Turning Point
I was a member of the Purdue football team and played quite a bit. I was second string and got significant playing time. The guy ahead of me was a senior and I was a junior so the following year looked great for me to be the starter. The next year came and two-a-days started and I wasn’t performing the way I wanted. Desperate days calls for desperate measures right? I know that it is wrong to make deals with God but I made one anyhow. I prayed to God and asked him if football was the way he wanted me to go. I prayed that if he did not want me to play then I would receive something I have never received, a broken bone. I am very stubborn so I knew the only way that it would catch my attention was for that to happen. Needless to say one of the last days of two-a-days I broke my fibula, which ended my playing career. At first I was fine with it because I felt that it was God telling me that he had his own agenda for me, which he does. But, later in the year I became restless and angry for missing my window to get into the NFL. I began to use alcohol and do things that are not of the Christian faith. It was the summer after and I was at my lowest point and I came out of class just feeling terrible about everything. I turned on the radio in my car (89.9 in Lafayette) and I heard this Pastor that grabbed my attention. It was Walk in the Word. Ever since that day I have been listening to it and hardly ever miss a day. It has changed my life around completely. Thank you Pastor James
Safe in the Arms of Our Lord
Dear Walk in the Word and Dr. James MacDonald,
When first hearing about the contest, I was very excited for the opportunity to win the entire Walk in the Word library. My husband and I kept trying to come up with a photo idea that would be a sure winner. Our Heavenly Father had a bigger picture in mind however. He has made Himself manifest in unbelievable ways in our community, family, and personal lives over the past 11 days.
On March 1 our state was devastated by deadly tornadoes. We live in between the two areas that were hardest hit in Southeast Alabama. Eight students and one adult were killed in Enterprise, Alabama. My son and I took cover more than once that day. We prayed for everyone that we knew while we lay underneath a table in our laundry room holding our small dog in between us. After the worst had passed, we checked on my husband who had ridden out the storm on the job on a poultry farm. He was fine. We checked on our son's best friend, whose family lives in another hard hit area. Everyone was o.k. Once our power came back on, we checked for the latest updates through the local and regional TV stations. It was during a newscast that I heard my cousin’s name listed as one who had lost his life during the tornado that hit Miller's Ferry's Sand Island in Wilcox County, Alabama.
The days since have been filled with nothing but example after example of God's people walking in the Word and finding comfort in Christ. My aunt lost her oldest son. She has buried her middle son and her husband in the past seven years but yet she was witnessing about how good God had been to her over the past few years. She knows that the brief time we will be apart is nothing compared with the eternity we will spend together.
Still, through all of this, I could not get sending the logo photo off of my heart. I have spent the past year becoming truly obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Yesterday my husband and I drove over to Enterprise to drop off clothing donations. It was my first time seeing the devastation and yes, there was devastation. We kept trying to hear where God wanted me hold the Walk in the Word logo up, showing the damage behind me. But, there was no way that we would intrude on the loss that these people were experiencing. I said, “OK Lord, I will just find a tree that has been twisted or broken off in a wooded area and put the logo paper on that. I don’t want to be in the picture though.” It wasn’t about me, it wasn’t about the tornadoes, it wasn't about the loss we were all experiencing. I felt in my heart that it was about God being glorified because His children were focused on Him despite their circumstances. We are safe in the arms of our Lord and Savior! Nothing else really matters in the eternal scheme of things other than keeping our eyes on God and walking in His Word!
So, I am obediently sending the picture anyway. God let my husband know what the background was supposed to be. The reason behind these types of “assignments” are never revealed, so I have no idea who this message is for. The Scripture that comes to mind is Romans 8. Someone or Walk in the Word as a whole may be getting attacked more intensely during this time. I have never written a ministry before and I am not one to enter contests, so I feel that the Lord had something else in mind in asking us to do this.
Christian radio has played a pivotal role in my walk with the Lord and for that I will be eternally grateful to your ministry. God bless and keep you all!
Sincerely,
Mike and Joan
Enterprise, Alabama
Accelerating Change
I have been a Christian for over 23 years, and I have seen God work in my life
in countless ways. I write you this e-mail to personally thank you and your
ministry for accelerating the change God is causing in my life. God recently
used me to strengthen a truly beloved friend and believer in Christ, I could
have only done this by His guidance through your radio ministry. We are both
firefighters and while on duty, we rely on each other a lot. You have fervently
planted the Word in our hearts. We know that as believers we need one another
to strengthen each other, and God has done that in our lives through your
ministry and for His glory.
Change of Road
I am a truck driver, and pretty much listen to the radio all night. Around the
first of this year, my life hit bottom. My marriage suffered because of some
destructive habits that I have become messed up with. The long nights driving
the lines had made me pretty lonely. One night I let a guy I met at a truckstop
ride with me across the plains. We talked about life and he told me about your
program that happened to be on right at that time. I had never heard such
amazing things about God. My whole body burned as I listened. I knew when I
heard it the first time that it was the truth. Long story short, I asked Jesus
Christ to be my Lord and Savior on March 18 kneeling in the back of my cab.
Thank you so much for the walk in the word ministry. It has been changing
my life in giant ways. Now your brother in the Lord-
A Glimpse of Glory
I have been fighting terminal cancer for 15 months. In His mercy, God led me to
stumble across the radio dial to find you on a night I needed His touch most.
Your voice pulled me away from my fearful thoughts. You were talking about
heaven, of all things. Since I am a Christian, your words gave me a "Glimpse of
Glory." Thank you. I'm willing to face whatever comes "through Christ who gives
me strength."
Healing Relationships
I write to say thank you for your insightful message, "Always Resolve
Everything Now" I have just gone through a very difficult season of hurtful
times within my church. I feel betrayed and attacked. I decided to
become distant from the church members involved in the situation. I even
decided to keep a greater distance from others who were not involved in the
situation. Your message has helped me to put this whole mess into perspective.
Thank you for your kind presentation of the truth in a format I can receive and
digest. I can apply the truth from your message to my situation and move
on without the distraction of concern for the hurtful things people do. I
do trust the Sovereign Lord to work everything out for my good and His glory.
Dinner around the Computer
I was driving home yesterday and in my prayers was my son.
He is going through a very difficult time in school. I
couldn't believe my ears when I started listening to what you had to say.
It fit perfectly to what my son is experiencing. When I got home I found
the website and the opportunity to listen to you again. At dinnertime I
told my family, we are not eating at the table today, get your plate and follow
me to the computer. The whole time walking there I kept praying please God
let me know how to work this again, ( I am not good with computers). It
was the most beautiful sight to have my son, daughter and husband there
with me listening to the Word of God. I know my son very well and I know
that your message touched him in such a profound way that I have no words for
it. Since then I have found the verses you quoted and a few lines from your
message folded in his dresser drawer. He obviously was listening to you.
Separate Tradition from the Truth
Your radio ministry has been a blessing to my life. I am an international
student attending university and a very new Christian. Your proclamation of the
truth helps me separate religious tradition that I've been taught my entire
life from unchanging, eternal truth of the Bible. I discovered your program
accidentally and now get up every morning at 5 a.m. to listen. At the end of
the day after all my classes, I listen to Walk in the Word again
online as I catch up with my day's emails. God uses programs like yours to keep
the faithful strong. Thank you for your direct approach that gets right to the
heart of the matter. I've included a gift to demonstrate my gratitude and to
help you continue on the air.
Teacher Defends Faith
The Lord ministered to me through you today through your ministry of Walk in
the Word in a way that brought me to tears and helped me once again
see the weakness in my heart and the denial in my own words and actions.
I love Jesus Christ and desire deeply to follow Him each day. I teach in
a public school and am constantly confronted with opportunities to speak up
about Jesus, but often choose to stay safe. I'm a relatively new Christian (3
years) and have so often felt inadequate to properly defend my faith or my
Lord. While I still don't feel strong, I am very grateful for the
straight forward 'armory' of God that your ministry has been for me. My
wife and I send this note and gift to share our gratitude for you. We want to
bless you with 1 Thessalonians 3:9: "How can we thank God enough for you in
return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?"
Ministry to Prisoners
God used the messages on Walk in the Word to convict me of some very
specific sins and with the power of the Holy Spirit He granted me powerful
victory over them. The best thing is God's not through transforming me. He
keeps showing me areas He wants to work on. God is faithful. This looks like a
good spot for an AMEN! I minister to inmates at the DuPage County Jail and I
feel that the video series would be a blessing to the brothers there. Please
pray for me. I feel burdened to incorporate the "Change" DVD series into our
ministry. There are many brothers there who desperately need God's
transformation. I know because I was one of them.
A Great Additive
You guys are the bomb! I listen to Walk in the Word every morning at
9:30. I rarely miss it. I have experienced tremendous growth in my walk
with Christ through your teaching. Your ministry just adds to everything God is
doing in my life. The truths you proclaim in God's Word have come alive in my
life. And of course, I am sharing what I learn with others. You
have equipped me to fulfill my mission and ministry here on earth. Words
alone aren't enough to express my gratitude. Lovin' you guys!!
No to Alcohol
The Holy Spirit has given me the strength to say no to alcohol since Jan 10. I'm
not an alcoholic, but felt God telling me to stop drinking. I'm also working on
other sins, as God has/is showing me. It's very hard but now I have greater
hope that it is not me, but the Holy Spirit's power. Thank you for your series,
"I Really Want to Change . . . So Help Me, God!"
Suicide Recovery
For the past 10 years I have been struggling with wanting to stay alive. I've
had multiple suicide attempts and I am still here. Currently I'm struggling
still with depression. But I'm noticing something different about myself. I'm
beginning to look at life differently. My choices are more positive. Your DVD
series, "I Really Want to Change" has reinforced this. For the first time in 10
years, I have committed myself to change and it has shown for the past 5 weeks.
I now realized that I'm in partnership with God and I have hope. I have been
motivated to change my old way of thinking and behaving. Although I continue to
face challenges, I see them now in a very different way. I wake up wanting to
live rather than wanting to die.
Always Resolve Everything - Restored Relatoinship
As a direct result of following Christ, I had a "falling out" with my father
that has resulted in 10 years of non-communication .and I'm only 26! I blamed
my father and refused to work on my own stubbornness. When I heard you talk
about repentance and getting right with Him and then His people in your series, "Always Resolve Everything Now," I called my dad to apologize for
hurting him and instead received an apology from him. As a direct result of
that call, my dad and I have scheduled a visit and are rebuilding a
relationship. Praise God!
All of me
I was traveling the other day and just happened upon your broadcast as I
flipped through the stations. The Word you shared really challenged me to
allow God to have all of me. I have been reading the devotions on
your website and they have been a great blessing to me as well. I
am a lover of the truth regardless of how difficult it is to face. Thanks to
you I learn everyday how to live it out. Thank you for the boldness to proclaim
God's truth and not just "tickling" listeners ears. You ignite passion in those
whose hearts belong to Him.
Real-life Jonah / Change Partner
Wow. I don't believe I have ever heard such clear exposition and heart felt
delivery of the Truth. I loved it when you said that you have no interest in
"Bla Bla Bla" Christianity but in changed lives! When you spoke on Jonah ("God in Pursuit")
and how God will do anything to help us not to live in disobedience. I
realized I was doing the very same and I wound up in some awful places, doing
some bad things. It has taken over three years of hard work and the grace of
God (not in that order) to make it out of disobedience. Thank you for your
honesty and uncompromising declarations of the love of God and what He did to
save sinners like me. I have become a Change Partner and by God's grace will
support you every month.
Thank you for giving me "permission" to love Him out
loud!
I am a faithful listener to your program. I cannot tell you how you have changed
my relationship with Christ. I grew up in a Christian home but Walk in the Word has brought Him to life for me. I can't thank you enough for letting Him use
you to reach people you have no idea you're reaching. Through you, God changed
my life. In one of your tape series you said something about people being so
quiet about Jesus and not getting excited about what He is doing and what He
has done. I have always been told to love Him, but to be quiet about it. I
never understood why I had to do that-I was told it will turn people off if you
act excited or emotional about Him. Thank you for setting me straight-giving me
permission to love Him out LOUD!!!
If you want to encourage others with how God is changing your life through Walk
in the Word, please write us at letters@walkintheword.com.
Send a picture, too and we'll post it here.
