http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-Fire/2013/07/04/Giant-sinkhole-swallows-car.html
People’s lives changed by the “Jesus Prayer.”
We hope you enjoy the testimonies below (as well as the new one, July 4, 2013, via the link above) and will soon have your own “Jesus Prayer” miracle! (See the Pray the “Jesus Prayer” section and the History and Founder pages for tips on making the “Jesus Prayer” a part of your prayer life. If you have a “Jesus Prayer” miracle, please share it with us. Send us an email and we will consider adding you to our site! See “Leave a Reply” section at the bottom of this page.)
Psalm 50:15:
“And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
And, to think it all began with Mrs. Applebee, and, of course, Mom….
Mrs. Applebee was a little, gray-haired lady of very modest means. She lived just a few doors down from the home where I grew up. She had a small, but sturdy white frame house, with a neat yard; well, neater than the rest of the neighborhood. But, aside from the fact that her house was the “gem” of the neighborhood, it was really not that special, and certainly not palatial. But, looking back, I am certain she was, in fact, royalty—if only—in heaven.
No, she just looked like anybody’s grandma, with that sweet, little twinkle in her eye and a ready smile. She always had on a crisply ironed apron, a soft cotton frock, and always, always–her support hose and shoes. And, although she was trim and little, there was “something” about her that made her look as substantial as an armored tank—that she could handle anything—and, just as surely, there was something about her home and her person that always made me feel safe and secure.
She even smelled like anybody’s grandma—she always had a hint of lavender about her person and a sugar-cookie aroma kind of enveloped the whole house, that is, when her cat Kitty wasn’t around; when Kitty popped in, it was hard to smell … anything else … but tuna. (And, Kitty looked like she had had more than her share of tuna.)
Yet, what she did for all of us kids in the neighborhood was nothing short of miraculous. Going to her house each week was like the cure for whatever ailed you; it was like, the Marines had landed, or something. I mean, I would have sworn that she was a secret agent, or something, just posing as a “domestic engineer.” But, none of us, not at the time, for sure, would realize how deeply she would transform each one of us … forever.
And, all in the name of candy. That was the gimmick that brought us all in: something as simple as free candy, cookies and cake. The exact nature and description of her treats have long since been forgotten, even the memories of the friendships formed there in her home have faded, but the effects of her hospitality have proven nothing short of eternal.
Her methods might have been a little unorthodox by today’s standards, where kids wouldn’t walk across the street for anything less than a Game boy or HDTV, but all I know is: Thank God I was so blessed to know her and to live in her neighborhood. (And, thank God for candy!)
I came to be invited to Mrs. Applebee’s weekly Sunday night “parties” by her youngest daughter who was in my 3rd grade class at school. The very first night I attended Mrs. Applebee’s Sunday night meeting, I quietly sat, Indian-style on her living room floor, while carefully managing to move her cat Kitty’s tail out of the way. And, after greeting and being introduced to the other kids who filed in, I waited expectantly for the party favors, and the party games, and the candy and treats to begin.
But, they never did. It wasn’t that kind of a party: It was a prayer, Bible study kind of deal where we’d all learn a little about Jesus—what kind of guy he was and all—and then, it ended every week by singing “Jesus Loves Me” and then praying together the same ole prayer, asking Jesus to come and live inside our hearts and “save us.” And then, and only then, we’d get the candy ….
Every week, every single Sunday night of my 3rd grade year in school, I ‘d trot over to Mrs. Applebee’s—to get “saved” over and over again—just to eat her candy and treats. Mrs. Applebee, you had to admit, knew human nature—loneliness and hunger were great motivational incentives, particularly for third graders. And, we all thought we came out like bandits—all those free treats—but, in actuality, it was Mrs. Applebee and her dear friend, Jesus, who were the victors. Talk about taking candy from a baby—or rather, giving candy to a baby—nothing was as easy, but infinitely more priceless, than exchanging candy—for eternal life. Looking back, we were all victors; it was a true “win-win.”
And, then, as if that wasn’t enough, my own mom began to give me “special instructions” about how to defend or protect myself, if she should ever be late picking me up after school, or some such thing. “Now, don’t you be calling out to me to help you, if you ever get in trouble and I’m not there,” she would say. “No, you’ve got to learn to call on Jesus. Not only is He all-powerful and all-knowing, He is EVERYWHERE, as His name is the name above all names. Use it, especially when you get in trouble or are afraid; He’ll help you, when no one else can.”
The years came and went. My family moved out of Mrs. Applebee’s neighborhood, and I grew up and had a baby of my own. But, the invisible relationship with Jesus Christ formed during my old “saved” days as a child, would be the one chord that kept and guided my heart and soul—and later, would “save” my very life ….
It was July 8, a hot, 100-degree, summer day, like almost every other summer day in Kansas; but little did I know that God would be choreographing events in this particular day for His glory and my good. It would be unlike any day I had ever lived.
I work weekends (2-10 p.m.). I always get off work on time. This particular Saturday, I was delayed by two hours, due to circumstances I could not control. After work I was going to pick my son up from his dad’s house, but I did not get off work until 12:15 a.m., and I felt it was too late to pick up my son. So, I decided to pick him up in the morning.
Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m., my smoke alarm went off. I got up from bed to see my living room filled with black smoke. I gasped as I opened my door to see the hallway filled with black smoke. There was no way I would be able to exit out the door—I would be overcome with, and die of, smoke inhalation; so, I went out on my balcony. As in your worst nightmare, there was no fire truck, no fireman, no hose, and no ladder in sight. The flames and smoke were driving me further out to the edge of the balcony, but still I was afraid to jump (I live on the third floor). Suddenly, my old “saved” days with Mrs. Applebee came back to me. The lessons I had learned over and over again way back that year in the third grade, and later, with my mom’s “special instructions,” began to fill my head: “Jesus saves. Call on His name.” Finally, with the smoke beginning to fill my lungs, I remembered, “Jesus, You said if anyone calls on You, they shall be saved. Dear Lord, dear Jesus, please, save me.”
Immediately, after crying out to Jesus, He gave me this inspiration: “Look at the top of the windows and the balconies.” There, I noticed, were trellises. No, not the kind of trellises that could actually hold any flower pots, or anything, as they were much too shallow; but, never the less, they were sufficiently deep enough to catch hold of, to climb, Spiderman-style, down the side of the apartment building. But still, I was unsure; the three-story drop would be a fall to my death, if anything went wrong. I was still uncertain if I could do it; I needed confidence. Just then, two men came out of the apartment (on the first floor). When they looked up and saw me, they encouraged me to climb down. “Okay,” I said, “Stand right there. I think I know how I am going to get down.” They said, “Okay, we’ll help you, if you can just get down to the second floor.” I slowly made it off the balcony, carefully swinging down from one window to the next balcony, and so forth, until my nice neighbors could catch me and bring me safely to the ground.
I am so very grateful that I was delayed at work the night before and did not go get my son. Had I gotten off work in time to take him home with me, we probably both would have perished. But, God took care of me: I was in trouble and I called on Jesus, and was, literally, saved. Mrs. Applebee, (wherever you are) and, Mom, thank you both, for teaching me about Jesus and how to call on Him—for everything. I owe my life, not to mention my eternal life, to Jesus—and, indirectly, to you both. Thank you, for being used for His glory and my good. Who would have ever thought those ole Sunday night “parties” in the 3rd grade–to get “saved”–and those after-school “special instructions” could have made such a big difference in my life. I now want to raise my son to reverence Jesus and to pray His Holy Name, as you both taught me to do. It very well could “save” his life someday, too.
–Anonymous Mother
Andrea
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
I John 4:4
Dear Teens,
I am soon to be a senior. Three years ago, my sister died in a terrible car accident. Since that day, my life has not been the same. It hurts to think about her and feel her presence. I have pushed God out of my life for three years now; and during that time, I wanted to kill myself. I have tried everything, but I’m still here; because God knows it’s not my time and I’m here for a reason. I know that there are different reasons why you want to kill yourself, but we are all hurting and there is nothing to change that grief but to find the Lord. My heart hurts, and my tears roll down my face. I think of how much my life was just a mistake.
I had no feelings for the Lord; I just hated him. I talked down on myself all the time. I went to therapy so many times, but it just didn’t work. I decided to OD (overdose) on pills. During that time, I saw how much I had hurt my family; but I didn’t care, because I wanted to see my sister so badly. I just wanted to hold her one last time, to kiss her one last time, and to talk to her one last time. You will always ask the Lord, “Why me … why does it have to happen to me?” I had no way out, but to take the easy way out and to try to hurt myself. I realized later on that doesn’t solve anything. It just causes more grief.
As time has moved on, I have lost many other people in my life. My hurting got even worse. I got into bad habits. They were getting worse everyday and I had no place to go. All I would do was push everyone out of my life and tell my friends and family to just leave me alone. That was my problem: I shouldn’t have been alone. I shouldn’t have pushed anyone out of my life, because I was just holding in my agony. My heart was hurting so bad. I didn’t know what to do. I was so confused.
My parents took me to see Cheri and that’s the way I found the Lord. It took a long time, but through hard times, she was there for me. No one has ever been there for me like that, and I finally found how to love someone so much for helping me find the Lord. Cheri has been so helpful. She has taken me on walks through the park saying the “Jesus Prayer,” and has taken me to get yogurt to make me feel better and not think about being hurt. We would even watch movies together, but we always precede each activity with one minute of the “Jesus Prayer.” She has shown me the way to the light of the Lord.
The “Jesus Prayer” is so helpful. All you have to do is take a spare minute of your day to just say “Jesus.” For three years, I have been saying this word and it has helped me through hard and good times. You can’t just say it for one day and think all your pain will go away. But just believe and trust me, this prayer will work.
I was pretty hopeless for a while and it was hard to keep on track with the “Jesus Prayer,” but I hung in there. I have found who I am. For a long time, I was wondering when I would be able to find the way back to the Lord. I still miss my sister and everyone else, but I need to move on. I will keep the memories in my heart forever. I know she’s here, but I just want to look in her eyes one last time and tell her “goodbye.” She was my best friend, and if you have ever lost anyone who has been your best friend, then you will never forget the memories. Never forget anything about them, because all of that will be in your heart forever. Don’t be selfish and try to hurt yourself; think of all your friends and all your family that love and will miss you. Think of the person that you have lost and what you went through. you don’t realize that you love the person so much until they are gone and are never coming back. I finally realized … finally.
Also, realize in your hearts that you will find the Lord someday. I did, and I’m never going to leave His side again. I know that I will someday see all the people I have been longing to see and I will someday see the Lord’s light. I hope you will, too, and we will all be together forever.
Andrea, age 17
Anne
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.””
Philippians 4:13
I guess that I am one of those “82-year-old kids” Cheri was referring to in her remarks. I have been a Christian all of my life, but through her ministry, I am learning new ways to pray. I have, for years, read my Bible and prayed daily. I mainly pray for members of my family, friends and acquaintances and world situations. However, several years ago, when Cheri introduced me to her forgiveness counseling, I truly learned how to forgive. It has been one of the most incredibly healing experiences of my life, as several relationships were not only restored, but were healed beyond my wildest dreams. This year I have learned, and been a daily practitioner of, the “Jesus Prayer.” By simply saying the name of Jesus repeatedly, for just one minute per day, I have had a physical healing of an ailment that has kept me in prison for almost ten years. Our God truly is an awesome God; He is interested in every part of our lives.
Anne
Widow, Mother, Grandmother and Secretary (Retired)
Cheri
Psalm 91: 9-12, 15:
“Because that hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. . . . He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.”
It was a beautiful spring morning. I felt like I had the world by the tail. I had just graduated from college the previous summer and had landed a job in a leading life insurance company. (I had also just “come back to the Lord” earlier that year, and was in the habit of eating breakfast out at one of my favorite restaurants, which I followed with my Bible reading and devotions, complete with my daily “Dear God” journal. I had had a few years’ rebellion from God after the death of my father when I was in college; it was foolish and immature, but, thankfully, it was short-lived.) Anyway, I had just had my hot, protein breakfast and inspirational readings for the day, and I felt like I could do anything. Little did I know, only minutes later, I would get the opportunity to do just that.
This particular day was most exciting: I had spent weeks preparing a slide show, with music, to begin selling life insurance to women’s groups. It was all but here—the big day I was to debut my slide presentation to my insurance agency, family and friends. I was shopping for last minute details, like the guest, sign-in book, etc. at a downtown, high-rise department store at about 10:00 a.m. the Thursday before my Saturday debut. After buying the last of my presentation materials, I took my purchases and walked to the parking garage, by way of the 4th floor walkway. Reaching the parking garage elevator, I pushed the elevator button to go to the level where I had parked my car.
It was probably about 11:00 a.m. by the time the elevator arrived, and I was impressed by how full the elevator was for a Thursday morning, but thought little more about it–I had so much to do to get ready for Saturday’s presentation.
But there, in the front of a nearly packed-to-the-limit elevator, I began to experience “the ride” of my life. Directly behind me was a young man. He was so close, due to the cramped quarters in the elevator; I could even smell him…and, hear his lustful, hostile comments to me behind my back. I decided to act as if I hadn’t heard him and just ignore him. I was repulsed—and scared—but I thought: “The elevator’s packed. You are certainly not alone. What in the world could he do to you here in broad daylight with all of these people surrounding you?” In the end, when the elevator doors finally opened and everyone began to exit, I remembered something I had learned in my college, entry-level psychology class: something about, to ignore someone is the height of rejection. So, I reasoned, perhaps, if I’d, at least, speak to him, I’d diffuse his anger. So, as I stepped out of the elevator, I looked back and said, “Have a nice day.”
I remember a certain sense of pride, as that seemed to work: He and everyone else in the elevator went to the parking garage entry on the right; I alone went to the entry on the left. As I approached my car, and was pulling out my keys, I thought how clever I had been to dodge him. But my gloating was short-lived….
Just moments after I had vacated the elevator, thinking that I had escaped the young man so cleverly, I had the surprise of my life. He evidently had circled back when he realized I had evaded him. So, right about the time I was unlocking the driver’s side of my Volkswagen and thinking all was clear, he apprehended me, grabbing me and pushing me down on my back on the front seat of my car to rape me. It was inconceivable. Here I was, in broad daylight, in a public place, having just had my morning prayers and devotions—and suddenly, I was facing death’s door—all, in a matter of minutes.
My response, initially, was to cry out for help. Each time, however, his grasp would get tighter, and he would paw more fiercely at my clothing and try even harder to kiss and maul me. Finally, realizing no one could hear me, I tried one last time to cry out to the God whom I had just written to in my morning devotionals: “My God, my God, Jesus, save me. Where are you? Remember me?”
His response at this was, “Shut your f_____ mouth or I’ll break your f____ neck.”
At that moment, the gearshift knob on my Volkswagen’s floor shift fell off, and piercing metal began to press through my clothing into the vertebrae in my lower back. At that point, I concluded: “Perhaps I ought to pray silently.” And, that was what probably saved me–having three choices. Knowing that I was facing life-threatening possibilities (simultaneously facing the overwhelming threat of being raped, having my neck broken, and lastly, having my back broken), I knew that I wanted no part of making the final choice. These were decisions only God should make. I was finally humbled to “let go and let God,” and, I guess, I peacefully decided to “escape” the horror by passing out.
When I finally awoke a few minutes later, a cool breeze was blowing over me. As I opened my eyes, disoriented, as if from a dream, I struggled to make some sense of where I was and why I was lying on my back on my Volkswagen’s front seat. Initially, I thought, “Oh yes, I was just being attacked; maybe, could I…have died?” But then, I thought, “But, it really didn’t hurt that much; if I did die, then death is far overrated.” And then, I thought, “But I could not have died, as I am still in my old Volkswagen.” And then, “I could not have been raped, as I am still wearing all my clothes.” And then, “So, what in the world has happened?” And finally, “Well then, where is my assailant?”
With this last thought, I suddenly was aware of a man sobbing outside my car. Although I was extremely weak and in a state of shock, I was able to pull myself out of my car and crawl out of my Volkswagen toward the sounds coming from approximately ten feet away.
There, on his knees, with a “cake cutter” bobbing in his Afro-style hair, was my assailant. I saw my assailant clearly for the first time: He was just a boy, not much over 20, and he was sobbing so uncontrollably, I knew that he had to have experienced a severe trauma. I crawled up to where he was kneeling and crying. “Sir,” I said, “Are you okay? Have you had a heart attack?” (It was the only explanation I could come up with for the abrupt change in his behavior.) “Would you like for me to call an ambulance?”
“No, ma’am,” was his reply. “But, your God, your God, He would not let me hurt you, and I am so sorry, I am so sorry….” With that his tears began to flow nonstop, like a fountain, onto the pavement.
Again, my response was that of a person in shock. But, in my state of shock, I felt that he had been disarmed, changed somehow, and I was deeply touched. I moved closer to him to find out exactly what he had experienced and, perhaps, to pray for him. My whole orientation had changed from being his victim to, in some strange way, being his caregiver.
I asked him some simple questions: “What is your name?”
He answered, “Michael.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
“Have you ever done anything like this before?”
“No, ma’am, you’re the first. I haven’t been raised this way; I come from good, Christian folk.”
“So, why did you do this today?”
“Because, ma’am, you see, I haven’t been living the way I should. I’ve been dealing drugs; and, well, you see, I owe my pusher man $60 grand tonight at dusk. And, well, I don’t have it, ma’am. He’ll kill me when he finds out I don’t have his money; and well, you’ll read about me in the morning paper.”
“Michael, are you sorry for the way you’ve been living?”
“Yes, ma’am, but it’s too late for me now.”
“Michael, you say you come from a good, Christian family. Do you have any family living outside of the Wichita area?”
“Yes, ma’am, I have some real good family down in Texas.”
“Well, Michael, is there any way you could go to live with some of them, until this all blows over?”
“Well, ma’am, that’d be nice, but you see, my pusher man knows everything about me: He knows my home, my friends, my car—everything. He’ll come after me and find me, and when he finds me, he’ll kill me; there’d be no way I could get out of town.”
“But, Michael, does he know MY car?”
“Well, no, ma’am, I didn’t even know your car until just a few minutes ago.”
“Well then, Michael, get back in my car; I’m taking you to the Greyhound Bus station: You’re going to Texas. Do you have enough money to buy a bus ticket to Texas?”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ve got that kind of money; just not $60,000.”
“Well, good, then; let’s go.”
With that, Michael, my would-be assailant, got back in my car. We headed down to Main Street to the bus depot. On the way, Michael made me pull over at a convenience/gas station to fill up my Volkswagen with gas; he said he felt he owed me a little something for the “inconvenience” (lucky for him, gas didn’t cost that much back then). We then drove the few remaining blocks down Main Street to the Greyhound Bus station. I pulled up to the bus station parking lot and let Michael out to go to the ticket office to buy his fare to Texas. I waited until he came out and motioned me which bus he’d be taking. I watched as he boarded his bus, and waved “goodbye.” I never saw him again…
But, for myself, I headed to find a church… any church would’ve probably worked. But, I just had to find some way to thank God for answering my prayers—beyond anything I could have ever hoped or dreamed.
Note: I later felt obligated to tell my “Michael Story” to my mother, as I soon developed “reactive hypoglycemia” from my stressful encounter. I had to seek medical attention, and then, I had to attend a diabetic clinic and alter my diet for about six months to a year; miraculously, I finally recovered fully. It was a small price to pay for my life.
So, my mother, of course, came to know of “my Michael.” Then, two years later, when she was attending a Sunday school class in a church in downtown Wichita, she came home with the most incredible story. (The Sunday school class, by the way, was accustomed to having “famous Christian speakers” on occasion, like Chuck Colson, and even Corrie ten Boom, and the like.) This particular Sunday, the “guest speaker” was a group of young people with Youth for Christ out of Texas, who had all been involved with various drugs before “finding Jesus.” There were about ten young persons in the group; each was given five minutes to share his/her testimony. The last speaker was a 23-year-old man, named Michael, who said that, due to the very personal way he had found Jesus Christ two years before in Wichita, KS, that he would not be comfortable in sharing his testimony while visiting in Wichita.
I may never know for sure, but in my heart, I just know that that man was “my Michael.” (I only wish, if it were possible, that he would communicate with me and let me know how he’s doing. I continue to wonder about him and to retell his story.)
Cheri
Teacher, Counselor and Devotee of the “Jesus Prayer”
Emily
“. . . Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”
Deuteronomy 30:6
The “Jesus Prayer” is the simplest truest prayer I know to rid myself of myself and enter into communion with the Living God. I myself am nothing, and, with the “Jesus Prayer,” I forget my own nothingness, rather praising, praying, rejoicing in Him. I adore the “Jesus Prayer” for its very simplicity; it is prayer itself. I cannot but dance for joy for Love of Him. My flesh is not my own. My heart is not of me. And only by transcending myself do I become most truly myself. I gladly give my heart to the Lord.
Emily, Age 18
Jim & Diane
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2
Cheri’s ministry has helped us to “turn our eyes” upon Jesus. When so much turmoil surrounds us in this ever-changing world, we have the great solace of focusing on Jesus. He is the answer. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. The Jesus prayer says it all from beginning to end. Jesus is all and the name above all names.
Our wish is simple and that is to constantly stay focused on Jesus. No matter what the trial, no matter what the joy, no matter what wishes or dreams do or do not come true, Jesus is right there with us every step of the way. Whatever prayer is said, faith in Jesus will bring the answer. Many answers to prayers have come and the answers have been so unique, they could not have been even thought of beforehand. Thank you, Jesus.
We have continued thankfulness for our dear family and friends and our continued good health. We pray for peace in the world. Our dreams are for our daughter and her husband to have a much-desired baby, for our son to meet and marry the right girl one day, have a family of his own, and find the fulfillment he is looking for as he moves to Houston to continue his higher education. We pray for all our loved ones to have good health, both physically and spiritually. We value family and pray that our families will remain strong and close for the remainder of our lives.
Jim and Diane
Husband, Father and Self-Employed Businessman
Wife, Mother and Secretary (Retired)
Judy
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct they paths.”
~ Proverbs 3:5 & 6
As a mother of a profoundly disabled child, my life took a different course than I had planned. I learned to be completely dependent on my Lord and Savior. Besides providing the wisdom, strength, and confidence to be a “nurse” to Amanda, God taught me how to love her unconditionally, (like He does all of us, undeserved, full of grace). Amanda had become my anchor to God. Because of my great need, she kept me humble and always seeking my Lord. Matthew 6:33 says, Seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. She was an answer to prayer. What a lesson on how God miraculously raises us above our circumstances and provides us peace and joy.
Raising a “special” child is a little like having planned, all your life, a fabulous vacation to Italy, You buy guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. After all your anticipation, you pack your bags, and off you go. For some reason you land in Holland instead. You must buy new books and learn a whole new language. It’s slower-paced and less flashy than Italy. But after a while, you catch your breath, look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, tulips, and even Rembrandts. Everyone else is busy coming and going from Italy, and talking about the wonderful time they had there. And the pain of that will always be in your memory, because the loss of that dream is very significant. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.
Everyone goes on their own “special trips” unique to you. Maybe you’re in the middle of one and you aren’t sure just how you’re going to make the journey. We have a loving God who wants to be your best friend. No problem is too big for Him! Matthew 7:7 says: “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it hall be opened unto you.” Jesus Christ wants an intimate relationship with you. He is waiting for you to be humble, dependent, and go to Him before anyone or anything else. Don’t let pride, self-sufficiency, or busyness keep you from experiencing the most beautiful, awesome “trip” you could ever imagine!
I’ve since embarked on another excursion with the Lord, dealing with my weight issues. That trip has been delayed, rescheduled, and even held over to the next flight, I think this will be mountain climbing somewhere. Anyone want to go along? I could use some companionship, a prayer support, someone to offer a rope when I feel like I’m slipping, and an occasional “You go girl!” It won’t seem quite so scary or hard if we have a climbing team. It might be a challenge, but what an exciting trip worth taking! Pray about it and let me know, (via this website through Cheri) so I can book you a seat on the flight! May our Lord renew your strength, stir up faith, and give you victory in your travels!
Lift the name of Jesus up, in praise and adoration. His name is powerful, higher than any other. Holy and awesome is His name!
Judy
Wife, Mother and Businesswoman
Mark
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:6
God blessed me with wonderful parents. Our home was full of love, encouragement, security, fun, sharing … I could go on and on. They’re example was one of honesty, integrity and purpose. We knew right from wrong. Church was a weekly destination. There was no spiritual food, but the buffets were unbelievable. Ozzie and Harriet would have been impressed. Mom was a college professor and my dad a counseling psychologist and a retired Navy Commander. Education was important … anything less than an “A” was “second class.” I knew I was going to be a success. I’ve never known a stranger and I love people.
Beware: The people we hang out with have everything to do with who we are. I hung out with the “cool crowd.” By the time I graduated from high school in 1968, I wanted to rock and roll. The next five years were full of drugs and … I forget what else. God definitely had plans for my life-and a normal hippie would have been six feet under.
In 1971, I backed into a two-year-old child, my best friend’s nephew, and he died. Even though I wasn’t at fault, I was devastated; and for the first time in my life I found myself praying for God to intervene and fix things.
I survived this tragedy and by 1973, God brought a beautiful wife into my life. My mom had been praying for a good woman to put my feet on the ground. By 1983 my life was pretty close to perfect. Good wife, good car, good house, good looks…. What else did I need? I was in control!
That year, after ten years of trying to have a family unsuccessfully, we adopted Amanda. Amanda was a special child with many, many problems-brain atrophy, seizures, a heart disorder, etc., etc. She’d never grow beyond a four-month-old mentally.
We didn’t know it, but she was the biggest blessing of our lives. That year we were asked to join a couples’ Bible study. I didn’t want to have anything to do with a Bible study … Christians were jerks, wimps, not to mention, two-faced. However, my wife told me some of the people in this Bible study had money and might buy some carpet from us. I felt a duty to God and country to, at least, try it out. We spent 13 weeks studying God’s Word…. Wow! I was totally blind, but God removed the scales from my eyes. (I Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”)
My life has changed. Big time. God used Amanda, a nothing in the world’s eyes, to help me see Him. I praise God! My problem was that my intellect and pride had blinded me to the Truth of God. Many of the prejudices and preconceived beliefs we hold onto are not based on any truth, but on what we heard from so and so. Don’t bet your eternal destiny on Dr. Phil’s opinion. God created us for fellowship and His glory. We all know the story of Adam and Eve and how they disobeyed God (sin) and the fellowship was lost. God is holy and can’t look upon sin, so He booted them out of the garden. Since we all are from Adam and Eve, we are born with this sinful seed and are born separated from God. So, here we are….
God created us for fellowship and we were born without it. Since God can’t look upon us because of our sinful nature, He comes up with a plan to enable us to get back into fellowship with Him. He sent Jesus, a perfect sacrifice to cover our sins, when we confess to God that we’re a sinner and want a relationship with him. (He tells us in Romans 10:9: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”) When we accept Jesus into our heart, His blood, shed on the cross, covers our sin; so when God looks at us, He doesn’t see sin … He sees Jesus (perfection).
Pretty cool, huh? This is His first purpose for us. Number two is to grow in our faith to become just like Jesus. A walking, talking reflection of Jesus. This takes commitment … it takes your life. It’s unbelievable…. Are you ready? He’s at the door, waiting for you to knock.
Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Mark
Husband, Father and Self-Employed Businessman
Marta
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
I Corinthians 13:13
I used to think you had to build yourself up to get love. I have always been driven from the outside … if there wasn’t something pressing, I’d find something. Whenever something was pressuring me, I’d cope by going to my strengths, rather than facing or dealing with my areas of weakness. To me, I guess, competition was a substitute for love.
I learned that I wanted more than competition; I wanted love. I finally got the courage to venture out. I found the most shocking thing: The people that were the most loving were the most simple. I envied them.
The basis of my conversion was that I had no tools in my repertoire to be decent. Being fair isn’t the same as being decent-decent entails sacrifice….
There is an art to this; it’s what makes it fun and satisfies the heart. It’s not about power or a power struggle; it’s about love….
It’s not about possessing oneself or others or possessions, it’s about being really present in your gifts of life to others and yourself – really being there 100%. I’ve found this to be the hardest thing – to be really present when you are making love, or coffee, or praying, or talking, or thinking – but, if you can achieve this, you will just come alive and everything around you will respond to your loving touch. It doesn’t mean you don’t fail or have a bad day; it’s just that the bad days don’t overwhelm you. Tomorrow’s another day. Take life in small slices and savor every bite.
The mind is always trying to balance things, to find equilibrium, to bring about balance, peace and satisfaction. This is scarcity thinking. The heart has no bounds and can make the most out of the smallest things, especially if given to Jesus, who multiplies all out of love. Christian abundance multiplies love and love has no bounds or boundaries. Each loving act leads to another and each will try to outdo the other instead of trying to capture it and possess it.
Marta
Wife, Mother (of four boys, Ages 11-19) and Stockbroker
Robert
“Be careful nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
My name is Robert. I am in the sixth grade and am 11 years old. I am the youngest of four boys. When I was less than a year old, my dad took me to the Boston Children’s Hospital where I was diagnosed with a disease that was so rare, there was not even a name for this condition. When I would get even a simple ear infection, my sugar level would go so low that the acid would build up very high as though I were being poisoned. My blood would become so toxic that the doctors and my parents were afraid the acid in my blood would attack my organs. Everybody just prayed for me that God would make a miracle and that I would grow up; He did. Through many people’s prayers, I was okay after 3-4 years.
My brothers pick on me a lot, except my oldest brother Chase who is away at college and takes me to movies with his friends when he comes home on breaks. My mom and I pray the “Jesus prayer” for my dad who drives trucks, as well as for my brothers, my grandmother, and other people. Once my brother Chase had worked for hours on his computer program and lost it. He could not find anything in the garbage bin of the computer and called us. We prayed the “Jesus prayer,” and when Chase got the nerve to turn his computer back on-there was his lost program. After that, Chase started calling us to pray for speeches and Calculus III tests. Chase even started getting A’s on his speeches. Maybe it was confidence in the “Jesus prayer,” or just knowing people love you and think about you and care enough to pray for you. Anyway, it helped my big brother Chase, and so he started taking me to movies on his breaks, even with his older friends.
When I grow up, I want to be a sculptor who makes things out of wood and rock and prays the “Jesus prayer,” like on the movie Joshua, which I like a lot. My mom is going to enroll me in sculpting classes so I can pray the “Jesus prayer” while I make things for people. I wish God would come back down and visit us like in the movie, but in the meantime, I will just say the “Jesus prayer” for one minute a day with my mom.
Robert, Age 11
Taylor
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. Andy every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beathest the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 
I Corinthians 9:24-27
Hello, my name is Taylor. I am 16 years old and I am a sophomore in high school. You could say I have grown up in the church because I have. Since day one my parents took me to church, and I knew who and what God was during my young childhood. I knew I needed to accept Him into my heart if I wanted to go to heaven when I died. I made that decision when I was six, but I was too young to really understand what that decision meant for my life. Some years later, when I was about 11 or 12, my family and I were watching a television concert by Carman called Halloween 3:16. During the show Carman held an altar call. They even had a number for people to call if they were watching it on TV. During the show I just felt really convicted that my life wasn’t totally committed to the Lord, so that night I recommitted my life to the Lord. After that, my life ran smoothly, until the year 2001.
On July 13, 2001, my sister Amanda died in the hospital at the age of 18. This was a really hard time for me. The only thing that helped me through this in one piece was my relationship with God. I knew that my sister was going from this world full of evil, corruption, greed, violence, and much more, to a world that was perfect. The month before my sister died, my parents and I started attending a new church. Since then, I have become good friends with everybody in the youth group. I have been asked to be on the teen leadership team by my youth pastor.
I know I don’t have one of those stories that has a life threatening illness and God heals me. Or, I didn’t turn from being a Satanist to a firm Christian, but my story is just as important. It shows what an everyday believer has to go through. Every day I live my life, there is always a temptation like smoking, drinking, sex, drugs, or shoplifting. I can’t help it; it is what a normal teen goes through. But, there is hope. In I Corinthians 10:13 it says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Temptations happen to everyone, so don’t feel you’ve been singled out. All you have to do is pray to God and ask Him for His help. John 16:24: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
I hope that if you are reading this testimony, or any others on this site, and you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, you will. Realize what wonderful things you have been missing out on. If any of these message do touch your heart, please let us know by emailing Cheri. If you are struggling, she would love to hear from you. It is said that whenever someone prays to accept Jesus into his heart, that the angels are dancing and singing in heaven in celebration of that person. I John 5:11-12 says: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
Taylor, Age 16
The Jesus Prayer Project 