UK churches pray for peace in Ukraine

A service is being held in Manchester on Sunday in support of Ukraine as the country continues to grapple with instability. Irena Pistun, coordinator for Hope Greater Manchester, said: "There has been bloodshed, families destroyed in Ukraine and current tensions are a serious threat to diplomatic relations in Ukraine."We hope, as we create new links with each other during these difficult times and churches begin to unite through prayer and fasting across the world, we can create one 'peace' at a time". If churches can unite there's hope for us all."The 'One Peace At a Time' service has the support of the Maranatha Community and HOPE 2014, and is taking place at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Manchester at 3pm.Dennis Wrigley, of Maranatha said: "We are calling on Christians to fast for half a day on 30 March in respect of the grave situation in Ukraine. Just cutting out one meal in the day and all snacks."Fasting is one of the most neglected spiritual admonitions though both Moses fasted and Jesus fasted especially so during difficult times."

Southampton churches working together on homelessness

Churches in Southampton are partnering to offer spiritual and practical solutions to homelessness in the city.A prayer meeting was held last week at CentralBaptist Church in solidarity with rough sleepers and those living in poor quality housing.The Homelessness and Housing Awareness evening was organised by the Love Southampton coalition of local churches to deepen understanding around issues of homelessness.Those present were encouraged to pray as well as support practical initiatives, like the Southampton Churches' Rent Deposit Scheme, a fund designed to support people on low incomes or in receipt of benefits to gain access to privately rented accommodation within the City of Southampton. 

Testimony - Fatuma Shubisa

 Fatuma Shubisa works hard to provide for her and her husband’s nine children. She lives in the little village of Alelu in rural Ethiopia. She considers her simple life a gift from God, because it was God himself who raised her from the dead .Fatuma says "For two months, I was very, very seriously sick."One day Fatuma’s mother came to care for her daughter.  But her daughter passed away. "She came  and touched my face. I was cold. My eyes were open. She closed my eyes and straightened my legs," Fatuma says. "My mother cried when she found out that I was dead. Because of that, everybody came and started crying."The pain Fatuma felt during her long sickness was finally over.  Fatuma grew upMuslim but had converted to Christianity. She says after she died, she felt herself being drawn to heaven."I was very happy, and I was going with a very merry heart."Along the way, Fatuma saw someone she recognized. It was her husband’s brother, who had died two years earlier.

Jokes for the day

Two Trouble Makers

A couple had two little mischievous boys, ages 8 and 10. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons would get the blame. The boys' mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed and asked to see them individually.So, the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon. The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?"They boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open.The clergyman repeated the question. "Where is God?"Again, the boy made no attempt to answer.So, the clergyman raised his voice some more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "Where is God!?"The boy screamed and bolted from the room. He ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him.When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?" The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied: "We are in real BIG trouble this time! God is missing, and they think we took him.

Archbishop of Canberbury on Gay Marriage in UK: Church Has Accepted That It's the Law.

Same-sex marriage becomes legal in England and Wales on Saturday and while the Church of England has accepted that new reality, it still maintains guidelines for its clergy against marrying gay and lesbian couples.

"I think the church has reacted by fully accepting that it's the law, and should react on Saturday by continuing to demonstrate in word and action, the love of Christ for every human being," Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby told The Guardian on Thursday.

Queen Elizabeth II officially approved the gay marriage law in July 2013, after the bill passed the parliament. The Anglican Communion had spoken out against the bill, arguing that changing the definition of marriage will not be good for society.

In February, the House of Bishops of the Church of England issued a statement on same-sex marriage, acknowledging that not everyone in the church agrees on how to handle the controversial issue.

"However we are all in agreement that the Christian understanding and doctrine of marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman remains unchanged," the bishops wrote.

Al Qaeda-Linked Islamists Capture Syrian Christian Village.

Syrian Islamist forces have killed Hilal Assad, a relative of Syrian President Bashar al Assad and key commander of the government military forces who was defending the Armenian Christian city of Kassat last weekend.Led by Al-Nusra forces, fighters from Ahrar al Sham, the Islamic Front, and others affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria took over the 1,700 person town on Sunday, filled with many believed to be backing President Bashar al Assad in hopes that he could better ensure their safety than Islamist rebels, according to the AP. The victorious rebels walked through the streets shouting and praising Allah, the Christian Broadcasting Network has described.

Many of the Armenian-Syrians subsequently lashed out at Turkey for allowing Islamists to cross and transport weapons across the Syrian-Turkish border with few repercussions, and expressed anger towards Turkey shooting down a Syrian war plane the same weekend.

Jefferson Bethke: Why Are Christians Upset With Noah's 'Creative License' but Not 'Son of God's'?

Christian author and spoken-word artist Jefferson Bethke took to social media to express his enthusiasm for the upcoming "Noah" film. He also expressed his confusion on why Christians have been so critical of the movie's fidelity to the Bible.Emma Watson plays Ila, Noah's daughter-in-law, in the upcoming "Noah" film."Does anyone else find it fascinating that Son of God got little backlash, because it was marketed to Christians & churches, yet Noah isn't marketed to the Church and is getting a ton of backlash? Even though both took substantial creative license," Bethke tweeted on Monday.

Steve Patton, a California pastor, responded to Bethke, suggesting that the reaction of Christians might have had something to do with the faith background of those promoting "Noah," as "Son of God's" producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey were not shy about sharing about their Christian faith while doing press for the movie."I think because Noah is made by a known atheist (Darren Aronofsky), people are up in arms. Let me tell it- meh," tweeted Patton.Bethke agreed with Patton's rationale."Ya I'm almost positive that's the reason. Super fascinating tho that most won't explicitly say that's reason. They say license," he responded."Seems to show us Christians want to be catered to? Or we think the director has to be a Christian?" he added.The film has stirred controversy as some Christians believe it does not adhere to the biblical story. Some of the most vocal critics include Ken Ham of the Creation Museum, evangelist Ray Comfort, and more recently conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

Comedian Kevin Hart Recalls How the Bible Contained His Mother's Surprising Heartfelt Gift

Hart told Winfrey that as he began to encounter minor success in his first year of comedy, he was also running low on rent money and repeatedly contacted his mother to help him finance his lifestyle.His mother's response to Hart's calls was always the same, as she asked her son: "Have you been reading your bible?""She's like, 'Are you reading your Bible?,'" Hart told Oprah on her March 23 edition of "Oprah Prime."I said, 'Mom, come on - I don't have time to talk about that right now. I'm late. I need the rent money."Hart's mother replied by saying "When you read your bible, then we'll talk about your rent."The comedian said conversations such as this one went on for weeks until he eventually received an eviction notice on his door. Desperate, Hart decided to take his mother's advice, only to find a relieving surprise when he eventually decided to read his bible."I go home and say, 'Man let me open this Bible up,'" Hart explained. "Open the Bible up, six rent checks fell out. She put all my rent checks in the Bible."Winfrey responded to Hart's story with shock and surprise, replying "Oh my goodness!"Hart, originally from Philadelphia, Pa., has made a name for himself as a comedic actor in the U.S., gaining mainstream recognition just in the past few years by starring in films such as "Grudge Match," "Ride Along" and "About Last Night."

Erica Campbell Exclusive: Mary Mary Singer Talks Overcoming Obstacles On The Road To 'Help'

Erica Campbell is not afraid to admit she needs prayer just because she is a gospel singing sensation, and after overcoming a traumatic year in the public eye she is showing people how to turn to God for Help.Campbell, 42, has Grammy, AMA, ASCAP and Image awards among others as a member of Mary Mary. Now she is forging her individual path with her debut solo album, "Help."However, the road to releasing her first solo effort was paved with obstacles in 2013 including her father's death, a ruptured vocal chord, parting ways with her manager and helping her sister and fellow group member Tina overcome marital infidelities publicly.Instead of folding under pressure, Erica followed God's calling and channeled her experiences into "Help," an eclectic album that she hopes reaches people even if they may not know God."I just want to reach as many people as possible. I want people to be ok with asking for help," Erica told The Christian Post. "A lot of times we let our ego get in the way and we don't ask not only God but we don't ask anybody for help. And we suffer silently, and it's not necessary."Erica's new album showcases her individual suffering and vulnerability in songs like "Eddie," where the singer pays an emotional tribute to her late father who passed away last year. With different sounds like guitars, harmonicas and ukulele the Mary Mary group member makes her mark as an individual in "Help," with some unique production and heartfelt stories that branch out of the traditional gospel music sound."The messages are kind of consistent with the year that I had in 2013 and everything was directing me to God knowing that I would make it through, that I wouldn't stay there long," Erica told CP. "Everything in Mary Mary had been me and Tina. Now it's just me, my voice and opinions."Still, Erica is still very much a part of Mary Mary and will record at least two more albums as a part of the gospel music duo with her sister Tina. While her sister has taken a break from music, the pair currently appear on WE tv every Thursday night for their self titled reality television series, "Mary Mary."

Violence Against Christian Copts in Egypt Continues Despite Fall of Muslim Brotherhood.

Violence in Egypt against Coptic Christians has continued despite the fall of former president Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, with believers still facing abductions and the government seizing their property, the Board of Inquiry in Cairo reported.

The report, according to  Fides News Agency, shows that Copts, who make up close to 10 percent of the population, are continuing to face "endemic forms of violence and abuse" in many parts of Egypt, particularly in the governorates of Luxor, Sohag and Aswan."The worrying scenario has been reconstructed in detail on the basis of meetings with community representatives, civil society organizations and material provided which witness this phenomena of violence," Fides reported.Christians have been heavily targeted in Egypt following the fall of Morsi last July, with Islamic extremists blaming them for supporting the protests that led to the change in government. Believers were killed, and Christian churches, bookstores and orphanages were burned down in violent attacks.

U.S. politicians have spoken out against this violence, with Republican Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) urging the U.S. State Department in October to help stop the sectarian violence and the persecution of Copts."Egypt's Christian minority and their ability to worship are in danger. The situation warrants a clear U.S. response. We are especially troubled by reports that Egyptian authorities have failed to respond to attacks on Christians and churches, or hold perpetrators accountable," the senators wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry.

Blasphemy death sentence for Christian road sweeper in Pakistan

A Christian road sweeper in Pakistan has been sentenced to death for blasphemy.

Sawan Masih was also fined 200,000 rupees (around £1,200) by judges at a private hearing today, reports Release International. The father of three, from Joseph Colony in the Badami Bagharea of Lahore, was accused of blasphemy after a row with a Muslim friend over property in March last year. 

President Obama Meets Pope Francis for the First Time

 During his recent European trip United States President Barack Obama made a stop at the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis. The encounter occurred as President Obama sought strategic responses to Russia's invasion of Crimea.

It was the first such meeting between the President and the Pontiff.During the 50-minute meeting, The Vatican Press Office reports the two world leaders discussed issues ranging from income inequality, the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, the eradication of human trafficking, as well as the issue of immigration reform

The Faith - Grace - Certainty Connection by John Piper

For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,  (as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.  In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."  Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;  yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.Let's start  with the promise that Abraham and his descendants - that is, all who have the faith of Abraham (Jews and Gentiles) - will be heirs of the world.  "The promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world. . ." This was the summary and implication of all God's promises to Abraham: he and his descendants would inherit the world - or as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:21, "All things belong to you . . . and you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God." I closed with four exhortations: Rejoice in this great hope; be secure in all your affliction; venture something a little bit crazy for Christ; give God the glory. Some of you did that this past week, and some radical choices were made that will change the rest of your life.Now today it only gets better. Paul is so serious and so eager for you to bank your hope on the promise of being an heir of all things - and for you to live your life with the kind of radical abandon for Christ that will make people see and wonder and give glory to God - that he now labors to show what God has done to make the promise guaranteed and certain. So the question you should have in your mind during the message today is: What has God done to make sure and certain and firm and guaranteed the promise that his people will inherit the world?

Jokes for the day

A sermon about lying

A minister told his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17." The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister smiled and said, "Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying." 

Are we supposed to obey our pastors?

The verse that speaks the most directly to this question is Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”Pastors are hurt deeply to see people ignore the counsel of God they share in messages or Bible lessons. Some people “blow off” the Word of God, doing so not only to their own hurt but also to the hurt of those who are around them. Young people especially have the tendency to ignore the counsel of those older than they, making the mistake of trusting their own wisdom as well as their own heart. God states that a godly pastor shares precepts from God’s Word because he desires not only to serve God but to feed the flock the spiritual food that will result in their experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10b).

Jokes for the day

Lightning just struck

As Bill was approaching mid-life, physically he was a mess. Not only was he going bald, but years of office work had given him a large pot belly. The last straw came when he asked a woman co-worker out on a date, and she all but laughed at him. That does it, he decided. I'm going to start a whole new regimen. He began attending aerobics classes. He started working out with weights. He changed his diet. And he got an expensivehair transplant. In six months, he was a different man. Again, he asked his female co-worker out, and this time she accepted. There he was, all dressed up for the date, looking better than he ever had. He stood poised to ring the woman's doorbell, when a bolt of lightning struck him and knocked him off his feet. As he lay there dying, he turned his eyes toward the heavens and said, "Why, God, why now? After all I've been through, how could you do this to me?" From up above, there came a voice, "Sorry. I didn't not recoginize you."

Christian School Rebukes 8-Year-Old Girl for Looking Too "Boyish"

Eight-year old Sunnie Kahle recently left her private Christian school in Lynchburg, Virginia after the administration complained that her appearance was not sufficiently female. Sunnie has a short haircut and enjoys wearing t-shirts and jeans; the administration believes that this confuses other children and does not coincide with the “biblical lifestyle” the school promotes.

Timberlake Christian Schools elementary principal Becky Bowman sent Kahle’s great-grandmother and legal guardian Doris Thompson a letter stating the school’s religious beliefs and included Bible passages referencing sexual immorality.

'Bishop of Bling' Expelled from Post After Construction of $41.3 Million Home

Pope Francis has asked German bishop Monsignor Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg to leave his post since the cost of his personal mansion have gone public. The bishop had been suspended in October pending investigation. 

Gunmen Open Fire in Kenyan Church, Kill 3

Unbelievable!Terrorist attack again,Who says end time isn't here? At least three people were killed Sunday after a pair of gunmen burst into a Kenyan church and opened fire.According to reports from the USA Today, the Kenyan church was packed when the shooters arrived."Both carried big guns and began shooting all over the place. I fell to the ground and could hear screams," Lilian Omondi, who was leading a prayer meeting at the time, says.Three children were among the wounded.The attack happened in Likoni, which is near to Mombasa.

Jokes for the day

At the construction job

There's this cathedral that's still being worked on, and the workers have rigged a "cage elevator" inside so they can get material up and down to the upper floors. A characteristic of these "cage elevators" is that the doors (gate) must be closed manually for them to be "called" to another floor.
One day one of the workers, Peter by name, takes the elevator to the top floor, and it is subsequently needed on the first floor by the sexton. Unfortunately, Peter forgot and left the door open. After the sexton rings for the elevator a couple times, to no avail, he yells up for the worker to send the lift back down. Visitors to the cathedral were treated to this sight: The sexton of the cathedral, head tipped up, yelling up to the heavens:

"Peter! CLOSE THE GATES!!!" 

Testimony - Rianne

 

In this life (20 years as of 2013), by God's grace, He bought me out of the depths of my own sin and loneliness, and gave me joy, a new life, and the greatest companionship ever imagined - the companionship of His son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit!As a child, I had attended church approximately every time we had visited my Gran in the countryside.  My first experience of God's grace, and my first answered prayer was at the age of five. I had been being bullied at school by a fellow classmate, and wrote a letter to God, asking Him to stop the bullying.  God answered this prayer in an amazing way.  The girl who had been bullying me became my first childhood best friend! Isn't God good!Throughout my childhood, I had a lot of ups and downs.  There was never a  loving, caring father figure around so when my earthly father visited out of the blue when I was eight, I was astounded - having not seen him since I was two.Being eight, I was ecstatic -- particularly when he said he would return the next day!  Sadly though he didn't come.After this I went downhill.  I was angry.  I was hurt and hard-hearted.  I started stealing and lying and acting up.This generally got a lot worse with me by the age of 12. 

How to Make Your Faith Work! by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

Read and be blessed.

                                                       THE FAITH TO LIVE!

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrew11:1-3)

It’s very important that we have a very clear understanding of what faith is before we proceed any further. In one of the most popular portions of scripture, faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for. If you have hope for anything, faith is what gives it substance. Faith gives you every reason to affirm something is yours before you see it with your physical eyes. Why? Faith is the substance of things hoped for; it calls real those things that are not physically observable. It calls them done NOW!

Faith is also defined as the evidence of things not seen, that is, the evidence of unseen realities. I do not see those things with my optical eyes but they’re real to me. They’re so real you can’t take them away from me. Faith is the evidence of unseen realities. That means it is proof of the existence of something that is not tangible to the senses.The Amplified Bible says:

Your Purpose is not your job

“The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose.” 

So how do I find my purpose? Begin by asking yourself, What do I care about? Who do I enjoy serving? What gets me out of bed in the morning? What makes my heart beat? Then search for a way to live these things out.

Testimony - Deerinda Lowe

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Deerinda Lowe never saw it coming. A semi-truck ran the red light and plowed over the top of her car.  The 18-wheeler barely missed her head but practically severed her arm.  Her legs were caught underneath the engine.  The car literally collapsed around her, trapping her inside.EMT Jay Scott describes Deerinda’s condition when he arrived on the scene. “We could tell right away that both of her arms were broken. We knew at least one of her legs was broken and possibly the other one. Plus we were pretty sure she had some internal injuries to go with that.  It was a low percentage on whether she was going to make it or not.  She definitely had life threatening injuries.”Rescue workers tried for 45 minutes to get Deerinda out of the car. Finally, she was life-flighted to Methodist hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana.Dr. Renn Crichlow says, “It was very grave.She had lost a lot of blood when she first came in. The fractures that she had were all very serious. 

Jokes for the day

Getting a Promotion

A Catholic Priest and a Rabbi were chatting one day when the conversation turned to a discussion of job descriptions and promotion."What do you have to look forward to in way of a promotion in your job?" asked the Rabbi."Well, I'm next in line for the Monsignor's job." replied the Priest.
"Yes, and then what?" asked the Rabbi."Well, next I can become Arch-Bishop." said the Priest."Yes, and then?" asked the Rabbi."If I work real hard and do a good job as Arch-Bishop, it's possible for me to become a full Bishop." said the Priest."O.K., then what?" asked the Rabbi.The Priest, begining to get a bit exasperated replied, "With some luck and real hard work, maybe I can become a Cardinal."

Christian Leaders Urge Dialogue with Nigeria’s Violent Boko Haram

For five years, bombs and bullets from Nigeria’s Islamist group Boko Haram have ripped through churches and their members, raising concerns over the security of Christians in majority Muslim regions of the country.

But as similar attacks ignite violent reprisals by pro-Christian militias in the Central African Republic, Christian leaders in Nigeria continue to insist on a path of dialogue and nonviolence.

The clerics have also pressed President Goodluck Jonathan to use the state security services against the militants. These Christian leaders want Jonathan to negotiate with Boko Haram leadership and end the campaign of terror.

Recently, militants have slaughtered both Christians and Muslims in the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.“We are living in perpetual fear and tension here in Maiduguri,” said the Rev. John Bakeni, secretary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri in Borno.

Testimony - Carl Knighton

Carl Knighton knows what hell is like because he says he went there after he accidentally overdosed on a drug called Valium.“Like the bible says you are in torment,” says Carl.Even though it happened more than twenty years ago Carl was able to draw pictures of what he says he encountered in hell.Carl remembers as he shows drawings, “The one in the middle is trying to get out of the fire but there’s no way they can get out. There’s no hope for them. There’s no way of escape for them.”Carl grew up in a Christian home where he had been taught that heaven and hell were real places. Even as a child, he was sensitive to the things of God.“I always felt the presence of God. I’ve seen angels of God at a young age and that let me know that God was with me.”After high school, Carl joined the army and married. Both his marriage and his military career were short lived.Carl says, “Platoon leader meaning Platoon sergeant and squad leader would come to me and say, ’You’re not doing your job and you should be doing better than this. And you’re not going to ever make the next rank. And you know your career is going to end.

"His name is Wonderful" by Bishop David Oyedepo

Bible verse: Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called

Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”Every child of God is born to be a wonder to the world. According to John 3:8, everyone born of the spirit is born a living wonder. Mark 16:17-18 says” And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”By divine ordination, every child of God is born a sign and wonder by divine ordination. Isaiah 8: 18 says “ Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion”.

Testimony - Jim Anderson

Read and be encouraged

 "I felt like I was fading away ... The next thing I knew, off in the distance, I saw a white light."Jim Anderson was dying from a massive heart attack. The only signs of trouble came a year earlier, but his doctor called his symptoms “stress related.” Jim was working 12 hour days as a supervisor at a waste water treatment plant. But this time, Jim knew it was much more than stress."I was resting in my bedroom and all of a sudden, I had a crushing pain in my chest; and the pain radiated down my arm and up the side of my neck," Jim said. "I couldn’t catch my breath. And I called to my daughter and said, 'You’re going to have to get me to the hospital. I’m not going to make it.' ”A balloon catheter was inserted into his artery. He was stabilized and placed on a heart transplant list. But two days later, Jim flat lined.Jim remembers, "I could see everyone rushing into the room, but I couldn’t hear the alarms going off. It’s like I had gone under water. The hearing had just faded away. That’s when I began to pray. I knew I was dying. It wasn’t a scared praying. It was earnest."