My name is Monica and I was brought up in a catholic
family and went to a convent run by nuns. Yet all I knew about Jesus was no
more than many unbelievers. I didn’t know what it meant to have a special
relation with Jesus, although I believed in and prayed to Him and continued to
attend my local catholic church.
I got to a period in my life where I felt a deep yearning
for something, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I use to get depressed because I
couldn’t understand why I didn’t feel contented. On the outside, life was good.
I had a great job, active social life, I did some travelling and had my family
around me but inside was a gaping hole yearning to be filled.
Life went on and I continued to carry round this feeling
inside. A couple of years down the line, I decided to leave home and move to
South London. Two weeks before I was due to move out, I went to a Christian
book store and bought myself and my family bibles. I also remember randomly
picking 3 books from the shelves without looking at their titles. During this
period, my sisters started going to a new church and I went along with them.
They immediately answered an altar call and gave their lives to Christ. But
still I held back but couldn’t explain why although I loved the church and knew
that I was in the right place.
I moved into my home and continued to travel from South
London to the new church in Brent Cross. The people in my church had an intimacy
with Jesus that I had never experienced, but craved for. I remember one
Saturday, I went into my bed side table and took out the books I had bought and
read the titles. There was ‘The Purpose driven church’, ‘The purpose driven
life’ and ‘Good morning Holy Spirit’ by Benny Hinn.
I sat down on the bedroom floor and read all 3 books and
I knew in my heart that this was that which I had been searching – it was Christ.
So I gave my life to Him right there in my bedroom and I felt the presence (a
heat) and knew it was the Holy Spirit. Immediately, the Lord delivered me from
depression and swearing.
Monica is an associate member.
Tinu is from Nigeria and is married to Kenny. Here she tells us of God's healing and saving power in her life:
I was born into a Christian family. I never thought I needed to be 'born again' as I considered myself morally ok - no stealing , no telling lies etc...and I tried my best to behave well most of the time.
My name is Monica and I was brought up in a catholic
family and went to a convent run by nuns. Yet all I knew about Jesus was no
more than many unbelievers. I didn’t know what it meant to have a special
relation with Jesus, although I believed in and prayed to Him and continued to
attend my local catholic church.When I turned 14, a 'born again' Christian from my class spoke to me about giving my life to Christ, but I didn't know what they were talking about as I was a church goer and I didn't really understand the difference. A year later I was diagnosed with an incurable disease on my right leg. After two failed operations, I asked myself 'What have I got to lose?...Let me accept Jesus into my life and see if He will heal me.'
During my hospital visits, I met a woman who gave me a sheet of paper with some Bible promises about healing.... Exodus 15v26 “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” and 2 Peter 2v24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” Also one of my cousins told me about reading the Bible as the Word of God is living, active and powerful. So every day I read the verses and then I started reading from John's Gospel in the Bible right through to Revelation. I wanted to know the truth. I told God that I wanted Jesus to come into my life, not only for healing, but so that I could have a personal and real relationship with Him.
One afternoon as I was reading John 1v12:
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"
I was so happy to realise that I was now in God's family and I could talk to Him freely, knowing that I belonged to Him because I believed. My life changed and I became a new creation...and the healing? I was healed supernaturally by the power of God - it's a miracle - but more than that - I got to know Jesus as my Saviour and Lord.
Hi, my name is Manoj Subramaniam.
I work in Tesco Supermarket Brent Park, London.
I was brought up in a Hindu Family with nine members and I am the youngest child. I followed Hinduism and believed in other religions too. I use to spend most of my day watching TV or playing cricket, which was laziness in every aspect!
One day through my best friend I heard about the Lord Jesus Christ through a strange statement in the bible: John 3: 16 – 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.
As simple as this statement seems to be, it took many years of ‘religion’ before the truth of it finally dawned upon me. I have always believed in Jesus, but in my childhood, I would never spend any time praying or reading scripture.
When I was sixteen, a serious change in my commitment to God occurred, I realized that I wanted and needed a stronger relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. At first I was crushed emotionally, thinking it was too late to develop a deeper relationship with God. I viewed myself as such a wretched sinner, and I wondered if God would forgive me because I hated the actions I had committed in my past. My spirit was crushed, I called out to the Lord as Godly sorrow flooded my heart, but then it hit me: God’s mercy is everlasting! I cried out to the Lord, asking him for a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone and soon after things changed.
A deep love for God developed and through the scriptures I was getting to know God and my Lord Jesus Christ. I developed a hatred of sin my daily life. I am in no way perfect, but through Christ who strengthens me, I sin much less, stay away from things of the flesh, and I am spiritually minded. I have, by the mercy of our loving God, been ‘reborn.’
I want to help others know truth. I am forever humble that God’s grace came upon me. Thank God our Heavenly Father for our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 7:10 – For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation – and there is no regret in that, but sadness that is merely human causes death.
2 Corinthians 4:6 – The God Who said “Out of darkness the light shall shine!" is the same God who made His light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God’s glory shining in the face of Christ.
I am Angelika, I'm 26 years old and I am Polish. I have been at SHCF since June 2014.
Since I can remember, I have always wanted to know more about God, I was curious about what He was like and I had plenty of questions.
I looked for the answers but I did not find them in the Catholic church. Fortunately, in 2012 I moved to North London where I used to share a house with one Christian woman (now my friend), who gave me the Bible.
When I first started reading the Bible I realised that it is full of guidelines. It shows us how to act in life. It tells what we should avoid and explains why. It also says how we should treat other people and ourselves. It was something I really needed, as I often did not know the right way to act in life. I had never had any good examples to follow.
I also realised that God is so loving and kind and that He does not give us His commandments to limit or to enslave us, but to protect us and free us from sin. I found the answers to my questions, an example to follow (Jesus), and I got to know God. I got to know His character - kind, loving, forgiving, caring and faithful. I decided to give Him my life and I was baptised few months after I made the decision, in June 2013.
God leads me every day, teaches me and makes my life meaningful. I am so grateful that I am part of God's family.
Angelika is an associate