Testimony Share

I grew up in a Hindu family, but never followed the religion. I never prayed or was in touch any God for 18 yrs.  I went to a Catholic School and received teachings of morality through our school diaries. I liked reading some nice statements of love and encouragement on there. At home, I only looked forward to the poojas and food during holy festivals. I was just not religiously enthusiastic at all. I moved to the States in 2001. I was extremely depressed and angry. Thank God for my friends who helped me heal at that time. The Lord reached to me through people many times.

After high school, I was dejected due to a guy. My dad’s friend told me about how she came to the Lord and met her husband at a missionary trip. It comforted me. College was very tough. I never fitted in and was still very angry and depressed. I stopped at a Church one time when I was lost. During orientation, someone prayed for me and it was answered. Someone parked their car next to mine and blocked it. I had to knock on a building where some people were gathered for Christian services.  I was invited in. More people came to me with the Word of God. At that time, I was at the peak of forming an atheist club and becoming bitter. I got in several arguments and fought with them. Ultimately, I failed in some of my courses in college, derailed from my career path, and came running to Jesus. Surprisingly, i always lived next to a big Catholic Church in India.

My fam is in some issues right now and the Church has bought my home in India. Its wonderful how I never knew the Lord was always next to me…next door…right across from my room. u open the windows and u can see Jesus straight down the church doors. they were opposite. It was only a matter of time. I am very thankful for all the people who touched me. My prayers have been answered ever since I became a believer. Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mercy. I love GOD

Hi, my name is Bharat. I grew up in the hindu faith family from India. I have been taught to respect everybody as God lives in everyone’s heart. I would like to share my experience which I had about 7 years ago during christmas time. It was my first time leaving and staying away from my family. I was studying in United Kingdom. During Christmas holidays I was working in a Cafe restaurant. It was one fine day and the cafe was very busy. I was working hard as there was not enough staff available on that day. I still remember that I was doing something near counter, a man came to me and was smilng. He was old man with moustache and was holding Bible in one hand. I thought he was having problem with food as he was having his food at near by table. But he came to me and asked me what is your name, I said my name is Bharat than he asked me what is your father’s name, I told him that his name is Bhurabhai. He was having that magestic smile. After the conversation I turned towards counter to get something and turned back to him, he was gone. I could not find him anywhere. I can still remember his face. He was having a divine shine on his face which was making him glow.

I do not know who he was, but sometimes I feel that I met God. He was Jesus. He came to me to say that do not worry, you are not alone I am with you. This gives me a lot of positive energy.

I always wanted to share this experience with someone but was afraid someone will laugh at me. But I believe in him and that is the reason I am sharing my experience with everybody today.

My name is Simon Peter which I took up after becoming to Christian. I was born and raced in an Aristocratic High cast Hindu family. Being from a high cast Hindu family my daily routine included visiting temples, worshiping idols performing rituals according to the Hindu system  of faith. As I was growing  I experienced emptiness within myself. This feeling gradually increased.

When I entered college I was totally depressed and could never understand why I was depressed. I visited many Hindu Pilgrim places like Sabarimala (Kerala). Etc. in search peace. In college indulged all kind of pressures that my society had to offer. I started getting addicted to intoxicants. Though I tried to satisfy my senses with the treasures of this world there was a deep longing within me for something which I didn’t understand them. I got totally addicted to smoking and began to roam around like a lunatic person in search of meaning for my life. All my efforts to get some peace wherein vain.

I n the meanwhile I took up a job in company located at Coimbatore Tamilnadu. I lavished my salary in finding more pleasures. However emptiness despair was still hunting. I began to contemplate suicide.

One day I noticed an advertisement about Good Shepherded Bible Training Center in a Newspaper. It caught my attention and I got a motivation from my heart to join the training program. I correspondent to Dr.Babu, who was the director of the training centre about my problems. Very soon I got a reply from Dr.Babu and he shared the gospel. I realized that I am a sinner and needed Jesus in my life to set me free from the guilt of sin and the emptiness that I experienced all through my life.

I received Jesus as my personal savior and Lord. From that day life was changed and I have been experiencing lasting peace and joy. On May 26^th 1994 I took
water baptism in obedience to God’s word and proclamation of my faith to the world. I was forsaken by parents and other members for receiving Jesus. In 1997, I got married to a born again Christian her name is Giji God has blessed us with three wonderful children. Jemuel 12 years He is in sixth standard, Jemeema 9 years she is in 4^th standard and Jackie 5 years He is in 1st. Lately I have moved to Mumbai city with my family and we are involved in full time Gods Ministry. We have started an Independent Ministry registered by the name Hosanna Mission trust India. We have Sunday worship services, weekly prayer meeting, Fasting prayers & Bible teaching systems. Each day we experience Gods Faithfulness as we trust in the Lord for our provisions.

It is my vision to serve the Lord in whatever capacity possible. I wish to preach Gospel and plant churches. I believe that youths can be used enormously by God for which I wish to set up bible training centers to train them. I praying fervently and waiting patiently for Gods time.

In the Service of the Master

Rev. Simon Peter.

My name is Faiz. As a young man, I never saw Christianity in my future. Living in South Africa, I was raised as a Muslim but attended a private Catholic school because it was the only private school in town. “I knew who Jesus was but I didn’t take it seriously,” I remembered. Despite my Catholic environment, I began fasting and attending a local mosque to pray at age 12 and vowed to study Islam more deeply once I graduated high school.

I met a young Roman Catholic woman and we began to date. Without knowing too much about either faith, she said she would be willing to convert to Islam if necessary, as it seemed that my life was on track. But as they discussed their faiths, I told her some of the things I had learned from my religious instructors, including that Allah promised heaven to His people if they kill non-Muslims, and that Muslims have the right to kill or otherwise alienate those who convert away from Islam. This shocked my girlfriend and she withdrew her offer to convert. She, in turn, asked me questions I couldn’t answer, such as “Why would a God of love command His people to kill others? Why was I allowed to study and pray only in Arabic?” Confused, I asked my instructors for answers, but was only told not to blaspheme Allah’s name by questioning Him.

After this, I lost faith in Islam and all religions. I saw a world full of gods and religions but no truth. I spent two years becoming involved with the world: smoking, drinking, partying and using drugs.

“I was messing up my life.”

We got married after dating for five years, and we retained our family’s religions but didn’t truly practice either one. One day, however, my brother-in-law showed me the Amazing Facts “Final Events” DVD with Pastor Doug. Its content, about the events that signal the soon coming of Jesus, surprised and scared me. “I didn’t want to believe it at all,” I remembered, “but looking at the signs today, it is real proof that Jesus is coming soon.” I knew I had to verify or disprove what I learned by checking the Bible for himself. “This is how God guided me.”

My brother-in-law was a Seventh – day Adventist, and he invited me and my wife to worship with him one Sabbath. “I thought he was crazy,” I remarked. But something about Sabbath worship resonated in my heart, and I resolved to learn more about the topic. Along with other resources, I watched Pastor Doug’s DVD titled “Seventh-day Adventists – Cult or Christian?” to learn more about this Sabbath-keeping church. I finally found Amazing Facts’ sabbathtruth.com website, and became convinced. “There were too many proofs,” I thought, “Sabbath was changed by man and Saturday is the Lord’s day.” For my Catholic wife, this came as quite a surprise, but “she accepted the truth with all her heart.”

After this, I and my wife decided to attend the Seventh-Day Adventist church, and God led the way from there. “Everybody was so kind to us,” I remembered, “even if they didn’t know us. The pastor explained how much Jesus loves us; it was so emotional, as if Jesus was really there. The Holy Spirit was with the pastor, and he spoke with joy and tears. I said to myself, ‘Jesus does exist.’” That night was a turning point in my relationship with God. “I locked myself in my room, fell to my knees and cried out to Jesus. I told Him how grateful I was for His love and guidance. I accepted Him with all my heart on that day.”

Though I has been smoking for 11 years and trying to quit for 2, Jesus broke him of that and all the other bad habits in his life, “with immediate effect, it was only when I started reading the Bible and Jesus gave me the power to give up all the bad things, that I finally could. That’s another proof that Jesus can really have an impact on your life. So everything I do, I do it in the glory of God.”

I wanted to learn more, and other Amazing Facts DVDs helped me greatly. I watched “The Most Amazing Prophecies” and the “Prophecy Code” DVDs. I also read Pastor Doug’s testimony “The Richest Caveman” and realized how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can affect a person. I was once a hated man, I had no love, always in fights and so on. What caught my attention was Doug’s calmness when he answers questions or speaks to people. I wished I was like him. I prayed and prayed for God to change my heart, but there was something Doug mentioned: that you should be patient and never beg with hate. I decide to change my prayer and while I was praying, I was crying and hurt, opening my heart to God. The very next day, I felt so different, my heart opened to all the people. That was when I decided, Christianity was the guide to the kingdom of God. See how good God is?

But I also kept studying the Quran as well, along with my Bible studies. “They are two totally opposite books; I was shocked to find some of the things in the Quran. I began speaking to family members about Jesus being the Way and His impact on my life. I am now disowned from my family, but God gave me a new family at the church.”

Of my life experience and new relationship with God. “I am baptized and I accepted Jesus as my Savior. This is my true testimony as an oath to God. I hope someone out there is reading this and that God will guide them to the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.”

John 3:16

God bless you

Three years ago, I was an atheist. I was also suicidal and angry at the world. I had my goodbye letter written out and I stashed the letter and slept in my bed for what was supposed to be the last time.

That night, I had a dream. I saw no faces, but heard this:

“I know you feel alone in the pain you feel, but every scar you bear, I bear it, too. You’re not alone in this.”

I didn’t start believing in God right then, and the dream didn’t “heal me”, but I didn’t kill myself the next day like I planned.

I started going to a youth group because my mother thought it would make me have fun, and I did. But,  as an atheist, I felt like the pastor was telling fairytales.

I had this ongoing war within myself on whether or not I wanted to listen to what this preacher had to say, and one night in August, 2009, I listened.

That night, the pastor was talking about apathy and anger. He said that we didn’t have to live in that. He told us that we didn’t have to let the things we go through determine how we feel about the rest of our lives.

That night, I prayed for the first time in 2 years.

I prayed that God would forgive me and that he would give me strength to change. I thanked God for loving me even when I was running from him.

Then I worshipped for the first time. I raised my hands and sang the lyrics to the song that the worship band was playing.

“The greatest love that anyone could ever know, That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul. And til I see you face to face and grace amazing takes me home, I’ll trust in you.”

After service was dismissed, I walked to my sister’s car and told her about my night.

“Michelle, I felt God tonight. I’ve changed.”

She told me she was happy for me, and said she’d love to hear the details. So, I told her everything. She was the first person I ever witnessed to.

I let go of everything that night. All my fear, all my anger, all my uncertainty. Everything negative I had put in my life was stripped away from me, and for the first time in a year, I was happy.

I can’t say that I don’t ever feel sad or just seperated, but I can say that it’s different, because I have faith that God will pull me through.

2 Timothy 4:6 “But as for me, my life has already been poured out for the spirit.”

How is it when Jesus said:

‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “And a second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets”

How is it that we can put down or despise people that believe in different religions other than our own. I don’t profess to know allot about Jesus and his teachings as I am relatively new to religion, but in my short stint in looking for the right church for me I have found nothing but spite between religious groups; this leaves me wondering how will I ever find a church that is unbiased against other religions, and un-diluted by time or human influence? I am so confused. Why are we caught up in such a vicious circle of hate and loathing towards others, can you imagine what the world would look like if we accepted others for who they are? Our place is not to judge but to accept… judgement is for someone much higher on the totem pole.

My name is Archana.i am from Agra.I belong to a hindu family.From childhood I was an idol worshiper.I used to go to temples.I used to get up at 4 in the morning and I used to worship the idols.I used to bathe the deities and used to pray to them.Many times in my life; GOD JESUS came to me; i saw the LORD, HE came to me; but I used to say to HIM that, you are not my GOD.I used to worship only the idols.Then day’s rolled by.One day I got a picture of GOD JESUS.I took that picture with me and I put it inside my temple of idols which I was having at my home.Then I started worshiping GOD JESUS; like I used to worship all the idols that were inside my temple.Then on 25th December 2007; the LORD took me to a church and there I saw a big picture of GOD JESUS and I asked HIM, “Who you are? Please tell me who you are?” Then from the Church of the LORD I got one pamphlet. I took the pamphlet with me.In the pamphlet there was a verse and the phone number of that Church.When I came to my home; I put that pamphlet inside a bag and I kept that bag inside my cupboard.And I said to myself that I m hindu; this is not my God and I wanted to go ahead in my life by worshiping the hindu gods.In 2009, my brother suffered from brain cancer and in the month of May he became bed ridden.He was my only brother.At that time he was 17yrs old.My parents took him to different hospitals for his treatment and I went to all the places of worship of hindu’s and muslim’s.I used to go to muslim darga and all the temples of the idols and I went to the priests of hindu’s and muslim’s.I was very desperate to get help from above.I used to cry day and night to the gods of hindu’s and muslim’s to get help from them.Then one day I went for hindu worship that was taking place in a big hall and the hindu priests were preaching there.Someone there told me a testimony of a lady; who was severely ill and the doctors gave up all hopes of saving her.Her family was crying for her;because the doctors said that ; she will not live;she will die.But she didn’t lost her hope and she cried to GOD JESUS and GOD JESUS healed her and saved her.Now she is healed completely and she is giving her testimony to everyone, so that those who are suffering will come to know that its only GOD JESUS who has the all Power in HIM.When I heard this testimony I remembered about the pamphlet which I got from the church.Immediately I ran to my home and searched for the pamphlet.There in the pamphlet I got the number of that Church.I dialed that Church number on my phone and I told the man of GOD speaking to me on the phone , all the problem which my brother was facing;his illness and his sufferings.I requested them to come in my house and pray for my brother.They said to me that; we will pray now for your brother,and they asked me to say this –“Only GOD JESUS is the Power and Strength of my brother.” From then on I started praying to GOD JESUS; but at the same time I was praying to the gods of hindus and muslims.Then after few day’s some blessed people from that church came to my house and they prayed for my brother.This prayer which they prayed was very powerful and they gave me the Holy Bible and I could feel some power that was working in my life. Then after prayer they went.This shocked me to no end;because people used to come in our house for prayer and they were all from hindu and muslim communities and they used to take lots of money from my family for coming to home and praying ,and these Church people; the Children of the LORD; didn’t took anything.They never asked for anything.I kept this matter in my heart and wondered about it.Then on 21st May 2009 my one and only brother passed away.I was in great sorrow and grief.That day I took all the idols and the Holy Bible with me and i gave it to a relative of mine to put them in the river. Then 3 days after my brother’s death i heard a voice; that voice said to me that-”nothing has happened to your brother.Thank GOD JESUS and Praise the LORD.” And i heard this word “Hallelujah.” Then in the month of July; GOD JESUS brought me back to HIM and i asked LORD to forgive me and i accepted JESUS as my only GOD.On every morning i started praying the LORD’s prayer which i had read from the Holy Bible and i started saying “Hallelujah.” I accepted JESUS as the GOD of My Salvation.Now in the month of November 2009; my Mother got severely ill.We took her to a Hospital in Mumbai and she went through a stomach operation.There was error in the operation and the doctors were responsible for it.The operation was unsuccessful. The scissors had touched my mother’s rib and she was in great pain and agony.Then we took her to the Apollo Hospital in Delhi and i sent a prayer request on internet to pray for my mother.The Doctors said that my mother will not live.But i said to GOD JESUS; that- “LORD if my Mother dies; still i will not leave you.” My Mother started taking the name of the LORD in her pain.She left the idols and stopped the idol worship.In this time of suffering, GOD JESUS gave her the gift of Faith.She started praying to the LORD; with her whole heart.The stitches in her body got infected; due to which she was in great pain.But a Miracle happened in my Mother’s life and GOD JESUS healed her in 15 days.This Miracle increased my faith and my mummy’s faith in the LORD.Then on 25th December i went to the same Church where i got the pamphlet.There in the Church i met one Sister and she gave me the Holy Bible and told me about the HOLY SPIRIT. As i came to know about the SPIRIT OF THE LORD; i started praying to LORD JESUS to Baptize me with HIS HOLY SPIRIT. On 6th January 2010; in the morning at 4 a.m; as i was praying to GOD JESUS i saw LORD JESUS.I saw His Glorious Face which was shinning very brightly.Light was all over the LORD’s Holy Face.I saw Angels all around the LORD.They were all wearing white.Those Holy Angels were all praying and worshiping the LORD in tongues.I saw LORD JESUS sitting on a big and beautiful Throne of gold.JESUS was wearing a white robe and on top of it HE was wearing a red colored raiment.He was wearing a golden crown on HIS Head and that crown was shinning.I saw Eternal GOD and KING JESUS.I was unable to understand what was happening.I said to the LORD that -” GOD, i have heard this; that Your Scriptures talk.I don’t know anything GOD; You talk to me too.Then i opened the Bible and i got this verse-

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

the one I love, in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

(Matthew 12:18)

After reading this verse i said to the LORD that _”today also you didn’t talk to me.” I didn’t believe in these Scriptures.Because i thought those Scriptures said that the LORD has chosen me and i was thinking that i am a hindu; how can i serve the LORD.Has the LORD really chosen me? Then at 10 p.m in the night i called one brother whom LORD JESUS had given the Holy SPIRIT Baptism.I told him everything about my life in the name of GOD JESUS and gave him my testimony and also told him that i saw the LORD today and ABBA gave me this verse.He told me to say Hallelujah and i said Hallelujah and praised the LORD for 1 hour and after that i was touched by the SPIRIT OF THE LORD.Holy Fire of the LORD came on me and i could feel the Power of the LORD on my tongue and i started speaking in tongues.That time i was shivering in the Power of the LORD.LORD was filling me with HIS HOLY SPIRIT.Then i heard these words from the LORD- ” I will not lie.If I have said that i have chosen you; then you are my Chosen One.” After this my life changed completely .I became a new Creation in the LORD.Each day i am being led by the SPIRIT OF LORD JESUS. ABBA is teaching me new things each day.Each day of my life ,is a day filled with HIS Unfailing Love for me.Each day is day of Blessing and Miracle for me.I am living for the LORD; i am in the heart of the LORD and my LORD JESUS is in my heart.Now i am serving LORD JESUS; all according to HIS Will and Plan in my life.My whole family and my relatives are into idol worship but the LORD is making me fight this good fight of Faith.The LORD is fighting this battle for me.I am Victorious in the Precious Blood of GOD JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH; which the LORD, shed for me on the Cross.Because of the extreme sufferings he went through for me; on the cross, i have crossed over from death to life. My father is against my prayer life but i have Faith in the LORD; that one day my father will come to know the truth; that there is only one GOD and that GOD is GOD JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH.There is no one beside HIM.LORD will touch my father and one day he too will serve the Living GOD in SPIRIT and in Truth.

Few days back my whole family was after me to get married.They started searching for hindu boys.But the LORD said to me-” Have courage and do not fear; because I am with you forever and everything will happen in your life according to My will.”

By the grace of GOD JESUS; i am standing strong in the LORD and my mother is also in the LORD.GOD JESUS is helping me to continue with my studies.I am very happy with My Creator.I thank LORD JESUS for being My GOD and my Saviour.

If you are touched by my Testimony; and if you also want to receive the Unfailing Love and Blessings of GOD JESUS in your life; then pray this prayer with belief in your heart in the Most Powerful Name of the One and Only begotten Son of GOD, LORD JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, who gave HIS Precious Life on the Cross for this whole world to be saved.

GOD JESUS CHRIST i need you LORD.I thank You LORD for dying for me on the Cross.I open the door of my life for You and i accept You LORD JESUS as my only GOD and Saviour.Take control of my life in Your Hands LORD JESUS.Make me as you want me to make.

Amen

If you have prayed this prayer to GOD JESUS with faith in HIS Name ; then GOD JESUS has started working in your life from this very moment….

All

Power, Kingdom, Dominion, Status, Praise, Glory, Respect, Splendor, Honour, Majesty, Greatness,Knowledge, Wisdom, Strength, Holiness,

Judgement,wealth belongs to only GOD JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH; the King of the Ages; the Everlasting GOD and Master of All things from Everlasting to Everlasting.

Amen and Amen

GOD JESUS bless you all

Shalom!

Praise the Lord, I’m happy to write this testimony  today, I thought I would write one but every time as I got  online satan would tempt me to quit it or make me feel lazy but today I kept it in my prayers to Jesus to give me the strength to fight against the satan and write my testimony in glory of Jesus Christ.

Well, I’m from India, 22 years old, was born in a hindu family, you know hindus worship many idols like 1000’s of them, earlier as a child I used to worship them like my parents did, I would bow down before them and pray to brings blessings  to my family but I was never really satisfied but I didn’t really care, as a teen my life was not to good, I used to be shy and didn’t have any friends coz of my shyness and I was kind of dumb lol since I didn’t have any friend I could rely on, I felt depressed and many a times thought of suicide, even thought of running away from home but  never dared to do so, thank God.

As I grew up, I found life more depressing and I just felt like life was useless, I would cry bitterly at night to sleep and I had lost my self confidence also those so called Indian God’s 1000 of them never supported me,  I was not satisfied with  worshipping them so one day I got highly annoyed, yelled at those idols and became an atheist and was proud to be one lol and became more egoist.

Well when I reached 17, my life was just the same, I remember one day I saw Jesus  picture on a newspaper and it just attracted me towards it, I couldn’t resist to keep looking at the pic, I then cut it off and stuck it under my wardrobe so that my parents wont see it, I used to like talk to the picture, I knew he was Jesus but I felt pleasure on taking him as my father coz I was not really close to my earthly father and we would hardly even talk, I was deprived of the fatherly love, tho he helped me financially but we didn’t share that special bond like father daughter love so I was hungry of that love which I was seeking in Jesus, I looked at his pic and asked him to bless me with a friend, with whom I would feel comfortable and someone I can relate to or even get married to him lol I actually wanted a male friend to feel complete,  I prayed with less hope……..months later  I found one such guy a Christian and he had all that qualities I wanted In my man, we became best friends and he stood by me always, he was my world, my life my everything, I was  so occupied with him that I completely forgot about Jesus and i would just spend time with him alone and nothing else mattered to me, eventually he became my boyfriend, I knew this was to happen coz we really loved each other.

At 18, I finished high school and joined college of Engineering, there I met a Christian girl named Priya who became my became my 2^nd best friend, we shared lot of things in common and we were famous in college for our friendship, she was a devoted Christian, always talk about Jesus and through her I got to know and understand so much about Jesus Christ that it brought tears in my eyes thinking how he died for us, I started to believe on it and  felt love growing for Jesus but I never really bothered to pray rather I loved spending time with my bf, time went on, 4 years and I was very happy to be with my two best friends, both Christian.

One thing fascinated me that ever since I reached 18, whatever I had desired for in my life came into reality, everything I wanted I received, I wanted admission in this prestigious college and I knew it was hard to get in coz of my low % but I got in, I wanted my parents to shift in Pune (city I love the most in india) my father for transferred to Pune within a year, I then wanted my father to buy a house in Pune and live there forever, they bought a house even when they had not planned to settle down in Pune, I after  my  graduation I wanted my classmate and ofcourse my best friend Priya to come over to Pune and live with me, guess what……she is coming to Pune next month as her Job got placed in Pune so likewise many things happened just as I wished and I thought may be I was very lucky to myself lol I felt like the most happiest person on earth and started building plans for my marriage with my bf in future.

Everything went well for 5 years until 18^th June 2010, one night I fought with my bf on a petty issue,  the next day he had to leave for Australia, after that we lost all contacts with each other, absolutely no contact, no email no phone no messages nothing, I began to feel lonely inside, I would just cry and cry all day and night long, one night I opened my bible which Priya gifted to me on my 21^st birthday, I never really touched it before until that night, I opened it I prayed to Jesus crying out bitterly telling him I felt great injustice and I needed answer,  I used to pray and ask Jesus to answer me thru bible, he kept doing so I didn’t fully understand the scriptures but slowly I began to get some ideas and each day I learned something new, I began to meditate on his words and understood how he answered my prayers, its was like Jesus talked to me directly through the bible, I understood every word he said in it and he said…….it was his plan to set us apart (me and my bf) he brought him into my life but we did nothing to bring glory to Jesus, his temple (us) lied in ruins so he scattered us but he has promised a new life, a would fill us with his spirit, he would sprinkle clean water on us, he would  change our stubborn heart of stone and give us an obedient heart and make us follow and obey his commandments and then he would bring us back together and we would be able to rebuild the ruins.

One day I cried out so much as I missed my bf then suddenly I began to say GOD MAY YOUR WILL BE DONE IN MY LIFE,( I was afraid of saying that before coz I used to feel his will would contradict mine) but this time I was like begging God to do his will alone, don’t know what prompt me to do so, I felt like my soul was crying to God and just then I felt the touch of the holy spirit for the first time in my life, my whole body shivered,  I felt immense pleasure, I started to laugh and smiled, I was amazed to feel this sudden change, didn’t know what was happening, I smiled laughed and shivered at the same time, it continued for 2 mins, wow something unsual, I just loved that feeling, can not describe it in words. This is how I came closer to God and learned to obey his commandments, just love everything that he teaches me each day, through my prayers I even found that whatever was happening in my life just as I desired was because of Jesus Christ, he fulfilled all my desires and I can not stop thanking him for all that, he taught me to forgive others, to love everyone as equal.

God also revealed that he chose me to serve him, im a servant of God and that through me he is going to bring light to the nation, he has promised me the holyspirit anointing and many more things which I got revealed through a sister filled with the holyspirit, Jesus talked and showed her visions about me and I got the same messages from bible so it was confirmed, no wonder why I am the only Christian in my whole family generation, Praise the Lord.

So its been like 4 months since I became a born again and I love Jesus Christ as my heavenly father, I feel complete and contended and full of confidence for I have God with me.

I will share one more powerful testimony with you that happened to me about 4 days ago…. It was Sunday, sabath day, I keep fast on Sundays and pray as often as I can so Sundays are really special to me, so  I sat to pray, it was around 4am,I was so eager to surrender myself to God and make me bring glory to him, i surrendered myself to God and waited for his answer then I heard children playing and making noise outside, It disturbed me so I prayed to Jesus to make them play else where so I can pray, just then within 5 mins it started raining heavily outside, how could it rain all of a sudden on a sunny day? But I felt immense joy in my heart, my soul was happy rejoicing as if Jesus had sent that rain for me, all children went home coz of raining and I looked outside the window and my soul was crying happily, I couldn’t resist and said hallelujah just then…..i saw hail falling from the sky, my soul was happy even more, I was full of tears, set down in my knees thanking God for answering my prayers, I asked God, if this rain is for me as an answer to my prayer please mention the word cloud as I open my bible, I opened my bible and guess what……it mentioned CLOUD, RAIN AND HAIL!!!!!!! I couldn’t believe it, God talked to me!!!!! One last time I said God if it is really you then please respond to me right now and just then I heard loud thunder noise of clouds, HE TALKED TO ME!!!! Jesus talked to me, I shared it with a sister blessing with the holy spirit and  as I was telling her about it she saw a vision of Jesus pouring down rain, what a miracle it was, Praise the Lord, Amen!

Testimony By: C C Soundararajan

I was born in a Christian family. My father was from an orthodox hindu family and in his early twenties he became a Christian due to the influence of some friends. My grandfather threw him out of the house and my father moved to a place called Madurai where a Christian doctor helped him to work as well as study. Because of his help, my father later went for his paramedical training in Christian Medical College, Vellore and he later joined Leprosy mission as a paramedical worker. My mother was from a Christian family and she was a staff nurse. I have two brothers, an elder and a younger.

We were brought up in strict Christian principles by our parents in our younger age. Regular Sunday church and Sunday school, daily Bible reading and family prayer etc were strictly followed in our home. For my high school, I moved to hostel and that brought many changes in my life. I started going out regularly with my friends and Bible and God became secondary to me. During my college days, I started smoking cigarettes and drinking (though occasionally). I was not concentrating on studies and in the final year I could not clear all the papers.  Somehow I cleared them next time and started applying for M.Sc but since my marks were not good enough, I could not join M.Sc immediately. During that time I became more secular blaming the Almighty for all my problems. After some struggle, I started working in a private concern as a ‘Biochemist’ in their quality control section. While working there, I got an interview for M.Sc from Calicut University and since the admission was late by almost 9 months, I managed to join there for M.Sc Biochemistry.  Because of my B.Sc experience, I tried hard and passed my M.Sc with comparatively good marks (first mark among the Biochemistry students). My M.Sc project guide pleased with my performance, recommended me to his friend and junior in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and he helped me to join for Ph.D in Department of Neurology.

Life became stereotypic – work till Saturday and enjoy Saturday evening with friends (most of the Saturdays spent on drinking) and take rest on Sundays. Whenever some Christian friends called me for church or fellowship, I was not having time.  Meanwhile one hindu converted Christian became my friend and during our chattings, I started feeling ashamed because I didn’t know Bible extensively like her. Through her I came to be friends with two other doctors who follow Lord Jesus steadfastly. When they were talking many things the Lord has done in their life and the importance of seeking guidance of the Lord, I was bit sarcastic about that in my mind and always tried to escape from them. During the final stages of my PhD, I had a health problem revisited after 14 years. Since I was doing my PhD under the head of the department, I was getting a royal treatment but had some adverse reaction for the drug. This incident helped me to give up my cigarette smoking, slowed down my fast-track life and I started spending more time away from the lab. Meanwhile I had to extend my PhD due to this issue and submitted my thesis in March 2005.

I continued working in the same project till my public defense in 2006 and during that time I became close to one doctor who was steadfastly following the Lord. Within months I joined in National Institute of Immunology as a ‘Research Associate’ and the work schedule became slightly relaxed.  When I was undergoing treatment, in my wilderness, I also started seeking the Lord slowly and Lord, in His mercy, completely healed me. I started attending a Spirit-filled fellowship and started reading the Bible sincerely. I discovered that Christianity is nothing but having a personal relationship with the Lord and fulfill His purpose in our lives. Lord started leading me through His words and I witnessed that being led by Him is much easier and fruitful than trying to struggle your way using our limited knowledge. I gave up drinking also by that time and Lord helped me to realize that whatever I’ve achieved so far, it was all by His grace and not by my talent or intellect. I, pretty convinced, took water baptism in late 2006 and since then it has been an amazing journey.

During Christmas time in 2006, I visited my friend’s place in Kerala and an anointed pastor visited his home. I met this pastor once in Delhi and he was having the gift of prophecy. When he was praying for me, He told ‘Lord will give you a good job in AIIMS itself and then He will take you to USA for His purpose’. During that time my tenure in NII was getting over and I was looking for a position in other places. I attended one interview in AIIMS for a project position but that turned out to be a failure. In March 2007, out of the blue I’ve got an interview card for a permanent position in AIIMS (Scientist grade) for which I’ve applied two years before. I was informed earlier that the particular post was not sanctioned by the ministry of health. By His grace, I got selected for the job and in September 2007 I joined in the same lab where I did my PhD just next to the faculty in-charge of the lab. God raised me above many people who criticized me earlier and helped me to discharge my duties sincerely and honestly.

Meanwhile because of His leading, I started applying for postdoctoral fellowship in USA and I was selected in Johns Hopkins medical school (Division of Neuroimmunology) for this fellowship, mainly because of the short work I did in NII. My previous experiences led me to resign my permanent position without any hesitation and I moved to Baltimore in November 2008. Here also He has been leading me with His words and taking care of all my needs, whether it is spiritual or worldly. In this January my principal investigator informed me that my fellowship would not be extended after June due to problems in funding. But within days I was selected for two positions within Hopkins and Lord showed me which one I should take. He cleared all the hurdles and I’ve joined the new position in mid April. Lord gave me some good Christian friends and helped us to do some student outreach activities among Indian students. I don’t know how long He would keep me here but I know wherever the place might be, He would lead me according to His will.

For my marriage also I am waiting on the Lord to find out the exact person appointed by the Lord. I am on the lookout for a life partner who is zealous for the Lord and wait upon the Lord for everything.  Please prayerfully consider this proposal because unless He builds the house, its builders labor in vain.

To many who know me, this testimony may seem to be only a fleeting phase. I admit that I have undergone many transformations in the past few years. I have gone from a former would-be minister, to volatile adolescent, to a dilettante of eastern philosophy, to avid atheist. The latter being with what most people are familiar. I have written in many blogs, “preached” to many people I know about atheism (Oh, the irony), attempted to debate with public Christian groups, and been an overall ‘troll’ on the internet in order to further the ‘cause’ of atheism. I can only hope then, that people see this testimony as both a sincere recantation of those beliefs, and a firm statement in my belief in Jesus Christ. I have prayed to God for the strength to show the world my faults, and through Him, I am able to do this without shame.

Before I reached High School, I wanted to be a minister, but in retrospect, this did not come from a real devotion to the Lord, but rather, it was an outlet for a shy young boy to stand out amongst his peers. Being ‘religious’ was my way of gaining praise from my peers and loved ones, but by ‘religious’, I just mean that I had certain gifts in academics that allowed me to remember an awful lot about what we learned in Bible school, and what I read in the children’s Bibles that I had. I never really had knowledge about putting those lessons to use though, as I was a loner when I was young. I did not have many friends until I was in middle school, and I did not go out very much even when I did finally have a set group of friends.

It is important to note that I did not consciously manipulate and fool those around me into thinking that I was pious. I simply thought I was religious and therefore in the right. There was nothing sinister about it, and in fact, realizing that hardly anyone wakes up in the morning and says, “Well I’m going to be a manipulative asshole today”, is an important lesson that I have learned. We, as people, always think we are in the right, but so often, we are victims to our own arrogance and vanity.

My ‘faith’, which I now see as having been weak, began to seriously crumble when I entered High School. I had a girlfriend and more friends, and I was finally being exposed to the temptations of actually ‘having a life’. I began going out more and more, and when I say my faith crumbled, I certainly do not mean that I started using drugs or drinking alcohol. I actually only drank about two times before college, and I never touched drugs…ever. I just mean that I failed to have God with me. I did not live out my faith. I was morally weak, and my immaturity, unwarranted sense of self-importance, and arrogance played a large role in it.

I was never truly ‘real’ with myself, and that carried over into my college years. I was also having small spurts of things like training for long distance running of weight lifting, but I never had the commitment to actually improve my athleticism. I always had the capacity to be a straight A student, but I never really applied myself as much as I should have. I made the Dean’s List several times, but then I would have semesters and classes that I just thought I could blow off. I was ignorant to the blessing of being in college, and to my ‘shortcomings’ in the more social realm of life being a byproduct of my own insecurities and willingness to blame others.

Once in college, I became disillusioned with the world. I saw how much gray there was, and I somehow took it personally, as though I had been lied to my whole life. I thought of myself as a good, strong, moral person (as no one usually sees their own mistakes), and my own arrogance lead me into a rut. I became very cynical. I was cynical against institutions that were praised, individuals for being regarded as heroes, and especially of religion, as I thought it to be more or less a delusional lie.

I found, however, a temporary peace in my arrogance and ignorance. I had always been told how ‘smart’ I was, and I began to thrive off that. I began reading more, and one of the books I read was “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. That book moved me from ‘fence sitting’ about my belief in God to being an out and out atheist. I became active in my atheism. I treated it as though I was trying to convert people. I would go into blogs, chartrooms, online forums; I would post videos, and even openly challenge ‘theists’ to debating the existence of God. I would do this as often as I could. I came across many interesting people, who adamantly challenged me. When I say ‘challenge’, I mean they answered my call for a ‘debate’, and they used their faith and knowledge about God to combat my ignorance and arrogance. They did not penetrate me much though, but they still played an integral part in my salvation as I would find out later.

As much as I had ‘faith’ in science and reason, the only real satisfaction that I had was telling myself how much smarter I was than the rest of the world. I felt better about myself because of all the fools around me who put their faith in nothing, a delusion. I got such a kick out sites like www.gotquestions.org, which would go to such lengths to contradict the infallible science. I thought that all of the ‘born again’ Christians were fools, fakers, or weak conformists. Yet, the only arguments that I was really proposing to them were just regurgitations of Dawkins, Hitchens, and other cynics, or I was speaking out of my own personal pain. I was still very much disenchanted with life, and felt that I deserved so much more than I had.

This disenchantment helped me start a very unhealthy lifestyle. I used marijuana, but not every day, but I still looked forward to getting high in order to have a good time. Partially due to this, and being in a new school environment, I found myself alienated from many social activities, and it only declined.
This pattern of behavior continued until last winter, when for about three days I found myself in a depression. I simply did not want to talk to anyone, be around anyone, or even be awake, because being asleep was so much better than bearing the loneliness and emotional pain that I was feeling while awake. I felt unable to ‘make anything’ of myself. Then somehow, I thought of my Grandmother and what she would have said to me. She would have told me to stop crying and get on with it. This was a stepping-stone into a life with Christ, as my Grandmother has always displayed amazing strength and love, and she is deeply religious.

It was then that I realized that so many people around me experience similar things. As much comfort as I thought I was receiving by listening to ‘highly artistic’ and ‘super emotional and deep’ music to heal my wounds, I simply was not helping anything. I was just being reassured how wronged I was. Therefore, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I set goals for myself for my grades and physical health.

After a few stutter steps…I had the best semester of college that I ever had. My grades were fantastic. I was able to finally quit smoking cigarettes and marijuana (cold turkey mind you!), I met a wonderful young lady who is quite inspiring, a whole lot of new interesting people, and with all of that it was easier to just be a happier person.

I still felt slightly empty though. This is where I find it a bit hard to explain. I just somehow started going to church a little bit more, and I started to reopen my mind to the idea of religion. At first, I told myself that it was a cultural thing. Church and religion was just a community thing where people could come together to help heal each other of the mutual problems that I thought I had conquered myself.
But I still was not satisfied. There was still emptiness in my heart.

Then one lazy afternoon on the coattails of the cruelest winter I had ever experienced, I was listening to a Podcast talking about philosophy. It questioned our very existence. Then in some of my classes I was reading absurdist and existentialist works. I just felt lost in meaninglessness. So I was trying desperately to fix it.

I was overwhelmed once again. The conclusions and reasoning that I came to on my own failed me once again.
Even with all of my accomplishments that semester: the grades, the physical health, the friends, etc. I still felt overwhelmed and alone.
Then I found myself picking up a Bible, that came to my apartment by offhand chances (I had brought it down with me from home shortly before, just because I thought to have it), and I opened up to a passage in Matthew that I had highlighted when I was younger and a believer.

It was a parable about not worrying about things. That God provides. God provides for all of the other creatures of the world, and do they complain? Do they feel sorry for themselves? No. So why do we feel sorry for ourselves? Do not worry, God was telling me. And that was another stepping stone.
I found myself becoming more and more accepting of the idea of God. Then I understood faith. Faith is believing that God will lift you up and stay with you, despite your sins and inadequacy. I understood that God was not simply a ‘sapient’ creature with a beard in heaven who was the pinnacle of what a man should be. God was beyond me. Beyond any of our comprehension. A force of nature, who speaks to us in terms that we can understand and communicate with each other, but is so beyond all of us.

I understood that the world we live in is nothing without God. All of our arrogance and accomplishments are not greater than the Him. I understood that humans were more than the sum of their parts. We are more than just a hunk of cells. As wondrous and Biology is and how much splendor it shows us about life, they only illuminate the glory of God. We are more than just a mass of matter. We have souls, we have personality, we love, we hate, and we do so much. If I lose my arm, I am still the same person.

I realized that all of the stock I put into art, science, and the ability of man to conquer everything was folly. We cannot cash our own checks.
I realized that all of the pain I had in my life, from problems with my parents and friends, with the world around me, and most importantly with myself were all cured. I realized how blessed I actually am to have the life that I do and the friends that I do. Instead of simply being grateful, I am now inspired to show my gratitude through a life under God’s will. I have asked Jesus into my heart, and for him to take control of my life.

I have never felt a contentment like this; one so consistent and satisfying. He truly is the bread that always satisfies.

This was all progressive over a few weeks time span. I was talking to some of the Christians that I ‘battled’ as an atheist, and what they were saying was starting to make a whole lot of sense to me. I have been talking more and more to ‘born agains’, and their stories and what they are talking about makes total sense to me. I know exactly what they are talking about, and I know that they feel things that they cannot totally express in words. And they were strangers at the time.

Strangers, who I never met before, were experiencing the same things as me. I felt God then, and knew that Jesus was in my heart.
I pray that I can continue to be humbled and be in his care. And I have faith that I always will, and that He will be there until death.
I challenge everyone to lay down their arrogance. Read the Bible. I mean READ it. Read it all. It is entertaining to say the least, and understanding the messages and the truth in it are essential to developing a personal relationship with Jesus. I am working on forming a network of friends and loved ones who have also found Jesus, so that I can strengthen myself that way. We are called to serve in a ministry and show God’s love in all that we do, and I am undertaking that in my journey as well.

I challenge you all to do the same.

I pray that this testimony of an atheist has given hope to you, and that I can continue to be God’s instrument.