Quick Listen!
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In 1999, Carla
was well...until June came. Then she started getting
sick, losing weight, and was in alot of pain! Jackie, her fiance', kept telling her to go
to the doctor. But she said, "No it's just my back". Carla had always had
trouble with her lower back.
By September, she was unable to work. Carla drove an 18-wheeler and could not climb up
into it. So she decided to take a couple of days off to rest. But it didn't do her any
good!
Carla ended up in the doctor's office and he gave her an exam. Then he called her into his
office. There he explained to her that she had a tumor the size of a cantalope! And he was
not sure if it was cancer without an operation. "Pain Pills" didn't work,
because this "THING" was resting on her spine. She got very little sleep during
this time, but there was alot of crying.
Carla thought she was a good person, she loved her neighbors, she had always tried to do
the right thing, she even read her Bible, of course only when she needed to prove someone
wrong. But it seemed God wasn't listening ! Carla called out to God. One morning, about 3
am she was in so much pain that she prayed, "Lord either heal me or come and get me
!" So finally, angry, she screamed out, "LORD! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ?"
Carla felt all alone in the house and then she heard a voice. It was a giant voice, but
tender. The voice said, "I Want You To Sing." It frightened her! She looked
around, but no one was to be found. Then she said, "Lord..I can't get up in front of
people with my past." Carla used to sing in bars and clubs. Her reputation wasn't the
greatest. Even though she didn't do all the things people thought, she still felt ashamed.
Then the voice said, "Remember the woman at the well?" Carla said, "What
about her? I'm not a Samaritan, I haven't had 5 husbands." Carla read and read.
Finally, in a small, still voice God said, "Carla, I knew everything about you before
I said I want you to sing."
Carla had the surgery. There was NO tumor! Now she is doing what the Lord has told her to
do.
Carla says, "Before things get too bad, I pray you will ask this same question . . .
LORD, What do you want
ME to do?
Jackie
was saved in 1976, a short time after his daughter Sherron was born. He was saved
in a small baptist church in DeQueen, Arkansas.
Jackie says, "I've had my ups and downs as a Christian, but during my down times, God
never left me. I would feel his awesome presence, even in my lowest times."
In 1990, he began singing for fun and entertainment. Jackie really enjoyed singing. So in
1992, he made his first cassette. He gave them away all over the United States. Jackie was
also a truck driver. "People wrote to tell me how my music had ministered to them.
They were actually being Saved--To God be the Glory!
In 1994, Jackie made a second cassette - "Let's Have Church." God really dealt
with his heart. Were his motives for fun or for God? He performed concerts at churches and
anywhere he was asked. The people were responding to altar calls and their needs were met
by God. Still, the Holy Spirit was dealing with Jackie's heart.
In 1995, Jackie's whole world was turned upside down. "I lost everything I had,
house, cars, my business, friends and my health." Jackie had a heart attack. The
doctors said nothing could be done. They sent him home to die. Three days later a doctor
said he'd like to try to help Jackie. And he did. Jackie had a 5-bypass surgery. "My
God never left me!"
On July 28th, 2000, he married Carla. She encourged and prayed for Jackie. He realized and
accepted God's calling on his life.
So here we are with what God has given us to
share, "The Good News of our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST!"