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Testimony Of God's Love

  

Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.

God has delivered me and I shall glorify Him.

It gives me unspeakable joy to testify of God’s goodness in my life. In April of 1999 my life was falling apart in all 
areas, everything that I cared about was being taken from me. My wife told me she wanted a divorce and that she
didn’t love me anymore. At the same time my employer a tractor trailer company was changing their operating 
areas and I would now be required to be away from home for extended times at a reduced pay. 

With the debt I was responsible for and child support payments, I could no longer meet my financial obligations. As 
I fell deeper in debt, and the pain of losing my family and my home, I became very depressed and suicidal. I knew I 
could no longer keep my home, I could not make the payments. I put my home up for sale. I was calling out for help
from anyone who had an ear to hear, God, truck stop ministers, counselors, anyone who could help. 

I was now required to travel as far west as Illinois and as south as south Carolina. I cried over and over again, I was 
in so much pain, I lost everything and what can I do? I thought. Then I remembered a stranger had given me a Bible a
couple years prior, I had put it in my briefcase with all my important papers. I reached for it and began to read. I didn’t
understand the Bible but I knew I had to read it. I was out in Ohio the evening before Easter and had called my wife 
to plead with her to reconsider and seek counseling but she wouldn’t hear it. 

Easter morning was a very sad morning for me as I tried to make sense of all that has happened. I went into the TV room
in the truck stop as they were preparing for Easter service for truckers away from home. As I sat there thinking of my wife
I began to cry. The minister prayed with me and gave me a Jesus video. I watched it that afternoon and cried for Jesus. 
The next week I was traveling in Indiana and I had determined in my heart that I would stop in at the Petro truck stop 
located in Gary Indiana for church service. I had stopped at the rest area about two hours away and set my alarm to wake
me up three hours before service time so that I would have enough time to get a shower. Well I didn’t hear the alarm and
woke up forty five minutes late. I jumped up out of bed and into the drivers seat for I had purposed in my heart to honor 
God with my faithfulness and to attend service that day. I wasn’t going to miss it for anything. No breakfast, no coffee, 
but wide awake and with purpose I made my way to that truck stop. 

When I reached the Petro, I parked my rig and headed inside for I had fifteen minutes to freshen up, shave, wash my 
face and brush my teeth was a must. I was greeted at the door by the pastor who was having a tent service and what a
wonderful sunny day it was. I said great I’ll be there. They preached the gospel but didn’t really understand why I was
there, but after the service they invited us to go to their church; 1st Baptist Church of Gary Indiana. They served me 
breakfast and treated me with love that I had never experienced. That was refreshing as I was depressed all the time. 
We then went to church and as I sat, a deacon came to me and sat beside me. He asked me if I was saved. I must 
have looked puzzled because I didn’t know what he was talking about. He asked me if I believe that Jesus died on the 
cross for me and if I wanted Him to be my Savior. I said yes and he asked me if I would pray with him for salvation. Yes, 
I replied and so we prayed and I received Jesus. He then asked me if I would get baptized. I was when I was a baby I 
replied, well you should be baptized by submersion.

I agreed and it was done as hundreds were baptized that day along with me. The deacon stayed by my side the whole 
time. I don’t think he was much older that eighteen or so. Then we had lunch with other truckers that had come; Then 
prizes and Bibles were given. I was so overwhelmed by all that had taken place. For three days I had complete peace; 
all my troubles were gone, I was in Heaven on earth. I had just started on my walk with Jesus. I couldn’t get enough of 
God’s word. I had many questions and the Lord was teaching me. So I found myself in the Transport for Christ chapels
with many questions. My company offered me a position allowing me to get home every weekend and I would be
working less hours with better pay. All the while I was having a difficult time making the payments on my house, my wife
was still living there and I could not return home because we were separated and child support was being requested as well. 

I was buried in debt and it got worse because I broke my right big toe at work and was out of work two weeks when my 
company called me in to do light duty work for half of what I was making on compensation. Upon returning to work, I was 
required to go back to long haul driving. Then I met a wonderful man of God Chaplain Bunny O'Hare and his wife Peggy 
at Transport for Christ located in Shrewsbury, Ma. They prayed with me and shared the word of God with me in many of 
my troubled days. One Thursday morning as I woke in my truck hoping for a good check this week only to find out it
wasn’t too good. I fell into great depression and began to cry . I was at Fly's truck stop and went to see Chaplain Bunny
at Transport for Christ. 

I was so upset I just had enough of this I said to Bunny and tears began to flow again. Chaplain Bunny shared with me and
restored the joy of my salvation and we studied Matthew 6:33-34 seek first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness 
and all these things shall be added unto you and don’t worry about tomorrow. We prayed for the quick sale of my house 
and twenty minutes later as I was on my way to make a delivery, I received a message on my onboard computer from my 
realtor. The message read Paul give me a call we are closing on your house Monday morning. There were a couple things 
that FHA was requiring of me and I couldn’t do because of the cost. One was to insulate the basement walls. As I 
contemplated on doing that, I decided not to and went to visit my Aunt Lucia instead and witness to her of Jesus and she 
prayed with me to receive Jesus, the next time I got home I found out that the people who were trying to buy the house 
hired someone to insulate the basement and at no charge to me.

The other item was a two thousand dollars water filtering system, that was waived by the FHA due to my patience in all 
this confusion they felt it was the least they could do and the water does meet state safety standards. As we met for closing
everyone there except for me could not explain why and how quickly the closing came together. There were things that 
were supposed to be done such as the septic tank pumped and inspected and it didn’t get done as I asked about it they 
said don’t worry about that just have it done and send us the receipt. 

Chaplain Bunny helped me in finding a good church as the Lord had revealed false teaching where I was attending. The 
Lord lead me to New Life Christian Fellowship, Chaplain Bunny of Transport for Christ called New Life and spoke with 
Pastor Brian. Pastor Brian greeted me with love and that meant so much to me as I was hurting and still very much confused
and New Life has been such a blessing to me as I walked with Jesus. I was now homeless so I moved in with Mom and 
Dad and the Lord had enabled me to witness for Him. Mom, Dad, three brothers, a sister, and many relatives and friends 
have come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior. I wasn’t really keeping count of the saved souls but 
one day I was curious and counted about sixteen or so. 

This I know there is room for everyone because the Lord doesn’t want any to perish. As long as I live I will seek and pray 
for the lost. After my divorce in July of 1999 the Lord blessed me with a new job. I drive a tanker truck and work local and
come home every day and work only five days a week. The pay and benefits are great and I love my job. In getting this job,
I was able to get my retirement early and enabled me to purchase my home and pay down my debt. The Lord provided a 
wonderful mobile home for me and has blessed me greatly with many savings and benefits. This home is located in a very 
peaceful park just minutes away from New Life Fellowship and centrally located only minutes to my family and my 
daughter’s home. 

As I looked at the home with Debbie the owner, we discussed money matters and I knew the Lord had done a great and
mighty work for me. Debbie said that first of all everything you see in here stays. She had put all brand new blinds and 
curtains in all the windows no charge, changed the propane furnace and installed a new oil burning furnace with full oil tank
no charge, installed shower curtain towels soap and toiletries no charge, all landscaping is to be done by home owner, 
Debbie said they would take care of it, they landscaped seeded, watered and cut the lawn all summer no charge, two
months lot rent required upon moving into park one time non refundable fee of $450.00 to me no charge, because of the
time of when the mobile home went in no property tax for eighteen months. 

As I was moving in Dad and I were speaking of building a storage shed but the time was not on my side. Norman Debbie’s 
husband came to me one day with an offer on a storage shed he got from a lady who moved and could not move the shed. 
He bought it from her for $450.00 and sold it to me for the same and moved it to my house set on blocks and leveled it out 
for me with no charge. God continues to bless me in all areas of my life and fills me with His love and wisdom. God has 
blessed me with many good Christian friends and I am so blessed to have the wonderful pastors of New Life and Transport
for Christ all have touched my life and are a blessing of the Lord. I thank all who have blessed me in divorce care group 
and those who have discipled me. 

I thank the Lord for all He has done; for I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Thank you Jesus for you 
have given me life abundantly. Amen. 

The Lords Servant: 

Paul E. Michaud / Psalm 25

 

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