Jews for Jesus
HOW TO BE A PROUD, JEWISH,
JESUS BELIEVER...
A few months ago if you asked about my faith, I would have answered in a very firm voice, "I'm Jewish." And I might add the tone of my voice would not have left any doubt in your mind as to the steadfastness of my belief. If on the other hand you had asked me my feelings about Jesus Christ, I would have told you that he was a very good man, a wonderful teacher and prophet but, I had a real problem when it came to the subject of him being the direct son of God. I firmly believed that we are all the children of God equally.
I had during my childhood attended protestant churches from time to time with members of my family and friends, some Methodist and some Baptist and my impression was very negative. I couldn't relate to the red faced, unintelligible ranting of these hellfire and damnation country preachers. The Methodists were a little lower keyed than the Baptists, but the only message I received from either was that the world would be coming to an end before I became an adult anyway so I should just cram as much fun and mischief into my life as possible and, I DID!
I was comfortable with my structured Jewish beliefs, and the laws were clear and concise and left no room for argument or interpretation. However, I must add that there are some of these laws that I will always adhere to and hold dear. They are the ones that everyone should take into their hearts, "Ten" of them you already know. Still there was an empty space that I couldn't seem to understand or fill.
Then a hurricane came tearing through our office and her name was Arlene! She was a close friend of my best friend who told us both that we had so much in common, we would be great friends. Boy, was she wrong. We were like chalk rubbed the wrong way on a blackboard. Then to make matters worse, just about this time she went back to Christ and was so happy and so bubbly and wanted everyone to feel as wonderful as she did (Made me want to barf). Think things couldn't get worse? Wrong, she was being blessed left and right and all over the place. Jealous? Me? You wouldn't believe! I made all sorts of excuses for what was happening to her (you know the right place at the right time sort of thing). This went on for a couple of years and all the time it was this faith thing that was at the center of our conflict. Finally we just agreed to disagree and barely spoke to each other.
Then, little things started happening. She invited me to go along with her and some friends to hear a Christian singing group called "Point of Grace," they were wonderful. Months went by and she invited me to attend Bible study at her home several times and I declined. Then one day, I accepted, my curiosity was growing (small changes had been taking place during this time) and then the fun began. They were studying Romans and that night was Chapter 11! She worried and prayed because she was afraid I would be offended, walk out and never come back. I ended up reading aloud the most unfavorable verse in the entire Bible directed at the Jewish faith. I didn't blink, went home and continued reading Romans. It's hard to describe what happened after that, I just couldn't get enough, it was like a soft blanket when you feel cold to the bone and it gradually warms you through and through, or when you're a child, afraid of the dark and morning finally comes. The more I learned and the more I read, the more I wanted to know. I still had some questions but they too were answered and I continued on my journey toward accepting Christ. Then one morning about 3:00 a.m. (I forgot to tell you this thing had been keeping me awake nights) it all came together. I accepted Jesus Christ as my messiah and now I know what that wondrous thing was that Arlene wanted to share and I would love to share it with you.
Carol
This is a letter of spiritial hope to the parents of a little 1 year old girl with cancer.
I am proud to call this wonderful man my godson.
Drew & Raquel,
My name is Walter Perez - husband of Tamara. We live here in Chestatee down the street from Heather and Doug Tierney and have met you guys a couple of times through them at birthday parties.
I just wanted to write in a short true story of how faith and belief in God can overcome any obstacle. Although we have talked a couple of times - I know I have never told you that I am a cancer survivor myself. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease Stage 2B(lymphotic cancer) about 4 yrs. ago.
Like you guys I had been to the doctors for months before my wife finally brought me to a doctor who took the time to actually find out what was going on instead of sending me out the door with antibiotics for the flu. Immediately, the prayer requests went out - which started a chain of miracles that I am 100% sure were in answer to these prayers and due to the fact that I placed myself in the hands of a higher power. I made the decision early on that niether myself, my wife or my family could bring me through this alone - it would have to be God.
Once I made that decision the road to recovery became easy for me as I placed all my faith in God. I never had a doubt that I would make it through what I was about to encounter. I knew that as long as I beleived that he would bring me through - that I was as good as healed.
The struggle became easy for me but remained very hard for those around me, like Tam and my immediate family. You see, I had a sense of peace that had been placed over me and I could literally see myself cancer free and the end of the journey - but my family did not, even though they prayed daily, they prayed for me to be healed, not for themselves. It was this kind of selfless prayer that I now know to be what brought me through my illness to today. You have a ton of people praying for Kylie - if you guys stand in for her and never let anyone (including the doctors) tell you that it is hopeless - then the prayers will be answered.
Try to remember that anytime you think that it can't happen - that is just a old trick the Devil is trying to play. You see, if he can get you to loose faith in what God has planned, then he has his way. Myself and my family saw what can happen if you do not let the Devil have his way. The doctors would tell me the cancer was all over my body, we would not beleive it, then they would take more X-rays and not beleive what they saw.
The doctors told me that I would never be able to have children of my own due to the effects of the Chemo and Radiation treatments - 2 months after my radiation treatments - Tam concieved our first child, Brandon and now have another named Kyle. This is not a slam to Doctors - as I know they played the most important role to my recovery, but they could not explain the events that happened.
So, I just wanted to write this entry to testify to what God has the power to do. I am living proof! I know it is not easy to do - but you must remain strong in your faith. I will continue to pray as will Tam for Kylie, but I also will pray for you two - you need it just as much to keep that fence of faith built up around you.
Kylie, I am sure, can see the end of the tunnel - cancer free!
Walter Perez <tammyperez@alltel.net>
Dawsonville, GA USA - Saturday, October 16, 2004 11:14 AM CDT
Carol
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