A Call For Testimonies

Exciting things are happening in my neck of the woods!  Work has begun on a book of testimonies for Young Adults, ages 18 to 28.  Testimonies from attendees at the School of Holiness in Ireland this past month are starting to arrive in my inbox.  The first one I received is from a young man in Egypt.  Beautiful testimony from a beautiful soul.  I have also received a few testimonies from young women in the Steubenville area.  Their words give me hope in a new generation of warriors for Christ. So, if you are a young adult moved by the Volumes, Monthly Messages, or any of the books written by Anne a lay apostle, please email your testimony to dfot.testimony2012@comcast.net. Or, if you have questions prior to writing your testimonies, send inquiry to the above email and I will respond ASAP.  Every testimony has the ability to touch lives.  Please don't think yours isn't important or worthy of printing.  It is!  And, the Gospel (Matthew 13:31-35) today demonstrates how even the smallest of seeds yield great fruit in the Kingdom of God:

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. "The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'"

In Anne a lay apostles book Serving in Clarity, she describes the importance of listening to and learning from the testimonies of others:

"A fellow apostle pointed out that much of our reality is invisible. As an example, he said, 'Have you ever seen Australia?' 'No,' I replied. 'I have never seen Australia.' 'Do you believe it exists?' 'Yes,' I said. 'I believe Australia exists.' 'Are you reasonably certain Australia exists?' 'Yes.' 'You believe Australia exists, in part, because you are relying on the testimony of those who have been there. Others have told you Australia exists. You have read about Australia, seen pictures of it perhaps, and your belief in its existence is reasonable given the evidence.' This spoke powerfully to me. I realized that if asked, I could give a certain amount of testimony about Australia despite never having been there. I believe there are kangaroos there, different seasons, crocodiles, vast expanses of unsettled land, and a good number of people with Irish ancestry. Additionally, I am aware of the Aborigine people native to that land. I understand, based on what I have seen of the Australians I have met personally, that there is a great sturdiness and resilience in the Australian people. Clearly I am not an expert on Australia. As I said, I have never been there. That fact will be evident to any Australian reading this. My limited knowledge of Australia comes in part from the testimony and information given to me by other people. So it is with heaven. So it is with Jesus and with God’s truth. A good part of the truth, the Invisible Reality that we rely on and believe in, has come to us from others in the Body of Christ, the community of believers. We accept the testimony of others because in our souls, we recognize the truth. This is discernment. In the same way, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are led to recognize what is false."

To our Young Adult Lay Apostles, I ask you to prayerfully consider submitting how Jesus Christ the Returning King has changed your life. Here are the criteria for writing testimonies:

Testimonies should be no more than 1,000 words (give or take a few words!). Please follow the format below when writing your testimony:

1. What was life like before being introduced to Jesus Christ the Returning King?

2. What affected you in the apostolate? Was it a Monthly Message? The Volumes? One of Anne’s books (Climbing the Mountain, The Mist of Mercy, Serving in Clarity, Lessons in Love, Whispers from the Cross)? Please be specific about what you read. A quote from the specific writing would be great. If using a quote, please list where you found it including page number (ex. Volume Nine, Jesus, page 7).

3. What impact or difference has this mission made in your life? How is your faith different after becoming a lay apostle?

We would like to have all testimonies submitted no later than September 1, 2012. If your testimony is chosen to be in the book, you will receive a consent form allowing us to edit (if needed) and publish your testimony. If you would like to be anonymous, please indicate this when submitting your testimony. Otherwise, your first name, last initial, and state and/or country will be listed. Again, all testimonies should be submitted via email to dfot.testimony2012@comcast.net.

I am so excited and blessed to be a part of this growing mission!  Lay apostles, we need to ban together drawing the youth of our society toward the path to heaven. If you know of a young adult touched by the mission, please forward this request to them. Young people are our future.  It's the future my grandsons will be living in and I want it to be a place where all serve and live Jesus.  Stand up and be a part of this renewal.  Jesus is ready to shower you with graces to persevere!

Thank you, Lord, for our young lay apostles.  Please let them realize they are our future, and with You, can change the world.

God bless,

Bonnie