11/24/2025 There are many good memories surrounding the time I was in college, and I was blessed to go to a Christian school, because my parents were gracious to allow us (my twin and me) to go there. Coming from public school, but having known that the Bible was God’s word, I was elated to be at the college, which felt like Falcon youth camp. I really appreciated it. It was a time of growing up and learning what the Bible said for myself, and interpreting and demonstrating much of what I learned in an immature way; but I did begin to “do God’s will from my heart”. Very much of what I learned started to shape my decisions, and my understanding. I was reflecting a while back on a time when I was getting ready for an evening on campus, and some friends, my sister and I were going to hear several young couples who were teachers, and staff at the school, give their stories, wisdom, and lessons in being married. Wow! Was I in for a wallop! I would be met with lifelike accounts like w g at I would read in the Bible! I grew up in a pentecostal environment, so I understand a little bit about God giving prophetic things like “tongues (1 Corinthians 12-13)”, had seen people struggle in spiritual warfare, had even seen a lady “dance in the spirit”.

They spoke with authority and honesty. The idea of “hearing” from God was something I loved the idea of, but it seemed like a distant concept to me; maybe, it was that I felt that a close walk with God, like knowing His voice was only for the super-anointed, religous ones, and I could not ever find myself “good” enough to be that. My religious background was knowing at least, in understanding that God did radical things sometimes, and for that I am forever grateful. Knowing that God speaks through His servants today is key to being in a good healthy, communicating relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. My whole life, up til then, I could not feel God’s spirit with me, although I would pretend I could for many years. I had touches from God, and could cry a river, but I could not begin to know how badly I needed to artculate my faith, and to be so assured, that Hell could not knock me out. There was no way for me to tell that God’s spirit was attesting to my spirit, and I needed a born-again experience.

I had already had so many “experiences”, but I needed one from above. Romans 8:16 taught me that year (2005): “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”. So, with some of the setting relayed, now you know a little about the past. For me, going to the forum was normal, as I would regularly be found in services and liked to hear about loving God, and could tell God was doing great things on campus. That night at least two couples spoke, but the one that stained me forever, was hearing Jim and Melissa Nesbit on the EC campus, give their testimony of how God “spoke”/intertwined their paths with divine coincidences. gave them a ministry in the coming together of their marriage. When they told their story, fresh at it was, and alive with adventure, I was like a sponge bob, who became so absorbed that I could have flooded the place. Time must have stood still in awe for me. That idea of “hearing” from God, to have such confirmation of knowing God would lead you to another soul, struck me like a bolt of lightning. I wanted that, of course, to have God’s perfect person, because I did feel I was to be married. But what I really coveted, was that a person could ‘hear’ from God like that! Personally, I had lusted after 1 boy for years, been in one other relationship that soured with the boy cheating on me, and I was too well acquainted with being carried aroud by “lust”, always looking around for guys, when Jesus wanted me to look at him. When I heard tell that Jim and Melissa had encountered God’s audible voice, airplane divine coincidences, much grace and forgiveness, and other prophetic things that added up to them being united in God for life, I was floored. That really happens? You can hear so closely from God, whut????!!!!!!!!! I had always heard good stories, but the fact that God was so near for them rocked my world. How could anyone not be changed by knowing that?! I felt like I would be an idiot if I did not grab hold of what they were saying. And with the sense as I had, I took to their message, and a few weeks later, was born again, too. Their obedience in something as simple as being married to one another and sharing the story, and also just reviewing Jesus’ teachings with students, brought at least 30 genuine conversions on campus; and the light of God was so bright for a while there! It caused a stir, but I didn’t care, because I could finally see God with eyes of faith. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I tried to hold on to my faith and had failed many times at being a spiritual saint; but I didn’t forget their story, and how Jim was hit by a car, and killed for some minutes, and then God brought him back to life – and he told us the story while holding his filthy famous shirt from that day with the shredded holes in it, of the car that ran into him and smooshed him on the ground. How Melissa, was dedicated to God and sold out, holding no need for getting married herself for 30 years, because she was too busy ministering for Jesus. But then God rewarded her greatly! Jim’s personal account: he got killed, went down dead, and came up alive in Christ! Something I could not forget, and a story so crazy is nothing for the “normal” life of Jesus that God wishes to impart to people. If we could just be obedient a little, God would bring heaven now! So, I thank them and try to remember Jim and Melissa, because without them, its hard for me to see my name printed in the Lamb’s book of life. Praise God!