I
received the following heart encouraging e-mail in November of 2012 from
Kolton...
David,
I have been a long time viewer of your web ministry. Over 5 year ago I stumbled upon your ministry as a young Christian. I once sent you an email asking about whether or not I was saved. Your answer was what made me begin to see that salvation was by Grace and not of works and then your website opened my eyes to the true nature of our Savior. I have learned an insurmountable amount of knowledge from your ministry. When I found out that you were inflicted with severe pain I have been praying for you ever since and keep a close eye on your recent article list.
I have followed your condition closely and have prayed for you daily. I wanted to write you to tell you that I appreciate your ministry and that you have been a great blessing to my spiritual walk with Christ. Whenever you would make you tube videos or sound recordings of you playing your lap steel guitar It was always a blessing and it brought tears of joy. To see a man so inflicted with pain be able to find such great peace and joy in the music that God gave him inspired me and still does inspire me to this very day.
Whenever you included parts of your personal life in your articles I always appreciated your candidness and it has always blessed me.
You have provided me with resources and encouragement that no one has been able to rival. I know that the Spirit is behind your ministry and no matter how unpopular you get I'll always appreciate what you have to say. In a great way you have been like a pastor to me. Because of your truth I have been able to use discernment when trying to find churches (which I have been to over 10 but still am not satisfied) and with dealing with other believers. You taught me how important acting through love really is.
I can truly say that no other person has been as influential in my Christian walk than you. Most people think I am crazy for reading your website and label you things like "hate monger, liar, extreme, crazy, etc" but that's what they called our Lord and He too never sugar coated anything.
For a long time I suffered with extreme depression because of the truth found in your website but through prayer and your example I have been able to find the peace that surpasses all understanding. I am not afraid of the future.
I look forward to spending eternity with you. When you reach Heaven please seek me out. There are so many questions I want to ask you.
Sincerely and In Christ,
Kolton Age 24
Wow, I am so humbled. It encourages my soul to know that God is using my humble labors to help others in the Lord. I am particularly moved that Kolton mentions having love for others, without which nothing else matters. God's unconditional love reaches out to the individual.
I give God all the glory and credit, for He is the One Who has worked in my heart both to will and to do of His good pleasure. I so much appreciate Brother Kolton saying that he has closely followed my afflictions and ministry. That means so much to me, sincerely. I too went through a long period of depression when I came back from my second surgery. My arms felt puffed up in size continually because of the nerve damage. I still have the pain and the puffed up feeling in my arms. It's called Peripheral Neuropathy.
I take 100 mg daily of the drug Lyrica, which does help about 50%. I couldn't take the recommended 300 mg because it caused horrible arthritis like pain in my hands and feet. I stopped taking Lyrica at night, because it would react with my Ambien and Oxycontin. I'd sleep standing up in the restroom for 4-5 hours. After several close calls with banging my shins on the toilet bowl, running hard into a wall and falling over my pedal steel guitar, I decided to stop taking the Lyrica at night. I was very fortunate not to sustain a serious personal injury. Those three drugs are very dangerous when taken together. If I would have been sitting in a bathtub, I would have drown as did Whitney Houston. I know exactly how she died. She sunk in the water and couldn't think to get up. When I take those three drugs I cannot think to go back to lay down. Literally, I'm out of my mind and my body is paralyzed mentally. Prescription drugs can kill you. No one told me that, I found out by accident, literally.
Anyway, it means a lot to me for all those who have continually prayed for me. Only God knows what I've been through bodily, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Bless the Lord for His goodness. I count my blessings and realize that many people have it much worse. I have a roof over my head, many people don't. I have hands to play music, many people don't. I can hear, many people can't. We should all count our many blessings, and name them one-by-one just as the song lyrics go. I rejoice in God my Savior!
It's fascinating that Kolton was at first depressed over my website ministry, but then he accepted the truth as God dealt with his heart. I love testimonies like this. I've had many web visitors tell me that they hated my website at first, but then God began to work in their heart and now they have come to the knowledge of the truth. Amen for the Holy Spirit and the truth of God's Word! Jesus Christ is so awesome!
Ye Must Be Born Again! | You Need HIS Righteousness!
