Extraordinary stories

We have been learning as a church how, throughout history, God has worked extraordinary events through very ordinary lives. He delights in using the weak to confound the strong; the humble to overcome the mighty.

In our lives God is working in just the same way. This page is where you can read the extraordinary stories of others around you and YOU can share your story as well. Click on the first lines below to see the whole story.

Encourage someone else - let us tell your story. Click here and send it in to the website editor. Please indicate if you would like your story to be anonymous.

My Testimony

Brendan Williams

I have always been to church seeing as I come from a Christian family and as I grew older I started to understand more about god.

My Testimony

Denise Beer

I first came to hear about Jesus, 30 years ago, when my Mum and Dad became Christians

My Testimony

Lisa Hartwell

I was not brought up in a faith, my family were not churchgoers, but I have always felt in myself an overwhelming awareness of the presence of God.

My Testimony

Nuno Cadilhe

There are so many questions to be answered. Someone once asked me when did I become a true Christian. I think that happened the moment I decided to come to CBC.

The extent of His love

Nicky Harris

This is my testimony to the extraordinary (supernatural) in the ordinary (natural) and I pray that others who read this will come to know an even deeper rooted love in the Lord.

Tania Gale

My story isn't really a very interesting one or one that is surrounded with spectacular events that shaped my path.

Healing Sunflowers

Ann Bevan

I took two sunflower seeds when they were distributed at church and our young grandson and I sowed them.

An Ordinary Sunday?

Marian Hayden
Just come with me back in time, back to a quiet, ordinary Sunday afternoon in September.

 

My story

Tania Gale

My story isn't really a very interesting one or one that is surrounded with spectacular events that shaped my path. But it is ‘Extraordinary in the Ordinary’!

I grew up in South Nutfie1d, and whilst my family weren't regular church goers we went to Sunday school most weeks. I even went on a 'Christian weekend' - but the only thing I can remember about that is buying a small mirror from the Body Shop!   I went to the only school in the village, which is a church school, and it was there I learnt about God and right from wrong.   I was just your average school kid, no major stories to tell there (well my parents may have some, but I always thought I was perfect! !)

Then I became a teenager and I realised I wasn't perfect! I decided that sitting up at the train station every evening, smoking was by far the most interesting past time to have. Sometimes if we were feeling daring we'd venture up to the park - and smoke! But generally it was the train station!  Then there were boys, and then alcohol. Boys, smoki ng and alcohol. And when I was old enough the pub too! My poor parents!

I didn't socialize with anyone that went to church; in fact I'm not sure I even knew anyone that went to church at that time.  I decided it was time to grow up, and settled down with one person, I went to college and from there got ajob at the RNIB. That's where I met my friend Sleachy. Her name is Sarah - but she is only known as Sleach!

There was (still is!) this girl with an outrageous laugh - she never has a bad word to say about anyone, really friendly - just a nice person. We became good friends, but she never told me that she was a Christian. Then one comment from a girl made me realize there was so much more to my friend Sleachy and why I have the deepest respect for her. We were talking about each other's weekend, and she said that on Sunday she had a lie in while Sleach went to church - I was really shocked! I did ask her about it, but we never REALLY talked about it - well not until years later, but the seed was sown.

I was invited to an Alpha course, I respected Sleachy's faith, but that was not for me!  I carried on down my path - I parted from my partner, gave up smoking and replaced it with bulimia. I got together with Steve but continued to mentally struggle for years.

Getting married helped and I felt loved and secure, but still something was missing, we were desperate to have a child. We had difficulties having a baby, but after a lot of heart ache we eventually had Emily.

Now a year previous to this my friend had her first child and I remember her telling me how grateful she was for her daughter and how she wanted to give something back - she's not a Christian but knew that her daughter was a gift from God. I remember thinking that she was nuts! ... Until I held Emily in my arms, then I knew exactly what she meant! As time went by I had a desire to get Emily christened - this desire raised a few questions at home why? You don't believe, you don't go to church it is hypercritical.  But I had this pull- I desperately wanted to give something back and have God's stamp on her - but really couldn't explain why!

We got Em christened and not long after I returned to work. I was really unhappy in the team I returned to and plucked up the courage to go to the other line manager and ask if there were any vacancies in her team. There was! I was then in a room with Martin - who is a Christian, and another girl who most definitely was not!!! The conversations were amazing! I would ignore them at first and think 'they are off on one again', but slowly I'd get pulled in and then before I knew it too was debating Christianity! One of my questions was if you are a Christian do you HAVE to go to church? His reply has stayed with me forever, he said you don't HA VE to but you W ANT to!

Then the tsunami hit. Why? How could God let all those children suffer? Kids dying? Makes no sense at all. Poor Martin, he really got it then! !! I was desperate to find out so I rang Sleachy and asked her if she knew of an Alpha course anywhere ... and she did!

I went along to Lee Street Church in Horley and met a group of lovely, welcoming people, people who genuinely wanted to help me and to reassure me - I then proceeded to bombard them with my questions! !  Now, not all of my questions were answered, but, things were put into a different perspective. Somehow what they were telling me seemed to fit. The subjects we covered on the course were really interesting. This way of life they were telling me about just seemed right and far more appealing than the path I was on.

One evening driving home I decided to take the plunge and ask for forgiveness and ask Jesus into my life. At that moment I felt the peace - the peace that can only come from God, it came over me like a wave. I had been forgiven and my new life was beginning.  Many people could not understand my new found faith at first, but now hopefully they have accepted the new me and realize that I am still just 'Tarn' - only I'd hope a little bit nicer!

I still struggle with things and the changes I know aren't that obvious to some people. Steve still sees the hormonal me, the me that comes home from work with the hump, the me that snaps at the kids for eating biscuits in the front room when I have just hoovered! (I'm working on that one!) He is my husband so he 'gets it'! Hopefully as I grow stronger in my faith he will be able to see big positive changes in me.

There are other relationships in my life that have grown stronger since I became a Christian. My sister, Sleachy, mum ...  I don't stress about my weight anymore and don't have the same insecurities - well not all the time!

I do deal with things differently now. I have recently been struggling with PND and it has been hard. I've had a tough time, but I have been so supported. My friends, my family, my husband and my family here at church have been wonderful. And of course ... I now have prayer! And how I have prayed! !

The pit for me was when Megan was still very small, she was in her chair screaming in front of me, and Emily was sitting next to me screaming. I felt like my world was crumbling down around me. I just sat, held my head in my hands and sobbed. I couldn't cope. I took a deep breath and prayed. Please God help me. Please get me out of this. I need you please.  Then it came - that peace, I can't explain how wonderful it is when you feel it, but I lapped it up! He didn't stop the crying, but enabled me to get up and deal with the girls!

I am not standing here declaring that I have all the answers and that I am perfect - I most definitely am not. There are still loads of questions in my head, so much I don't understand and can't fathom why? There are things that hurt me and annoy me, still situations and people that I find challenging. I don't think I'll get all the answers until I meet God to be honest, but I just trust him. I go by my faith.  And following on from Martin's reply - I love coming to church!!

I can honestly say prayers have been answered, an emptiness has been filled and a more complete contented me has evolved, without my faith I would only be half the person I am today.

Back to top

 

Healing Sunflowers

Ann Bevan

I took two sunflower seeds when they were distributed at church and our young grandson and I sowed them.  Only one developed and when it was ready we moved it from the pot into a prepared place. It continued developing, but one morning I noticed it was drooping. A slug had eaten through the stem in two places leaving very little stem to support it.

I had some mini rods and a roll of sellotape and carefully using the rods as splints I bound them to the remaining stem. praying as I did so. The plant recovered! And there was special joy as we watched the flower head develop and mature. It provided 163 good mature seeds and many more that did not fully mature.

All summer it was a reminder that God is able to heal broken, hurting people, restoring them to fruitfulness, coming to them with tender loving care and the healing support He alone can bring.

Back to top

 

An Ordinary Sunday?

Marian Hayden

Just come with me back in time, back to a quiet, ordinary Sunday afternoon in September. Look at the bunch of ordinary people who have gathered at the church. Look again - this is extraordinary! Where else would you see such a spread of age range and generation - from the youngest (2 years old) to the oldest (88!), all buzzing with anticipation? Only in a family do you find such a relationship across the generations. A vibrant family.

Watch as every person writes or draws a thank you prayer, then speaks out all together, and then lays their prayer brick on the model of the church. See the children jostling to be the first to lay their brick, and when its complete, look at the light flooding through the windows of the prayer church, and through the open door. Watch as the whole family praises God together - "When I was lost you came and rescued me". See the rejoicing on their faces, hear the swell of the percussion section as every child joins in the celebration.
And we can't see it, but the Father smiles.... We can't hear it, but the angels join the celebration. And we can know, because we can see if we look, God is doing something extraordinary... He's knitting together a hotch-potch of people into a community, a family... and you know what? its by our love that the world will see the irresistable love of God.

And then came the cake.... family bedlam!

Back to top

 

The extent of His Love

Nicky Harris

“YOU ARE ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE”
Thank you Lord, I know and I’m so grateful
“YOU ARE ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE”
I know Lord you remind me everyday, I saw a plant uprooted in a garden and I saw the ‘roots’ and I remembered what you said to me, everywhere I turn I see something about ‘roots’ or hear conversations, I even saw it at Asda in the ‘beetroot’ section! I KNOW lord you love me
“DO YOU REALLY?”
Of course you know I do
“YOU ARE ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE”
Why do you keep telling me Lord? What am I missing here that you have to keep telling me over and over again?
“DO YOU REMEMBER THE SPARROW HAWK YOU SAW IN TOWN AND HOW IT WAS RIPPING THAT PIDGEONS FLESH APART, DID YOU SEE IT’S CLAWS DUG SO DEEP INTO IT’S FLESH THAT IT COULDN’T ESCAPE?”
Yes I remember it was awful to see that poor creature so helpless, what does that have to do with me?
“YOU’RE IN PAIN AREN’T YOU?”
Yes, my back is so painful that I have to go to an osteopath to sort it out, that’s not what I wanted Lord, I wanted YOU to heal me! Now I feel such a cop out!
“I CAN HEAL YOU ANY TIME I CHOOSE BUT THERE’S SOMETHING YOU HAVE MISSED, REMEMBER THE PAIN KILLERS YOU BOUGHT?”
Yes, from Holland and Barratt, Devils claw! What a lovely name for a tablet! Oh and they were made from the ‘root’ of a plant! There it is again Lord
“WELL WE NEED TO GET TO THE ROOT OF YOUR PAIN AND PROBLEM, IF I HEALED YOU, YOU WOULD BE RIGHT BACK TO WHERE YOU STARTED AND OBLIVIOUS TO WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON DEEP INSIDE YOUR HEART”
But Lord I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong, I’m happier than I’ve ever been with you, why do I need help?
“YOU’RE LONELY”
Lonely? No I’m not, why do you think I’m lonely?
“THAT EXTRA GLASS OF WINE YOU HAD LAST NIGHT GAVE IT AWAY, THAT NEW TOP YOU BOUGHT LAST WEEK MADE YOU HAPPY DIDN’T IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT IT DIDN’T LAST DID IT? LONLINESS IS ‘ROOTED’ IN YOU BUT YOU COULDN’T SEE IT”
But Lord I’ve got over the loss of my parents and all that other stuff I’m fine, I just want to know You more, be with You, spend time with You because I love You
“I KNOW AND THAT’S WHY YOU NEED TO BE STRAIGHTENED OUT, THE devil HAS his claw IN YOU AND YOU DIDN’T REALISE BECAUSE he’s SO CUNNING AND DECEITFUL AND he WILL TRY his BEST TO DESTROY YOU IN ANY WAY he CHOOSES, BUT I AM HERE, I LOVE YOU AND ONLY MY LOVE CAN SATISFY YOUR NEEDS, I KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN AND I HAVE GREAT PLANS FOR YOU BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW THE’EXTENT OF MY LOVE’, YOU ARE MINE AND UNTIL YOU GRASP THAT KNOWLEDGE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A ‘devils claw’ IN YOU
Oh Lord, I’m so sorry, how could I have been so blind to something that was staring me in the face, I give You my loneliness Lord, I don’t want it anymore, I want to be whole again, complete in You, thank you that you love me so much, help me to love others the way you love me even with all my faults, I know now ‘I AM ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE!’

This is my testimony to the extraordinary (supernatural) in the ordinary (natural) and I pray that others who read this will come to know an even deeper rooted love in the Lord.

Back to top

My Testimony

Nuno Cadilhe

There are so many questions to be answered. Someone once asked me when did I become a true Christian. I think that happened the moment I decided to come to CBC.
I was greeted at the door by Carol Chamberlain. It was a very emotional day. Everything was very difficult for me at the time. My first Sunday here I cried a lot. Because I acknowledged all the things my girlfriend used to tell me and I didn't understand. All the thing I thought I knew about god.
Now! Why did I become a Christian when I decided to come here for the first time?
Because at that moment in time I realized there where lots of things that needed to change in my life. I wasn't living a Godly life. My life was "mundane". We are born with a hole in our chests. And we fill that hole with cars, houses, women, family, friends, and computers. Everything we find useful to fulfill us. But the thing is God created that hole. To be filled by him. And on that day I decided to deplete my hole of all those things. And I started filling it with God. I don't think I did anything special. And I am not special. I am just dust. But God is great and he changes our lives. We just need to let him in. Because he is always waiting for us with his arms open to great us, as Carol Chamberlain did to me.
I think I did a lot of bad things in my life. And God always helped me anyway.
Two years ago I started believing in God. But I wasn't a Christian then. I just believed he existed. And I believed that he did things for a reason. So I trusted that.
But I didn't know why my mum died, I didn't know why my girlfriend left me, I didn't know why things where going bad at work. I thought I was a good person. I believed in God and in his work now. What else was there? And now I know why all of that happened. God was telling me to get closer. He was telling me believing is not enough my friend. You have to follow me. Wherever I may lead you. I am the Lord your God that saved you when you needed to be saved. Helped you in your time of need. So trust me now and I will rescue you yet again. And so I did. I confessed my sins to the people I had sinned against. And I felt free. Now I believe all of this happened so that I could be here telling you that I truly believe in what God is capable of doing. And I can tell you that I believe God has prepared me for anything that might happen in my life. It took me 30 years to find him. But I believe I will never let him go. Nothing happened in my life by chance. I will suffer one day if I have a child that dies or if my wife dies or anything like that. But I believe there is a reason for that to happen. And I might not understand it then. But one day I will. Life on earth is suffering and we must not stumble. We need to be steady in our course. Because all the suffering is going away when we meet up with the almighty.

This was my testimony on my baptism but I want to add something up. I believe God shows us what he wants us to do. Slowly, not everything in one go. But slowly. And even though we believe in him, sometimes we think: what I do for him is enough. I already do enough. And I don’t believe that is true. Because nothing that we do is ever enough for God.
He has already done so much for us, he deserves more than we can possibly imagine. And we should not become dormant. I believe God is always asking us to do stuff for him. But some times we decide that we already do too much. I believe we need to do more each day. Because life isn’t easy. Nothing is easy. And that’s why we will have our reward in heaven one day. Because we didn’t choose the easy things.
God’s Blessing’s to everyone and a big thank you to everyone at CBC. You have been fantastic with me. Thank you.

Back to top

My Testimony

Lisa Hartwell

I was not brought up in a faith, my family were not churchgoers, but I have always felt in myself an overwhelming awareness of the presence of God. It was never nurtured in me as a child but I always found myself gravitating towards people who did have faith.

I went to Girls Brigade as a young girl and loved immediately the quiet times where we would talk about Jesus and other stories from the bible.

When I went to secondary school I made friends with a girl who introduced me to a Christian youth club which I loved going to but I was very shy and had such a low opinion of myself that I found it hard to make friends. As a result of my low self esteem I stopped going out, I found it hard to talk to people and subsequently the friends I did have drifted away. It got to a point where I would run to school early in the morning so that I didn’t have to meet anyone on the way. The only good thing to come out of this was getting first prize in the 100 metres on sports day!

I drifted through school unnoticed and left with no qualifications. When I was 20 I was introduced to my husband David by my little brother. I knew on our first date that I would end up marrying David. That was the most sure I had been about anything in my life up to that point and nothing has changed as my love for David is stronger now than ever. As a testament to that love we now have two beautiful boys, Jack and James.

As most of my friends and family know I like to read! I read everything and anything, I have read many books on Christianity but the one book I had not read was the Bible.

I read a book early this year called ‘Mere Christianity’ by C.S Lewis. In this book was this passage and it reflected what my life was like.

‘Christianity, it is more like a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. The hall is a place to wait in, a place in which to try various doors, not a place to live in.
It is true that some people may find they have to wait in the hall for a considerable time, while others feel certain almost at once which door they must knock at, but I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for them to wait.

After reading this I realised that I had been waiting in the hall all my life, I had tried opening doors, I attended churches in Crawley but never felt certain that I had opened the right door.

My mum passed away in January this year and, as so many people do in times of grief I prayed. I prayed that God would take away the hurt I was feeling, I prayed that he would give me the courage to look after my dad and say the right things.

I was angry with him also. I was angry that he never gave me the time to say my final farewell, mum had been ill for so many years but her death although expected was very sudden, I was angry for mum as I know she had many things she wanted to say to her husband and her children but they will remain forever unsaid.

It was in the midst of this anger that I came to Crawley Baptist Church expecting to come to church and be preached at or ignored but instead myself and my two boys were welcomed with open arms. I remember listening to the last part of Ian’s sermon on that Sunday which really stunned me.

“Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”
Come through the door of God’s love and if we have the courage to walk through the door of God’s love he can transform our ordinary lives into ones worthy of all that he has done in Christ”.

It was like Ian was talking to me and me alone and confirming what I had read. Since that first walk through the door, I have been transformed!

In Crawley Baptist Church I have found a community of people who want me to grow and love Jesus as they do and I thank God for that every day. I thank Lisa P for inviting me to join her small group, Journey Home, and for the love of everyone in that group for putting up with me and being patient in answering my endless questions, of which I have and will continue to have, many more. I thank God for David in all the support he has given me before, during and after my mum died. His acceptance of my coming to church every Sunday and, his willingness to attend with me.

I read the bible daily now and I pray that through these daily readings and my prayers I will continue to grow in my faith with the help of my family and my friends here at CBC.

I would just like to finish with a short reading from Psalm 40

‘I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.’

 

My Testimony

Denise Beer

I first came to hear about Jesus, 30 years ago, when my Mum and Dad became Christians through a dear friend Daphne who has been a spiritual and physical support, along with her daughter Paula who is like a sister, to our family ever since.

Mum and Dad were baptized in Horsham and Christian values started to come into our home. Mum and Dad became quite involved in the churches they attended so there was no surprise that at the age of twelve, I said a little prayer and asked Jesus if he would be my saviour.

I am convinced that the biblical teachings I heard at Trafalgar Road Baptist Church and Kingdom Faith ministries and mixing with Christians who lived out these teachings gave me a foundation that would stay with me with what I was to face later in my life, as I unfortunately decided at the age of sixteen to walk my own journey.

I have a great network of friends Tina, Berrin, Jo and Jane who are there whatever my weather. I also have a fantastic husband Richard who I love dearly and two beautiful children Joshua and George who are a real aspiration to us both.

However, Richard and I experienced difficulties in our marriage trying to strive strived to give the boys financial stability and that was when all our problems started. In the end it nearly lost us our marriage and our home. Richard and I had some counselling with a counselling service down in Burgess Hill, which was the turning point for us.

Richard turned to God however; this was through a religious organisation called the Jehovah Witnesses. I was devastated and petrified and knew I was in dangerous waters.

At the time we had moved to Crawley and was still going to a mother and toddler group in Crabtree Road, West Green which we had regularly attended from when Josh was 6 months old. There were three people there that I thank from the bottom of my heart for continually making me feel special. They were Rita, Annette and Lynn Baker.

There was also another influence Carol who was doing my next-door neighbours cleaning at the time as well. She was always so nice and gentle.

One day they all finally convinced me to attend a Sunday service at CBC. I’ll never forget that first time – guess who came and sat next to me – Sandra Warner. Over the years I’ve listened to the wonderful and meaningful teaching and worship at CBC and that foundation that I remembered at the age of twelve came flooding back.

I’ve had to go through a painful transition for some of the things I had done or said and I could only do that through a wonderful spiritual network of friends.
I have learnt I:
• No longer need earthly treasures to keep content.
• No longer need to win an argument to gain peace.
• No longer need to fit in to gain true friendships.
• No longer need to listen or to buy false advertisements to feel beautiful
• No longer need to strive for man to make me feel secure and accepted

What made me go back and ask Jesus to be my saviour again? Through bad circumstances and decision-making I have been reminded of people who got me to where I am today by following Gods commandments. These people I have talked about today are just some of Gods wonderful disciples.

You are a truly wonderful bunch of people and I encourage you all to carry on with what you are doing because you are making a difference in the community around you and in the process fulfilling Gods plan for his purpose and glory. And who knows, someone else may decide to come to church through you.

So what happens next?
• Be a Christian wife so I can continue to show Gods love and commitment to my marriage to Richard.
• Be a Christian mother to Joshua and George and try to install as many Christian values in their lives.
• Be a Christian to my family and friends, in the school playground, in my workplace and in my everyday life.
I can only do these things by learning the bible and learning to communicate with God more effectively so that I can live what I learn.

 

My Testimony

Brendan Williams

I have always been to church seeing as I come from a Christian family and as I grew older I started to understand more about god. I found going to alpha a good experience for me because it helped me a lot in understanding more about the bible and about God. Also I was with friends so it was a more relaxed environment and we could talk about things with people of my own age group and ask the leaders questions if we were not sure on something. My dad has helped me a lot in becoming a Christian and has always been there to answer my questions and talk to me about things that I have had difficulty with and also share me with his own experience of being a Christian. I hope that I can be like him in helping other people in making their commitment to god.

One of the most recent things that has helped me in choosing to be baptized today was going to the band with no name concert where they shared their own testimonies then they asked if there was anyone who wanted to become a Christian to stand up in their own time while there was a time of quiet. I decided then that it was the right time to become a Christian, to commit my life to god and not just go to church on a Sunday because that’s what we normally do as a Christian family, but for me to learn more about god and make it a lifestyle choice to serve him.

The people I would like to thank are: my mum and dad for all the help and support and being great parents and role models, the alpha team leaders for their help and support during the course ,the leaders at Doughnuts for making Sunday’s fun and interesting but while learning about god, the leaders at out the box for making Wednesday evenings a place to chill with friends while learning about god, my family and friends for being there for me, the church for making this a wonderful place to come on a Sunday, and last but not least all the people who have made special trips to celebrate with me at my baptism. Now it’s time to get wet!

 

Back to top