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I stumble, but God has not left me

I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. You will seek me, and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart.

[Jeremiah 29:11-14 GNT]

Jody says:

For as long as I remember, God had always been a part of my life, but i never really knew Him. I pictured God as a punishing, menacing God who was always watching me… waiting for me to mess up so He could punish me.

When I was 14, I was sexually abused by my step-father. I was scared but at the same time I felt like I was wanted and finally loved by someone, because my parents were divorced. When I turned 16, I realized that it was not right, because I started to hear my friends talk about boyfriends, and it made me feel sick to my stomach. I tried to kill myself by taking pills – that was the start of my in and out of psych hospitals, a string of abusive relationships, and self destructive behavior.

My step-father has since passed on after accepting the Lord as his personal savior. I have forgive him, but it seems like I have not forgiven myself. I’m getting tired of my self destructive behavior – I was just arrested for domestic violence and child endangerment (I am guilty of domestic violence but not child endangerment). For the past 14 years since I had accepted God as my personal savior, I have been hot and cold with my relationship with Him. I want to be back in His arms, where I can be a testimony to others on what God has done for me. He gave me 2 beautiful sons and even though I have fallen so many times, God has never left me nor forsaken me. I know that God’s promise for a better life is coming and I have a strong faith in my God that he will have mercy on me.

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Prayer for freedom from family bondage

Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the LORD in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.

[Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Popularity: 6% [?]

B David: Story of Forgiveness [6:50]

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

[Micah 7:18 NIV]

Christian artist B. David shares a personal story of verbal and sexual abuse along with his parents divorcing. B. David opens up about his personal struggles with homosexuality and how God has revealed himself through it all.


Popularity: 9% [?]

Stephanie Smith: Relying On His Strength [2:03]

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

[Psalm 51:12 NIV]

Christian music singer Stephanie Smith shares a very personal experience of meeting her paternal father for the very first time and how God showed His power through that experience.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Growing Up With Autism and Never Giving Up

“I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.”

[Jeremiah 33:8 CEV]

Daniel writes:

My name is Daniel. I am 25 years old. I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder with Psychomotor Retardation at the age of three.

I went through some very difficult times growing up with Autism. I was often picked on and made fun of. It was from these very difficult situations that The Imagifriends were born. The Imagifriends live in a place called Imagiville. In this imaginary place no one is ever picked on or mistreated in any way. Everyone is loved and accepted for who and what they are. Everyone in Imagivile helps and cares for one another.

Each Imagifriend that I draw is different. They come in many sizes, colors, and designs. None of them are ever mean or cruel. They each have their own special job and purpose in Imagiville. Every Imagifriend knows that as long as they have a kind heart it doesn’t matter what they look like. Some of them are physically or mentally handicapped but that’s O.K. I have just had my first book published too. It’s about acceptance and respect for those with Autism.

I want to use The Imagifriends to help others with Autism know that they are special just the way they are. I have created The Imagifriends coloring book and I do Imaginames. That is where I create an Imagifriend out of the letters of your name and connect them. I have also written my first book called My Imagiville. I donate a portion of what I earn to The Autism Help Network and to my wonderful church, Hope Community Church.

Being Autistic has presented me with many challenges in my life. From these challenges I have learned to never give up. I want to thank the Lord for giving me the talent to draw and I want to use this talent to help others. Remember, “Everyone is Special Just the Way They Are!!!”

I have a new website, www.My Imagiville.com. On the website you can read more about my mission for acceptance for those with Autism. I hope everyone has a great blessed day everyday!!!

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Popularity: 5% [?]

God Is Good All The Time!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

[Romans 8:28 NIV]

William writes:

In 1994 while working as a police officer in a suburban Detroit police department I was told to report to the Deputy Chiefs office. The first thing that went through my mind was “what did I do now?” I did my best to avoid this individual although I did pray for him and other authorities on the department often. This Deputy Chief was not a self proclaimed atheist, but he did know I was a non compromising Christian. This Deputy Chief had even chastised me in front of other officers stating “I Hate The Lord!”
I never reacted too much to his comments, because I am not the Lord, the Deputy Chief’s battle was with the Lord, I was only a representative and I knew the Lord would fight this battle anyway. I have to be honest though, there were a couple times I had hoped the deputy chief would be struck by lightning on the spot or experience some other significant emotional event. That never happened and that’s why I am not the Lord, the Lord knows a whole lot more about grace and mercy than I do and I like it that way, because He has sure given me an abundance of undeserved favor over the years.
Let me also remind you that my Chief had ordered me not to mention God or Jesus while in uniform, was instrumental in deleting God out of the departmental code of ethics and further advised me that there is no connection between God and the Police. Not the best chain of command, but that’s where God wanted me at that time in my life and let me tell you God used both the Chief and Deputy Chief to raise me up in faith rather quickly.
Well now I stepped into the Deputy Chiefs office and he was unreasonably polite asking me to sit down. I sat down and he explained to me that there was an opening in the youth bureau. He further said that I was the best people person on the department and I was his choice, under one condition. I asked what the condition was and he said, “that you not share your faith.” I told him that my people skills were a result of my faith in Jesus Christ and I can’t agree to that, but I am interested in the position.
He excused me from his office, I applied for the position and did not get it. I did get more persecution and eventually resigned my position with the department on April 15, 1995 (Easter Sunday) choosing to obey God and not man.
Now God did not act as quickly as I thought he would, but he did act in His perfect time. In 1996 I accepted a position with the Department of Corrections as a Correction Officer and in 1997 I took a transfer to the west side of the state 100 miles away. Then in 2001 I returned to police work accepting a part-time position for a small city on the west side of the county I lived in and in 2002 God showed me what he showed the Deputy Chief in 1994. I was recruited by the local Sheriff and Superintendent of schools and hired as a part-time deputy sheriff and assigned to local schools as the school liaison officer, responsible for K-12 in my community.
God Is Good All The Time!

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Circle of Prayer

Circle of Prayer is a ministry of the American Bible Society, a Christian ministry that has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for nearly 200 years.

Also check out our Bible Search and Scripture journeys tools.

Popularity: 6% [?]

God Showed Me How To Shine His Light

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

[Matthew 5:14-16 NIV]

Stacy writes:

So I went to go see the new Batman movie tonight against my better judgement. When I left the theater I felt sorry for the world and sick to my stomach and helpless all at the same time. Instead of going home after the movie, I decided to visit one of my places of sanctuary on a lake. As I was there praying to God about using me in this world to do His work and how I was also becoming somewhat impatient and feeling helpless, I turned around and saw a little light blinking right by a maple tree. Surely that was just my eyes playing tricks or maybe I saw a reflection off the water. There it goes again. A Firefly? Wow. The last time I saw a firefly in Florida it was God answering a friend of mine and I was there to witness it. I got this overjoyed feeling that maybe this firefly was God answering me now… how cool! How many times do you truely see fireflies around here anyway? So I crept up to where I saw the little blinking coming from and pulled out my phone to use as a flashlight to see the bug. My heart dropped as I shined the phone across this glistening string and saw that the firefly was actually caught in a spiderweb. Oh Man! I have to rescue it. At that moment I realized the firefly was wrapped up in a cacoon and conveniently placed smack dab center of the web. No way that is coincidence that the firefly just happened to get caught right in the dead center of this web. I realized then that the spider had trapped the firefly and showcased it right in the middle of the web as to attract other fireflies right to the spiderweb. What an evil little creature. I decided that enough was enough and to take the firefly out of the web and put its little body somewhere where it won’t cause other fireflies to be caught in this web. At that point I felt so discouraged so I prayed that God send me another firefly to give me hope, Please God give me hope that there are others. God please show me that there are others out there who will shine for you. Truthfully I was asking for confirmation that there were other people out there who are being a light to the world and not guiding people right into satans intricately woven web of sin. For 20 minutes I stayed out there and searched and searched for just ONE little firefly. Please God, are we so far gone that there is not one left? I felt like Abraham asking to spare Sodom while in search of one righteous person. After 20 minutes of asking God to send just one little glowing bug, I started to give up hope. And then all of a sudden it came to me,,, what if,,, just what if,,, maybe fireflies don’t only blink to attract other fireflies, but also to WARN other fireflies of danger? Yes! Thats it! It has to be it! This little firefly was actually a beacon to other fireflies to stay away, he decided to be a lighthouse to warn others of the danger of the web they may fly straight into. Thats it, I am going home to research my theory,,, do fireflies blink as a warning signal too? Guess what… YES they do. Not only will fireflies warn when they are caught in a web, but they will also warn others to stay away from YOU when you put them in a jar. How cool is that. I figured out what God was trying to tell me that night, the reason that I did not see any more fireflies was that the one caught in the web warned all the others in the area to stay away. That is what the second part to being a light in the world means when Jesus tells us to be a light unto the world in Matthew 5. Not only are we to shine as a Christian so un beleivers will see and glorify Him, but we are to be a light to warn others of danger. And what better way to warn people through experience. This firefly didn’t just randomly send out flashes while he was flying along saying “hey, watch out for spiderwebs”, no bugs would take him seriously. He actually got caught in this web himself and therefore was able to effectively warn other fireflies about the web he was in. Each one of our personal ministries is something we have been caught in or been through before in order to be more effecti ve at helping or warning others through the same types of things they encounter in their lives. I mean who is gonna want to seriously listen to you if you haven’t been there. They don’t have that connection with you, they don’t have that commonality. That is why God lets us go through so many trials, this way when we come out on the other side, we can help those who are about to walk right through it too. You can say to them,”Oh, No brother, I have been there, and you don’t want to go there.” If someone told me, “hey man, don’t go to that restaurant” Well why not? have you been there? “no, but….”. Now they have no merit with me in order to make a statement like that, but if someone came to me and said, “man I just ate at that restaurant and it was terrible” Now I will take it consideration.

Popularity: 8% [?]

I Learned To Forgive [3:29]

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.

[2 Samuel 22:18 NIV]

Christina, shares her story and how God’s Word rescued her from a violent situation and she was able to bring her children to a better place.

Popularity: 7% [?]

God Helped Me Bring Others to Him

“Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.”

[Isaiah 47:12 NIV]

Siluvai writes:

Dear Beloved in Christ, Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I have been doing the above-mentioned ministries full time and purely based on faith for the past 20 years in Chennai, the key city of south India. The ministry has church & charitable trust registered under Tamil Nadu State Government. Through all the church and other ministries God has given me around 250 souls in the church and more than 5000 souls all across Tamil Nadu. Most of them are Hindu converted and financially poor and backward people. I am a full time servant of God, based purely with the faith on God, and have never had any outside sponsor so far. Still God has leaded me tremendously all through the 20 years of tribulations and successes. I have my wife and three children who are also active participants in all these ministries. So far, five churches have been planted through these ministries.

My testimony: From my childhood I learnt witchcraft and sorceries from three great witchcrafts. I became a popular witchcraft in 1980’s at Chennai, a key city of South India. Many people come to me to deliver themselves from their misfortune, distress, agitations, sufferings, and from bondages due to witchcraft and other sorceries. My Hindu name was Ramsingh. I had two big tamarind trees in both the sides of my pooja (worshipping) room. In the tamarind trees, I had tied many bottles filled with dead human spirits, conches, lemons, burnt body ashes; semi burnt human bones from grave yards to use them when they are necessary. I who got myself well trained from my childhood in magic, sorcery and astrology was on demand not only for astrology, but mainly for sorcery to use the spirits to cause spells and harm and also make charm bands for my clients. I had 108 spirits under my control and used them for my performances. Whatever that I ask them to do they will do. I do many witches either from my pooja room or at midnight from graveyards. If someone does any sorcery against me, I counter attack and win those responsible through my higher power sorcery. I had defeated many magicians in spiritual warfare.

Once I was called to do pooja and to say sooth sayings in a hypocrite Christian home. I started my pooja in that house. The time came for me to tell about their futures. I was entrancing my famous sooth saying spirit. It is one of a popular spirit in India, which is been worshipped by pagans. But it was not coming. I was wondered why it was not coming. Than I started being in yoga to see that where that spirit is. I found him standing in the doorsteps of the house. I asked why you are not entering in. What happened to you? He said that he was not able to come in because somebody who is greater than him is in. I asked who is that greater. Is he much greater than all my 108 spirits? I said I would take care of him. You don’t fear to enter in. If I don’t do it now then they will never believe in my power. He was strong in telling me to halt the pooja and to come out of the house. I asked repeatedly why? Finally he said that some powerful light is there inside the home. Again I went into yoga and found that a sage-like calm and sweet appearing man standing there inside that home and an old woman praying unto him in the inner room. I told Charles to make that woman to stop praying. She was his mother. I told the pagan god that I will bind that calm and gentle man and I started binding Him as I used to do to any other spirits that come across my activities. I could not bind him by anyway even for a long time. I became very tired and was astonished at his gentle look and sweet smiles. Finally I came to know that He was Jesus, because that family was a Christian family. (Ps.116:16) He was in a white tunic. His face was filled with brightness and strange presence. I couldn’t do anything harmful for him. I abandoned my poojas. From that time onwards I had a great reverence to Jesus. But I didn’t accept him as the true God. I continued in my witch business.

In an early morning when I was in a deep sleep, one missionary was preaching in loudspeaker. I was disturbed by the loud noise and was raged, so I sent some spirits to attack the missionary right at that moment. Then by sitting in yoga I started looking at what is happening to him. He didn’t stop his speech. I was wondered seeing hosts of angels covered around him and safeguarding him. The spirits that I sent to attack him came back. I was annoyed and went to sleep again. It was the second incident where I failed in my witch.

After some six months of these incidents happened, I fell sick. I was bed ridden. I didn’t know what sickness I had. I called all the 108 spirits who were under my control. I asked them the reasons for my sickness. They all said that there is no reason but I was having bad time and season. I thought if somebody is being my adversary, I could do some thing bad against him or her and could escape myself from that dilemma. But, it is not somebody or some spirit, but my own time and season. I was blaming all my gods and goddesses that I worshipped all through my life till that moment. All the 108 spirits consoled me by saying that I will die within 7 days and will become a god. They also said that I could take care of my wife and children by being that god in spirit after my death. But the fear of death preoccupied me.

I remembered those two incidents where I had met with Jesus. I thought that He couldn’t be overcome by anyone in this world. I started calling Him. I didn’t know how to pray to Him. I was thinking if there is any magic or mantra I could learn and talk to Him. By leaning over my deathbed, I simply kept telling “Oh Jesus, Come into me and save me from this bad time and season which is going to take me away”. I kept repeating the same verse. I saw Him in the same manner as I had seen Him in Charles’ house. He spoke to me challengingly through a Bible verse however I didn’t know it was a verse from Bible. He spoke to me through Is. 47:12. There was never a man spoken to me with such mighty challenging words. People will fear to stare at me. If anybody speaks any challenging words to me, I will put them under my feet with a small lemon and nail. I will send one of my disciples (a spirit) to him to beat him severely right at that moment. I go to graveyards alone at nights and do all my witches. The entire graveyard would fear for me. Jesus is the only one God who has spoken to me with challenging words. Tears started rolling down from me eyes. I cried to him ‘lord save me, help me, and cure me’. He said to me to untie the witch-thread that I had tied around my waist and he also said if I do so, I will not die I will survive. My guru who had taught me the more amounts of witches gave that thread. I removed that thread of which I was thinking as my safeguard. I cried to Him and confessed all my sins that I had committed from my childhood. God touched me. He healed me in that deathbed. If felt as if some mega volts of current passed through me. I accepted him as my true loving God and as my true-life savior. He started instructing me on everyday.

I demolished my pooja room and cut the tamarind trees that were at both the sides of my pooja room. But finally, instead of accepting God’s word, I joined in a beer manufacturing company for bread winning. I earned good. Suddenly one day when I was getting down from a slab after finishing my works over that, the second tragedy happened in my life. When I was putting my legs down from the stool, I kept my left leg into a tin which was full of boiled tar. Somebody had kept it there without my knowledge. Doctors told that removing my leg was the only option. I was brought to my home as if I was a dead body. I was in bed for 6 months. I was not even able to move my legs slightly. Weeping and crying, praying and worshipping God were the only hobbies, which were left for me at that time. I promised God that if I receive back my strong legs, I would definitely do His ministry all through my life. God equipped me to do His ministry. He spoke to me through visions and dreams. God helped me to forget all my witch verses and mantras. I started memorizing Bible verses.

After me received back my good legs, I was yet fearful to do His ministry. I thought the same if I do ministry who will meet my family needs and necessaries and who will pay fees to my children’s education. Once in a dream I saw Jesus giving me a Bible within which many 50 rupees and 100 rupees were kept. I knew that He was telling me that He would take care of my family burdens. Yet, I didn’t want to do His ministry. I joined in a Christian church as an office assistant. God spoke to me through that church pastor also to do God’s ministry. I was getting only 200 rupees as my monthly salary. I give only 100 rupees to my wife. Remaining 100 rupees I would spend to print tracts and I would distribute them in markets in evenings after finishing my office hours. Then slowly I got into gospel preaching ministry, village ministry, and church assisting ministry. Then finally God gave me a group of people to attend services that I conducted in front of my house. Gradually we started conducting Sunday services and many gospel meetings. Now church is been built in the same place where I had my pooja room. Most of the believers are people who once were fervent Hindus and who once were affected by witches and sorceries.

Popularity: 7% [?]

God Will Keep His Promises

“David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.”

[1 Samuel 25:32-33 NIV]

Jennifer writes:

In the story of David, Nabal and Abigail, Nabal rejected David and paid him evil for his kindness, while Abigail with her God given wisdom reminded David of God’s promise that he would be king over Isreal and that the promise was far more important than the vengence David was seeking by his own hands. Through Abigail’s words David humbled himself and realized that she was right and left it in God’s hands.

I have recently gone thru a very similar situation and thank the Lord for reminding me that the promise He placed upon my life is far more important than the injustice I received. I have realized that I could never fight a spiritual battle with my flesh and that I HAVE to leave it in the hands of my Daddy!! (Not by might nor by power but by the SPIRIT says the Lord) I also realized what “obedience is better than sacrifice” really means, how humbling!!!
WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD!!! I LOVE MY DADDY!!! :O)

Popularity: 5% [?]

 

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