Issue 2002 #3
THEME:
Telling Others
|
Barb Jenkins' Personal Testimony
From an early age in life I had a strong belief in God. My father died when I
was six and God drew very close to me. Yet, as I grew up I saw and felt pain
in and around me. I began to question, "If there really was a God why would He
allow pain and suffering and death?" So from my own pain I decided there
really couldn't be a God or He wouldn't let me hurt like I was. So for many
years I lived with this belief. I still hoped there was a God but in my life
and in the world around me I didn't see much evidence.
By now, I was married and had three children. We had just moved back to
Saskatoon. My neighbor, Linda, whom I had never met before came over. She talked
about God a lot as if He was personal and important to her. I liked her but I
thought she was a little excessive in her talk about God. One day she gave me
two books that were about to change my like. The books were Prison to Praise
and The Power in Praise by Merlin R Carothers.
I went home and began to read. Through these books God revealed to me my need
to be born again. I learned how Jesus had come and died for my sins and my
need to let Him come into my life. I knew that what I was reading was truth
and that I had a decision to make.
I hesitated with this decision because I knew I would need to change. Finally
I surrendered and asked God to come into my life and change me into the person He
wanted me to be. The day that changed my life forever was June 19, 1979.
What God taught me about Praise.
God knew how much I was going to need Him in the days ahead. Six months after
being saved my five-year-old son Jody was diagnosed with cancer.
I was about to have to put into practice in a big way
what I had learned from the books, Prison to Praise and The Power of
Praise, based on 1 Thess 5:18, about trusting and praising God through the
difficult things that happen to us.
With this new teaching and understanding from the Word, I was given the faith
to stand firm and trust God through this difficult time. As I walked the
hospital corridors I held onto my Bible as tightly as I could. I knew I would
have to keep my eyes and thoughts focused on God alone and not to fall into
fear. Satan would have loved me to fall.
As I was able to surrender my child into God's hands and trust Him, no matter
what the out come, I felt an incredible peace come over me. With this
surrender God intervened and I knew my son was going to live. He is now 28
years old and healthy in every way. To God be the glory, great things He has
done.
I was finally learning that God really can be trusted no matter what the world,
the devil or my own sinfulness can throw at me. God will have the victory no
matter what the outcome if I am willing to love and trust Him through it. Not
all things are good for us but God will use them all for good to those who
love Him. (Romans 8:28) For He has promised in Deuteronomy 31:6 "The Lord
our God goes with us He will never leave or forsake us." That's quite a
promise.
Editors Note:
Barbara Jenkins started volunteering at WTM this year. She is correcting the
Bible Enrichment courses.
Read Barb's account of the Cyclathon
Read Mark's Story
Prayer of Supplication by Mark Jenkins
|
