As I mentioned in my brief intro, my dad left mom before I was born. So I know what it’s like not to have your own father to grow up with. Shortly after the war mom remarried and brought me to Connecticut to live with my new stepfather. Yet, somehow it just wasn’t the same as having your real father with you. Something always seemed to be missing. I always wanted to know what my real dad looked like, but for some reason mom didn’t want me to know. It wasn’t until fifty-six years later when I received a picture of mom and dad together which helped to fill that inner void present in my life. While growing up during my childhood experiences I would more or less have to say “was like the average everyday person” with one exception which had a great effect on my early life and in growing up through the teen years; that was when I had more than 70% of my body burned due to a blowtorch explosion. This was a nightmare that would linger on for over a year. Back then they didn't have the modern technology available as they have today. If you had seen me, I looked like an Egyptian mummy from waste up, with openings for my eyes, nose, and mouth only. That night upon entering the hospital my mom was told my chances for survival wasn't good, especially after lapsing into a coma and remained that way for three weeks before coming out of it. As I look back now on those days of tremendous pain beyond the expression of words, God’s (Yahweh) grace and mercy was with me, especially when I didn’t even know who He was and it wouldn’t be years later before I became saved. During this period of recovery many thoughts ran through my mind such as: What kind of future was I going to have? How would I face the world if I was all scared up? Many thoughts like this keep crossing my mind during the recovery time, even to a point that I just want to die. But not knowing then, my Heavenly Father had other things in mind. Thank Him for that. After spending six months in the hospital, and with one more year of recovery; I was almost back to normal with just a few scares to show for it which were mostly hidden. I went on to finish and graduated high school. A little over two years after graduating I meet my wife to be, and in six months we were married. That was in 1962, and in the next 9 years we would have seven wonderful children who are all grown up now and some with children of their own. In the first ten or eleven years of raising up the children one would have to say that we were not what you would call church going people, accept on special occasions. However, we did believe in some sort of Supreme Being, but not knowing what or who He was. But that would all change in time to come. In 1973, while working as a rubbish collector, which I had been doing for ten years, something extraordinary was to take place in my life. It was early summer of that year when Yahshua Messiah (Jesus) came to visit me in a vision while working. Yes! Things like this still happen today. Here I was in the middle of the town dump unloading my truck and all of a sudden here I am on my knees with Yahshua (Jesus) hovering above in front of me. The presents of some unknown power, unknown to me at that time had me on my knees. As I was kneeling there we began to have a conversation which seemed to last forever. We talked about many things. But, the one thing that stands out the most which I didn’t completely understand then was when He said: “You have been picking up the earthly trash of others, now I'm here to pickup all of your's.” Wow! Did I have a lot, as He began to point them out, which I had never realized was holding me in bondage. There are still many things that need to be worked out today. He works with us one step at a time. So don’t you be in a hurry when He might visit you in some way, Rome wasn’t build it a day as they say. Just do the very best that you can do, day by day. He appeared to me everyday over the next few weeks, I would leave in the morning to go to work and become so caught up in talking with Him, before I knew it the day was over. I'd have to stop and think, did all the stops get picked up? That's how caught up I was with Him. Then one day a piece of paper fell on the ground out of a can that I was emptying. As I picked it up something caught my eye. In reading it there was reference to a ten day crusade in St. Louis, Mo. I didn't give it much thought at the time, but I saved that paper and put it on my desk at home. That piece of paper was like some sort of magnet as I was drawn to it many times over the next few weeks. One day while reading it again, a voice said: “This is where I want you to go.” My first reply was, “But we don't have the money so I can make the trip, with all the kids and things.” Again! I heard “This is where you are to go” with authority in the voice this time. I perceived this voice to be Yahshua speaking, a continuation of our other conversations that we had had. So I made this commitment to Him; “If You provide or show me the way to get the money, I'll go. Well! Much to my surprise He did. And I'm sure glad today that He did. I'm not going into all the details on or about the crusade, other then to say this; “it was a Billy Graham Crusade and on the third day there, I went forward publicly accepting Yahshua (Christ) into my life.” From that day forward, things have never been the same. A whole new life began to develope, and day by day things continued to change. Not only in my personal habts, but a constant renewing of the mind was taking place concerning things of the Bible. Knowledge and a new understanding poured forth from the pages of the Bible like being hit by an ocean wave. All I needed now, was the wisdom to use all of this. Many exciting and new doors have been open for me since I began to study the Bible and they can be open to you also, if you listen to that wonderful voice when it calls upon you. That voice may even come through another person, so always be ready to accept that opportunity. For a period of time I was led into having a radio ministry, an in home Bible study, and now I am able to share with you what I have learned in my own journey in life here on the web. There are so many personal experiences that I could share with you, and will add them here at a future time. But, before I close let me share with you a wonderful and true story that I was graciously part of. If any of you have read your Bible you will know it gives you many illustrations of animals in relationship to a spirtual valve in the life of man to recognize. And this is just such a story. A few years back a couple had a problem with their dog. The dog was troubled with disks being out of place in it’s spine and causing him problems in walking. They took the dog to the vet. The vet told them that a operation could possibly fix the problem, but there was only a 50/50 chance that the dog would walk. They had him operated and the worse happen. The dog became paralized in it’s hind legs. It could no longer walk without a special cart with wheels. Now, they had a very hard time dealing with this, watching him every day in his confinement to a cart. They couldn’t stand to see the dog suffer this way for the rest of his life. Especially when the dog had been so high spirited before. They were thinking of having him put to sleep. Then, one day as I was speaking to the wife of this couple, she told me the story that I just related to you. In speaking to her I suggested that we lay hands and pray over this dog. Suggestion accepted. Within less than a month the dog was totally healed and once again running around on it’s own. A wonderful ending, wouldn’t you say? Mt. 6:26 Mt. 12:12 Lu. 12:24 Lu. 12:6 Lu. 12:7 Job 35:11 If our Heavenly Father finds us to be more valueable than all this, why not check out our Salvation Section? Join His Family today, you'll not regret it! 1 Cor. 9:10
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