A
true testimony of the power of healing and forgiveness
God spoke to me one day when I was locked away in the
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being diagnosed with cancer. I was a drug
addict and was far from God.
I
was brought up in a Christian home. My father was and still is A pastor, and
every morning he would faithfully have devotion with us and would give us an
opportunity to share on the scriptures. My mom and dad tried to bring me up
to do the right things in life, but I refuse to follow my parents rules.
When I
was twelve years old I started smoking and clubbing, following the wrong
crowd. I found myself starting to sleep on the street, at friend’s house. My
father would talk and use the rod but it went through one ear and out the
other and as soon as the pain of the spanking wore off I would go again. My
Dad got worried so many times and deep down I knew that he loved me but I
just wanted to have my own way.
At the
age of sixteen I became pregnant and I now have a beautiful young lady but
it was not easy. In spite of the hardship I faced that did not change me,
instead I got worst. From then on, I committed one crime/sin after another.
I started on drugs and to feed my habit I began to steal from my family. I
pawned my family’s jewelry and one time I even stole my mom’s rent money
and I knew that was all she had.
It is
just God’s mercy that I was not killed, I can remember many time I would
smoke and live my life and I would just look up and say “God have mercy”
don’t let me die in my sin! I knew if I died, where I would spend eternity.
The memory of all my childhood bible stories stayed in my heart. Sometime
the thought of suicide crossed my mind, but then I would think of the place
call HELL!
One day I was minding my own business forgetting there was a God
and only to find out that I was diagnosed with cancer. But some where in
heaven, Jesus, the friend of all sinners, who came that sinners would come
to repentance, was looking down on my broken and contrived heart. In-spite of my
condition he knew that I needed help and sincerely wanted to do
the right thing.
I
remember waking up in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and I knew that I had to
surrender my life totally to God. I wanted the peace and happiness that
others had. If you wanted to know about heartache, pain, misery, anger and
hatred, I can tell you or even write a book about it.
I
came out of the Hospital one Thanksgiving morning and went to Bethany
Deliverance Church of God in Christ (Pentecostal) where my father is the
pastor and knelt at the alter. I remember saying “Lord if you save me, my
life belongs to you” then I sang the song that I loved so much, “Like a ship
that was tossed and driven, like a morning angry sea, when the storms of
life are raging and the fury follow me, Lord I wonder what I’ve done to make
this race so hard to run; but I say to my soul don’t worry the Lord will
make a way some how.” I surrendered and the Lord saved me and gives me an
everlasting peace of mind and removed all pain, anger and misery. For days,
I just went about just being thankful and trying to be a living testimony of
what God’s grace and mercy can do. After years of being on drugs I've never
went to rehab and thank God for his healing power I am cancer free.
I am forgiven by all of those that I have offended, but most of all by the
one that can destroy both body and soul. God delivered me from all my sins
and bad habits that had me bound about 4 years now I was set free. He took
the shackles of chains that had me bound of my feet. Now I know the power of
forgiveness. If God did
it for me, he will, do it for you, just give him a chance.
For God so loved the world that he give his only
begotten son that who so ever believeth in him should not perish but
have everlasting life. John 3:16
Lafleur Durrant
Pastor Cecil Durrant has a thankless job;
In many different ways;
He get s lot of helpful hints, But get so little praise!
The time he has
is not his own```
He's not like other men;
right when he thinks some time is his
there ring that phone again!
Someone is sick or needs advise, and asks for him to call
And as God's man they know he'll come, and hardly minds at all.
The wisdom of King Solomon, is all he needs each day;
to lead his flock and keep them safe, from Satan's cunning ways!
like Jesus prays for his sheep~~~
Prays faith will never dim;
But when we lift our prayers to god,
How many prays for him?
So let's be faithful to that one, who helps us day by day
Let's not forget our man of God;
When we kneel down to pray.
By Bethany Deliverance Church Youths
