Brittany, Carolyn, Cliff, Lucille and Doug share their testimony in this issue of The Spirit Lives Ministries Newsletter. There are currently 102 testimonies on the www.TheSpiritLives.org website! 

Brittany, Carolyn, Cliff, Lucille and Doug share their testimony!

Also, in a previous newsletter (Deuteronomy Issue), a Christian told us about something she did that resulted in her deep depression lifting that same day. In this issue, we learn that Carolyn did the exact same thing. The result: Carolyn felt like "Stone Mountain had been removed" from her shoulders.
 
Cliff explains that he used to be a "bungee cord Christian", trapped in a recurring cycle of spiritual failure. Cliff tells us about the greatest thing he learned which enabled him to walk the Christian walk. He also credits his wife Betty's (II Kings Issue) acceptance of Christ in 1995 as helping to draw him closer to God. 

Many times in the Old Testament, God communicated with His people through visions and dreams. Does this still take place today? In the Genesis Issue, a Christian told us of Jesus' dramatic appearance during his dream one night. In this issue, Lucille tells us of Jesus' appearance in her dream. Lucille learned that the three babies in her dream represent the three classes of people in this world.

Doug had been pursuing his goal of becoming an Admiral in the U.S. Navy. In mid-August of 1971, in response to Doug's prayers, God spoke loudly. A year later Doug was no longer in the Navy and was following God's plan. Do you know God's plan for your life?

We hope that you will be blessed, as we have been, by the testimony of each of these five Christians!

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 1:6 (NIV)

To send us your testimony, use this link ! 

My name is Brittany. Well, um, I’ve only ever given my testimony one other time. I’ve been raised in a Christian home, and my dad is a youth minister. I went through really rebellious years in middle school, but my eighth grade summer, I went back to Red Bird, Kentucky, and really met God.

We had to stay back at the camp and clean up one day, and I was in a really bad mood. Basically all the girls ended up in this huge cat fight, and they confronted me. We got in to a deep discussion and I told them that I wasn’t saved. I had gone to confirmation, but my life had never changed.

That night the power went out and we had a candlelight service. I felt God really touching me, and that night I surrendered my whole life to Christ. Ever since then my life has been so much better. All my relationships have improved, with my family and my friends. I am no longer depressed and am on fire for my Lord and Savior!

Hi, my name is Carolyn and I have an almost 24 year old son. I’ve attended Sunday school since I was 6 months old and at the age of 7, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Unfortunately, I didn’t grow much in my Christian walk as a child or teenager and as a result I strayed away from the Lord in my early 20’s. I became one of those young people who thought they knew everything and a few years later I found out I knew practically nothing.

During the years I was away from the Lord, I ran around with people I shouldn’t have, went places I shouldn’t have and stopped going to Sunday school and church. Every Sunday morning I would feel extremely guilty.

God never ceased loving me and He wanted me to stop what I was doing and turn my life back over to Him. After a few years, I finally dropped to my knees in my bedroom and asked Him to forgive me. Then I understood what people meant when they said they felt like Stone Mountain had been removed from their shoulders.

Last year when Life Action came to our church I saw so much of what I needed to change in my life and I drew closer to the Lord. In the past few weeks during the 40 days of Purpose, God has spoken to me and showed me again what I need to change and I love Him more than I ever have and want to serve Him in whatever way he wants me to.

My name is Cliff. I went to the altar about the age of 13. Asked Jesus into my heart about the same time I started playing guitar. For the next 28 years I called on God only when I needed Him, a “bungee chord” Christian, if you will. I was also a victim of the “performance treadmill”. When I would come back to God due to a problem in my life and He would answer my prayer I would try to live a perfect life only to fail. Then I would give up and go back to a life of sin.

I started playing guitar in bars and clubs at the age of 18 for 6 years straight. I took the talent that God gave me to serve the devil.

Approximately 8 years ago, in 1995, Betty got saved and I got interested in having a relationship with God again. We started riding motorcycles with some Christian bikers and began attending church. I learned about the awesome Grace of God that if I were to fall all I had to do is confess, repent and get back up. This was the greatest thing I had ever learned to enable me to walk the Christian walk.

On August 15, 1997 my daughter, Jaime, had a premature baby at 26 weeks in pregnancy. He weighed 1lb 13 oz. His lungs didn’t work and had a level 2 brain hemorrhage. That night I told God that if He would make this baby whole I would serve Him for the rest of my life. Avery is now 6 years old in the first grade and is perfectly healthy.

One Sunday at church I heard that still small voice say that I would play my guitar for Him. I looked over at Betty and said, “God wants me to play my guitar”. She looked back at me confused and said, “now?” So I dusted off my guitar and I formed a small family band with Betty on the drums, her son, Johnny, on bass, her son, Ramon, on keys and our dear friend, Kathy (Katfish) Evans, singing vocals. As the years went on the band matured, members changed and we’ve evolved into the band we are today. I find it a great honor that God has let me use my guitar that I used to play in smoke filled, disgusting bars to play Praise and Worship, lift up the saints and reach the lost in His mighty name.

My name is Lucille. I live in Michigan. I am out of a family of 12 children. My parents didn’t teach us children about salvation or being born again. They were good moral parents. When I growed up I got married at the age of 18 to a man that knew something about God. He took me to a church in West Virginia where people worshiped God and praised the Lord. I desired the joy I seen manifest in those people the first time I went but I didn’t know how to get it. I kept going to church. One night in a revival meeting I went to the altar. I didn’t know how to pray. I didn’t know what to say. But the Lord helped me. I said Lord if you will save me I will serve you. I didn’t know how to receive the Lord. I kept going to church and to the altar, I wanted to get saved so bad but I didn’t know how. The last time I went to the altar to get saved, Jesus truly came into my life that night. May 29th 1947. He forgave me all my sins and set me free.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says "old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." My whole life became new that night. We lived in a coal camp. We had prayer meetings about every night there. Then someone told me about the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. When anyone told me about anything God had in store for me, I wanted it. I started going to the altar seeking God to baptize me with the Holy Ghost. I was willing to die on the altar for that great powerful blessing and the Lord filled me there. That is such an experience to receive a baptism of power. That power and anointing has sustained my life all these years, praise God. Matthew 3:11 (John said) I indeed baptize you with water...but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. ( * More scripture on baptism with power, John 20:22 & Acts 2:1-4)

I growed in the Lord. I learned the Holy Ghost is a leader, a teacher and a guider into the ways of all truth and the truth will make you free. It did me and still does.

Later on in my life I read Psalms 37:4. It says "delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I had such a desire for Jesus to come and talk with me. I would leave puddles of tears on the floor begging Him to just come and talk with me. It didn’t matter what He would say I just wanted Him to come and talk with me. One night after midnight in the early hours Jesus took me into a deep sleep. He showed me and my family living in a 5 room log house. I had 3 little babies. One was dead, one was alive and one was almost dead. I had them babies all rolled up in a big blanket to keep them warm. My daughter Jannie was a small child and I had her laying in bed with them babies. All of a sudden Jesus come through the door. He didn’t open the door He come through it. He was bare footed and had a white gown on with big sleeves. His hair was shoulder length and His eyes were so full of compassion I couldn’t help but stand and look in His eyes. When He come through the door them babies come alive. He and I walked through the house together and never uttered a word. But when we got in the last room there was no furniture in that room but it was spotless. We walked out into the middle of the floor. I stood facing Him. With my right hand I took His right hand. I kissed His hand and then set down on the floor like a little child and folded my legs. I looked up at Him and said: Jesus since you are here in person I want you to tell me how to live a close Christian life. He had the Bible on His left hand and He read to me out of the book of St. John. Then He gradually vanished out of the room. Then I stepped down into the kitchen. I met my son Bennie. He was about 8 years old. I said to him: Them babies are not dead, they’re alive. They came alive when Jesus come through the door. After I waked up from that visitation I pondered them babies in my heart because in real life I didn’t have 3 babies. Jesus told me the meaning of them babies. He said: There are 3 classes of people in the world. There’s a dead class, a lukewarm, and alive, and the instant the people will open their hearts and let me come in they will come alive.

He don’t force Himself on no one. Whosoever will, let him come to Jesus and He will give eternal life to who comes and asks Him to come into their hearts. Jesus don’t turn no one away, He’s so full of Mercy and love.

My husband and I have 10 children which 5 of them are mentally impaired. At one time I had 4 in diapers. 3 of them were on bottles. They didn’t have Pampers back then. We have 3 of these children at home here. They are adults. They are like little children living in adult bodies. We have to bathe & wash their hair. 2 of them feed themselves & go to the bathroom. One of them is 50 years old; she can’t set alone nor stand alone, nor walk. She is like a 2 months old baby. She knows her name. She has never talked. The other 2 can’t carry on a conversation but can tell me what they want. We take them to church all the time. They enjoy church. My husband & I have been married 59 years, I am 77, he is 81. The Lord knew what my journey was ahead of me, but I had no idea. If I hadn’t of gotten saved and Baptized with the Holy Ghost in the beginning I could never stood up under the pressure of life that I have been through. Jesus Christ has been my life, my joy, and my peace...my strength through it all. Anyone that don’t have the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, I’d advise you to seek for it. You receive it by loving and worshiping Jesus. He is the Baptizer. You receive power after the Holy Ghost comes upon you. I’m so glad I learned about such a powerful blessing.

I pray my testimony will bless whoever reads it and cause you to draw neigh to God and be open to Him to receive from Him. God bless you. 

There is not enough space to tell all that God has done for me all the years I’ve known Him personally.

My name is Doug. I was not born or raised in a Christian home. My family did seek to faithfully attend our family church, where I was baptized as a baby and confirmed into membership of the church. These rituals made me, I was told, “a good Christian boy.” My life in the years to follow would bear out the fallacies of that statement: I was neither good nor truly Christian. As a teenager, I endeavored to excel in academics and sports, but I also had to be “where the action was” having a good time. The older I became, the more I entered into the lifestyle of my beloved parents. My dad and mother were both employed in the sale of alcoholic beverages, dad as a bartender and mother as a waitress. Our family life centered around their business life. So for me, it was consistent with what I knew to practice a lifestyle of “eat, drink and be merry.”

Upon entrance into the U.S. Naval Academy, I was subjected to a rigorous, regimented lifestyle that required much discipline mentally and physically. In most respects, it obliterated my normal social life as I had lived it to that point in my life. When I could get away, I followed the path of “wine, women and song.” This was even truer following graduation and my years as a bachelor officer.

My second year at the Academy was noteworthy in one respect relating to my spiritual journey. I roomed with an outstanding born-again Christian, the first one I ever knowingly encountered. While I admired him for his convictions and assurance of salvation, I was not ready to abandon my pursuits to seek after what he possessed. Thankfully, what I saw in him never left me.

Once Leslie and I met and married, I was committed to settling down. I began to question if what I had by way of “religion” was adequate. During my sixth year of naval service, I was standing duty with a young enlisted man that I knew to be one of those “born-again Christians.” We entered into a conversation, and he presented the plan of salvation. I immediately knew that I wanted what he shared as the Holy Spirit brought conviction to my heart. On the spot, I committed my life to the Lord Jesus and a complete radical change in my life began taking place. Within two months, upon seeing my changed life and realizing her spiritual need, Leslie received Christ and we both became “fanatics” to our friends and family. We found a Baptist church to attend and soon we were baptized and became church members. We were at church every time the doors were open: for worship, Sunday School, Training Union, Wednesday night services and outreach visitation. We were “new creatures in Christ” and in love with the Lord.

Within six months of my conversion, I became unsettled about my naval career goals of one day being an Admiral and began to pray about whether God was calling me to the gospel ministry. In mid-August 1971, God spoke as loudly as I have ever heard Him speak, telling me that I was indeed under His call to leave the Navy and become a minister of the gospel. A year later upon resigning my Navy commission, our then family of four headed for Southwestern Seminary where I would pursue study for ministry. I was like a sponge during those years as I had such a large learning curve regarding the Christian life and life in the church. It was all so new and wonderful as I grew in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior.

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