94 - Life Transformation Stories (Part 9)

Rebroadcast of Episode 44
 
 Life Transformation Stories (Part 9). Reverend Gail C. Bussell shares her testimony of coming close to death as a result of extremely high blood sugar and a diabetes diagnosis.  She experienced complete transformation as she learned to control her diabetes through diet and exercise and she now leads a support group to help others.

Stay tuned for our next episode where we will discuss another Life Transformation Story

Guest Links

To learn more about Gail Bussell’s weekly Diabetes Support Group, visit her website - https://not2daysugar.org/  or email her at GailCBussell@gmail.com

Links

Engage with Debora Barr at https://tbtwpodcast.com/

Transcript

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Announcer

Welcome to Transformed by the Word, a podcast about discovering how to live your life with gratifying purpose. God created you for a reason and the Bible contains the keys to unlock your transformed life. Now, here's your host, Debora Barr

Debora 0:26

Thanks for joining me for episode 44 of Transformed by the Word. 

Today I'll share another amazing story about someone whose life has been transformed and made richer by our relationship with Jesus Christ. But before we go there, if you or someone you know, would like to be considered as a potential future guest on the show, please send me an email at DBarrMinistries@gmail.com. Or you can connect with me through my website, TBTWpodcast.com. I'm looking for people whose lives have been transformed by their relationship with Jesus and His Word. Jesus is alive and active in the lives of people all over the world today. If you don't believe me, just listen to a few of the most recent episodes of this podcast. 

Today, I've invited another guest who will share her life story with us. Her name is Reverend Gayle Bussell. Gail grew up in Oklahoma City and accepted her call to ministry in 1999. She was licensed as a minister in 2001 and ordained in April of 2018. Gail has been a member of First Baptist Church of Glenarden for 14 years, where she currently serves on the ministerial staff as an associate pastor. She is the Director of evangelism, the assistant director to rebels, which is a youth ministry, and she's an accountability partner for the All Things New ministry and a member of the Women's Conference creative team. She's a retired educator of 24 years in the public school system. And she currently mentors new teachers. 

Reverend Bussell has a passion for sharing the gospel with the lost and with young people, providing tools and resources to empower them to do better and be better. In March 2021, she launched a diabetes support group called not today sugar to educate and support people who are diabetic. She's been married for 34 years to her husband Larry, who serves as a deacon and Assistant Director of evangelism at our church First Baptist Church of Glenarden. 

Stay tuned, we'll be back in just a moment. 

3:50 Debora

Hey, Gail, it is so good to see you. I am so grateful that you were able to join me on the show today.

Gail  

Thank you so much for having me. And I'm excited. But even you just invited me. So thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. Yeah, appreciate it.

4:01  Debora

I'm looking forward to our conversation. For our listeners, I want you all to know that met Gail years ago at our church at First Baptist Church of Glenarden. And she has been serving as an accountability partner in my ministry to help people experiencing unwanted same sex attractions. And the two of us got ordained together in 2018. So we've been in ministry in the same circles for quite a while and I'm grateful she could join us. We're in a series of episodes right now been doing several of them about how God transforms lives. And before we jump into your story of how your life changed after a shocking illness that you experienced, would you go back in time and share with us a little bit about your childhood? Did you grow up in church or how tell us about your childhood?

4:57  Gail

Okay, okay. All right. So I love to go like here from where, but I grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. That's where I grew up as a child into elementary school, middle school, high school, and then off to college. Also right in Langston, Oklahoma. Just a little bit about me. I come from a large family. I have seven, seven, and I have two brothers. And I have four sisters, one of my sisters has passed. And then both of my parents were actually in the home. And it's always been said that I was the youngest of the four oldest, so 

5:37  Debora

like in the middle.

5:40  Gail

Yes, I was in the middle. So my mom always referred to me like youth baby other for older so you know, you know, I love that. But I did. I grew up, I grew up in the church, both parents were active, my mom, she served as the head over BTU which is called Baptist training unit which was it on Sundays in the evening. She also worked with vacation Bible school, she was over that. And my father was a deacon in the church, and he was the church treasurer. And my father is also a PK. I had his dad was a pastor. 

And so even though I grew up in the church, I did not know come to know Christ, and have a personal relationship with him until I was 26 years old. Yeah. And so I found myself in and out of church. I got baptized when I was five. But I didn't have no relationship, you know, and I attended all of the Yup, new functions. You know, Bora went to have sung in the choir and ushers. I was all of that, but I still didn't have a relationship until I went off to college. I was hit Miss, you know. And I took a couple of even took some Christian classes in college, but I still didn't have a relationship with Jesus. So that was the whole thing. I was, you know, grew up in the church, I was in the church.

7:16  Debora

So how did you? How did you come to faith in the Lord Jesus? I mean, how did you What was that, like when you really surrendered your heart to Him?

7:24  Gail

Well, what happened was those seeds after I got out of college, I was working a job. And so these seeds were being planted. And I remember a coworker at Davis, I worked with had loved she had such a sweet spirit. But she was always talking to me about the Lord. And she would say things to me, like, I need to get my life together, you know, and stuff. And I will do you know, jokes and girl, I'm having fun, you know, things like that. And but she would always talk to me about these, but it wasn't where she was just like a badger. Me, and she would just always, you know, talk to me about the Lord. And then, of course, on Saturdays, it wasn't the Jehovah Witnesses, but I was having people from different churches, they would be knocking on my door. And of course, they would always be asking me about my soul. And my whole response was always I have a church, I go to church, you know, I would say that was what I would say, I don't my go to church. And but I still did have a relationship. 

And so one day, I was listening to the radio, and my sisters pastor was on. And I don't remember exactly what he was saying, but I was just like saying, I need to go to church. And so I went to church. He gave a message. I went to the I was one of those people. I went to the altar. I was weeping and I was crying. And I was weeping and I was crying. And so the lady, you know, that took me she asked me, the counselor that talked to me, she said, she started asking me about Jesus and stuff in my course, my response to her was like, Oh, I grew up in the church, I got baptized. And so she took that, alright, I'm already in the church. And one the next Sunday, the pastor at the of the church looked at me, he said, I need you to call me and in my manner, like I call him him, calling him for what? 

And it was so funny, because like a week later, in my spirit, who said, call him so I called the church and told him who I was, he told me to call and I and I did this on my break. Debora, it was, I can tell you exactly as if it was just yesterday, but on my break at 3:15, I was working for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. I know the address 200 North Barbie, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, room 109 at 3:15. When he asked me, he said, If you were to die the next five minutes, do you know where your soul would spend eternity? had no add deer on October 21 1982, at 3:15, where my soul was spending eternity. And at that point, he shared the good news of Jesus Christ with me. And I said, Yes.

And without a shadow of a doubt. I know what I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And then he died and bared rose on the third day just for me, that he did it just for me that I have a personal relationship, because all that other, I was just in the church, but I wasn't a part of the body of Jesus Christ. And so I've never ever get that I know it all the way down to going to zip code was 73102. No, but I remember when Jesus came to my heart and saved me.

10:55  Debora

Well, that explains to me why you're so passionate about helping other people come to the knowledge of Jesus, because many people do grow up in the church, and they think they're okay with God, they think they're saved. And they think that if they died tomorrow, or today, that they will go to heaven. But that's not what the Bible tells us.

11:14  Gail

Right? Yes, yes. And when I look at the whole thing, the passion that I have, I realized how Jesus, he loved me so much, that he continued to send people my way that he never gave up on me. seeds were sown. water was poured on me. And at the end, God get the increase, that I came to know him, that I was no longer church, and that I could not continue to hang on what my mother and what my father's relationship was, where now that I have a personal relationship. 

And something that came to mind was, once I accepted Jesus Christ, I know that I belong to Him. So where I was growing up in the church, I was always in and out, in and out one minute, you know, I'm praying one minute, I'm not one beating. But those were the habits I hate, because I didn't have a relationship. I wasn't committed to Him. So it really wasn't no reason for me to stay, you know, I could drop in and out, went out, you know, and I knew how to pray, you know, when and then I've seen you know, even when I wasn't saved, I seen God work on my behalf when I prayed. And I asked him for forgiveness, because I grew up with that when I was wrong. But I still didn't have that relationship, but just knowing that you can have this relationship. And since I've been in Christ, you know, I haven't been in and out back and forth, saying, Well, I'm gonna go to Sunday, I'm not going to go this Sunday. You know, yes, you have that bit back slit. And when I say backslidden, where, you know, I had to spend time with him in the word, but just me, Stan, you know, me walking away, and me going back to my old ways of party and stuff. That was no longer my life, and it was no longer interested.

13:15  Debora

Yeah, yeah. I had a similar experience when I truly surrender my heart to him. And it's just an amazing life transformation. I want to switch gears a moment here. And have you share with us what happened to you a couple of years ago, when you had a medical emergency. And I know that you had to call on the Lord for that. So share with that, share that experience with our listeners.

13:41  Gail

Oh, wow, whoo. I'm just grateful that I'm here to even share this testimony. You know, even before I get chatting you I just, you know, since you brought it up, you know, and me having to stand on God, I've never get that doctor telling my niece, when I was so tired of wanting to go to sleep. And he looked at her and he said that she didn't want to sleep. It had been my last it would have been would have been my last sleep but up January 20. Of no January 5, 2020. I was admitted to the hospital after going to the ER for about a month, I had been so fatigued and I was tired. And I just had my physical back in August. 

And so my numbers and stuff were good and the doctor had been sharing with me, you know, okay, you need to watch you know, your diet, you need to exercise because like I was wanting to pre diabetes, and she was like, you know, she didn't you know want me to do that. So I started I was losing weight. I was losing like little three pounds here, losing seven, you know, being more conscientious of what I was eating and doing. 

But around December I became in 2019 I became so like the fatigued and I would be tired and I didn't know why. And I went to my primary care doctor, she was like, just get your rest because, you know, she's looking at my numbers. And she's going like, you know, it wasn't really anything to really base, you know, on and all thing was I was just sad, I didn't have anything else I just like, go to sleep, you know. And it wasn't really anything else to base it on, you know, when they took my vitals and stuff, things like that were good. But so we really didn't have anything to go on. 

But about one o'clock that morning, during that whole time, let me just back up during that whole time. Sometimes I would find myself crying myself to sleep because I knew something was wrong. But I didn't know what. And about one o'clock that morning, on January the fifth I got up. And I remember saying I shall live. And that that. And I said it several times, I kept saying I shall live and not die. And that was in my spirit. And I was a little thirsty. And I was getting some cranberry juice. But in that cranberry juice. I remember taking it and I diluted it so with water. I just kept putting water on then I just took some sips it was on January 5 was on a Sunday, and I was getting ready to go to church. I finally get up. But I really didn't sleep. During this time. There was really no sleep going on. And I know it wasn't nothing but God because after hear what the doc said, If I don't sleep, that will be my last sleep. 

During this time, God would not allow me to sleep. I did not like sleep, I did not. I'm gonna shut my eyes. I did not go into asleep. I was like restless and went to be ready for church and I was so tired. And so we can I tell my sad to think I'm not going to go to church today. I'm just going to say oh, and I did go. But I couldn't go to sleep. And of course you know, at church. I'm responsible for the alerts and stuff. So I had to get people to do all these things for me. So bad the phone ringing and people responding to my text is I kept having this alertness, alertness and my nice calm. She said you went to church. I say I don't feel good. She say you don't sound good. 

She came to the ER. And when I get to the ER, the people the first reception, she asked me, How can I help you? And I just tell her all I said was I don't feel good. Something is wrong. And I don't know what that role deals can you help me? And she heard my cry. I mean that I said it just like that. She heard my cry. She took my information. And she passed it on. Mind you it was other people in that er, and they were waiting. She gave it to the nurse the nurse call me. I said the same thing. I don't feel good. Something is wrong. I don't know what that wrong is can you help me, they immediately did something with my heart. You know, I did feel a little noisy, they did some with my heart. Then they took my blood sugar when they took my blood sugar there my blood sugar was 687 and that was on the third track and the my a one C came back at a 14.2 now understood when the doctor said he had it would have been my last you can set out into a calm

18:23  Debora

tell tell us what a normal ranges for the blood sugar because not everybody knows

18:27  Gail

a normal range anything would when you look at like your blood sugar. And then you just pin this right here when we talk about when you say your blood sugar, which is also called your blood glucose. It's a way of knowing exactly how much glucose is actually in your bloodstream at any given moment. And so usually when they do that, that's where they can take and prick like your finger or whatever, and get that reading. And then your a one seat is like a cumulative average of over like the three months a period of time to see you know, where you've been stable of. So it's an average of your blood sugar levels over the past three months. Amounts was a 14.2 over the last three months and so that you know when they said that you like what? So immediately, I went into the ID they put the ID on me and said you're going ICU

19:26  Debora

so you had 600 Something in your blood sugar. What should it be in a normal person? 

19:32  Gail

Like, right now they you know, they tell me to keep my range at 130. Okay, so that between 130 and don't let it get below 70

19:41  Debora

so way, way, way, high.

19:44  Gail

Way, way, way, way high.

19:48  Debora

So they put you in intensive care?

19:51  Gail

Yes. And I see you right off the bat. And they gave me a case manager. They started me with a diet in everything. And I was placed on insulin five times a day, five times a day. And when the case manager came, she said, this is going to be your new normal talking about me, practice taking myself five times a day for insulin, and I my response was in my head was like, it ain't gonna be my new norm. It won't be my new normal. 

And I remember asking her, what do I need to do to come off. And they told me they put me on the 1500 calorie diet, that I could only have 30 to 45 carbs a meal. And if I had a snack, snack, be 1520 carbs, and that could help to have those. And of course, you know, one of the snacks had to be at night, the to sustain me throughout the night. 

And so I begin to eat and do exactly how they told me that I even when I was in the hospital, and they said we don't have to stick you, I will give my arm I said I'm not here to fight you. I'm not here to fight you. I said you get what I need. And I want to be here I want to be. So whatever you need to do to draw my blood, whatever you need to do. That's what I want to do. And that's kind of attitude that I came with, with, you know me coming off isn't what do I need to do? I didn't have time to go into this whole thing. Oh, that's not me. I don't like that. I was like, I knew I had prayed and said I shall live and not die. So what is going to keep me in a healthy state.

21:36  Debora

So how did God sustain you through your time in the ICU? I don't know how long you were there. But how was the fact that you had a relationship with Jesus? How did that sustain you through that very difficult time.

21:50  Gail

I was so at peace and peace. And it was really some because around me and I think even the doctor, even the head doc that was over ICU, I think she was just like in awe. Because my spirit. You know, I didn't allow my situation to dictate my outcome. And how I responded. I wasn't angry. I wasn't upset that I was in the hospital, but I knew that they had something that I needed to get well, and it was like, whatever you need to do, you know, here I am, you know, and they will then they will tell you, they will tell you good patient, you know, but I need you. You know, and that was my attitude. And just knowing that I needed in order to get will that I needed to follow the directions of the doctor is.

22:47  Debora

Yeah. So how does the word of God inform healthy living? I mean, I know the Word of God covers every aspect of life. And does the Bible actually speak to some lifestyle habits that have changed for you?

22:59  Gail

Oh, yes. You know, one thing, guys, I have been abusing this body. And I'm just gonna be honest with you, you know, I love my chocolate. And I, I love eating that peach cobbler with that vanilla ice cream on it. And I made my trips to Coldstone and I didn't just get the way they say you get the love language. Just gotta have it. And I was always good, just gotta have it. Cuz I had already figured out that, like, oh, at passes more I can give and I can get a

23:34  Debora

giant one. Yes, you know,

23:36  Gail

so, you know, I'm figured all this way I call myself saving money but not realizing that I was destroying my body. And so, you know, God began to speak to me about how this body belongs to him, and how I am to honor my temple and I wasn't honoring it, I was just allowing anything to go in. 

And I was overweight, I was obese, you know, out of out of control, and out of control. And so it was some things that I had to begin to do. And one thing you know, when the scriptures talk about let life and death is in the power of the tongue, one thing that I had to begin to do during this whole thing, because when I got sick, I went all into COVID to you know that right? 

You know, two months, three months, we were in COVID. And so during that time, he says you got to be careful what you come in agreement with guilt. And so I was just like, Wow, and so all the times you know people Oh tell I just gotta have this food if I don't eat this food. If I don't get this I'm just going back. And I said nothing about life. Why would I die from something that I was living before I was ever introduced to. So now If I don't get it anymore, why am I gonna die for I was living before I started eating. So what am I going to die? 

So I had again to watch, you know, what I said. And then I also had began to take control, you know, we always talk about the fruits of the Spirit. But that one food over and over and gelation we are talking about control. And so I had to begin to exercise some control. And that was, you know, over what I eat, you know, what I come into agreement with. And then the other piece was, and I just went over this scripture the other day over in Proverbs, which talks about putting that knife to your throat. Over in Proverbs 23. And it talks about, it's better that you have put a knife to your throat, then you sitting down eating the delicacies and the things that's placed before you. 

And so many times we, we eat all of these sweets, we eat all of these things. And basically, I am putting a knife to my own throat because I'm gum killing myself. So, you know, just eating and gorging and, you know, partaking in and was prepping for myself, you know, you know, like doing Thanksgiving and stuff like that going, like, Oh, let me put on a big pair of pants. Let me put on some get rubbing so I can expand so I could eat more. And so all of those things, you know, God was just like, you know, speaking to me, these old habits, and always and even with that I had begin to change my way of thinking. And then now I don't know if you notice, I don't care where I go. I'm packing my little lunch. I'm fixing I'm preparing my food because I don't know what's in other food. I'm carrying my snacks, my water and things because I have to make sure that I am okay.

27:00  Debora

Yeah. So were you able to get off the insulin?

27:03  Gail

Yes, I was. I got off insulin. Oh my god in two months. In two months. I did everything they told me to do. And in two months, yes, March, I was off of insulin. And so come March 2022. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will be celebrating two years of being insolent free. I am not taking any medicine for diabetes. I am what they call self manage. I manage my diabetes, and I manage it through my thoughts to preparation of my food and what I've come in and premium. If so.

27:47  Debora

Yeah, you look great. I just have to say it's, it's a huge transformation in your even your outward appearance.

27:56  Gail

But thank you. Yeah, yeah, my God.

28:00  Debora

How did you know that God was calling you to actually minister to others in this area after you went through this, this, this period in your life?

28:07  Gail

I'm glad you asked. Because like, when people see me, they don't know exactly all what I went through. But, and I didn't share this. But at the beginning, when I started losing, I started losing weight. And as I was losing the weight, that's what you know, I knew something was wrong. But I started losing it to a faster degree. And my doctor saw me losing weight, but she knew I was working on losing weight. So she was like, continue on the track on it. But I'm like, this kind of fades, you know that you lose, like 34 pounds within a month, you know? And so in my mind, and I did i i lost 34 pounds. And I said to myself, I said, Well, God, if you allowed it to come out, no matter how it came out, the least I can do is keep it off. And so from that I ended up losing a total of 60 You know, pounds, just by following the what they told me to do. And me actually being more active walking and doing COVID I walk over 2 millions steps in 1100 miles, just, you know, by being active and I'm still active. 

I still do like exercises and things but I did I uh, like I said last week and came off and people were inquiring and asking me, how did I do it? And I was telling them I'm going like, you don't want it to happen. Like it happened to me because you don't know what I went through. But I begin to share with people and people started sending people all unit. My cousin got that visa my system I had talked to them, can you talk to them and so people started calling me and asking me about that BS and one thing led to another and you know to where I actually started, not today's shift The diabetes support group.

30:02  Debora

So how do they connect you with you for that? I mean, what? How do they type that in the URL?

30:09  Gail

Okay, they can go to I have actual, not2daysugar.org. If you go to not, the number 2 day sugar.org, you can go there and subscribe. And if you say, well, that's a little bit much, you can actually email me at GailcBussell@gmail.com. And we will send you the link we meet every Thursday, we meet every Thursday. 

And the reason I'm so passionate about meeting every Thursday, I don't care what's going on. I don't put anything like on my schedule, it's still my schedule, I'm still away, I'm going to still have the group meetings because I went to a session and that woman walked with me for like every Wednesday for like a whole year on me just eating and reading labels. And so that was my support. And so I just want to give that support back to others. Because diabetes is like the sixth deadliest disease. And a lot of people don't realize that. And not only that diabetes impacts every organ in your body. 

Debora, I, I my eyesight was in and I was like, God, why did you allow this, my eyesight, I experienced all this stuff. This is stuff that people experienced all into 20 years, you know, where they start losing their eyesight or losing a limb or their skin store drying out. But God allowed me to experience this, like, all of like two months, my vision got really bad, I tell my I can't see I can't see. But then God restored it just that quick. My skin started peeling and stuff. And God restored it all within a week. 

And I believe that God allowed it so that I'll be able to administer it to talk into share with other people. I mean, I learned how to prepare meals, how to measure my meals, you know the importance of having a measuring cups and things right within my home. And so with not today, sugar, those are things that we talk about, we also have a doc that comes on once a month, a doc Don Sheldon come on once a month, that talk to us about diabetes and sharing with them things that sometimes their own doc don't even share or they don't know. And so it's kind of like to enlighten people in that we can, that we don't have to be a victim of our disease, but that we can be a victor of it. And that when we say not today, Shiva, I control you. You don't control me, not unless I give you the power to do so. And here not to date that sugar is not going to troll me.

33:03  Debora

Wow. Yeah, God allowed you to go through that so that you can be a blessing to others. And yeah, that is just amazing. Is there anything else that you would like to share with our listeners as we get close to wrapping up?

33:15  Gail

Yeah, once again, I just want to remind you be careful what you come in agreement with, you know, life and death is in the power of the tongue. And so many times, we say things like, Oh, it's so hard. But it's all about us just surrendering our will, to his will because God desires for us to be in good health. The Word of God says that I desire that you prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers. And so he wants us to be healthy. He wants us to live healthy lifestyles. 

And so, you know, be careful what you know that you do that over. And a lot of times we say but we are human. But you know what Jesus was human to he came down here in human form. And he has shown us and demonstrated to us in every aspect on how to live as human, even as we are saying, and I just want to encourage you to get serious about your health, your spiritual health, because Tomorrow is not promised to you. And you might be on this call and you don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, that you too today can become that you too can be saved, that you can ask Jesus to come into your heart and to save you and just know he's waiting for you. He's there waiting so you can have him and then we can live a physical healthy life, but not entertaining the ways of the world and saying that these foods and things are good for us. And they're really for our demise. And so just want to say, I love you. And if you are diabetic, take your diabetes serious, because it is real. And just know when you are not taking your diabetes seriously. And you have to have your foot or your leg amputated. Now, you're being selfish, because somebody else has to come alongside and make sure that you get to the doctor and do things for you that these are things that you had the power to do for yourself, but that you gave up for a monster of boot.

35:42  Debora

Wow. Well, I believe that somebody listening today has been convicted by some of what you said. And I would just ask before we close out, would you pray for those listeners?

35:56  Gail

Yes. So father in the name of Jesus week. First of all, just want to say thank you, we just thank you for your amazing gracing your love and your loving kindness that you demonstrate before us by the Lord. I just pray right now, Lord, for anyone that does not know you, God, I pray God's will that today will be their day of salvation. God knows that they will surrender. God, they're all to you and anyone that's in a backslidden condition, God will that has been straddling the fence that they realize, God according to First John one nine, that you said that if we confess our sins, that you are faithful, and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And now God, I pray, God will that you forgive us God by how we have validated our temples, how we have violated our bodies, and we have just allowed food and things, God to dictate to us God on how we should treat them and God that we've used them as food as a run to so God, I pray now will there we will just surrender our will to your Will God Lord, that we will honor these temples, Lord, that we will recognize, Lord that you desire for us to be in good health. God, I pray that anyone who's dealing with their diabetes, that they will be serious, and God will that they will connect with their doctors and get on a plan and go to a nutritionist, God so that they they will be healthy and that they will also watch what they come in agreement with. So we just say thank you, we thank you, oh god for changing the atmosphere to good health, and spiritual Hill, and Jesus name. Amen.

37:47  Debora

Amen. Don't go away. We'll be right back after this short break.

<<MUSIC INTERLUDE>>

38:31  Debora

We just heard from Gail Bussell about how her crisis with diabetes led her to make some major changes in her life in the way that she eats and the way she exercises she has started an organization called not2daysugar.org If you know of someone who is living with diabetes, or perhaps you yourself, are living with diabetes, connect with Gail at not2daysugar.org. 

The Bible has something to say about every area of our lives. And a relationship with Jesus will help you weather the storms that will come into your life. If you've not yet surrendered your heart to the Lord Jesus, you don't have access to his power and presence that really makes a difference when you go through tough things in life. 

Jesus came to preach good tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. And he did this by dying on the cross by taking the punishment that we deserve for our sins. Jesus was buried and he rose from the dead to give us everlasting life and to help us In our day to day living here on earth, Jesus invites you to accept the gift of salvation. 

If you're feeling a pull in your spirit, as God is calling you to surrender your life to Him, you can repeat after me this prayer of surrender and faith. 

God, I confess that I'm a sinner and I need Jesus in my life. I repent of my sins and I turn to you. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. He was buried and rose from the dead. And I accept this by faith and invite Jesus to be Lord of my life. Amen. 

If this podcast has been a blessing to you, I would encourage you to give it a rating of five stars and leave a review at lovethepodcast.com/tbtwpodcast. 

Friends, my prayer for you today is that you will read God's word for yourself that you will surrender your heart to Jesus and to see that he has something to say about how we live our lives. God loves you and He wants you to live an abundant life in him. 

Stay tuned for our next episode of transformed by the word where we will hear another life transformation story.

Announcer 41:39

Thank you for listening to transformed by the word with your host Debora Barr, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Google Play and connect with us at TBTWPodcast.com. Until next time, be blessed.