Talk about real POWER

I asked my good friend Martina to tell her, 'God got ahold of me' story!

Martina says....Have you ever thought what life would have been like had you not found Christ in your life?  Or perhaps if you don't know Him yet & wonder how this could positively affect your life!  

Thank you for letting me tell you my story. 

In my younger years, I was constantly put down, made fun of, told mean things to...until I started to rebel.  Though I grew up knowing who God was & having a love for God, I never really understood the depth of His love until I decided to give my life to Christ.  

I see now how God spared my life many times...from bullets, to misplaced objects on dark freeways, being hurt & betrayed by many, being suicidal & depressed, from alcoholism, a life of partying, several alcohol poisonings, to being diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease.

I thought I had my whole life going on, but when you're a 20-21 year old, you don't expect to be diagnosed with a disease.  When I was told about this, my world came crumbling down.  Though I was a social butterfly, inside I lived a very depressed life, turning to alcohol, partying, interacting with the wrong crowds & guys. 

After being diagnosed with the illness & subsequently being bedridden, I literally began to loose it.  I would stare at the walls everyday & sneak out whenever I could.  During this time, one day I decided to bring lunch to my sister at work (though I myself only weighing 83 lbs.).  I was tired of telling people what I was going through and honestly, I began to have such hatred in my heart for people & life that I literally saw things in black & white - I did not see colors whatsoever. 

This particular day, my sister’s co-worker, who knew what was going on in my life, asked me if I believed Christ could heal me. After being told by doctors that there was no hope, I began to believe.  It was this day that I decided to give my life to Christ.  This lady spoke things to me that only God could know...that my heart was shattered into little pieces & how God wanted to heal me from a broken heart.  I was in tears as she prayed for my kidneys.  I felt my left kidney moving on the inside.  I left that day seeing the world in color for the first time, seeing how beautiful the trees, cars, people were! 

During the time I was bedridden, I began to study the Bible and prayer over 8 hours a day for years, until one day I heard God say that the pastor had a word for me that day.  Though doubt began to arise, I quickly corrected myself saying that if it was from God, then I received it.   It came to pass, at the end of the service, the pastor said, “This is the third time that this comes to me & I can’t keep silent anymore.  Someone here is getting healed of a kidney disease.”  That day, I received my healing & even told my doctor who immediately (nicely) doubted that I was healed.

I held onto my healing scriptures for 2 years, believing & not giving up.  One day my lab results came back normal and needless to say, my doctor was speechless, remembering what I told him. 

For many years I walked in my healing, until I got into an ungodly relationship.  I chose  to compromise my walk with Christ and backslid for 7 years, from happiness & at the same time an emptiness because I was no longer walking with Christ.  I chose to follow my own dreams  I was accepted into nursing school, but, during the physical, I found out I was having kidney failure once again and this time decreasing very rapidly & things took the turn for the worse.  I was down to 10% kidney function & needed to have my transplant ASAP.  It took a process of 9 months to have the transplant.  During these 9 months, I truly thought I was going to die 3 times, as I felt my spirit lifting, so weak leaning against my bed because I didn’t have the strength to get in my bed after throwing up so many times, asking the Lord if He had something for me to do still, not to let me go.  But if He didn’t...that I was tired of fighting & to let me go home.  But God was not done with me & He is not done with you either! 

Though a long journey, it has been a journey full of faith, hope, standing on the Word & having a relationship with Him.  Today, I say thank you to a wonderful brother because I now have a healthy kidney.  I am full of His joy again!

This day is set apart to honor our Lord. So don’t be sad. The joy of the Lord makes you strong.  Nehemiah 8:10 NIRV  

I know this Word as He has delivered me from alcoholism, partying, flirting, smoking & cussing.  Now I’m forgiven, healed & filled with His love, His word, His strength, His wisdom, have wonderful friends & an amazing fiancée.  I am still a work in progress.

God is very real!  Ask Him to come into your heart & see what He will do in your life.  It is an incredible life & journey growing with the Lord!  Sure storms will arise, but you will learn that you can walk on the stormy waters & have the peace that surpasses our own understanding.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7 RSV

He has already paid the price for our sins on the cross.  He truly loves you & will never leave you nor forsake you, but has sent a helper, His Holy Spirit.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things...  John 14:26 NKJV

Jesus Christ is real!  Allow Him to touch your life today.  When you begin this new & amazing relationship with Him, and get into His Word, your life will never be the same again!  

Thank you for reading what He has done to change a life forever :)  I know you have a story, or WILL have your own story too!