Testimonies
We continually receive testimonies from women being set free by the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ on a daily basis.
Please visit our NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES page to read more testimonials.
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RHONDA’S TESTIMONY
A Follower of Jesus
“When I think about the appointed time,
You drew me into Your light.
My shattered heart and spirit so bruised,
Mercy’s Love I came to find.
For in Your eyes each child is Yours,
so precious in Your sight
and I believe Your heart so breaks,
as we struggle our way to find.
My deepest hurt was Your tenderest Love,
that brought me the way through
that I could offer the sacrifice
of my life to You.
I love You Father with all my strength,
none other could take your place,
and of the sorrows of my heart,
I lift to You in praise.”
by Rhonda Osburn
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LISA’S TESTIMONY
“I have had the most wonderful mouth dropping experiences in prison where I was SAVED and one of them just happens to be meeting the Aglow Prison Ministry teams that would come in faithfully. I was raised with no parents and didn’t receive the love a child hungers and thirsts for. At the time of my conversion I was in the chapel every time the door was open and when Aglow would come in I would just stare at these women and long for what they had. I absorbed all that I could in their presence. There was so much genuine love flowing from these women something I never received from my mother. All I could think is, “I wish I could just hug them.” I wanted to so bad! But we weren’t allowed to hug. There was such a drawing of the Holy Spirit through them it changed me for good! Great was their impact on my life. Today I am free and have been out of prison many years now & have wonderful fellowship with the Aglow Women today on the other side of the fence where I am FREE TO HUG!”
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JENNIFER’S TESTIMONY
“Hello my name is Jennifer and I am now a living example of Gods great healing power. I have a very long history of drug abuse and destructive habits that hindered my progress in life. I found myself in trouble with the law and convicted of major drug felonies and sentenced to prison. While in prison, I had the opportunity to not only get clean but to decide I needed change in my life and I started going to church services offered. It is there I was blessed by two women that came to do services faithfully every week during my entire incarceration. It was their encouragement and ability to introduce me to Jesus, from where I was, that provided me the tools and desire to become a new creation in Christ. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and asked Him to come into my heart to make a permanent residence on 10-11-12. It is because of God that I am a totally different person today, it is because of the love those ladies had for Jesus and for me that made me want that too, above all else. I have been out of prison for a little over 3 years now. I have been clean and sober since 8-15-12. I have worked a program of recovery since my release and I am now a staff intern at Teen Challenge Monterey Bay, Freedom Women’s Center learning to do what God has placed in my heart to do. I am the House Manager of a 14 bed- intense discipleship recovery program. I left my home and family in Arizona to come here in faith that God has a plan for the future. Recovery is my passion and being able to encourage others and build hope in them for their lives through the love of Christ is my vision. It is a strong desire in my heart to give back what was given to me and I am beginning a journey now that will take me back inside the walls to minister to the ladies sitting in the chairs I was sitting in so recently. There is so much power in the love that comes to the heart that desires, and I am able to claim freedom today from so the many pieces of extra baggage, that I learned back in prison, are not necessary for me to carry any longer. My life was more than touched, it was saved.”
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LYNN’S TESTIMONY
“In September of 2001, just after our great national loss of lives on 9/11, my husband and I lost our two teen-age daughters in a car accident caused by a woman driving under the influence. Our lives were forever changed as we entered a very dark time spiritually. As believers we had many questions for God including what our future would look like without children.
“The woman who hit our car, killing our girls and injuring us, went to prison. We did not know her relationship with God, and wrote to her sharing the love of Jesus. She wrote us back, and shared that she had accepted Jesus in jail the night of the accident. Over the 7 years she was in prison for this crime she grew in her faith, and shared with us the exciting things God was doing inside her heart.
“I was brought to a Prison Aglow meeting by a friend, and heard testimonies by women who had been in prison. I heard how Jesus’ love changed these ladies so they could live for Jesus on the outside. My heart was touched and tenderized by their stories. I felt closer to “that woman” I was learning to forgive as I listened to these awesome testimonies.
“When the time came for her release, we wanted to meet her face to face. Because she had pleaded guilty at her trial, we never had to appear in court. When we finally met in person it was with her parole officer; God had tenderized our hearts towards her, enabling us to forgive her and to desire God’s best for her. Really, this is a work in progress every day as we trust God’s plan for our lives and hers. Now our assignment is to Love Others who don’t know that God loves them so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for them.
“Out of our pain and loss God’s great love has brought about a miracle of forgiveness, and that is why my husband and I visit our local county jail bringing in Bible Study and Worship and Prayer for the ladies there – we want to pass on to them that there is hope for a better future than their current circumstances might predict.”
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STEPHANIE’S TESTIMONY
“So I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten.” –Joel 2:25 a
“Hi my name is Stephanie Lee. Growing up I was very confused about my sexuality. I was molested many times by different men in my mother’s life. If you ever saw the movie ‘Precious’ that story reflects my life growing up.
“Somewhere during that time I decided if I was a boy no one could hurt me so I grew up pretending I was a boy. As time went on I became more familiar with the role of a man and was active in homosexual relationships. Deep inside I was confused, angry, afraid and just plain lost.
“I believed I had no value and if God really loved me why would He make me this way? I felt ashamed and ugly and to hide it I became very volatile and mean. I felt safe being with women and it gave me a sense of control over my circumstances by playing the role of a man in the relationship.
“I ended up in prison because of my drug abuse and violent behavior. I did seven years straight time one time and about 20 years on the installment plan. It was a way of life for me and I ran hard in the prison doing Satan’s business and selling drugs. I did time in CCWF, NCWF, CIW and VSPW. I made the rounds of the prisons here in CA. I was finally released for the last time in 2006 from VSPW.
“Every once in awhile I would go to the Aglow Prison Ministry Chapel Services in prison and make fun of what was going on in there. Little did I know at the time that it was the Lord drawing me in even though I was there with the wrong mind-set.
“The last time I left prison another inmate gave me a book called ‘The Battlefield of the Mind’ by Joyce Meyer. She said it would help me. Again God was trying to reach me.
“Once out of prison my daughter wasn’t doing very well so I took on the responsibility of raising her three sons, my grandsons which I still do to this day. They have become a major blessing in my life.
“I remember walking past this church each week and hearing people singing and having a good time and I heard a little voice tell me to go so I finally surrendered and went. Again the Lord was drawing me even though I didn’t know why. I discovered later through His Word that ‘He delivered me because He delighted in me.’ (Psalm 18:19b)
“I really liked going to church but I also knew that I was gay and that maybe God wouldn’t want me. I felt the desire to keep going but I always kept my distance. One day a Pastor came over to me and prayed over me and said ‘God has a mighty plan for your life and He is going use you to set other captives free.’ I laughed inside and thought he was crazy because couldn’t he see that I was gay and that God made me a man trapped in a woman’s body. God didn’t want people like me.
“A little over two years later those prophetic words that the Pastor spoke became a reality in my life. One morning, as I was getting dressed, I heard that little small voice again that I had come to know as the Lord say to me “Stephanie I don’t make mistakes.” He addressed me by my real name while everyone else called me JR which was my prison gay name. No one knew me by Stephanie but God did. I knew it was God when He said, ‘I want you to go and buy a dress’ I was blown away because I thought I would look stupid in a dress but then God touched my heart again and said ‘Stephanie I would never embarrass you, I love you.’ So I called my nephew and he went with me to find that dress. It was a difficult thing to do but as I was trying on different outfits somehow I knew inside my heart that God was changing me into the woman I was created to be.
“It has been six years since I was released from prison and God has used me in mighty ways. I was illiterate most of my life and when my grandsons needed help with their homework I could not help them. My oldest grandson asked me ‘Granny you’re older than me, why can’t you read?’ That was a turning point for me and I went to my local library and joined the literacy program. I have been given many rewards as a result of that program and began speaking at different places, from Juvenile Hall, to churches and even for the United Way. God was doing a deep work. I am still in the process and currently going for my GED.
“God brought faithful women from Aglow Prison Ministry around me who have mentored me and walked with me and taught me the ways of the Lord. He even picked someone who looked nothing like me and didn’t have a clue about the gay lifestyle. However, that was just what I needed to grow and become a woman and have a heart for Jesus. Patty has been my Spiritual Mother since the day I invited her into my house.
“Today I minister in my church and I continue with school and am a big cheerleader for my three grandsons ages 10, 11 and 12.
“It has not been an easy road and I still have difficult days but the difference today is that I know God doesn’t make mistakes, He created me as a woman and He loves me and He has a great purpose for my life.
“I know that if God can change me He can change any one. My broken heart is being healed and my wounded soul is being restored. I am learning to be kind and gentle and not angry and bitter anymore. In fact the Lord is lifting those old weights right off of me.
“The day I met the man named Jesus Christ was the day I found out who I truly was and I will be eternally grateful that He saved a wretch like me.”