Jesus Life 89 - The Jesus Army

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She hasn’t drunk any alcohol for six years, hasn’t smoked for over seven years 12 Jesus Life Karen and some of her friends from the Jesus Fellowship www.jesus.org.uk
s s Continued from previous page in Tenerife, she ended up sleeping on a friend’s floor in Leicester. Months later, she managed to get a room at an outreach hostel. A girl living there invited Karen to her first church meeting, a “friendship meal” at a Jesus Fellowship community house called “Springfield”. “Afterwards,” she chuckles, “I decided I never wanted to go back. But I did start a relationship with one of the guys I met there.” Two months later, Karen found herself asking her Christian boyfriend and his friend questions about God. “I claimed God was nothing to me,” says Karen, “But I didn’t know that the Holy Spirit was working in me.” It wasn’t the first time she had sensed that there “might be more to life”. The week before she started asking her boyfriend about God, she had experienced a peaceful sensation go through her body. “I knew there was someone else in the room, even though I could see there wasn’t.” Days later, she started to have a panic attack in her bedroom in the hostel and asked a friend for help. He phoned a member of staff, a Christian woman who sat on the end of Karen’s bed and said, “I’ll call the ambulance, but, before I do… can I pray for you?” She put her hand on Karen’s shoulder and prayed. A few seconds later, she was breathing normally. Some time later on the way to a residents meeting at the hostel, Karen suddenly started to skip and dance around the local park. She returned to the hostel and announced to her friend: “I think it’s time!” Karen defines it as the Holy Spirit’s energy filling her. Minutes later, she had the urge to open her mouth and shout “Jesus Christ is Lord!” She realised that this was a sign that she had real faith. For the next few hours, the Holy Spirit bubbled up inside her. Karen couldn’t stop laughing. Later, a Christian member of staff visited Karen and found her full of enthusiasm. “Julian, www.jesus.org.uk She put her hand on Karen’s shoulder and prayed. A few seconds later, she was breathing normally I’m a Christian! I love Jesus!” He was amazed at the change, informing her that she’d “gone from ice cold to boiling hot”. The following day, Karen returned to “Springfield” and in January 2004, she was baptised as a Christian, knowing it was a step she needed to make. She says: “At times when things have been tough, and I’ve felt like clearing off, God’s reminded me of my baptism and it’s held me true.” Eight years on, Karen’s life has changed dramatically. She hasn’t drunk any alcohol for six years, hasn’t smoked for over seven years and has known a lot of healing. “I’ve been able to accept myself, through knowing that God loves me and my friends in the church love me.” She talks excitedly of “First Spring”, a group for teenage girls in Leicester that she leads, along with a few others. “It’s a space where the girls can relax, make friends and find life.” “God touched me so deeply that I can never walk away from Him. I’ve come so far since my teenage years; I’m a lot calmer and happier. I’m a daughter of God, and proud of it!” JL Jesus Life 13
Page 1 and 2: JESUS Issue 89 FREE one / 2012 www.
Page 3 and 4: COURAGEOUS FAITH AND ACTION www.jes
Page 5 and 6: Laurence Cooper issues a personal c
Page 7 and 8: ON T HE M ARG I Heart in the write
Page 9 and 10: can realise his or her full potenti
Page 11: From booze to bubbly As a teenager,
Page 15 and 16: Trevor Saxby writes about a remarka
Page 17 and 18: She started simply with a cry: “G
Page 19 and 20: Jesus Life editor, James Stacey, ta
Page 21 and 22: give up on Christianity because of
Page 23 and 24: new creation christian community NC
Page 25 and 26: Doris Kahnes describes her visit, w
Page 27 and 28: Cycle rickshaw in Delhi - a novel t
Page 29 and 30: India United Arab Emirates Camel Ma
Page 31 and 32: BLOG AND ANOTHER THING, GOD www.jes
Page 33 and 34: I think Paul was thinking of the pr
Page 35 and 36: BELFAST Jesus Fellowship Church....

Jesus Life 89 - The Jesus Army

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