I believe it was about the spring on 1994 when I was watching one of your presentations, and I had an encounter with the living God that changed my life forever.

I believe that I have owed your ministry a letter of gratitude and encouragement for quite some time, and I am sorry that I have taken so long to do it.

Now at the urging of the Holy Spirit, I am personally thanking you for your ministry.

Now, let me tell you my testimony.

My mother and father faithfully took me to church throughout my childhood, and I believe that I first accepted and encountered Christ there, I felt a very close presence to the Lord at a camp meeting.

As many young people do, when I went away to college, I walked away from God, and indulged in a sinful lifestyle.

Your show always came on at night, sometimes I would watch it in defiance to your purpose, thinking, “he can’t scare me, I have already had many sessions with Christians who try to scare us into heaven.”

Or, “I know the bible, I have read it all the way through”, there is nothing this guy can say to scare me.

Many a show went by, and I watched you for entertainment.

Then one day, shortly after my Daughter was born, I was by my mother’s house and she said, “i was straightening up, and I came across your bible, do you want it”?

I told my mother, not wanting to disappoint her, sure mom. So I drove home and tossed the bible on the TV and thought that would be the end of that.

Your show was on, and I once again as was my habit, dared God to convince me.

This night I saw something different from you and I have shared it many times. You, after laying out your case, became so enthused at the thought of seeing the blessed Lord, that I saw Jesus reflected out of the Joy in your face.

You weren’t trying to scare, you were overflowing with excitement and joy at getting to see the savior face to face. I believed, I turned on my couch and repented, I asked Jesus into my heart, and I heard his voice say, “ahh you believe, now what are you going to do?”

I repented of my old lifestyle and my life has never been the same.

The only excuse I can offer for not thanking you sooner, was that I already knew where I should go, I went home to my Church where, as the prodigal story illustrates, the welcomed me in as a lost son.

I was afraid, that you all would send me letters and try to contact me and tell me how to walk and all that, and that is a good thing don’t misunderstand me, but I already knew the way, Thank God we have a Savior and willing servants such as yourself, that he actually goes out searching for the lost. He found me on my couch. And guess what, when I rose from the “altar”, my couch, my Bible was waiting for me on the TV, beaming like a lighthouse.

I read it again and the words were alive with new veracity like I had never experienced before.

I just couldn’t be a coincidence.

I know that there is more than one person in a ministry team that makes it happen, and I hope this letter encourages you all, that to me, it was worth it. Thank you, and may God continue to bless you all.

In Christ’s love,

Darryl S.