Category: Guest-Writers

Written By: Sarah Cousineau

Originally published at: 

We are His Daughters. 

I think most teenagers feel at some point like they are invincible. Never for a second thinking something can come and threaten their lives, at least I thought that way. I never once thought that I would have to fight a battle as large as the one that was placed in my path when I was only 14.

​It all started October 2006 when I suffered from an unusual and excruciating headache. I thought that a good nights sleep would cure it, but found out the next morning it wasn’t so. My mom took me to the clinic just in case but the Doctor claimed it was just a virus. I was to take some Advil and rest. After a few hours it passed and I felt normal again.

​A few weeks later I was attending my brothers football game when the pain returned. Only this time it was stronger and was accompanied by neck pain and vomiting. The next day we went back to the clinic. My mom was starting to worry. Based on the symptoms she wondered if it could possibly be Meningitis. When she expressed her concerns the Doctor laughed it off, claiming again that it was just a virus and all I needed was Advil. However this time it took four days before the feelings passed. A month later it came back with a vengeance. I could barely walk on my own. I spent almost a full week in bed. Something was definitely wrong and it most definitely was not a virus. My mom took me to our family doctor. He took one look at me and noticed that something wasn’t right, thus began my nightmare.

​A cat scan was ordered immediately. The results indicated that there was an abnormality in my brain and I was sent for further testing. The MRI revealed something that we were not prepared for. An aneurism was discovered on the right side of my brain. ​I was 14 at the time and had no idea what a brain aneurism was. I assumed it was serious but yet wasn’t overly worried. I guess you could say ignorance is bliss.

​Once the results were in I was sent to a local neurologist. He wasn’t overly worried at first; he even went on to say that it might not be an issue until I was much older. A week later I went in for more tests and again everything seemed fine. On January 3rd 2007, my parents got the call that changed everything. They were instructed to pack my bags and head straight to the sick kids hospital in London immediately. With no real answers I still had no idea the seriousness of my situation, but there was a nagging feeling inside that this was far bigger then we realized.

​Once we arrived it was a flurry of activity as they admitted me and started to run tests at an urgent speed.
When all the tests were completed I was set up in a room, where I just laid and cried. I was so confused and uncertain of what was to come. It wasn’t long before I had all the answers.
The next morning I met my nurse practitioner who explained that I would need to have an angiogram, a procedure that would determine exactly where the aneurysm was located and the size. All these details were necessary as they planned out the surgery. There it was. I was scheduled for major brain surgery.

​In a weeks time I had seen over 15 different doctors/ specialists. Each one of them reiterated how rare this was for a person my age and that I was “lucky” to have had these headaches because they acted as a warning sign which most people with aneurisms don’t get. Even though I was young they didn’t spare me any details. This was an incredibly dangerous surgery with a 10% chance of never waking up and a risk of a stroke. After a week of tests and waiting that day finally arrived.

​“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God… Phil.4:6

​

Surprisingly I was very calm that morning because I trusted in God and I knew he had a plan. He had taken care of me this far and I knew he wouldn’t stop there. There were SO many people from home and from churches all around praying for me. My family never left my side. I was never alone. I had an amazing team of doctors doing the surgery. It also didn’t hurt that I was promised a puppy when I woke up 🙂

​After about 6 or 7 hours in surgery the surgeon greeted my parents and said that the surgery went very well and there were no complications! Praise the Lord! The road to recovery went exceptionally well. I was out of the hospital about a week and a half later, which is unusually quick.

All the doctors and nurses that I encountered were in awe through the whole process. Always stating that I was a miracle and had a guardian angel. They hadn’t seen a case like mine; most patients took much longer to recover and had so many complications. It was an incredible testament to the powerful God we serve.

​Through it all I never thought to myself “why me? Why is God punishing me?” which is strange considering that is usually the first thing people think. Instead I had a peace through the whole experience that could only come from God alone. Even when I was told that I may not live, I could have chosen to fear the worst, but I knew that I had to just trust in God and that he would get me through this.

​And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

​It has been almost 8 years since my surgery. I still have a very small aneurism on the left side of my brain, which requires me to have an MRI every two years. But I’m not worried. God holds me in his hands and He is the one who has the final say. So I just pray and trust that He will continue to heal and take care of me in every way.

​God is and always will be good. He deserves all the glory and all honor!

About Sarah:

Sarah lives in Essex, Ontario. She works at Libro credit union as a service representative. She’s the youngest of 4 and is a proud auntie to her niece, and  4 nephews.

Written By: Pastor Jay Armaly

Miracles. The mere mention of the word can often bring up at minimum a spirited conversation and often finds its way into a heated debate. The reason for this: Miracles are attributed to a supernatural cause, something beyond this realm and more specifically to a work of God.

Since we live in a society and in an age where most people do not believe in a realm beyond this one, this simple yet powerful word can be a challenge. For those of us that have experienced a miracle, an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers (dictionary.com), it often leaves a lasting and life changing effect on us. My set of miracles happened at such a young age that it altered my destiny forever.

April 19, 1974 was a day filled with much excitement for my parents as they were welcoming another baby Armaly into this world. It was their third child and would end up being their last as the doctors recommended no more children due to the increasing levels of difficulty and complications at childbirth and beyond. Although it was a difficult birth, I appeared to arrive healthy and ready for life but unfortunately this would change in a few short weeks.

At six weeks of age I was rushed to Hotel Dieu Hospital in Windsor with a heart rate of 200 BPM. Through testing, it was also discovered that I was severely anemic, so I was given a blood transfusion which seemed to stabilize my health and was sent home. A short time later, my health began to deteriorate leaving the doctors puzzled and concerned.

They transferred me to London Children’s Hospital where it was discovered that I had a rare disease called “an enzyme deficiency of the red blood cells”. My bone marrow was producing incomplete red blood cells and my white blood cells were destroying them. This disease had similarities to leukemia and it was determined I would need blood transfusions to survive.

My parents were shocked, devastated, and fearful of the future that beheld their little baby. To add even more trauma to an already difficult situation, it was discovered during this time that I was born completely deaf. My parents could slam doors around me and I wouldn’t even flinch. This in itself would be difficult to walk through with your new born son, but together it was almost unbearable.

My church-going parents did the only thing they could think of, as the medical profession was out of solutions, they turned to God. My parents believed in a good and loving God and this core value led them to pray and rally many other believers to believe for divine miracles. Many prayers were said through friends and family and in many prayer meetings around the county.

It would be a seemingly random encounter in a grocery store parking lot that would alter the destiny of my life. One day while finishing shopping, my mother ran into a gentlemen she knew who was heading down to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to attend a healing meeting led by Kathryn Kuhlman. Mrs. Kuhlman was known throughout North America for having incredible and profound miracles take place during her meetings. She asked if he would take my prayer needs with him as he went to these meetings. It was a seed of hope for my mom. She knew she could not attend, or take me, but maybe this would be enough. As this man attended one of these meetings, the miraculous would happen. Mrs. Kuhlman, while speaking, looked to the balcony where this man was sitting and pointed and said “There is a baby in London, Ontario who has a blood disease. Be healed in Jesus’ name”. She had no idea who I was, but thankfully God did! With those words, I was instantly healed and the doctors were baffled. My red and white blood cells became normal and my health became strong.

I was released from the hospital and it was considered a miracle. A supernatural intervention!

To say that my parents were ecstatic and relieved would be an understatement. Their baby was coming home, but unfortunately I was still deaf. Although one major disease was healed, they were still looking at a challenging future with their boy being deaf. In 1974, the closest school to train the deaf was in Peterborough, Ontario. It was determined that by age three I would need to begin to travel there so I could learn to sign and read lips. This was still a scary future for their boy but with my blood disease being healed my parents had even greater faith for a miracle.

I am truly thankful that God is faithful and completes the good work that He starts. Miracles can happen at the strangest times and my second one happened in a car with a radio. One day while my mother was driving the car, the A-track player (much like a tape player) switched sides with a loud click. In that moment, for the first time, I moved my head in the direction of the sound. I was instantly and completely healed! Through much prayer, God had intervened a second time!

I could honestly go on to write of the multitudes of times God intervened miraculously in my life. From drinking poison and having my stomach pumped out to almost drowning, choking in a tree, and being electrocuted while cutting a wire as a kid, I have seen the faithfulness and protection of a good God!

The dictionary also defines a miracle as “a wonder and a marvel” which I find very fitting. We can’t always understand the mysteries that surround a miracle, but they do tend to reshape our life. The wonders and marvels I have experienced have continued to point my eyes upward throughout my life to learn more about the loving God we serve. I don’t believe that God intervened because I am more special than anyone else, but I do believe that my Heavenly Father heard the desperate cries of a mother and father and the prayers of a community rising up in faith.

My prayer is that my testimony of healing will stir your faith and remind you, or even open your heart, to the goodness and love of God.

About Pastor Jay Armaly:

Pastor Jay and His Wife Krista, have been with Antioch Christian Ministries since its inception. Pastor Jay is first and foremost a worshiper who loves to minister unto the Lord. Jay is a local church pastor with a vision to see every person encounter God and empowered to impact their communities with the love of Christ. He has a passion to see marriages healed, families restored and people released into their fullness and destiny. Pastor Jay and Krista have three children.

Written By: Gail Chaulk

What a blessing it is to share what God has done for me and let you know that He is no respecter of persons.  What He did for me, He can do for you!  My husband and I have been giving to the house of God, in tithe and offering, all of our 21 years of marriage. A few years ago, we found ourselves in debt that seemed unmanageable and we needed help.

Our church strongly teaches about putting God’s house first and He will take care of your house. We lived by that principle, but we were in trouble. We began reading books by Dave Ramsey about getting out of debt and becoming debt free!  It sounded awesome, but very daunting.  We decided with God’s help we could do it, and we would give it our best shot.  It was not a short fix, but we began to work at it.  My husband and I came into agreement and we started working the principles.  We were able to pay off all of our credit cards and found success and then paid off our vehicles.  The next part is when you see God really show up.  After we had paid all of those bills we received a notice from our bank for our home equity loan.  The notice stated that we were being “forgiven” our $36,000 home equity loan and we were not required to do anything.

Now, I don’t know about you, but even the terminology they used in this notice sounded like God to me. Our God forgives us and it is not because of anything we have done, but a free gift from Him.  We are blessed and continue to trust God in all of our ways and hope that you will do the same.  We serve a good God and I just love this testimony in our lives, because it reminds me of how much God loves me and wants to bless me and He wants to do it for you too!

About Gail:

  
Gail Chaulk is happily married to a wonderful man named Paul. (Her awesome Canadian hubby). She is a 47 year old mother of two. Her Son, is 23 and his name is Matthew and He was recently married to her now beautiful daughter-in-law, sweet Katie. Gail’s daughter is 20 and her name is Ashley, and she has been working with children at a local elementary school as a teaching assistant. Gail is a third grade teacher and absolutely loves her job! School has just started in Ocala, Florida, where Gail resides. She has totally enjoyed working with these precious children for the last week.

Written by: Brooklyn White

It is time to finally put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard?) and write about what hurts. It is time to tell my story for what it is and to not be scared, ashamed, or guilty. I have written my story so many times before, but it was never complete. Bits and pieces were left out to accommodate the human eye. I was scared of letting the outside world see the real me, so I either sugarcoated it or just simply didn’t tell the parts that truly mattered.

Because the truth is…

I had a boy who broke my heart.

I had a best friend with cancer.

I had a friend get into a car accident on my birthday.

I had a lifelong friend who just up and left.

I had an anxiety disorder.

I had a ‘friend’ who blamed my anxiety disorder for the ending of our friendship.

I had a really hard time at university this year.

I had a heart full of pain.

I had to leave a toxic youth group.

I had rumours spread about me.

I had to establish new boundaries with people.

I had a fear of going into public in case I ran into the people who caused me pain.

I had an old friend run away from me in a mall trying to avoid me.

I had a bitter heart.

I had an inability to be brave out of fear.

I had to discover my purpose and calling.

I had run away from God entirely.

I had neglected to take care of myself.

I had been overcome with sadness and confusion.

I had felt this overwhelming feeling of being “The Outsider.”

I had never been one to fit in.

I had a fear of not being good enough.

I had a horrible experience in high school.

I had parents who got a divorce when I was young.

I had too many fatal friendships that resulted in my self-destruction.

I had struggled with controlling my tongue, and often swore.

I had attempted to fit in and be just like the others, but it never worked.

I had a difficult relationship with my father (which has since gotten better).

I had never been one to be invited to things or places.

I had no friends who I could call family.

I had to end an emotionally abusive friendship and hysterically cried while doing it.

I had to pretend to be happy, so people couldn’t discover the pain underneath.

I had to look death in the face, through family members and friends.

I had an overwhelming sense of frustration and confusion.

I had become accustomed to pain and heartache.

I had people who I thought would always be in my life, just up and leave.

I had cried uncontrollably in the shower over words that were spoken to me.

I had to avoid going to youth group for months out of fear.

I had never known what it meant to have a “church family.”

I had to become someone who I wasn’t, to please those around me.

I had continued to question God’s purpose and plan for my life.

I had been the master of disguising sadness as happiness.

I had no hope.

I had no peace.

I had conflict at every turn.

I had a life etched with painful circumstances and situations.

I had to rediscover myself by looking at the past and acknowledging it for what it was.

But most importantly,

I had, and still have, a God who took the shattered pieces of who I was, who I wasn’t, and who He called me to be, and molded me into the person I am now. THE PAST DOES NOT DEFINE ME. And it never will.

However, it has played a huge part in shaping me into the person I am today. The thing is though – I let the past make me feel an overwhelming amount of guilt. I was the one who would constantly search for old friends on social media, and what I found always stung my heart. I knew it would be painful. I knew that if I looked up their name I would see things that would make me cry. And yet, I did it anyways.

I was the one who would lose countless hours of sleep at night replaying what happened, and going over the words that were spoken to me. I was the one who would wake up in the middle of the night with a wet pillowcase because nightmares had made me cry. I was the one who feared the public, and often missed out on amazing experiences due to fear.

I was the one that was full of anxiety, to the point that when anxiety attacks would hit, my body would shake uncontrollably and I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop my mind from thinking about the bad. The pain consumed me.

But I was also the one who chose to end friendships that were bad for me. I chose to pursue God’s heart again. I chose to attempt healing. I prayed and I prayed. I worshipped God in the darkest moments, and continued to seek after His wisdom. From this pain, came irreplaceable life lessons. Heartache resulted in purpose. Confusion resulted in commitment to God. And overall, I slowly healed.

I still struggle every day. I struggle with school, friendships, and finding my purpose. I am learning that part of living this life means learning from your struggles, and pursuing your dreams even when people tell you not to. It is about overcoming conflicts, and becoming stronger as a result.

Ultimately, life is about pursuing God’s heart and trusting in Him and His plan for your life. I now appreciate talks with friends, coffee dates, and staying up till all hours of the night during sleepovers. I find meaning in the small things, like a good cup of tea, cupcakes, and reading a book before bed. I am passionate about people and am learning to love unconditionally and encourage fearlessly.

I am slowly becoming who I was always meant to be. My story was in no way easy to tell, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that pressing the publish button was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Being honest with myself wasn’t easy, but I have NO reason to be ashamed of my past. I have no reason to feel guilt. I have a story, and I should tell it because somebody out there may need to hear it.

I encourage you to do the same.

All my love,

Brooklyn.

---

About Brooklyn White:

Reader, Writer & Tea Drinker | Daughter of the King | Fearless Encourager | Hebrews 6:19 | 18

There is nothing in this universe that I need more than Jesus Christ. My soul finds rest in Him alone. I am learning to hold myself to a standard of grace and not perfection. The trials I have faced and continue to face are continuously shaping me into the person God is calling me to be. I am a woman boldly pursuing God’s heart above all else.

Hebrews 6:19 is my favourite verse which says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast.” I am reminded that His name will be the hope for all the world. This life is certainly not easy, and the reality is that not everyone has it all together. But the good news is that there is a God who will never leave our side during the storms of life, and as long as you stay Anchored to Him, you have nothing to fear. Work Hard. Stay Sweet. Trust God. Love Deep. Pursue Dreams. Live Fearlessly. Encourage Others.

Written By: Emma Srigley

The power of prayer is something amazing that happens. I know from experiences that prayer can influence a change in your life. If it’s something that you really feel strong about this is my opinion but you should absolutely follow it!

               “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. ~James 4:8 NKJV

I’m going to talk a little bit about myself and how God has made a difference in my life. God has touched me in ways I can’t describe. I’ve been going to church ever since I was a little girl, my parents would take me but after a while we stopped going to that church, and my grandmother started bringing us to her church (by us I mean me and my brother). I had dedicated 7 years to that church and then I moved to a different church because I wasn’t getting anything out of that church, I had grown out of what they had to offer. I started getting into fights with my family about going to church and about stuff that was happening there. I felt like it was drawing me away from God.  God has changed my life so much! I think that this next verse says a lot about what I have done lately.

 “I took my troubles to the lord; I CRIED OUT to him, and he answered my prayers”  ~Psalm 120:1

I had an amazing experiences at my youth group on August 20th 2014! The night contain of us having our summer wrap up carnival after that we did the ALS Ice bucket Challenge then afterwards we went in and we had late night worship! We are blessed to have an amazing talented band and wonderful youth leaders who dedicated every Wednesday night to be with us and help us grow more towards God! During worship you could feel God’s presents in the room, many of us were crying because we knew that God was in the room and was there to help us get through whatever was troubling us. See that’s one thing with God, even if you don’t pray or talk to him in days, months or maybe you haven’t even prayed. He is always there for us no matter what is happening and no matter what we go through. I know when we discovered the lump on the right side of my head just above my eyebrow; all I could do was pray for it not to be anything serious.

My family and I were on vacation during March Break when my mom noticed the lump on my head. My parents would joke around with me by calling it my “horn” because I always spent way too much time in the barn. When we got home from our vacation a doctor’s appointment was made to check it out. Needless to say, I have had many doctors visits, x-rays and ultrasounds on it to make sure it wasn’t growing. Different doctors would tell me something different, they said that it could be a Cyst, non-cancerous tumor, or even bone that just magically appeared. All I know is that without my friends who prayed for me and God. I doubt that I would have got an answer, so that lump above my right eyebrow is just bone. They finally agreed on that. I had the option of getting rid of it but I choose to keep it because it makes me unique.

About Emma Srigley:

Emma Srigley is true born and breed farm-girl, she has lived in Essex County, Ontario all her life and was saved at a young age. She enjoys working the family farm and is looking forward to what next adventure life has in store for her!

Written By: Pastor Joe Ritchie

25 years ago, I died. It was in the early morning hours of May 27th, 1990 that it happened and I was 15 years old. A friend and I, who always took turns stealing our parent’s cars, took another wrong turn in life.

It was his opportunity this time to take his mom’s car. We didn’t make it home. On Charron Line in Belle River he lost control on the gravel shoulder at about 120km/h. It was possible that the car clipped a guard wire for a telephone pole as the car flipped front to rear three or four times, bounced out of a ditch, and landed on all four tires in a farmer’s field. The car was totaled and so was I.

My friend was able to run to a house and call for help. I laid lifeless between the front bucket seats with broken ribs on each side, one punctured lung as the other lung filled with blood, and a broken neck at C5,6,7 vertebrae.

The Rochester fire department was first on scene and began to use the Jaws of Life to extract me from the rear window area. Once the paramedics arrived they said it was taking too long and they were losing me.

At that point a firefighter jumped up on the roof and began to peel the roof back like a tin can. The others stood for a moment in awe like they were watching an act of God. The paramedics were then able to secure me to a body board and pull me out, but as they did… I died. I was dead as they put me in the ambulance and drove away doing everything they could to bring me back.

They said it lasted approximately seven minutes. However, once I arrived at Metropolitan Hospital in Windsor and was received into the ER, I died again. This time it was clocked for six minutes. Revived once more and in serious critical condition, the phone call was made to my mom and dad.

It was terrible news and I cannot imagine the pain they felt. After a few days of traction, where they put screws in my scull that were tied to weights to keep my head and neck straight, the decision was made for surgery. A fusion was done on my vertebrae and the wait began for me to come back to a conscious state. It took two weeks. I remember that day as I opened my eyes I had no idea what happened, where I was, or why more than half my body didn’t move.

On life support, unable to feel from chest down, unable to move my arms, hands and fingers, and unable to speak from a tracheotomy, I was told what happened and tears rushed in like rain. Then it happened again; I was moved from my bed in ICU to a lazy boy recliner, why I don’t know, but I died again. This time I was able to experience it.

Three minutes of no heart beat and clinically dead. Everything was black, but I could hear all that was happening. I was unaware that my heart stopped for three minutes until it was all over and they told me what happened. After a couple more days they filled me in on what my life expectancy should be.

A low functioning quadriplegic who will never walk again and will always need medical care and nursing aid. I get it. They gave me the worst case scenario. Oh it took a while to adjust; six years of depression and many wrong choices. The incredible suffering I endured physically was no match for the pain I felt in my heart, mind, and soul. I turned to alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity attempting anything to create joy in my life to mask the pain. Nothing worked.

The truth is I had to die one last time; to myself. In October 1996 something happened that I never would or could have imagined or made up. I met Jesus Christ, of all places in my kitchen. My personal drug dealer pretended to be Jesus Christ dead on a cross as a joke. Jesus Christ showed Himself to me right then and in that moment I believed for the first time. I died to myself that day and began to live for Him. I have never looked back. Love, hope, joy, peace, and forgiveness flooded and filled my life like I had never known possible.

I had no idea in the past that such a life existed. Many miracles have happened since then, but the greatest of them all is my changed heart. I am so incredibly thankful. Yet further to the miracle of a changed heart, God gave me more. It was August of 1998 at a Christian festival called “Kingdom Bound” in Darien Lake, New York Six Flags amusement park.

It was the providence of God that I was there. You see, by 1998 it had been eight years since my accident. Eight years of being physically disabled in many ways. That included my limbs, my hands, my fingers, and my body from chest down. It also included things like the function of my bladder and bowels. I needed medical devices and medication in order to make them work. My bladder in particular was sadly a painful experience as I needed to insert a catheter every time I needed to empty it. Every time!

That was about six times a day every day for eight years up to that day. If you can imagine a plastic tube slightly lubricated and the word friction you’ll understand it didn’t always work right. It would get stuck and bleed and get infected. I was even hospitalized because of it.

So there I was in my tent at Darien Lake, New York needing to empty a full bladder and the catheter got stuck and I began to bleed. All I could think of was that I needed to go to the hospital again. I became very afraid of how that would have worked in another country not my own. So, instead of dwelling in that fear I decided to turn to God. In tears I asked the Lord to heal my bladder and enable me to “pee” without the use of a catheter. I got up out of my tent and went to the washroom.

I peed for the first time in eight years without one! It was not exactly normal but I could do it and I have been “peeing” on my own ever since! Hallelujah! God gave me a physical miracle! If you have read this far, I thank you so much for taking interest. My life now is more than I could have ever dreamed and it’s all because of God. My wife, my children, my family and friends – there are so many blessings, too many to count. If you do not know Jesus yet, please soften your heart to His voice. Cultivate a relationship with God in Christ and you’ll never be sorry you did, only sorry you didn’t. It was 25 years ago for me on May 27th 1990 that I died, but it was only physical death. Spiritual death would have been much worse. I am so thankful that I lived that day in order that I would die again. I would die to myself and live for Jesus Christ; a death worth dying and a life worth living.

About Pastor Joe Ritchie:

Joe Ritchie born November 22nd 1974 of the flesh and born again of the Spirit October 1996. From the wrong side of the tracks to riding the train bound for glory Joe has experienced much of life’s ups and downs. A motor vehicle accident on May 27th 1990 left him physically paralyzed for life, but not to be undone he has found his place and purpose in Christ. Through his journey he has been blessed with miraculous healing and a call to ministry. Married in 2000 to his beautiful wife Michelle and blessed with their three wonderful children Braeden, Olivia and Amelia, the Ritchie family serves in the ministry of the Gospel of Christ. Joe has been a pastor in the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada since 2001 and continues forward in his call, sharing his story, preaching the word and leading worship.