I NEVER KNEW TRUE JOY UNTIL ...

by Jerry Page (Rogersville, AL)

The story of me getting to my encounter brought their by my older brother is an amazing thing in itself. Not because he paid for my trip to the encounter and for the weekend but because he had never been a very spiritual person in the past. With that said let me take you to May 1972.
 

I graduated from Lauderdale County High School president of my senior class, captain of the football team, voted best leader and Mr. LCHS. Left home that fall for college to take on the world but the world took hold of me instead. I was very radical about everything, rebelled against my family and everyone in authority was the enemy. There was a lot of alcohol and drug abuse over the years. From 1973 thru 1993 their were many things that went on in my life, you name it I did it.
Married in 1977, moved to Louisville Ky. and a son born in 1978 Matthew which kept me grounded at least every other weekend, divorced in 1981, then a time of serious alcohol and drug problems. I totally locked God out of my life and just lost my soul. In 1988 I got back with my x-wife and remarried thinking things would be different with nothing changed except my age. But by the grace of God he blessed me with a daughter named Kelsey Alexandra born August 1989. If God had not brought Kelsey into my no telling where I would be today. The marriage didn't work (imagine that) and at 42 I am bankrupt no home no place to turn. But through all of these years God never left me. Many times I should have been dead but he was always with me and I didn't even know or care. Thank goodness his love endures forever.

In April of 1998 after my childhood friend and still close friend was killed in a automobile accident. That is where I began my life again. I had an old King James version Bible given to me by my Mother on my 7th birthday.
 

I was raised in a conservative Church of Christ baptized at 13 because you are supposed to, but on June 27 1999 I asked God to lead my life. In 2003 lost my job after 25 years didn't worry, new God had a plan. One month before I lost my job my daughter moved in with me. By not having a job punching a clock I was able to take her to school and be home when she got off the bus. In August 2004 God called us back to Alabama which I would never have gone unless Kelsey was with me. My Dad's health was failing and we got to spend 2 years with him before he passed on June 25 2006. To close this story out, through my Fathers death I found a brother I never new who I had never been close to ever. We were totally opposite just seeing each other on Thanksgiving with one or two phone calls a year. I had noticed a change in him, reached out to me during time we had together in the last month of our fathers earthly life. We talked a lot about spiritual things which totally blew me away.  I'm thinking my brother really knows Jesus. He keeps telling me the Lord has big plans for me. Then about a month after he has gone back to Bradenton he calls me and tells me he has me a plane ticket to Tampa and a weekend with some other men on something called an Encounter. My answer was 'A WHAT'? He said don't worry I'll pick you up at the airport. It was the greatest experience of my life. Opening my heart up to a Jesus I never new. I never new true joy in Jesus until my Encounter, my freedom in 3 days. It changed me for ever. Believe me when they say you ain't seen nothing yet, its true.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!