It was a dark night in more ways than one. The forces of Hell had converged against me, convincing me death was better than life. In despair, I placed the barrel of a loaded gun into my mouth and put my finger on the trigger. Only one thing kept me from completing this act of suicide. It was what I’d heard a preacher say several years earlier.

As we stood in line with thirty other American teammates, the Bulgarian soldier diligently searched everyone’s luggage for illegal contents. He dug his hands deep into each suitcase, leaving a mess behind, in the hopes of discovering contraband or irritating our US Team. My twin brother and I stood just a few feet away, awaiting our turn. We were on the United States World Wrestling Team and were headed into Bulgaria for the 1971 World Games. We heard there was a great need for Bibles in this communist country, so each of us had packed 20 Bulgarian Bibles in our suitcases.

Saturday, May 9, 2020, started out as any normal day for us. When my husband, Jeff, left home that morning, neither of us could have imagined how the day would end. At about 9:30, I received a phone call from our son, Dustin. I heard his quivering voice telling me his dad was in an accident with the tractor. He told me to stay put, someone would come get me. “It’s bad, Mom, really bad,” he said. I remember asking what hospital they were taking him to. All that ran through my mind was that they wouldn’t let me be with him because of COVID, but Jeff never suffered in that ambulance. He never had to be alone in that hospital. He died in his son’s arms in that field. God took him from the field straight to Heaven.

El sábado 9 de mayo de 2020 comenzó como un día normal para nosotros. Cuando mi esposo, Jeff, salió de casa esa mañana, ninguno de nosotros podía imaginar cómo terminaría el dia. A eso de a las 9:30 recibí una llamada telefónica de nuestro hijo, Dustin. En una voz temblorosa me dijo que su papá sufrió un accidente con el tractor. Me dijo que me quedara y que alguien vendría a buscarme. Dijo que “Es malo, Mamá, muy malo”. Recuerdo preguntar a qué hospital lo llevaban. Lo único que pasaba por mi mente era que no me dejarían estar con él por el COVID. Pero Jeff nunca sufrió en esa ambulancia. Nun ca tuvo que estar solo en ese hospital. Murió  en los brazos de su hijo en ese campo. Dios lo sacó del campo directamente al cielo.

From the outside, everything appeared wonderful. My husband had a secure job in the Air Force. We had been married for nearly six years and had two beautiful little girls. We attended a nearby Methodist church, where my husband taught a Sunday school class. Yet something was terribly wrong.

A fracture had begun in our relationship that only deepened over time. It had been caused by a faulty foundation, a break-down in communication, and some of my own selfish choices. Though we were involved in church attendance and had gone to marriage counseling, nothing seemed to help.

We were driving home from a Sunday dinner when it happened. Dad lost control of our car, and we were spinning widly into the median. My family and I were riding on Hwy 169 just south of Nashwauk, Minnesota, when we hit black ice! The car, a 1941 Chevrolet, went into an uncontrollable tailspin, hit a guard rail post, and broke it off even with the ground. I was just a boy when it happened. My family and I were all staring eternity in the face. Suddenly Dad was back in control of the car, and were driving straight from the Lord and his angels. Had we died, the rest of what you are about to read could never have happened, and we would be in an eternal hell.

He had been gone for some time, and he hadn’t left on the best of terms. His dad had given him his demanded inheritance, and the prodigal son made tracks for the far country. But every step he took led him farther from the help, guidance, and care of his brokenhearted father.

It could have been the lights of the city, or perhaps it was the appeal of “greener grass,” or it possibly was the influence of friends that drew him away from home. It certainly was the wandering of his own selfish heart that played a heavy role in his wicked choices. There is no doubt his desire was in the far country long before his feet had arrived.

EVERYONE IS EITHER ON ONE TEAM OR ANOTHER.

We are born on Satan’s team and headed to Hell.

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

EVERYONE IS EITHER ON ONE TEAM OR ANOTHER.

We are born on Satan’s team and headed to Hell.

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

EVERYONE IS EITHER ON ONE TEAM OR ANOTHER.

We are born on Satan’s team and headed to Hell.

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

The True-Life Story of Ben Webster

“Stormy” would be a good way to describe my teenage years. That may be true with many teens, but it was certainly true in my life. My parents were going through very difficult days. Some of my friends were influencing me in a wrong direction. Then, to worsen matters, I was making some of my own wrong choices: smoking, drinking, and occasional drug use. My life, at this point, was filled with anger and bitterness, and my heart was far from the Lord. Yet, there was one fact that anchored my life and allowed me to weather these raging storms. It was the result of a simple but crucial choice I had made a few years earlier…

The True-Life Story of Leo Mejia

It was a Friday night when an older cousin and I, along with our buddies, gathered outside the building. They paid the bouncer and got me into my first club on Broadway in LA. I felt cool and respected. Joints were being passed around as people danced and drank. Then suddenly, everyone started yelling at each other. Gang signs were flashed, and then the shouting exceeded the club music. Before I knew what was happening, we were being pushed toward the exit. The narrow path outside was lined by LAPD officers. The situation had gone from bad to worse, and I was only twelve.

The True-Life Story of Danny Gray

A family member and I were walking home, down a country road near Spartanburg, SC, when, suddenly, we heard the sound of tires on the pavement and a car approaching behind us. It was getting too close for comfort, and as it began swerving toward us, we couldn’t get of the way in time! The one walking near me narrowly escaped, but I was suddenly hit from behind by the wayward vehicle. Now, I was face down in the ditch not sure of the extent of my injuries.

Have you ever seen “John 3:16” painted on a sign, printed on a T-shirt, or held up at a sporting event? What does it mean? Where does it come from? What’s the big deal? It is actually the most famous verse in all the Bible. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Story of Pastor Ivan Yoder

The year was 1984. I was 10 years old and the oldest of five children. Our family was going through some major changes! I had been born into an Old Order Amish family like my father before me and as far back as we know. We did not have electricity in our home, and we did not drive cars. Our bathroom consisted of an outhouse at the edge of the yard. (It was too close in the summer and was too far away in the winter!) Horse and buggies were all I had ever known.

The Personal Testimony of Dwight Smith

Dwight Smith was four years old when Jesus saved him. He had a good family, went to a Bible-preaching church, and had heard the Gospel again and again. One day, while cleaning the house with his Mom, he began to ask several “little kid” questions about eternity. His mother answered them plainly from the Bible, and on that day, he decided to believe on the Lord Jesus as his Savior. This child-like faith is what is essential for anyone to come to Jesus and be saved.

The True Life Story of Finley Cutshaw

We had our guns out and were cleaning them at my friend Mark’s house. We were really looking forward to hunting the next day. Everything was fine until Mark started pointing his gun around the room at different objects. Then he pointed it at me. “Whoa, Dude! Turn that gun away,” I said. “That’s dangerous, very dangerous! You’re never supposed to point a gun at anyone!” “It’s no big deal,” Mark replied. “See, it’s not loaded.” Then he pointed the gun right at me and pulled the trigger. “Click.” “See, there is nothing to worry about.” When he pulled the action back on the gun to show there was nothing in it, a loaded bullet fell out! A round was in the gun, but when he pulled the trigger, it did not fire! I was 15 years old and had just come face to face with the reality of death.

The Life Story of Tonya Love

They came by the hundreds to say good-bye to a girl who, in a short time, had made a life changing impact on their lives. “Tonya brings to us a message that everyone wants to hear; a message of enjoying each day to its fullest as a gift,” said one newspaper article. “She was mature beyond her years and yet had not lost the girlish ability to love, trust, and be awed by life’s wonders” was a hospital worker’s comment. “Courage seems an understatement – faith-filled doesn’t cover all that she carried in her spirit. Gracious in giving…, all the adjectives fail in the brilliant light of a young woman whose surname spoke volumes about her,” wrote a Philadelphia television personality. The media was sent to record this event; among them some of Tonya’s new found friends who came to say good-bye to this teenager who had touched their lives. What caused this eighteen year old “preacher’s kid” to make such a profound impact?

The Personal Testimony of Karen Ellis Clarke

Though she had been reared in a Christian home, Karen Clarke had turned her back on God in her teenage years.  While in college, another friend had drawn her into the Baha’i Faith.  This cult is a split off of the Muslim religion and is rapidly growing around the world.  Through God’s amazing grace, the loving witness of a former Baha’i member, and her own study of God’s Word, Karen placed her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Story of Kris Casey

For as long as I can remember, I’ve asked questions. Lots of them. I’m sure this frustrated my teachers and others. My mom, however, always took the time to explain each question with as much patience as she could muster, until my boyish-heart was satisfied with the answer. How I wished on this particular night I could go back to that child-like innocence. I was legally an adult now. Gone were the days that mom and dad could fix any problem of mine with a piece of candy and a hug.

The Personal Testimony of Ron Comfort

Ron Comfort was born into a Roman Catholic family.  After experiencing a troubled childhood and a broken home, he began to sing on the stage, radio, and TV.  Though he was a rising star, his life was still empty and unfulfilled.  While attending a city-wide revival meeting in Asheville, NC, he finally accepted God’s gift of eternal life.  Shortly afterward, he was called to preach and has spent five decades declaring this life changing message!