Last month, I invited the RR community to send me their testimonies of some of the things the Lord had done for them so that we could celebrate God’s goodness as we move towards Thanksgiving. As you read, I hope you will be able to “rejoice with those who rejoice” while, at the same time, begin to get jealous for God to give you more supernatural answers to prayer so you can “boast upon the Lord” for yourself! Enjoy!
Thankful for Thanksgiving!
The first thanksgiving was passed by the US Congress in Oct of 1781, setting aside a day in November (it took time to get the word to the colonies as the radio and tv service was down at the time) for a day of “thanksgiving and prayer” for the colonials’ victory over the British at the battle of Yorktown, thus securing our independence.
It wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln was in office that it OFFICIALLY became a national holiday. So, it fully stems from our religious belief and freedoms won so many years ago, and that is what makes it TRULY American.
…And all these things shall be added…
While I was suffering from a very painful back, I called on God for his healing Hand on my body. God responded with, “Seek my Face.”
Psalm 27:7 says, “Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!”
This reminded me of his constant Presence with me, which gave me peace of mind – and consequently, healing of my body. Thank God in Jesus’ Name.
Filled With Joy
A number of months ago, my life was in a state of overwhelming despair, darkness, emptiness, sadness, loneliness and hopelessness. So much so that I asked the Lord to kill me. He did not. Instead, he turned my entire existence upside down and gave me Joy and Peace – two things I have never experienced in my 57 years on this planet!
Psalm 16:11 says: “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” All glory and thanks be to God!
He is Faithful and He is Good!
In 1992, I witnessed to my 96-year-old Aunt Amelia on her deathbed, but she angrily dismissed me from the room, unrepentant. I left in real distress and wondered hard if her attitude might not have been very different if she had heard the gospel at a much younger age. In a burst of faith, I asked the Lord to show me if anyone had ever witnessed to her years ago. I have no idea how He might be able to do that since she had long ago outlived all of her friends who might have informed me!
Several weeks later, after Amelia had passed, I stood down in her basement facing a sea of hundreds of large bags filled with her memories. (Aunt Amelia was a serious pack-rat!) I was sent down there to clean up this old trash, having forgotten the prayer I had prayed 2 weeks before. For some unexplainable reason, my eyes were suddenly drawn to one single bag in that sea and to one single envelope sticking out of the top of that bag. I experienced a strong impression in my spirit that I was to take that letter and read it. Inside, I found an impassioned plea from a Gentile Christian woman imploring Amelia in very gentle and loving terms to come to Christ. Judging by her language, the two were close friends. The envelope was postmarked 1938 when my Aunt Amelia would have been 41 years old!
I kept that letter in my Bible for a while, but eventually, it was misplaced, but the memory of God’s faithfulness both to Amelia and to me will never be lost!
A Father’s Gift on Father’s Day!
I had been witnessing to my Ukrainian friends for several years without any noticeable progress. We were planning a picnic with them for Father’s Day, but there had been many such times together, and I was becoming discouraged. I prayed for the Lord’s encouragement…for a sign of some kind to let me know that He was still involved and that I should not be “weary in well-doing.”
The park was crowded that day, and empty picnic tables were very hard to find. Becky and Natalia waited with the children while Taras and I scouted ahead. We walked a long ways with our picnic basket until suddenly we saw an empty table in the shade-tree that seemed to have our name on it! Only one other table stood next to it with a young couple and child sitting there. Happily, we came to claim our spot and politely greeted our picnic “neighbors.” They responded in a heavily accented English. I saw that the young man was reading a Bible!
The Lord had led us to a Ukrainian Christian couple! The rest of that afternoon, our blended families enjoyed a wonderful time of friendship. As far as I know, the young couple were the first born-again Ukrainian believers that Taras & Natalia had ever met!
God Remembers Our Prayers!
I’d like to share with you a miracle the Lord once did for me. I was working at a Nursing facility when the car broke down. Our mechanic had to contact a flatbed towing company (not his regular) only because of the 4-wheel drive, and he said he would be happy to drive me to the station. On the way home, the driver mentioned he is not a religious man when I mentioned I was a Hospice Chaplain. So I asked him about his work, and he mentioned the worst part being accidents with trauma. Then I shared about my own family car accident, which took my parents and siblings and left me an orphan. His face went nearly white, and he asked, without any hesitation, if my name was Caprett. When I told him it was, he nearly broke down in tears.
He told me he had worked with my oldest brother, and a few days before the accident, they had a disagreement, and he told my brother he hoped he never saw him again.
At the funeral, he said he knelt by my brother’s coffin and cried like a baby. He knew I had survived and told my brother (at his coffin) that one day he hoped he could apologize to me face to face.
That had been nearly 45 years ago, and he saw or heard nothing again about me until today when he was the second choice called to tow a broken-down jeep 25 miles from home. Now, he apologized to me for what he had said to my brother so many years before. We were both pretty shaken for a bit, but when I told this non-religious man that God is in control of our lives…he agreed!
Being an Answer!
If there is anything that rivals receiving an answer to prayer, it is being one! These next two testimonies will show you what I mean…
Thursday morning, I got to witness to “Jessica” at the unemployment office.
Her mom was there and told me she had prayed the night before for God to send her daughter someone to witness to her. Mom then finds out that I go to church where her mom used to go! They promised to visit soon!
A Voice Calling Out in the Wilderness!
My wife and I went walking in our local park one day. As we often did, we sang hymns and spiritual songs along the way. This particular day, for some reason, my wife urged me to sing louder than usual. The trail took us down through a wooded section, and on we went, walking and loudly singing unto the Lord. Suddenly, we heard a small, pitiful voice crying out to us from somewhere in the woods, “Could you please sing that song again?”
We followed that voice into the forest until we found a young woman sitting alone on a log. Her story was that she worked for a Christian women’s shelter and spent all day long giving and ministering. She came to the park exhausted and seeking the Lord’s presence. Just before we arrived, she had felt so discouraged that she had prayed for a Christian to come and minister to her for a change! Soon after, she heard our voices in song, and then, there we were, one on either side, counseling and comforting her…praying for her and cheering her. She was now rejoicing in the Lord’s faithfulness, and we were rejoicing to be used by the Lord!
2000 – Free as a Bird!
My mom loved Jesus more than anything, and she always told us about HIM. We lived in a small valley with mountains surrounding us. Lots of times we took long walks, especially Mom and I. In those times, Mother always told me how she loved the little birds and how she wished she could be like them. Birds are free, happy and joyful, and she wanted to fly to the highest tree top and sing praises to Jesus.
The years passed, and Mother aged, but she never stopped singing her songs to the Lord. In the year 2000, my mother passed away. I was so broken-hearted. Right before the funeral, my husband’s sister Karen came over to our house with a gift. Karen meant well, but often in the past, her gifts had been less than thoughtful. She held out her hand, saying, “I bought this to give to you months ago, but somehow, I forgot about it until today.” Karen had never known about my mother’s secret wish, but God did.
She opened her closed hand to reveal the feathered figure of a beautiful bird, and I knew that it was sent by GOD just for me! It assured me that my mom was with Jesus and as free as the little bird that she had always wanted to become. The Bible says, “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7).
God’s Sense of Humor!
My wife, Becky, and I were out of options. Even our cautious physician was talking about sending us up to the Mayo Clinic for surgery. My wife could not hold any food down, and each morning, when she tried to eat breakfast, her stomach problems started all over again! Finally, in desperation, we decided to visit a church service where a traveling faith healer was going to be ministering that night.
Although our faith in Christ was strong, we had both had negative experiences with Christians claiming to be conduits for the supernatural power of God. We only went that night because we were hoping that the Lord might honor our faith despite any unbiblical theatrics this man might practice. Becky had never seen a faith healer in action before, and her worst fear was that she might be embarrassed on the stage in front of others.
“Let’s be the first ones up there,” whispered Becky as the man began his invitation to the prayer time; “that way we can get out early.” So we managed to go up on the stage before anyone else had been prayed for. After hearing a bit about my wife’s troubles, the healer put his hands onto his stomach and instructed her, “Place your hands right here.” Doing as she was told, Becky placed her hands on the man’s stomach!
He jumped back in surprise and quickly put her hands on her own stomach where he had originally intended them to go. A short prayer for her healing followed, since, by now, the entire congregation was laughing hysterically!
My poor wife nearly died that night, not of medical issues, but of embarrassment!
Funny thing is, we got the last laugh, because the next morning, her breakfast stayed down…and her lunch…and her dinner…and all of her meals from that time until this…
29 years later…healed by the power of God!
A True Friend!
“When in the throes of a terrifying mental breakdown, a dear mentor and friend organized a group of men from our church to make sure that I got a phone call every evening to offer me encouragement and prayer. Praise God that with all the mental health professionals I talked to back then, this same friend was the only one who told me I could and would get better…and I did! First Cor. 1:4 says,
“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others,” and that is happening in my life now also! God sends us true friends through HIS body!
I praise Him and thank Him!”
***
Thanks to those of you who participated in “Project 9212.” In closing, I would like to share 3 verses concerning prayer which I have found to be true. Consider putting these on a note card and using it for a bookmark in your Bible. Soon, you will have your own personal stories of victory with which to encourage your heart and others!
“You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2b).
“Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy” (John 16:24b).
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
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