[Faith-talk] FW: [thefamilyoffaith] Delivered from the Hurt of Abuse

[Eric Calhoun]

David and list, I cannot keep this to myself.  I hope someone is ministered
by this testimony.  Any comments, Linda?


Original Message: 
From: "Joe Diaz" <revjoe2701 at comcast.net>
To: "?? Joe Diaz ??" <philippine_dude1947 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [thefamilyoffaith] Delivered from the Hurt of Abuse
Date: 
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:38:25 -0800 (Pacific Standard Time)

 Sheila's Testimony

 

Delivered from the Hurt of Abuse and the Scars of Sin

 

My Testimony of God's Amazing Grace

 

Before I begin my testimony I feel it is important to give you some
information on my childhood, so you will be better able to understand some
of the decisions I made in my life, however stupid they may have been. But
every decision I have made during my lifetime good or bad is what has
brought me to where I am now and I am very thankful for the mountains and
the valleys.

 

When I was born my mother was only fifteen years old and now years later
and
after I went through the process of forgiving her and working through
many
things, I am now able to look at her life through her eyes to try to
better
understand how she must have felt. Someone gave me this advice when I was
really struggling with all of this, I was told that maybe I could forgive
easier if I try to see her life through her eyes and not the eyes of a
hurt
child, you know what, it worked, I can understand her more clearly now.
She
was not mature enough to take care of herself much less a baby. So she
would
send me here and there to whomever would willing to take me at that
particular time, most of the time it was my grandmother, several times
throughout my life she would decide that she wanted me back and she would
come and uproot me again. I never really knew any stability in my life and
I
always felt as if no one really loved me or wanted me.

 

Then at the age of nine she came and got me and took me away from my
grandmother which, really at this point of my life, was the only mother I
had ever known and I was very attached to her. Anyway, my mother came and
took me to Illinois where she lived, by this time she had remarried and
she
had two more children by her new husband. He hated me and the only reason
I
could figure out was simply that I was not his child. Now this was not my
fault, although I did blame myself for many years. He started just
physically abusing me, but at the age of nine that changed, he raped me
and
this abuse went on until I was thirteen and I finally told my mother, she
didn't believe me, actually no one believed me. Finally I just let it drop
and I buried all of those feelings of anger and hate for years, that has
now
all been dealt with and forgiven and now it is all under the precious
blood
of Jesus, Praise God. I told my mother that I wanted to go back to
Memphis
to live with my grandmother and she consented just because she felt I was
causing so much trouble and she did not want to be bothered.

 

Now my grandmother was now also remarried and I resented him for taking
her
away from me too. You must remember I was only a child and I felt like
she
was all I had and now I had lost her too. I was very hateful to him and
caused so many problems, he was very kind and loving to me but I just
could
not accept what he was offering to me. My grandmother finally after a
long
struggle went to the courts and told the judge that I was out of control
and
they just could not handle me any longer, so they removed me and placed
me
in a foster home, the home I went to was wonderful, but at that time I
could
not see things clearly, all I could see was that the only person who
should
love me had now turned her back on me as well, I just wanted my
grandmother
so, I ran away. The courts then really called my bluff, so as a ward of
the
State of Tennessee I was placed in a Catholic all girls reform school for
three and a half years. Now as I look back, I can honestly say it was one
of
the best things that ever happened to me. But at that time all I could
see
was that I was totally alone, unloved and unwanted in this great big
world.

 

Now I will jump ahead some. In 1987 I lost my three children to their
father
and I totally lost it. I turned heavily to alcohol and eventually that
turned into crack and cocaine. By this time I had lost everything
including
my dignity as I had turned to prostitution to support my drug habit. I
was
arrested several times on various charges, but I was never convicted and
I
never served any time, I know that God was taking care of me even back
them
in my sin, He saw what I would be one day in Him. I give GOD all the
PRAISE,
HONOR AND GLORY for all that I am today and all that I will be.

 

The drugs and my roaming had taken me to many places but on December 20,
1990 I came across a man that told me about Jesus and how He could deliver
me and make my life an example to others. I had not eaten in a couple of
days and he asked me if I was hungry, so he took me to a restaurant and
bought me something to eat. The entire time he shared about Jesus Christ
with me. He told me Christ could and would set me free if I was willing,
and
how He (Jesus), would give me a new life without all the pain and turmoil
I
was living in. Of course being a Christian does not eliminate us from
pain,
trials and tribulation but with Christ in our hearts He will give us the
strength to overcome and withstand even in the worst times. I began
sharing
my life story with this man and he still said Jesus is the answer, and
boy
was he right. Right there I gave my heart to the Lord and I decided to
live
for Him and serve Him for the rest of my life.

 

I had been singing for many years and I had destroyed my voice through
drug
abuse, I just abused the gifts that God had given me. So I prayed and
told
the Lord that if He would heal and restore my voice I would use this gift
for His glory for the rest of my life. Now, God has done exceedingly and
abundantly above all that I could ask or think. The songs that I sing and
others that I have written they are all His I am only an instrument
holding
the pen. It does not matter where you are, Christ will come to you and
meet
you if, you are willing to let your life go and let Him be God of and in
your life.

 

I have had so many miracles in my Christian life as I am a walking
miracle
myself. One of these miracles really stands out to me and I would like to
share this with you as well. About four or five years ago I was diagnosed
with an incurable bowel condition, the doctors were not real sure what it
was exactly, but they had come to the conclusion that with ulcers all
through my body and many in my bowel system, they said they wanted to do
surgery and remove some of the bowel. My reply was that I wanted to get
prayer for this and that I believed that God was going to heal me and I
will
not need the surgery at all. They went ahead and scheduled me for another
scope the following week, just a few days after Christmas. Then on
Christmas
Eve I placed a long distance call to a minister friend of mine and asked
him
to pray for me, he said no problem but he would need to call me back in a
few minutes. While waiting for him to call back I got about ten bibles and
placed them opened on the floor in a circle and one opened in the middle
of
the circle. When he called me back I knelt on the bible in the middle and
said, "pray". When he prayed for me the fire of God hit me and went
through
me, I had such a peace come over me. I went over to my bed and fell
asleep
(now Adam was put into a deep sleep in Genesis when God removed the rib
to
create woman) God did the same for me as I lay there sleeping He
performed
surgery on me to heal my body. I slept for seventeen hours and when I
woke
the bleeding had stopped and so had the pain, I knew without a doubt that
I
was healed by the precious hand of the Master. I was on about $400.00
worth
of medicine a month and I went into the kitchen and threw it all in the
trash. I did go back for the scope when I was scheduled and the doctors
were
amazed there were no ulcers anywhere and I just praised God for His
healing
power.

 

I am now an ordained minister and I am married to a wonderful man who is
also a minister. We know God has put us together for a ministry and we are
enjoying serving the Lord together. I am now a southern gospel
singer\songwriter. The Lord has blessed me and I will continue on this
road
He has placed me on for my desire is only to serve Him. I will

travel anywhere I am invited to give my testimony or to sing or both. God
is
wonderful and it is to His glory that I am writing this, if one soul is
reached in any way then this is worth everything.

 

Again I cannot stress enough that this is for the glory of God that I am
here and that my life is what it is today, for without Christ we are
nothing
 but through Him we are joint heirs with Him. He is our Deliverer,
Savior,
Helper, and Healer and any problem we may have is

never too great for Him to help us, we just have to take it to Him and
leave
it at His feet and in His care. I thank God for His power is still
healing,
still saving and still delivering. He is good all the time. I have made
my
mistakes but His grace is sufficient. God loves us and if we truly repent
and confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.

 

If we can help anyone out there, please contact us at the information
provided below and we will do our best to help in any way we can. If you
have questions about loved ones who may be on drugs or other addictions we
will try to answer your questions, if we do not know we will do our best
to
find the answer for you. If you have loved ones that you need prayer for
we
will gladly join you in agreeing for that person for the Kingdom. Please
always remember we are human and we will make mistakes but just confess to
God those mistakes and get them under the blood of Jesus as soon as
possible
 God still loves us and He will help us in all of our situations.

 

GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU ALL. I GIVE FULL PERMISSION TO ANYONE WHO CAN USE
THIS TESTIMONY TO COPY IT AND GIVE IT OUT OR SHARE IT PUBLICALLY BUT
PLEASE
GIVE ALL THE GLORY AND PRAISE TO GOD. THANK-YOU YOUR BROTHER AND SISTER
IN
CHRIST JESUS.

 

Jerry & Shelia Holcomb

326 A. C. R. 155

Palestine, Texas 75839

Or you may email us at:

rainbow at imws.net


 

Dean Masters, owner of the Masters List

 

I personally know someone who is literally older than dirt.

If you would like to meet him ask me to introduce you.

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/masterslist