Bronze | Silver | Gold | |
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Apostle |
26
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Disciple | |||
Evangelist | |||
Teacher |
57
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21
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Here is my story: I was saved by the blood of the Lamb 3.5 years ago after many long years in poverty and deteriorating life situations through which the Holy Spirit walked with me. I lived most of my life a very sordid and sin-full life. I believe God's hand was involved in my life even then as my pride remained intact. This was done in order to humble me enough that I would hear His call because before that, a "career woman" working in loneliness and desperation, I was prideful, stubborn, ego-centric, and a hidden drug addict. I thought I knew it all (being an educated woman), could do it all (being a liberated woman), and if I just tried hard enough (being a stubborn/determined woman), I could change my life (from many bad choices and lack of self-worth). But what I didn't realize was that satan had taken a stronghold in most aspects of my life, and I was lost and only Jesus could save me, and He did! Halleluyah! I thank the Good Lord above for never giving up on me and continuing to call me for many years, even though my pervasive sin made His call a mere whisper. Our God is faithful, always. Originally from Toronto, I returned to University at 40, so I could begin to fulfill my one true dream: to write for stage and screen. I worked in both fields, but never satisfactorily, and moved to Vancouver 6 years ago. Before that I was a diehard advocate, worked with the mentally ill, HIV/AIDS persons and abused women and children. As a result of my emotional and financial struggles, I came to Vancouver for a 'new start', but the reality was I moved here to remove the burden I was becoming to my friends in my poverty and deteriorating physical and mental health in order to die alone. With my new eyes and mind and heart in Christ, I now know that the Lord drew me here, and walked me through the first 3 very difficult, isolating years in order that I would find Him finally. God truly is in control! Jesus transformed me from a hopeless drug addict into a drugless hope addict! I now see things and life SO differently and live accordingly. I hope to continue to write God-inspired works. While I am physically d-is-able-d with osteoarthritis and several other serious health challenges, including COPD, and am battling breast cancer at present, I have complete faith the Lord will heal me in His time. Either way though, it is His will not mine where I live these days. I remain as involved with my church and my neighbourhood as possible because ultimately, God-is-able when I am not. I live in the DTES (Downtown Eastside) of Vancouver, the poorest neighbourhood with the highest rate of homeless and drug addicted in North America, where God brought me to humble me sufficiently to find Him, and I did! He also lead me to live among women who battle drug abuse, prostitution, mental health and homelessness challenges in order to be His arms and legs with them, and I am! But I also believe He brought me here to teach me to throw off my perception of life certainties that had deluded me for so long, and to give me some major trials in order to strengthen me, so I could meet Him in a new and deeper way, and I have! Praise be to God! I had lived in this very difficult place in the DTES for 2 years and when it got too much for me, physically and emotionally, the Lord answered my prayers, and in September 2015 gave me a beautiful new home - a place of COMFORT and renewed independence. Yet I know that these trials the Lord placed in my path were to strengthen my faith, to test it and to allow me to find Him in a deeper, more palpable way, and I did! On so many fronts I feel SO blessed! My mornings - every morning - are spent praying, with devotions to the Lord, reading scripture so I can grow in my faith which is the most important thing in my life now. Jesus is my Everything. This is absolutely the best part of my day and I am blessed to be able to have this available time with Him. May God bless you and keep you safe in His righteous right hand, now and always. If you don't know the Lord as yet I have but three simple words of advice: SEEK JESUS NOW. AND FORGIVE those who have harmed you ... not doing so only causes YOU harm. LOVE. NEVER. FAILS. We were made by God for God, and until we realize that, nothing in this life will make any sense whatsoever. LORD, REMIND ME OF WHO YOU ARE. He is the visible image of the invisible God. He is the firstborn of all creation. He is the One by whom everyone and everything else were created. He is the One for whom it was all created. He is the One who holds all things together! He is the head of the Church. He is the beginning. He is the dwelling place of all the fullness of God. LORD, REMIND ME OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE. He reconciled all things to Himself. He reconciled you to Himself! He reconciled me to Himself! He made peace through the blood of His cross. The Holy One who possesses all the glory of God stretched out His body of flesh to become the Way that brings us back to the Father. ONLY AT THE CROSS OF JESUS WILL WE SEE THE FULL WEIGHT OF OUR SIN. Only at the Cross will we see the full height of His glory. Only at the Cross will we grasp the full joy of our salvation. At the Cross we see clearly what is TRUE. Amen.
As a born again Christian, at 56, I see the world SO differently now. I can...