“Jesus Loves You” – Lee and Julia’s Story

Lee & Julia Vozel- Bangor, Maine

Julia first encountered City Reach when Pastor Brian and a team of people were evangelizing in a homeless shelter in downtown Pittsburgh. Though she was caught in a destructive lifestyle of drugs and prostitution, she repeatedly turned down their declarations of “Jesus loves you.” But Pastor Brian gave her a card and told her that she could come to the Women’s Hope Home if she wanted to get out. A few weeks later, she called Pastor Brian, crying.  He and his team brought her to the Hope Home. When asked why she was crying, she said “You told me Jesus loved me, but how can He love me?” When she was younger, her father killed himself, her family deteriorated, and she started engaging in destructive behavior. She didn’t understand how Jesus could love her. Pastor Brian told her that Jesus did love her that He died for her and He had a wonderful plan for her life. Julia committed her life to Christ, and went through the women’s Hope Home program. During that time it was evident that God had restored joy into her life. She began to share the new hope she had with others and showed it through her devotion and enthusiasm for serving God. She graduated from the women’s Hope Home, became a leader and eventually the women’s home director.

When Lee first came to the men’s Hope Home, he was addicted to heroin and as a result, landed in the hospital due to the abscesses all over his arms. Although the doctors thought they might have to amputate it, God was healing Lee, and his arm got better. He stayed in the Hope Home for a few months, but he wasn’t really motivated to change. This was clear when one day after taking Lee to visit his mother, Pastor Brian was downstairs in the men’s home and heard a thud from up above. He ran upstairs and there was Lee, on the floor with a needle and an empty bag of heroin next to him, clearly having overdosed. They called the paramedics and began praying.

After trying various methods to revive him, the paramedics said “This man has been dead for 30-40 minutes, but we’ll make one last attempt to save his life.” They took a needle full of Narcan and shoved it into his heart. Lee sat straight up, and the first thing he said was, “Pastor I’m sorry.” Pastor Brian went to see him in the hospital, and told him that he had to get his life right with Jesus because no one is promised a tomorrow. And there in the hospital, Lee gave his life to Christ. He graduated from the Hope Home and began to serve as the men’s home director.

Lee and Julia were serving as the home directors at the same time, and soon they began a dating relationship. Shortly after, they were married. It was a miracle! These two people had lives that were full of destruction, both were “dead” in their sin, and Lee was literally dead, but God changed everything. He gave them hope and a purpose. He brought them together in a healthy, godly relationship.

Their lives have been transformed. But this transformation and hope is not just for their lives.  Lee and Julia had a baby boy named Titus. The change that Lee and Julia experienced will now be passed down in the next generation through their own son. Titus will know a life filled with love and hope, with two parents who serve God and serve others.

When Jesus changes somebody’s life, it’s has a “ripple effect”:  changing not only them, but also many others around them.  Baby Titus is living proof of that.  This is the power of the gospel in action!

And now it’s time for God to change a few more lives, because he is calling Lee, Julia and Titus to move to Bangor, Maine to do His work there.

On November 3^rd Lee and Julia packed up and moved to Bangor, Maine where God was calling them. They are walking beside the Pastor and his wife to help plant a church in the inner City of Bangor. “City Reach Bangor” also operating with the Church is the Christian Recovery Homes such as the “Hope Homes.” Their Church mission is to reach the one who is far from God and help them become a Passionate follower of Christ through the tools they offer. Lee and Julia are currently traveling in the surrounding areas and testifying to God’s Grace to try and raise awareness of this new work they are starting, to gather support for the Men’s and Women’s Hope Homes. The Grand opening of the Men’s Hope Home was November 6^th. A Women’s Hope Home is also in their Vision. God is doing a work in Bangor.  There are already 3 men in the men’s home already receiving the life power of Jesus. One of the men has not been clean since 1992. The church will not be planted until sometime in 2014.

If you could please keep the leaders and this work being done in Maine in your prayers that would be greatly appreciated.  That would be greatly appreciated. If you would like more information or would love to contribute to the work that is going on in Maine feel free to contact Lee or Julia Vozel. Or you can also go to the link CityReachNetwork.com or Visit Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Cityreachbangor/info)for Bangor, Maine. Thank you so much for your support. You are helping them reach the next person in need of a miracle just like they were.

 Note from Julia and Lee:  All it takes is one person to pass this special gift of hope on. I’ll never forget the woman who shared her testimony with me that day in the Shelter and it gave me hope and and changed my life forever. She planted a seed in me! If you have a story which we all do, I want to encourage you to share it.  You never know who needs to hear it. Sometimes it’s not what we do but what we set in motion. Our deepest misery becomes our ministry! May The Lord shine his face upon you!!! God Bless You!

Lee & Julia Vozel   –Bangor, Maine

Contact information for Lee and Julia Vozel:

Julia’s Email:  jcisalive3@yahoo.com 

Lee’s Email: Leevozel@gmail.com  

Healed and Victorious

Fifteen years ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  I often say: it’s not in my head but I also don’t let it get in my head. As one of my sisters once said, “I don’t own it!”  My body was diagnosed with the illness, but illness doesn’t have me. I don’t say “I have fibromyalgia.”- I say “I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.”  Yes, ‘Was’ is the operative word, because its no longer my present or my future.  And I only speak of the condition for the purpose of sharing my testimony and glorify God.

After many years of pain, fatigue, endless doctor appointments and medications… I received my healing!

Eight years or so ago while at church, I received prayer  and with that prayer, I received Healing from God! I don’t attribute my healing to medicine, but only to God and Him alone! Life has never been the same since that day. Each day I live to the fullest. I don’t limit myself in anyway.

Each year, I set new challenges and new goals. I speak affirmations of His mercy and power in me. In 2013 one of those challenges was Koko Head Crater in Hawaii.  As the date of the challenge approached, I knew it wasn’t the hours of training on the elliptical or the numerous hikes and walks that would prepare me to climb to the top…. But God!

 Koko Head is described as:

“Round Trip Distance: 2100 stairs.  Elevation: 1100 ft above sea level

“Koko Head Crater is one of the three craters on O’ahu along with Diamond Head Crater and Ka’au Crater…”

“Koko Head ranks in the middle of the three craters…”

“Koko Head ranks up with best of them on the island with its 1050 railroad ties stairway.  The stairway of railroad ties is easily visible from the road and reasonably intimidating. The steps are just wide enough to where you can’t stride them out in just one step. After the first half of the stairway there’s a bridge over a little valley, which can be a little bittersweet, the steps on the bridge are smaller but slipping is a possibility. After the bridge, the stairs get a little steeper but the end is near. Once at the top the view of Hawaii Kai and Hanauma Bay are breathtaking not like you have any to spare after the hike. There is a pillbox that allows hikers to stand on top and get a nice 360 degree view of the island. Once ready to head back down you quickly realize how tired your body has become with shaky legs and the loose gravel under your feet. Yes hiking up was tough but the hike down has a challenge of its own.”- Brandon LaCarter, Blogger

 

When the day arrived, I started my walk with God.  Doubt and fear sunk in as the hill got steeper and the sun beamed hotter and hotter on me. Three quarters of the way up at a approximately 925 steps, I sat and wept. I was struggling not only physically but more so emotionally because I knew my body could not do it… But I knew that with God all things are possible. I wanted and desired to prove it to myself by finishing that hike.

I wept and cried out loud but inwardly to myself  for God to hear me.  My heart’s desire was to just do it!! To Glorify Him! For His Mercy and Grace in my life. I wanted to do it as part of my testimony of His healing power! I wanted to do it to show Him I could, because He healed me… To give Him thanks and glorify Him…. Suddenly, I stood with renewed energy and determination, and completed my challenge that day and declared victory!!!

I am Healed and Victorious because HE>i (HE is greater than I). HE>fibromyalgia  (HE is greater than fibromyalgia)   And I > Koko Head because He is in me!  To God be the Glory!

 People tell me “I would never know you have fibromyalgia” And I always respond -“Good!  Because I don’t know it either” – and I share my testimony.   I’m not healed by  medicine but by God. God is good!

God is able! And through Him we are able to do all things! – He can heal your body too!

“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me”  Philipians 4:13

   Carmen Sepulveda- Manchester, Connecticut USA

Abused and lost… Now saved and healed!

I was so lost

It all started in the summer of 1976. I was an 11 year old boy and I can really say that I was on the shy and timid side. As a child, I never got into trouble in school or at home and I didn’t have many friends for that matter. Looking back now, having those traits probably made me an easy target, but who can tell with child molesters.

My stepfather was my molester. It started that summer of 1976 when my family went to visit my aunt and uncle in Georgia for vacation as every year. But this year was different. While every one was still out and about, my step father approached me for the very first time.  I was like a stone figure, not able to move or even talk. To this day, I have never been as terrorized as that moment. He began telling me how it was ok for boys to do this because he had with all his friends growing up. When it was over, I could  not even speak and he could tell I was affected.  He told me that it was ok for me to feel different, that it was natural and that I would be ok. He told me specifically that I was not to tell anyone because they would not understand.  Embarrassed by the whole experience and not knowing what to do, I did what I was told… I did not say a word to any one and the rest of the vacation went on as usual.

When we got home, he approached me again about a week later, one afternoon when no one was home. Only this time he was very violent and angry. Afterwards he was as calm as anything, and he proceeded to tell me that if I told anyone of what had happen at home or in Georgia that nothing would happen to me… Instead he would kill my mother and my sister and that he would get away with it because he was older than me and no one would believe a kid anyway. He said that he would leave and I would have to live with the fact that I had killed my mother and sister. Therefore, it was my choice… and of course I choose to never say a word.

Soon after that conversation I really prayed to God.  Oh Sure, I prayed to God before that but I prayed just kid stuff… This time was different, I had a true need. I was eleven years old and I prayed really hard with my whole heart asking God to please make my stepfather stop.

“Please make the police come and take him away. Something! Anything! Please God help me!”

I would pray every night but the abuse continued. Time passed, I prayed a little less, looking out my window at night to the heavens wondering if he heard me. “Do you care about me?… Are you mad at me?… Am I too dirty for you now?…”  The more time passed, the less I prayed.  I would ask, “Are you there? Why do you let this continue? Do You hate me?”  Eventually, I stopped praying…

By the age of 15, I was a hard rock inside. No one could tell what I had and was continuing to go to through… No one, not even my mother, siblings, teachers, friends…  I was able to hide it all like a World Champion.

During the summer of 1980, the sexual abuse stopped and the physical abuse started.  At this point my stepfather just became angry at me all the time and would hit me for no reason at any time. I was a nervous wreck around him because I would never know when he would hit or throw something at me. He was just crazy at this point.

It was not until I was 17 on a Saturday that I just felt I had enough and I fought back. I was sweeping the garage and all of a sudden out of nowhere I felt the sting across my back. He had hit me with an extension cord!  At that point, before I knew it I just turned around and attacked him. I punched him twice in the face as hard as I could. He never touched me again. But I was so mad at myself I could hardly stand it. The realization of ‘if I had only fought back years ago, none of what I had gone through would have happened’ hunted me daily. Soon after my graduation from High School, I joined the Army and left home.

As years passed, for some reason, I had blocked all the abuse out of my life and my mind. I had forgotten what had happened to me growing up as a child but it had taken a huge toll on me, I just did not see the effects.  I was a mess. I got married, had a son, got out of the Army, went through a divorced and married again… all in 10 years. My mother and stepfather were still married and they used to pick up my son from school and watch him until we got out of work in the evening. Life went on as normal, until one evening I found out that my Stepfather had tried to target my eight year old son! That is when the memories and everything that happened to me came rushing back.  It was 1993, I was 28 years old and it was the first time I’ve ever spoken about it.

The fact that I had put my son in danger was unbearable to me. I began a journey of depression and shame that would continue for years.  I went to countless counselors and support groups for several years, in addition I took a the steady regimen of prescribed drugs to try to help me but I was so lost and so was another marriage.

But there was one constant through all of these years, I had no relationship with God. To me, he had abandoned me as child or was not real for that matter. I was just angry and hurt to no end.

Years went by and I continued to live this way. There was no hope just a never ending road of depression, bitterness and anger that found no end. It was not until 1999, when I was contacted by an old high school friend, Margie.  We first met in 1980, when we were 15 years of age and I had not heard from her since 1981.  Eighteen years later, I get an email from this woman saying how she had always remembered me and how much I had stayed on her mind all these years. Immediately, we began emailing each other, renewing our friendship and learning about what we had both been through in the past 18 years. We decided to meet  and my heart felt feelings I never felt before in my life. I knew that instance that this woman was going to change my life and fulfill all that was missing, but how? Margie was a spiritual woman and she kept insisting that it was a God thing… God? There is no way! Could it be?  How after all this time is life changing in such an amazing way? Maybe God was with me after all.

He was with me always...

Margie and her three children moved to Orlando and along with my two children we married on Sept. 30 2000.

Together we began to attend a church in Orlando with my sister and my mother. Still skeptical with the idea of God in my life, I went to church only because Margie wanted to go… but in the process I started to see God in a total different light. We moved to Clermont and there Margie found Celebration of Praise. We began attending and watching my wife as she experienced the love of God in a new higher level helped me be more conscious of His presence in our lives. God used her to bring the teachings to help me heal, let go of my past, forgive my abuser and let God’s love and majesty back in my heart and in my life. In 2006, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Since, the Lord has shown me that He was with me always… even through the storm of my abuse. He was with me through all of those years of depression and guilt. God showed me that it was He who brought Margie back in my life… And that He meant for us to be together.

Today God is every thing in my life. He has provided for us all of our needs. He has healed me spiritually and emotionally. I am no longer depressed and I am at peace and happy with my life. I trust in God completely. I am a better person because of His love in my life. God truly works in mysterious ways but for me, He knew just what he was doing. I praise Him daily and thank Him for his Love… for He has surely proven His love for me.

If you are or have been a victim of sexual and/or physical abuse, please do not stay silent. Tell someone what is going on if it is occurring and even if it is in your past, confide in someone you trust. Remaining silent is what the enemy wants you to do because he knows that silence will fester and destroy you from within.

But most importantly, seek out the Lord for guidance and for the strength to forgive those who have wronged and hurt you…  And never forget that He is always with you.

Wayne Puckett ~ Florida, USA

He has healed me spiritually and emotionally.

1 Kings 19:11-12

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.”

He saved my life and now I’m finally at peace.

I was born and raised in Colombia during very difficult times. I can still remember how we lived in very poor conditions.  Even after all of these years, it still hurts to look back. The civil war had made our hometown a very unsafe place to live. Corruption was every where… Extreme poverty, lack of food and shelter inundated the place. My mother struggled to keep me safe and provide me with food and shelter.

I can still remember when I was about 7 or 8 years old, a group of men broke into our one room home. They beat and raped my mom numerous times right in front of me.  They looked at me while they were abusing my mom and said terrible things.  They would laugh and tell me to watch closely because once I grew older, they would come back and do the same to me. I would never forget the terror in my mother’s eyes and the screams that filled the room that day.  I was so terrified… I can barely remember anything else after that.  All I know is that right after that, maybe the next day or so, My poor mom still bruised and in pain, packed some of our clothes and we walked for endless hours and miles until we were able to find transportation to Bogota.

Once we arrived to the city, my mom found work as a housekeeper. For many years she worked for 2 to 3  families at a time and eventually, I started to help her as I grew older.

Because of the circumstances, I never had the opportunity to go to school. Therefore, I do not know how to read or write.

When I got old enough, I found a job as a waitress. I worked there for several years. When I was in my late twenty’s, I met a young couple. He was American and she was German. They had little children together. They offered me a job taking care of their children and their home. The job offer came with an airline ticket to the United States.  I took the job with the hope to help my mom financially and start a new life.

Once in the United States, I worked with this family for about 3-4 years until they had problems with the government and had to move out of the country. At that time, they asked me if I wanted to go with them, but I decided to stay and try to find another job.

The jobs I found after that paid me very little money and sometimes they did not pay me at all… The people were not as friendly and they treated me very bad. I found myself being abused and in some cases tortured with fear and threats. Not knowing how to defend myself or what direction to take, I would just stay and live with the situation.

But no matter what, I always held on dearly to the hope of being able to find peace and tranquility in my life.

In 1978, I was hired by a veterinarian as a live-in housekeeper to care for her children and her home. That is when my life took a drastic turn.  The doctor was a single mom who was very cruel and abusive towards everything and every one.  I am not sure what happened to her marriage but I do know that her husband had left her and their children. She had an addiction problem with prescribed medication and alcohol which made her a very angry and abusive person.  Living and working under her was a dreadful nightmare with no end. I lived in fear not knowing what would come next. I felt that I had reached the end of my limits.

I had no one to speak to because I was not allow me to communicate with anyone.

I could not stand the mistreatment any longer. I did not want to live in this world anymore. I was tired of trying to find peace… I did not see any other way out but to end my life. I figured that the only way to find peace was to end my life.

That morning I woke up with a plan.  I cleaned the house, did my chores for the week, picked up my room and prepared the meal for that night.  I knew the time and the place… I had the hour calculated to the very end.  I knew that I had to leave the house before the doctor came home.  To my surprise, as I was getting ready to leave when the door bell rang.  I did not know who it was since no one ever came to the house.  Surprised, and confused at the same time, I was led to answer the door.

I opened the door slowly and only half way.  I found two women smiling right at me and I noticed that one held a book in her arms across her chest. At that instant I heard a strange but loud powerful voice inside of me saying, “That is the Bible, the word of God!”

Soon after I heard that voice one of the women spoke and said,“Hi! How are you today?…” At that instant, I could not help but to brake down and pour out my heart and share everything I was going through with them.

They introduced me to the Father and Jesus Christ. That day I learned that God loves me and that Jesus gave His life for me, that there is hope and that through Christ all things are possible.

From that moment on, I felt a peace that I can’t describe… A peace that has never left me to this day. The urgency to end my life ended that afternoon never to return.  I was cleansed from all the depression, even of my situation.

The women left and I continued my day as any other day.  That night while I was asleep I had a dream. In the dream all I can hear was the same voice that spoke to me earlier when I answered the door. The Voice said, “You will never be alone, the Lord is with you. You will travel to Florida and there you will find peace. You will never suffer again”

A couple of days later the two women returned to the house and they instructed me that if anyone came to the house and asked me if I wanted to return to Columbia or stay in United States, to let them know that I wanted to stay here. They gave me their number to call them as needed.

A few days after that, a couple of gentlemen came to the door and asked me a few questions, including “Would you like to go back to Columbia or stay in the US?” I answered, “I want to stay here”

I don’t know what happened to the children or the doctor, but I do know that I called the two ladies and they took me in. They helped me find a job where I was treated better. A few years later, I was taken to Florida just like the Voice told me in the dream.

I have been here since. Several years after my arrival, I was hired by Ms Lady who has been so good to me. She has been like an Angel from God.  I am an old woman now… My body is old and achy. Today, after 23 years of working for her, she takes good care of me.  I know it was my Father who placed it in her heart to keep this old woman in her home, even though I am not able to work like I used to.  I am so grateful to the Father for such a gift of mercy and kindness.

I now see that God was always with me even through the terrible times… It was He that sent those women to save me that night… I thank Him everyday…

I live in such peace and with joy in my inner being knowing that God is real and He is with me all the time…

Although I still do not know how to read or write, my Father God always communicates with me through dreams and daily talk. I know that I am here today because of His loving kindness. He is such a great merciful Father! Oh How I love Him!

I don’t desire wealth or riches… But I do wish I was able to read so that I can read the Bible daily and serve my Father by ministering to others about His goodness…  I pray blessings over Ms. Lady every day…  I pray that people seek my Father daily and that they too find peace in Him like I have…

The world would be a better place if everyone follow the Father…   The world needs  our Father. Oh how grand is to be in His Presence! That is where I want to be always. Oh how I love Him!

Robertina

Florida, USA

Note: This testimony was translated and written from Ms. Robertina’s spoken words with her permission and willingness to share with others what God has done for her.