the first time I came back to church.

Praise God that I did not harden my heart to His call! I have been so blessed in the services, in the Word, in the sermons, and the fellowship, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Sunday and at the Wednesday night fellowship meetings and all the rest of the fellowship I am experiencing here! Last Sunday, as the pastor preached on Psalm 95 and Jehovah Hoosenu, the LORD our Maker, I just was so blessed. I heard the LORD speak to me about how He blesses. His call is for us, for me to give Him the full Glory due Him FIRST and then He will bless. This sounds so obvious, but do we not all resist it so for a season? Our flesh doesn’t want to give Him all the glory. Even though He mainly calls out the “not many mighty”, but the base and the weak things of the world (1 Cor. 1: 26-31), “that no flesh would glory in His presence.” I resisted this call to bow down to Him for years.

Well, this Sunday, I was hearing Him. Bow down to me Dave, lift me up by you kneeling and giving me the Glory due me and I will bless you! And I did it. I have nothing to boast of; it is hard to kneel unto Him. Satan opposes you, your flesh rages against this deep a surrender. You feel strange kneeling unto the Lord in a day where it happens only in Roman Catholic churches. Oh the blessing of this deeper surrender and the blessing the rest of this week that has carried on each day! Now in the morning and in the evening I bow down and kneel to God in prayer! And my heart is more surrendered to Him than ever before in my walk with God!

I have His Rest now--His Rest. I have surrendered my works of trying to please God by what I can do. I am letting the Good Shepard take me to the places of blessing now with His gentle yoke upon me, as I have bowed down, and kneeled down to Jehovah Hoosenu, to my Lord Jesus. I could go on and on about the awesome time in the Word and the Spirit. It is just amazing how much grace and peace and joy that a heart can have that is “given over” to God away from self and the world!

When we truly let God be GOD! Let Him be lifted up High and as our Great King above all gods and let Him be our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer-God over all our lives in worshiping Him, bowing down before Him. Kneeling before Him, we just will spill out with these songs from our heart of hearts:

Psa 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
 
Psa 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

He has promised us that as His People, who do not err, but follow/obey His ways of surrendering ourselves to give Him the Glory due Him, that HE WILL BLESS US in the songs and hymns and melodies in our hearts and joy and peace and righteousness in the Holy Spirit and with all the necessary material things that He knows we need to live in this world for the season of life here. He is truly an awesome God!!

Jean's Testimony

What a wonderful manifestation of God’s love and power in our lives is illustrated in the following testimony of Jean, who we have known for a number of years:

I can’t tell you why events in my life happened as they have. However perhaps this will encourage someone in the faith.

I was born again when I was a sophomore in high school. At that time in the early 70’s, God visited my high school, incredibly transforming hundreds of students. There were weekly ‘Young Life’ meetings where 200 or more students crammed into a barn in the evening just to hear about Jesus. Since the day I met Jesus, I’ve known there is no other truth, and no other way to have sins forgiven.

In my early 20’s I enlisted in the Marines. Mostly I just wanted to get out of the small town in upstate New York. By this time I was frustrated by my inability to live the Christian life. Although I knew the truth, understood the truth, and experienced God’s grace, I failed miserably in obeying Christ.

I’m not blaming the Marines for any of my problem; however, after a couple of years of being subjected continually to profanity in the Marine Corps, I realized in my mind I was continually tormented by these evil words and thoughts.

I married a Marine in 1979, and my husband and I were stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. Later, we moved to North Carolina, and then back to California. Although I attended Church almost every Sunday, I was not able to free myself ever of the torment of the profanity continually in my mind.

A few weeks ago, January 2007, at church at the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship, there was a prophecy. I remember only a few words, “I (the Lord) will free you from the bondage of your mind.” At the time, I said ‘Praise God’, however, did not really think about anything in particular.

Then, later, when I walked out of church, I realized all the tormenting thoughts and words that had been a part of my life for more than 25 years were completely gone. Weeks later, I am still amazed by God’s incredible mercy and kindness. When I wake up in the morning, I am thinking praises to the Lord, and then until I go to sleep, I am thinking what a great and awesome, kind and merciful Lord. Amazing!

Minka's Secret: At 94 My Secret Has Become a Blessing

As a preface to this testimony, we knew Minka for several years. She was active to close to the end of her life. Minka reminds us of Dorcas in the Book of Acts, who was known for her good deeds. She was remarkable for her age in managing a fourplex, working in the yard, digging holes for plants, flying several times a year to conferences and to see her additional family, washing her neighbor’s car, fixing luncheons for 15 to 20 women in her home, baby sitting her elementary and junior-high-age great-grandchildren, cooking holiday dinners, making candy, baking cookies (also giving us a plateful), helping with wrapping and boxing cookies and candy for troops overseas, teaching elementary children the Bible after school, besides hosting many prayer meetings in her home, interceding for others at the John G. Lake Healing Rooms, saving women from aborting their babies, and spending much time in private prayer. We thank God for all the prayers that went up to the Lord on our behalf. Minka's grandaughter, Cathy LaGrow, wrote a book about Minka's life called "The Waiting," published by Tyndale in 2014. Minka was able to read the original manuscript, but not the published book, as she passed away on June 16, 2014, at the age of 102.

The following is an astounding testimony by Minka and shows the loving hand of God who is such a kind and personal Lord and the blessings that come upon those who walk humbly before Him:

At 94 my secret has become a blessing
by Minka deJong

God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. Who can fathom the depth of His wisdom or His love as He works all things out according to His purposes and our good.

I have been given the opportunity to scan my life of 94 years because of something that happened recently. Can we know the destiny of lives, families, cities and nations? Twhe Bible states that the prayers of a righteous man avails much and to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you.

I pondered those words in my heart and mind as my life took a dramatic turn in July, 2006.

I was born of pure Dutch ancestors who were born and raised in Holland, then immigrated to America with one son and my mother being pregnant with me. My father worked on a dairy farm; and when I was 1-1/2 years old, my sister was born. She was nine days old when my father drowned in a lake. 

With three babies, my mother, who had not as yet mastered the English language, but did speak German as well as her native Dutch, went to work for an elderly German farmer. As children we knew what it was to work before and after school, from sun-up to sun-down. We hauled water, wood, and coal because those were the days of no running water, electricity, or gas in homes. We picked potatoes, shocked wheat, and corn, or whatever was planted that year.

In addition, we walked 1-1/2 to 1/3/4 miles one way to school or to pick up mail in the opposite direction. There were no friends to play with outside of school. There was no time.

When I was 14-1/2, the man my mother worked for retired and she married another Dutchman. Together, they started a dairy farm. Not only did he gain a wife, but three well-trained farmhands as well, who were good at milking cows. My brother lasted till he was 17, then joined the Navy.

When we graduated from the 8th grade at our country schoolhouse, we were told High School was for city kids who had nothing else to do. It was out of the question for us--there was too much work to do.

At 16-years of age, my mother sent me to a sewing class a woman was teaching at her home. I do not recollect the reason, but one day the sewing class had a picnic by the lake. While there, another girl and I went for a walk to a skating rink. Later, going back to the group, walking amongst the trees, we were raped by two men. We had never seen them, didn't know them, nor ever saw them again.

I was traumatized, bewildered, and scared and could never mention this to my mother as we never ever talked about such things. I had never, even seen a pregnant woman. Long dresses and aprons covered pregnancy. Women continued to work hard in those days, days without any of our modern “push-button” appliances.

I do not remember all the details that revealed my pregnancy. My mother went to our German Lutheran pastor and together they determined the course I was to take: Check into a Lutheran Home and Adoption Agency for girls. I had never been away from home or from my mother and I was at the mercy of their decision.

I grew up overnight. Where was I going? What did life hold for me?

Fortunately, this Home was filled with love, prayers, and kindness--the kind you could see, touch and feel. The lady in charge talked with me, explained things, reasoned with me, gave me a choice, yet lovingly explained the advantages of adoption and life for myself as a young woman. I made a painful decision.

When my baby daughter was one month old, I named her. Then she was given to a Norwegian Lutheran Pastor/Evangelist and his wife for adoption.

I went on with my life, keeping in touch with the Agency for my daughter's growth and welfare. They acknowledged every letter, some with news, if they heard, some without. But she never left my heart or life, and every year on her birthday I wondered where and how she was.

On May 22, 2006, I woke up and asked the Lord if He could possibly just let me see her. If I could, I made a solemn promise I would never, ever bother her or her family. Then I dismissed the thought and went about the affairs of the day.

The following July 2nd, my phone rang and a message was left on my recorder. A women's voice was trying to locate me. She said mine was the last number she was given to call. A while later the phone rang again and a man's voice asked me if I was Minka. I said, "Speaking."

It was my daughter's son! He had spent six months trying to get records released through the courts to find his mother's biological mother. He was calling a list of people he had gathered with identical names to mine, and mine was the last number.

After a few questions on both sides, he put his mother--my very own daughter--on the phone. It was a nostalgic moment to hear her voice, even though she was now a grown, 77-year-old woman. Her adopted parents had given her a new name. They were a couple, I learned, who had two sons and desperately wanted a little girl. Her father was a godly, praying man known as Peder the Rock, the man of prayer.

My daughter told me she has six children, four boys and two girls. One son is a Colonel and an Astronaut, who manned four flights into space. He's married and has three children. His wife is a fitness instructor.

A second son is a Lieutenant Colonel, a graduate from West Point, married to a teacher. He has two children. The son, following in his father's footsteps, is a 3rd-year cadet. A daughter is in college, studying to become a teacher, like her mother.

A third son is a basketball and football coach at a school in Wisconsin. He's also married to a teacher. They have two boys.

A fourth son lives in Texas and works for Boeing and NASA. He's a subcontractor for Boeing. They are in charge of building the International Space Station. He, himself, is in charge of one of those pieces of hardware that is going to be installed on the station sometime in 2007. It provides structure for the station as well as power production to keep the astronauts alive. His wife is assistant principal as well as a teacher in her school.

She also teaches a class at the local university as an adjunct professor. 

The two daughters of my daughter are also teachers. The oldest did not pursue teaching, but married a man who had three little children to raise. The youngest daughter does teach. She's married, has no children, and lives in Illinois. She continues to spend summer vacation pursuing college courses to enlighten her students to a fast-changing world with new challenges.

After our conversation I realized the power of prayer and that I, too, had been the recipient of my daughter's adopted father's prayers for all those years.

When I grew up and left the farm, I married and had two children, a son and a daughter. After a long battle with illness, my husband finally succumbed to cancer. Through all this I found comfort in the Lord. My life was a challenge and hampered by lack of education. In spite of this I was put in various managerial positions, no matter what I undertook. I worked for over eighteen years for a school district and retired at age 66. After a few years, I got a little granddaughter to raise and educate so went back to work at a local K-Mart as a cashier for thirteen additional years. At age 87, I finally retired again. As I look back, I see His guidance and direction, leading me to a higher spiritual realm, a higher spiritual maturity for “such a time as this.”

Then, recently, my precious grandson who tracked me down and called me--the Lieutenant Colonel--and his lovely wife brought my beautiful daughter to see me. What a precious time we had. I felt she just came home for a visit, for she had never left my heart. My other daughter and her son came from Oregon to help unite the family. Our family was complete, with the exception of my son who had passed away in 2000. But his daughter came instead.

Later, my other daughter said, "Mom, I was praying, too. I wanted to meet my sister." When she was growing up, she was the only one I had revealed to what had happened to me so long ago.

Does the Lord watch over us? Does the Lord answer prayer? Indeed, He does. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, friends, and life in general. I have a feeling there are still more chapters to be added to this story. May God richly bless everyone who thinks there is no hope for them. God always makes a way when you think there is no way.

I speak especially to those who seek an abortion. May you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things shall be added to you.

Imagine what would have happened if this rape had occurred to me today? I probably would have been advised to have an abortion. My daughter would not have been born and the world would never have known the wonderful and productive family that resulted from her birth--a family the world can be proud of.

I am blessed beyond measure. To God be the glory and to all others who had a part of my growing up in Him, held in His hand--grafted into His plan.

You may republish this story with proper attribution. Send this story to a friend.

Mark B. Meyers - Appreciation

Greetings,

On February 5, the Lord spoke your name to me as I was coming our of sleep. (He said a few other words, but I couldn’t make them out). It’s not unusual for him to speak to me in this way, although usually its in a riddle of some sort. See Numbers 12:1-7. The Holy Spirit will “teach us all things” and “tell us of the things to come.”

I had neve heard your name, but immediately googled it and found your website. I then started to read the articles. Wow – now I know why the Lord alerted me to you! They are fantastic!

I am a 66-year-old retired attorney. I did transactional legal work for Shell Oil Company for many years. IK have a deliverance /healing ministry in which the Lord has led me and my 2 assistants for the last 13 years. My website, containing about 20 articles I www.healingisgodsjustice.org .

I tell everyone who comes to us: the goal of this ministry is to get you to think correctly, because that is the key to expulsion of the Enemy, and that means to elevate the Word above all sense knowledge – always. I understood that truth, but not nearly with the depth and clarity which you have.

I am now on my 80th article from your website, writing notes on each one and periodically emailing my suppliants with a request to read another of your articles, so may of which are so stark and radical, and so true! Everybody who reads them asks: “Why aren’t we taught this in church> Its so clear. Once we know our carnal mind is controlled by Satan, life is so much more understandable”!

Just wanted to encourage you with the impact that your writings are having on many souls. And to let you know that the Lord Himself approves, and is supernaturally, y His own voice, recommending you to others like me!

God bless you!
Mark
Mark B. Myers
[email protected]


Richard King

Gift of Bible Dictionary

It is with much love, fondness, and affection this Teachers Edition of the Bible Dictionary is given to the king of Word Illustrations – given this day, the 7th of October, 2017.
Don, you bring new meaning to the established English speaking world!

There is a reason that the Teachers Version is given into your hands. All those years of laying carpet for others. You’re still doing the same thing today – but now it is the Lord’s Truth you lay, for all those you meet. His truth is your way of this life in Him and it become infectious to the soul of man and all that can hear. There is no way to identify incorrectly or diagnose how you feel about Who an What you believe or believe in! Hence, the reason for the Bible Dictionary printed in the year of our Lord, 1900. This may give you some new revelations.
Much love to you and Gloria from your brand-new student, humbly seeking the Lord and your guidance, Don,

Your friend and student
R. King

The Individuality
Click Here for PDF

Driven Dedication
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