“Healed by His Stripes- Isaiah 53:5”
I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in July 2010. I consulted a naturopath after the initial shock and began a cancer-fighting regimen. I also consulted with the doctors associated with my health plan regarding treatment. Throughout it all I asked God for supernatural healing. I didn’t want surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. I wanted ‘instantaneous healing.
I was concerned that the doctors within my health network wouldn’t state whether I would have a colostomy bag for the rest of my life. I decided to come to Cancer Treatment Centers of America for a second opinion. Further testing showed there was a 60-70% chance that the procedure could be reversed. I chose CTCA for treatment.
I was blessed to meet many people on this health journey – to share hopes, prayer for healing, encouragement and tears over the next eighteen months. I underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries between September 2010 and September 2011. The colostomy was reversed. My 2012 tests show NO SIGN of cancer anywhere in my body. ALL HONOR, PRAISE AND GLORY BELONG TO GOD!
This experience forced me to re-examine my priorities. I had refused to answer God’s call to the ministry. I had begun writing a book about gospel music ministry that was not completed. I promised God that the rest of my life was His and that I would no longer say no to whatever He said. Make A Joyful Noise: A Brief History of Gospel Music Ministry in America was completed during my recovery and self - published in July 2011. I continue to watch what I eat, and adapt to the “new normal” that is my present body.
I thank all who are a part of CTCA-Midwest Center. The faith and hope present in that healing community inspires patients to continue to persevere in spite of their challenges. I also salute the caregivers who were there with their family and friends. I have come to realize that God’s plan for me is for my good (Jeremiah 29:11). I didn’t receive supernatural healing as I had imagined it – BUT I did receive supernatural healing. My prayer is that those still in the midst of this health challenge remember God has not forgotten or forsaken them. His promise in Hebrews 13:5b is true: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” I am a better, stronger, more compassionate human being – because of His stripes that healed me.
In Christ,
Minister Kathryn Kemp
I grew up w/ physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the hands of my step father, and it was a way of life. As I got older to escape from the shame , quilt and pain I started to use drugs. I used for of period of 17 years, losing 1 child to CPS ,than another to CPS years later, and I had made several attempts to quit. The shame quilt at this time was much too great even for the drugs to cover, then I tried to take my life. I was empty and full of the worst kind of anger, pain, and I hatred for myself. A my final rock bottom was reached and I knew GOD would be the only thing that would heal me spiritually and mentally. I decided to turn my life over to GOD August 14 2007. I was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, since that day my life has been changed forever. I have now been clean for 2 years, and am on the most awesome journey w/ GOD directing my thoughts, my decisions and
my actions. Also I am months away from getting custody back of my 3 year old!!! I love your reading especially the one a “NEW ME”.Where once I felt unworthy and unloved, now I am alive and healing in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST, AMEN!!! I still have things the “HE” is dealing w/ me on ,but as it is so written : He who has begun a work in me will not finish until completion , in the mean time I'm enjoying the journey as a new creation in CHRIST!!!!! Thank You!!!
-Elizabeth Restivo
I know that God has brought all of Us through some-thing, and has done amazing things in Our lives, but He has been especially Good to me. At one time of my life I didn't Know God, I knew of Him , of course, I was raised in the Church, I went to Sunday School and church, as a child, every Sunday Morning, and BTU on Sunday evenings…. started playing piano at age 11 for our "little" youth choir, married a young "minister" at age 18,but I never really knew Him. A few years into my marriage my husband backslid and I slid right along with him. We began to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Needless to say our marriage ended after 5 tedious years of "hell" ; we called it quits. I was stuck with 2 young sons and left in a very hopeless situation. I lived “ the party life" drinking and drugging, and doing just whatever I wanted to do , with no consideration for God’s Word ;His Promises or His Purpose for My life. I completely had removed myself from God, and spent years struggling with an addiction I couldn't control. During that time I went to (5) treatment centers, trying to get my life back on track. Only to pick up the drugs again.
On October 2, 2004, I was at a point of giving up. I was tired of living and prayed to die. But a "sweet voice" told me to pray for life and to ask for help from on high.
I cried and prayed and prayed and cried and...God heard me after all theses years, He heard me.He saved me and gave me instructions for healing. I surrendered to Him,I got in His word , started to go to church and trusted Him to heal my soul , my heart and my mind. Today I believed that God is the answer TO ALL MY PROBLEMS.... I thank Him daily for his love. I haven't always thanked Him waking me up, for giving me health, for being able to see and have the use of my senses...when I paid no attention to Him…. gave Him no glory; and walked contrary to His Word...God watched over me.
I AM a testimony and I am only here today because of God’s Grace and Mercy. I could have been dead or crippled from driving drunk ,could have been dead from a drug overdose, or a stray bullet because I put my life in so much danger , so many times…but God said no……..God didn’t allow death to touch me. Even while I was still struggling with addiction He gave me a husband that is saved and prayed and waited for me to open my eyes and find salvation, then he gave me you and all those like you that have witnessed to me and told me to hang in there and to trust in Him and to keep the faith. I have a testimony today because I have a Loving God … a praying Mother and Grandmother who never gave up on me at a time when the enemy was trying to kill me.
I have a testimony today cause God was there!!, waiting for me when I came to Him beaten down and broken ; he took me in his arms and comforted me, gave me strength to go on when I wanted to give up, He fixed me up and put me back together. He is keeping me and He won’t let me be ashamed of where I came from, and He gets allthe Glory in My life. He won’t let me be afraid of what he has for me .. because he has given me strength and courage and I trust Him.
So, if you don’t know that God is still saving lives , still saving souls and working miracles.
Look at me, I am a living testimony!
Debra S
My name is April and I live in Texas. God has done some pretty amazing things in my life to say the least. As a child I was a continuous magnet for sexual predators as well as growing up in a pretty rough environment. My mother was a single mom raising both my brother and I. At the time, she had not found God yet and lived a pretty busy life both socially and work wise. She married a really good man who took her in with two children when I was 9 years old. He really has had a great impact on our family. I devoted myself to God when I was 14 and was very much about his purpose (Mat.28: 18-20) throughout high school. After high school, I made a life changing decision to leave my Father and join another family, a gang. What a contrast, huh? I begin to do hurtful things to my soul, mind and body. After getting arrested I knew that if I did not leave, I would end up in jail for real. So, I joined the military. I still was out there pretty bad and did not have a care in the world. Although I was promiscuous, I did not go crazy. I was a one man woman. But I did go crazy with drinking, drugs and partying all the time. There was several thoughts through out this time that I wanted to go back to God but my sinful nature had such an incredible pull on me. My last year in the military, as I was getting high on drugs, my thoughts starting ringing, saying, I know what a good life is and this is not it. here I am wasting away and living for no purpose. I was tired. I was tired and fed up with myself and the choices I made. So, I found my sister church here in Texas (im originally from the Chicago area) and truly repented my lifestyle. God has truly blessed my life and decision by giving me a truly humble and awesome husband, two wonderful little boys who loves God and speaks freely of him, the ability to stay home with my kids and true and meaningful relationships. Looking hindsight, I see how Satan was out to destroy me even before I could speak. He was right there from birth waiting and trying to destroy my soul with all the abuse and rough life I grew in to. And even, after finding God and choosing to walk away, He never forgot about me. God allowed me to go through things all the while protecting me. I knew that if God can reach me while being stoned out of my mind, it was time to come home. I know I broke His heart time and time again but by His amazing Grace and unconditional love for little ol'bitty me, I was found and restored to my faith. It has been 10 1/2 years since this restoration came and I thank our heavenly Father each and every day for giving me this life. Although I went through such a life as this, I am grateful. I understand there is a real and true spiritual battle. Satan does not play fair and to understand that and realize that...to embrace my past as it is and know that I am who I am... God has allowed me to see Him through all things...in the end, all Glory is to God and God alone. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope it is short enough for you. thank you again mighty warrior for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I left high school with a full scholarship to college. It was supposed to be the start of my life. Well as life goes, things happened in my family and I was unable to complete college off my scholarship. I began working and trying to attend school on and off. At the age of 21, I was admitted into the hospital because I was pregnant with twins. My twins were trying to get out 4 months early, doctors told me they were coming any day now and that they probably wouldn’t make it. I refused to believe that my kids were not going to make it. Despite all the experiments they wanted me to commit my unborn children to, I chose to have faith. My doctor said they needed to make it until 28 weeks in order to make it. God being the AWESOME God He is, my children made it to 30 weeks. Although they were tiny, they came out breathing on their own. No bleeding in the brain and just as healthy as they could be. Well two weeks after their birth, my daughter was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. The doctors said she would never be able to go to “regular” school, never be able to hear, have all of these problems. My daughter has had problems, one being a heart problem, but not to the extent she was diagnosed. She had heart surgery and was out of the hospital in one day. Her heart is functioning fine, she is in “regular” school, can hear better than anyone and takes some classes with her peers. Well through all of this, their father decided it was too much. All the while, I am still trying to finish school. No child support, no emotional support, and no parental support, I carried on with my life because as a great friend told me, God is a husband to the husbandless and a father to the fatherless. Last year God blessed me with clarity I never experienced. I left all that I know in Chicago and moved to Maryland with just my twins. Despite so many family and friends being negative and not understanding my decision, I left and God has continued to bless me. I have a brand new job, my kids attend a better school and I am able to play a more active role at their school. The thing that I am extremely proud and grateful for is that I am finally graduating from college. In December, I will have finally completed my undergraduate in Psychology and will move forward to obtain my Doctorate. This is only a snapshot of my 28 year life. I have learned that God will guide your life down the right path if you let Him. I have learned to let go and let God.
God Bless!!!
LaTasha Burl
Before the ANOINTED Smile
There is a woman who was once a little girl, who always dreamed of seeing her entire family as one. Living in one home getting along well. The little girl carried so much pain and disappointments on the inside of her that she would react in a very angry and violent way. She did stupid things to hide the pain that she was feeling. She made many poor choices that society labeled her with. She had a smile that was SO beautiful on the outside, YET she was still hurting on the inside. The root of rejection was one of her biggest fears and what she feared kept her in years of agony and bondage. Having a dysfunctional childhood, teen pregnancy and very low self-esteem, she begin to spiral into a life of rage and anger and MANY suicide attempts. One day she made a very wise DECISION. A DECISION that would forever change her life. She decided that she would give all of this up to FOLLOW JESUS and since she made this BOLD decision her life hasNEVER been the same. When everyone looks upon her NOW they all see “THE GLORY OF GOD UPON HER.” Saying ALL OF THAT:Never underestimate the POWER OF GOD, because if He can take all of my ashes and trade them for HIS beauty, how much more will He do for YOU? Many of you see the bright smile that I carry now, BUT GODhad to do ALOT of HIS WORK in me, He’s still working on me, to make me who HE CALLED me to be and ONLY in HIM am I walking in faith, boldness, character, integrity and excellence. Once again NO MATTER what you’ve done in your past, God is still in the FORGIVING and TOTAL RESTORATION business. Many of people have told me NO or I couldn’t do something, because in their eyes I wasn’t educated or qualified enough, BUT when GOD says YES, it is YES and Amen. HE NEVER CALLS THE QUALIFIED, HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED! P.S. I am no longer ashamed of my past, because it is my past that has helped me become the GOD FEARING WOMAN that I am today. It is only when I came to the end of myself, God would takeover to do a complete work in me. I am thankful and humble that He loved me enough to give me a better life than I ever knew I could have. My life belongs to Him.
In His Love & Belief,
Hillary S. SantosYOUR MINISTRY HAS BLESSED ME
Keep your head up and be encouraged! All my life the devil has tried to destroy me. When I was a child I was molested. I lost my mom at 21 and then my aunt the next closest thing to me a year later. I felt that I would never make it. Recently, I was in a friendship that I thought she would stick through everything with me, but I burdened her too much. I cried I asked God, WHY? I just couldn't understand why everyone I loved and cared for disappeared. My heart seemed like there is so many cracks. Now, I realize that I can not depend on man. God is my friend and he has unconditional love for me. I realize that God is still working on me and I am getting closer and closer to him. He is mending all the cracks in my heart one by one. He is going to give me a brand new heart. A heart with no more pain, cracks or sadness. It is going to be replaces with the joy of the Lord, who is my strength. The power of God is awsome. I know that God has a plan for my life. You can make it through Christ Jesus. I am a proud mom of four and married for 9 years. The devil is a liar and he has no control over my life. I am God's child and he will take care of all my needs. If you can relate, I tell you keep your head up. People may doubt you or let you down, but just remember that God will never let you down. He is there through thick and thin. Don't depend on man, depend on God. Remember, you can do all things through Christ Jesus. God is using you and me as living testimonies to help another girl, young lady or women who is going through. Be encouraged!!
-Tasha G
