Changed Lives
Shirley Disler, in her 70’s, came to Next Level having only a small amount of church experience and having no relationship with Jesus Christ. God captivated her heart and she gave her life her life to Christ. She was the very first person to ever be baptized in the beach at NLC.
After Losing her Mother last year Heather had lots of questions and Doubts...”But God, Who is Rich in Mercy” showed her love through the ministry of Real Life and she has accepted Jesus as her savior and is living a life that is pleasing to Him.
ANGEL AND BRIGIDA SANCHEZ
(IGLESIA MDDL - SANTA ANA, CA)
This couple was on the verge of divorce with many problems and they came to church where they found Jesus and their lives were turned around. Pastor Rene has helped them with good counsel.
My Life Was Changed Because You Invested
by Dorine Owens
Being a 41-year-old women, I thought I had it all figured out. I had been married 10 years and had a beautiful young son, Jonah. We had a busy life full of activities, friends, and family. I had a job I loved teaching Yoga. Practicing Yoga gave me the opportunity to explore other religions and philosophies about God. In fact, I had just finished a master training in Eastern Religion. I was going along on what I thought was my spiritual path. Little did I know it would lead me to Christ.
One evening as my husband and I were getting ready to go to dinner with friends, 5-year-old Jonah came into our room with his little hands hidden behind his back.
I said, “Jonah, what are you hiding?” But he was afraid to show me.
I insisted he show me at once. He pulled his hands from behind his back and opened them. Jonah had colored a circle on the palms of his hands with a red marker.
When I asked him what he was doing, he answered, “It’s blood, Mommy; and look, I did my feet too!”
As he stood there looking up at me I noticed he had also drawn check marks across his forehead. There he stood with his palms out, feet red, and markings across his head.
I looked at my husband, and he looked at me. We were speechless. My husband took Jonah into the bathroom to wash him off as I stood there shaking in complete shock.
We carried on with our evening, but I just couldn’t get the image out of my head of our beautiful boy standing there with blood colored on his body. When we came home that evening, I went to my computer to search for some explanation of what had happened.
The following evening I called by best girlfriends and asked them to meet me for dinner. As I told them the story, the three of us cried and tried to make sense of it. But there was no sense to it.
Jonah had never been exposed to Christianity. We said our “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayers and celebrated Christmas. No one in my family or my husband’s family was a Christian. Jonah did not go to a Christian preschool and didn’t have Christian playmates. Yet this wasn’t the first time Jonah had asked me about Jesus. He was so inquisitive.
My friends and I agreed that it had to be a message. Ivis said, “Dorine, this is a sign; and I don’t care if you come or not. I am taking that child to church.”
When I got home Ivis called to tell me there was a flyer in her mailbox from a church that seemed perfect for us. She couldn’t believe it. That is what led us to Next Level Church.
So after resisting and finding every excuse in the world, I broke down and went to church with Ivis. Our husbands went, too.
I have to be honest. I was so skeptical. Even though I loved the young pastor, the awesome music, and cool atmosphere, I just didn’t get it. What was everyone feeling? I was so curious; I just had to keep going.
I felt so frustrated at one point that I thought something must be wrong with me. Maybe I wasn’t meant to have a relationship with Jesus. Maybe He was angry at me.
See, I had been given other opportunities to know Christ. But every time I turned my back on Him. I thought Jesus was narcissistic to claim He is the only way to get to heaven. I always thought if you were a good person and did good things that would be enough to get you to heaven.
I finally went to Tammy, our pastor’s wife, and asked for guidance. I felt such a connection with her, and I knew she would not judge me.
She explained I couldn’t have a relationship with someone I didn’t know. She told me to come and get to know Christ the man. She encouraged me not to put pressure on myself or try to force anything.
I know now that it was fear and a struggle going on inside me. I was afraid to give up control. I was afraid to trust. I was afraid to trust Him.
I continued to attend church every Sunday. As I learned more about Jesus Christ and His overwhelming love for us, I began to lower my guard. Each week it became a little easier, and my anxiety slowly subsided. I remember singing “God of this City” one Sunday and feeling the Spirit enter my heart. I gave my life to Christ that day and finally heard my calling.
Today, I minister to the homeless in my community. I don’t always have all the right answers for them or the perfect Scripture. I mostly listen and show them compassion. I tell them about Jesus and that He has not forgotten them.
I remind myself every day that all Christ has asked of us is to love one another. Finally, for the first time in my life, I am listening.
(Next Level Church, Tarpon Springs, Florida, is pastored by Rev. Christian Farris.)