Narara Valley Baptist Church

'I am so grateful that I have a spiritual family that believes in miracles. "'By His stripes I am healed" & "He will bring to completion the good work He has begun in me". It is with combined power of prayer & faith that I believe I will see a full recovery. Please keep praying & believing with me because He is healing. All the glory goes to God for His willingness to answer our prayers. Love, Alinda Currie'

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Shannon Mathews:

"The faith I have come to know and embrace wasn't always present in my life. I struggled with my faith for pretty much the whole time since I accepted Jesus. Not until I had gone through depression and counselling did I have faith. The faith I had though wasn’t mine I depended on a friend's faith.

When I had break downs and couldn't get in contact with this friend I wouldn't have faith in the strength God gave me. I would give into my temptations because of this lack of faith.

It wasn't until this friend couldn't be there when I needed her that I started to grow in my faith. I realised only I could change my life, my relationship with God.

I began to break away from these ties of faith where I tied faith to people instead of God. I know now my faith is built on a relationship with God and I have faith in the gifts God has given me."

Heather Pinel (School Chaplain - Lisarow Public School):

"Each week I put together what has become known as the 'Chaplains Chat' in our school newsletter. During the week preceding Mother's Day, I included a recipe that my Mum created when I was a young girl, along with a little bit of a story about memories - past & present - associated with that meal 'Grape Juice Beef'. This past week, I was delighted to receive an email from one school Mum who had given this recipe a go. She wrote of how she entered her family home to the delicious aroma there as this meal cooked. It took her 10 minutes, she said to get dinner on the table with some steamed veggies to accompany the mouth-watering, tender, meat that had been in the slow cooker. Her children backed up for seconds…and she plans to cook this recipe again.

I was thrilled. This (as was my thought at the time of reading her email) was chaplaincy, just as much as sitting beside a family in a time of crisis or hurting. This met a need of a busy, (possibly cash strapped) and time poor Mum as she provided for her children. The history of this meal in my life and its specialness was just a lovely bonus. I love what I do and where I am called to do it."

"Dan and I have been married for a year now and have really seen God's provision. Because I'm full time at uni and can only work a little bit - Dan is our provider and it makes it hard to save and be prepared for 'surprise expenses' eg my car dying, extremely overpriced text books, the dentist etc. But God has provided for us through the financially tough times and we trust that He will continue to, so that one day we may be a blessings to others.

Thank you Lord that we are never alone and that we can always trust in you."

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Janette Mardunovic:

'One day I went for walk along Terrigal Beach. A friend from QLD came with me but because she is not really into walking, she turned back about half way. It was sprinkling and almost dark so there was almost no one around. I did notice one person, a young male as I passed by. When I was returning I had a sudden feeling someone was close by, I turned around to see a young man standing so close behind me, I looked straight into his eyes and said "hello", he turned and ran in the opposite direction up into the bush. I walked back as quickly as I could, fearful for my friend. When I got back before I could tell her what happened, she told me that as she was waiting for me, God spoke to her and said "pray for Janette, she is in danger."

Later on when I was relaying what had happened, Karl Rothenbuhler asked me, what I had seen when I looked into his eyes. I stopped and thought about it, it was terror I saw in his eyes. Karl and I wondered just what he saw to terrify him so much as to run off so fast.'

Connie Duggan:

"On 16th December last year I had to have a total shoulder replacement and bone graft. This was an unusual and serious operation. I was on the Church Prayer list for some weeks before and after the operation.

I'm quite sure that the many prayers that were said for me had a significant effect on my progress. The operation was a wonderful success, recovery is slow but sure.

I want to thank all the people in this Church that showed such care for me. God has certainly answered their prayers, hasn't He?"

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"In November last year I lost my job and had no means of income. I prayed and trusted in God to bless me with a new job. We had some hard times financially but God always provided for us. We had people give us money, gift cards and food, we never went without. Even though I went to lots of interviews I never got the job. God was always telling me to wait, I will provide for you. I have a job for you but not yet, have faith and stand firm and do not lose faith and you will receive for I am Jehovah Jireh, the Lord your provider, and so I prayed and trusted God and he was true to His word. When we needed money to pay bills it always came in and finally last week God blessed me with a job that will provide for the family with abundantly more than we had before. Praise God...Amen!!"

"Whilst in hospital in the last week I believe I witnesses God's miracle of healing. After being diagnosed and admitted with severe significant emphysema and cold I had been fighting for every breath. I sounded like a freight train when breathing. The lung specialists and doctors gave me many different medications to help me breath, however after much prayer and a wonderful prayer for healing with I instantly started breathing calmly and as clear as a bell. I was amazed but I knew it was God's will and only strengthened my faith to a deeper level.

I found such comfort in prayer and in reading my Bible. I was so proud when all of the ladies in my hospital room witnessed this miracle and I felt testament to the truth in God and His indescribable presence. I have found such peace of heart and mind and I can hardly believe that Good Friday I will have been at NVBC for a whole year.

I came to this church and to God a broken human being desperately unhappy and extremely lonely and depressed. I owe my life to God and the love of Jesus and today I am genuinely happy and know I belong to God and to the family of our Church and would say much thanks to God and everyone at NVBC for their love and kindness."

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"Last year I was unemployed for two months. During that time people from NVBC drew close and supported me, prayerfully, practically, financially and personally.

Despite that troubled time I was able to get new qualifications and also for the first time in 3 years I got through Christmas without borrowing money. During this time the love people express showed me the truth of what Jesus said about people knowing we are Christians by the love we show towards each other."

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"Thank God that a previously 'resistant' P & C at Valley View Primary School (target primary school in the area) has elected a majority Christian Executive for next year - pray for a Chaplain and for God to continue to use me and the new Christian influence within the school community in 2010."

"I was involved in a truck accident on the 6th November. The accident happened at 2.30am, 11klms north of Grafton. A truck rolled over in front of me and I ran into it as it was across the whole road.

Despite the truck I was in being written off, I escaped with only a broken bone in my hand. It was a miracle I wasn’t killed or badly injured but also a miracle to see the reaction of people like my bosses, the police etc. I got to see the best in people."

Janette Mardunovic:

"I was at a work Christmas party and was playing Christmas music and the song ‘Jerusalem’ came on. It was overwhelming, the Spirit of God rose up in me and I felt home sick. It was like patriotism rose up for heaven. Previously, I had been feeling my heart was hardening with all the trauma and suffering I see.

I was ...., I was losing my passion, I was tired. In that instant I knew that His Spirit was alive and well in me because He rose up and almost caused my heart to explode. It reinforced that He is in me and will have His way despite my human frailty."

"I was served court papers, injured myself and suffered car trouble all on the same day. I prayed to God for help. I had no idea what kind of help would work. I just put my life in God’s hands.

God’s response was overwhelming. My (atheist) sister rallied my family to help with court, she lent me her experience with Family Court and all my fears disappeared. My burn healed, my car will be cheap to fix and my former boss offered me my old job back. The boss is a Christian woman, to boot!

I know that God has worked through my sister, my boss, even my mechanic.

At times when I should feel stressed and anxious, I know just peace and love. Thank you, God."

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We would like to share GOD's goodness in answering our prayers and that of many others relating to the healing our daughter Amy.

Amy fell critically ill with a brain disease September 2007, was flown to Royal North Shore in a coma and doctors basically warned us that she may not live. We spent many sleepless nights by her bed and at home praying our Lord's intervention, along with our family, our church and people literally all around the world. Well he heard, even though we may not at first have thought he was hearing. Although we knew he could heal her immediately if he chose, time still ticked by. To coin a phrase used by someone at Narara, we feared - "he may choose not to do that, which we knew he could also choose to do" Yet GOD was gracious, unknown to us at first, our prayers were being answered.

GOD brought peace at our most despairing times. We also prayed that while we were going through this, GOD would be seen to be in control and bringing about Amy's healing. This began to be spoken out in at least one of the nurses, who was asking GOD questions. At the same time he was lovingly co-ordinating Amy's care, through the roughest times. We could go for a sleep knowing that GOD had good nurses there. Finally, Amy responded to treatment, just when the doctors had all but run out of options - GOD hadn't though. Amy began to respond and by late November was transferred to rehab hospital. She could now speak again and do some basic personal care.

The healing gradually continued and she was discharged for home based care at Christmas. At all times GOD had Amy where she was going to get the best care she could. This has continued once home and recovery continued even though we couldn't be sure how far it would go. Her Neurologist keeps using words like "miracle" and "amazing". Amy has progressed from being bed ridden to wheelchair, to walker, to walking solo - "slowly". We can't explain her illness or why this had to be, but GOD has chosen to do a work that produces daily utterings of thanks. Whilst fear of possible loss raked our hearts, one comfort through the hardest times, was knowing if GOD had allowed a different result, Amy had previously committed her life to him. We are also grateful to GOD that his people were willing to respond to his prompting to pray.

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