King James Bible
King James Version (KJV)
Testimony: The Power Of A Testimony
Albert Bowen's testimony "The Power Of A Testimony" on 7/11/2017, 1:11am...
In the second grade, which would have been 1973, I believe, I came down with a bad case of Rheumatic fever. It is caused by a streptococcal infection and the end result are arthritic symptoms and heart valve damage, among other things. I was in the hospital for two weeks and on complete bedrest for the following three months. I wasn’t aware of the seriousness of it all at the time, but a nurse was chewed out by a doctor for simply allowing me to sit upright in my hospital bed. I remember being so tired of all the blood draws, I think they used thicker needles back then. Anyway, the doctor said I may be on penicillin for life, or I may get off medication when I was 21, but I’d never amount to much physically.
My family attended an Apostolic Pentecostal church at the time, and much prayer was had for me in the name of Jesus Christ, anointing me with oil just like it says in the Bible. Time went on..
At age fifteen, I went back to the hospital for something unrelated. The doctor found my medical history and ordered the EKG’s, the blood tests, everything, just to be safe. I was still taking penicillin to keep the infection down. He could find no evidence of the previous heart murmur, all tests were clear and he took me off medication. Praise God!
Since then, I’ve passed physicals for the US Army, the DOT for my trucking job, and the FAA when I got my pilot’s license. I have made it through three Army training courses, certified fit to go to Desert Storm, and made it through more than two decades of trucking. THAT’S what the power in the name of Jesus did for me.
Now I told you all that to tell you this: Back in the 1990’s a lady from a church in Jack’s Creek, Tennessee would come visit our church once in awhile. At the time, I drove regular runs in her area so on a whim (or so I thought), I decided to stop by for their midweek service. It just so happened they had enough room for me to park my semi.
Let me tell you these folks worshiped! At the START of service all the men & boys gathered around the altar on one side, all the ladies & girls on the other side, and they gave it all they had. I saw a line of FIVE boys, aged around 6-12 years, running the aisle in true worship, NOT playing around. It was something to experience. Later in the service the pastor picked me out as a new face right away and asked if I preached, sang or whatever, and where I would normally just give the quick popcorn testimony, something moved me to go to the piano, play & sing a song I wrote called ‘Little Things’, and in explanation of the lyrics, give the testimony I gave above. We had a great service and I drove the 200 mi back home.
A few months later, I got another opportunity to visit the church at Jack’s Creek. We had another good service, but this time, on my way out I was stopped by a young couple at the back with a baby in their arms. They said, “Brother Albert, do you remember the last time you were here and you gave your testimony?” “Sure” I replied. They said “This baby was born with a defect in the heart, but when we heard your testimony we believed God for a miracle and GOD HEALED AGAIN!” What a blessing, to then realize how He orchestrated all things together to use my testimony to heal and create ANOTHER testimony!