True Restoration

As a child growing up my family did not attend church. The only knowledge of Jesus I had was from a lady next door who was Sunday school teacher at a local Baptist church who would take me with her from time to time. At some point in my teen years my family had found its way to church and at the age of 13 I accepted Christ as my savior and was baptized in a Baptist church. That’s where it started and that’s where it stopped. No on ever taught me anything else about how to really “live as a Christian.” I knew that there had to be more. I just felt it.

As an adult, I continued to go to church of a Baptist denomination. I always, even then felt that something was missing; I just didn’t know what it was. Those were confusing years walking in the wilderness for me. I knew I had Christ on the inside, but for some reason, there was no peace. I only had strife, and anger and confusion. I spent so many years being completely bound by these things and didn’t know the way to get it out of my life. I sought solace to ease the pain in the “if onlys.” If only I had that, if only I could do this, it would get better. I was married and divorced over and over going from one abusive relationship to another, thinking if only I could find the right person my life would be better.

At 8 ½ months pregnant, unmarried, and desperate, I had reached bottom. I wandered into FCOTH in Rusk Texas. Being in an interdenominational church was new for me but the move of the Holy Spirit was so strong here I felt what I had been missing all along! It all began there, it was the first time I had seen people go to the altars for healing and I couldn’t get there fast enough. It was there I had the freedom to lift my hands in worship for the first time. It was there at those altars I received the gift of the Holy Ghost and began to speak in unknown tongues for the 1st time. I had been grounded in the Word, I knew it was true, but I had never been in a church where there was a true freedom to allow the Holy Spirit to flow until FCOTH. I began to grow and experience Jesus in a real way I had never experienced before. Bondages were beginning to be broken in my life that I had carried for years.

I somehow allowed the enemy to cause fear and doubt to come into my mind and fell right back into the world and same thought patterns. I spent the next 6 years going from church to church seeking what I had at FCOTH but never finding it. During that time, God was dealing with me heavily. He was walking me through one step at a time, seeing Him as my husband, my father, father to my children, my provider, my best friend, and the lover of my soul.

Praise Jesus!! I finally found the one who loved me just the way I was! I began my journey out of the wilderness. Just like the woman at the well, Jesus came and went before me. He waited on me to get there because He knew I had a need so deep only He could fill it. He met me where I was, how I was, and I have never been the same since.

After praying and seeking the Lord one morning for God to show me where we were to attend church, within the hour, my sister in law called and invited me to a revival at FCOTH. I knew it was the answer I had been seeking for. I went, and the same love and acceptance met me at the door as did the first time I walked through them. Never harsh, and judgmental, they like Jesus, will meet you where you are. The Spirit of the God flows and the freedom of worship in the house. We are taught how to be in a real tangible relationship with Jesus, not some watered down religion and doctrinal restrictions. We are taught that we have real Power through Jesus. We are not to accept the lies the enemy tells us about ourselves but our pastor teaches how to have real victory over the enemy and how to apply them in everyday situations in our lives.

I’m so grateful to my God who supplies all my needs even before I know I need them. I share this because Rev. 12:11 says “They overcame him, by the blood of the lamb and the power of their testimony.” The enemy is defeated every time we testify to the goodness of Jesus! Therefore I am not ashamed to tell where I’ve been if it glorifies my Father in heaven for people to see where He has brought me to.

I’m thankful for pastors Jan and Susan and the willingness to teach people the truth so that we may continue to grow in Christ. They want to see not only healings, but true restoration in our lives. Their desire for bondages to be broken off and healing to take place in the lives of people is so evident every time you walk through the door.

Tracey Hunt

Ain't God Good

My name is Cassandra Baxter, I listen to your program on Sunday’s at my job. One Sunday I had almost missed your program and I was talking to my Husband on the telephone about getting my medication from the pharmacy. The medication had been waiting on me to pick up for about two weeks. One of the meds was $15.00 and the other one was $35.00. We were talking about maybe we could get it this week. (Not knowing where the extra money would be coming from). When I finally turned on your radio program, you were taking about the 3rd caller and receiving $50.00. I picked up the phone and dialed the number that was given out. I was the first caller. I called again and the person on the other line said, “Congratulations, you are the third caller.” I called my husband back and told him, we could get my medication now and told him what had happened. We said, “Ain’t God Good!”

 I want to thank you for your ministry and allowing God’s blessing to flow through you. I love the Lord and enjoy learning from your teaching.

Sister in Christ,
Cassandra

Made to walk again

This is a miracle that the Lord performed in my life after coming to the First Church on the Hill. After getting into foster care for children, my ex-wife and I were brought these two little boys. Zachary was only three months old and physically abused. He was unable to use his legs at all. They had no strength in them whatsoever. We waited a short time to see if his muscles would strengthen on their own. No luck! We put him in therapy to help build muscle strength. That didn’t help. The doctor said he could have surgery buy would only be a 50-50 chance. They said he may never walk again. We felt uncomfortable about the surgery. By this time our patience along with our hope was being tested along with Zachary’s because you could tell sometime that he would get frustrated because he couldn’t do what we could do. He wanted to walk so badly and couldn’t understand why. We then put our faith and trust in Jesus and prayed from him at home and at church. Within just a couple of days right before our eyes he began to move his ankles. Then a couple of days later he was bending his knees. A short time after that he was kicking his legs at the hip area. Then one night he walked. Absolutely walked. Hallelujah! We praise God to this day.