Tony's life has been punctated with grief and sorrow that could have turned him in a bitter and angry man but God strengthened him so that he could become an encouragement to others who suffer …
Granddaughter and Great Grandson murdered
It was in the early hours of the morning. the ringing of the phone penetrated my sleep. As I made my way to the phone I thought, "Who could be ringing at this unearthly hour?" I picked up the phone. It was my daughter Sharon. Speaking in great anguish of spirit, she sobbed … "Dad, Amanda and Michael are dead. They have both been to death; there is blood all over the house."
Medial problem wife my wife
This tragedy was a climax to a succession of events that had taken place subsequent to travelling around Australia as a evangelist for two years with a tent ministry know as The Mobile Church. The first was a church in Broken Hill, a country mining in New South Wales, Australia. I returned to our home and my wife, Lorraine, was suffering with acute pain in her right leg. After praying for her the pain seemed to get worse and appeared to be moving up her leg. I raced Lorraine to the local hospital where I advised that she needed urgent attention as ti was suspected that a clot condition in the blood was moving up towards her heart. I got her back to Adelaide by the Flying Doctor Service and immediate surgery saved the amputation of her leg.
Surviving a car crash
On the way home from the hospital a vehicle burst a through a red traffic light and struck my vehicle rolling it over twice. I managed to get out the vehicle unhurt but was taken by ambulance to the hospital where, after examination and X-rays, I was allowed to leave.
A diagnosis of arthritis
Two days later I was advised by me doctor that the X-rays taken after the accident showed that my body was full of arthritis. Even though I was 62 years of age at the time, I maintained a high fitness level with exercise and waking. I told my doctor I would not receive that diagnosis and that I had not experienced any evidence of pian or physical restriction. To this day, fifteen years later, I have had no trouble with arthritis.
Wife's brain haemorrhage
About 9 months later, while I was listening to a worship tape with my wife in my arm, I noticed her eyes glaze, and saliva began running out of her mouth. I rang the ambulance. They had to pry her out of my arms as she clung to me with all her strength. She had suffered a major haemorrhage in the brain and within 3 months died in a very deteriorated condition. Being a lay minister who has seen God heal many people, I was disappointed that my prayers had not reversed my wife's condition, and life had little meaning to me.
I was not long after my wife's death that I received the tragic phone call from my daughter, Sharon. The funeral of my granddaughter and great grandson was very painful because the grief and anger at the waste of their precious lives was making the entire family guilty. This situation was compounded by the death by suicide of the young man who murdered Amanda and Michael in a jealous fit of rage.
Jesus giving me the strength to cope
When someone asked me how the tragedies I have been through effected my faith, I felt the Holy Spirit well inside me as I said with deep conviction, "I have never been more conscious of God's love and strength at may period in my life; and my faith in Jesus Christ has enabled me to steady and comfort my family in their grief and suffering."
Sustained by the love of others
After the death of my wife I attended a Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship chapter meeting at the town of Gawler, South Australia, was greatly impressed by the freedom of the Holy Spirit moving in that meeting. That day I joined the movement and over a two-year period was involved in eight air lifts to various Australian cities where, with other members, I spoke at conferences, outreach meetings and teaching seminars. I took part in a major evangelical crusade in Papua New Guinea where many thousands of people came to know God with spectacular signs and wonders. Through the love of Christ in the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship I was able to recover from the grief and pain from death of my loved ones and the sense of destiny that I had prior to the tragedies was reactivated.
A new love
God was gracious to me and two years after my wife's death, I met and subsequently married a lovely Christian widow who was very active in the church leadership. Our marriage has been very successful and wonderfully blessed.
Heart Surgery and Cancer
I am now 78 years of age and as the years have progressed I have had to face further crisis period in my wife. With God's strength and comfort I have undergone major surgery for a heart valve transport; and following my recovery from this condition I received treatment for a lymphoma in my stomach.
Encouraging others
But through God I have attained a spirit of encouragement that enables me to strengthen and encourage others facing crisis situations in their lives. I have never been more sensitive to the impressions of God's Spirit in speaking words of comfort and strength to meet the needs of others. If you are facing a situation of grief, pain, sickness or a broken relationship in your life, look to God to be with you, asks Him in prayer to take the situation away and release His love in you. God's love will drive out fear and prepare you to receive His guidance.
A prayer for you
If you have not asked Jesus into your life, do so now to receive eternal life and God's forgiveness.
"Lord Jesus forgive me for the sins I have committed and all the things I have done wrong. Come into my heart and take over my life. Help me to live for you from this time on. Jesus, I receive your cleaning from the effects of the sins I have committed which could be causing me emotional or physical sickness, or the break in relationship which is causing me so much pain. Lord, I now belong to you; help me to tell others about you."
As a Christian choose a church and begin reading the bible. As you comfort and encourage others to believe in Jesus, you will sense a joy that will bring you a sense of God's presence in your in life that will continuously strengthen you.
Tony
(Article taken from a FGBMFI phamplet. Used with permission.)
