Jesse and Beth's Testimony
Jesse and I were both raised in church and became Christians at
a young age. But after fifteen years of marriage and a blessed, comfortable
life, we had drifted into worldliness. We had everything except children,
so I prayed and asked God for a child. I was not in the habit of praying
or reading my Bible on a regular basis, only when I was troubled or needed
something from God. Jesse didn't take time for God either, he was busy learning
ways to make money. I was going to church, usually alone, and I was a "good"
person. It was not what I did that was a sin, as much as what I left undone.
My weaknesses were apathy, procrastination, and little love or thought for
other people. I knew God had blessed us, but I did not feel gratitude. I
took God for granted, somehow thinking I deserved a good and easy life.
Neither Jesse nor I were living our lives for our Lord. We were content
and going merrily on our way, unaware of our neglectful life style.
Thank God, He did not leave us there! About ten years ago, God started moving
in our lives to change all that. First, my friends were taken away, except
one friend from church. Then God moved me to begin corresponding with prisoners
after reading Hebrews 13:3. "Remember those who are in prison as though
being in prison with them..." I was not sure this was a good idea, I was
expecting God to give us a child to adopt. Whenever God leads us somewhere
other than what is in our minds, we come up with excuses or reasons for
not following His way. My reasoning was I wouldn't be able to relate to
prisoners, we wouldn't have anything to talk about, what would we have in
common?... But I was obedient, praise God, and I began writing to Richard
in May, 1989.
Richard was easy, so I soon got two more inmates,
both a real challenge. I found that I was not able; that is when I knew
it was God doing the work through me and not me. Thanks be to God who put
the earnest care into my heart and equipped me for every good work (2Cor.
8:16 & 2Tim. 3:17). I experienced the powerful, supernatural love of Jesus
for these men He had brought into our lives. I no longer had apathy or procrastination
and God did not allow me to forget to pray for them a single night. The
Holy Spirit gave me words to say and Scriptures to share, getting me into
Bible study. God was leading Jesse into doing Bible study at this time as
well.
Other things started happening in our lives, adversities and
testing that took Jesse deeper into Bible study. We sold our home and property
and bought an old RV. (That is a story in itself!) We traveled out to the
west coast, visiting some of our friends on the inside; we knew about seven
by then. God was with us, we saw Him move on many occasions. A year later,
we returned to North Carolina and I got sick. We had expected to get work
and settle down like before. God had taught us so much, blessed us with
an extended family, and made us thankful children. We were ready to get
back to normal with a new focus on Jesus and walking in the Spirit. But
God was not finished with us yet. We were surprised by suffering, helplessly
dependant on God. We stood on God's promises and found Him to be faithful!
We saw God move on our behalf, to make a way where there was no way, and
to provide for all our needs. The Lord has taught us to surrender all to
Him, and wait patiently as we walk by faith and not by sight.
God
has made us useable, agreeable, and loving children through suffering. Because
of the work He's done in us, we now have great confidence and unwavering
trust in God; we give Him all the glory! Remembering the parable of the
Prodigal Son, most testimonies we hear are of the younger son who left home;
my testimony is to the fact that God can change the heart of the brother
who stayed home as well.
I have been well now over two years and
I am off all medication, praise God! We currently have ten beloved incarcerated,
including our son, Christopher, who, with our help and God's, began this
prison ministry in the spring of 1998. We look forward to the future knowing
God has a wonderful plan for us all. Our God is an awesome God!
Please visit our Web site:
http://www.christian-penpals.com
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