YOUR JESUS MUST BE TRUE

‘I sought GOD with all my heart’ 

As a young Muslim girl, I sought GOD with all my heart. But the more I tried to please Him, the more I felt a void inside me. I suffered from the absence of GOD.

One day, after school, I heard some young Christians sharing their faith: "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the FATHER except through him" (John 14:6). This message moved me deeply. Suddenly, I realised how important it was to believe in JESUS CHRIST in order to draw closer to GOD.

Later, I went to a church. The preacher spoke about the same Bible verse I had heard a few weeks earlier on the street. That day, I believed in JESUS CHRIST.

But how could I tell my parents? I was apprehensive about their reaction.

One day, I broke my silence and told them about my faith in JESUS CHRIST. My father immediately asked me to leave home. Overnight, I found myself alone on the streets of Abidjan (Ivory Coast). I wondered how I would survive. But a Christian couple took me in as if I were their own daughter.

A few years later, a friend encouraged me to reconnect with my family.

It seemed impossible! But I decided to write to my father; as soon as he received my letter, he agreed to see me again.

When I arrived, he spoke in front of the whole family and said, ‘I ask your forgiveness for all the harm I have caused you. Despite all these trials, you have continued to believe in your JESUS. Your JESUS must be real.’

Since then, several members of my family have come to believe in the Lord JESUS CHRIST.

Fati (Source: La bonne semence 2025)

WITH GOD WE'LL DO GREAT THINGS

 My story with a frightening illness!  

I had a feeling that 2019 would be a turning point in my life, but I didn't imagine it would be an illness.

It all started in January: I had spent a week at my son's house. I began to feel diffuse pain in my pelvis and back, fatigue and other symptoms. I didn't think it was anything serious, so I wasn't worried. Then, as the pain continued to increase, I made an appointment with my doctor at the end of the first trimester. Routine tests were carried out, but the results were negative. The doctor then sent me for a CT scan. After reading the results, the radiologist immediately booked me in for an ultrasound scan a few days later and, without telling me why, asked me to see a gynaecological surgeon as soon as possible.

Here we are at the end of April: the obstacle course has begun!

I meet with the surgeon who, after examining me, informs me that he will need to perform a biopsy. This takes place on May 7th followed by an MRI scan on May 20th. Up until this point, I still don't understand what is happening, except that it is serious. The only thing that concerns me is relieving the pain, which is getting worse and worse.

On May 25th, I will meet again with the surgeon, who has received the biopsy results and MRI findings.

"You have advanced cervical cancer. The lymph nodes are affected, as well as two other organs. We cannot operate; it would be too risky. I don't want to give you false hope," he told me.

The verdict is in!... I leave his office crying... I'm 57.

After leaving the clinic, I phoned my mum to tell her the news. Then I do the shopping I'd planned to do in this area, while holding back my tears. As I walked, my thoughts raced: how would I tell the people around me? (I was afraid of being confronted with self-pity, which could be fatal to my faith). Is there a sin that I haven't confessed to the Lord Jesus? Why is God allowing this? Am I going to die?

Then I think of Jesus who said to Peter: "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and went wherever you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you and take you wherever you do not want to go". (John 21:18) I don't know where I'm going, but I have to keep moving. The situation is completely out of my control. One thing's for sure: I have to choose how I'm going to move forward! I want to see the Lord Jesus in all his beauty, even in this trial. I also think of Daniel's friends who replied to the king: "Behold, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the fiery furnace, and will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. (Daniel 3:17-18) Clearly I must not allow despair to take hold and overcome my faith.

When I got home, after hugging my mum tightly and crying with her, I went up to my room and started talking to the Lord Jesus. Then I sent a message to the pastor to tell him. As soon as he received it, he called me back. He was shocked, but he told me that it's in adversity that you can see the glory of God! That's so true. I explained to him that I didn't want anyone to feel sorry for me and that, at first, not many people should know about it. He prayed for me.

On 18 June, I was admitted to hospital for a lumbo-aortic lymphadenectomy (lymph node removal) and the fitting of an implantable chamber that would be used to inject chemotherapy. I was off work for a month, but this was extended to a year and a half.

I then met the oncologist who set up my treatment: chemotherapy, radiotherapy and then brachytherapy at the Gustave Roussy Institute.

In the meantime, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to manage the pain, which has been going on for months, day and night. It will only disappear after a few sessions of radiotherapy. A sister of mine, a pharmacist, gave me some good advice on combining painkillers and avoiding overdosing.

From then on, my career was punctuated by numerous MRIs, PET scans, CT scans, medical visits, analyses, etc.

I began chemotherapy with cisplatin (a product that is highly toxic to the kidneys) and, at the same time, radiotherapy in July. Cortisone injections were also added to limit the side effects. This will last until August.

In mid-September, after a 15-day break, I was sent to the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif for brachytherapy. This took place over 5 days and 4 nights, during which I was absolutely unable to get out of bed: everything had been planned to adapt my diet. Apart from the medical, paramedical and maintenance staff - who visit every half hour, day and night, when the machine is not beaming - there are no visits. Given the distance and the time available, I preferred to ask my family not to be disturbed.

At the end of September 2019, the treatment was completed. Regular check-ups lasted until 2025, when I saw the surgeon again to have the implantable chamber removed.

I have chosen to talk briefly about the illness and its treatment, because behind these lines lies a more important path of life in victory: it bears witness to GOD's Love for me and for the world.

As I said above, I had to take a stand and decide how I was going to live through this period, whatever the outcome. The first step was to check whether anything was interfering with my relationship with God.

The first few days were difficult: I wanted to stay in life, but the pain, which I found increasingly difficult to relieve, reminded me that there was a problem. It made me think negative thoughts. I had to fight: this battle was spiritual.

Did I trust God?

If it was God's choice to take me back at that moment, was I ready?

Did I accept?

I told God that I would accept death as long as I was with Him. From that day on, I was able to experience this period differently.

My body was breaking down inside, my strength was diminishing with the chemotherapy injections, I had side effects from the treatments... but I had peace. I continued to attend church meetings almost to the end and, despite the immense fatigue caused by the chemotherapy, I put all my heart and all my strength into praising God. My life as a child of God had not stopped. The Lord always gave me the ability.

When I didn't feel like praying or had the strength to do so, God was there, in my heart, with his word that encouraged and strengthened me: it always came at just the right moment. I felt supported. My mum and the loved ones in my congregation prayed for me, asked about me, gave me practical help, came to sing praises at home; the young people visited me.

The medical staff I met were always very kind and the taxi ambulance, which took me to Gustave Roussy twice, was also a great help.

When I came across other sick people being cared for, I felt deeply privileged to be able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death without fear of any harm, because Jesus Christ was with me (Psalm 23:4), unlike those who had no hope.

It is painful to see that the solution exists, but that the world rejects it and prefers to remain in suffering.

Many put their trust solely in treatments. But these offered no guarantees: if the blood test was poor, the patient had to go home and wait to see if the next session could take place. And sometimes the disease recurred or spread. So these people lived with a veritable sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

I had the opportunity to bear witness to Jesus Christ to many people throughout this period: surgeons, oncologists, patients, doctors ...

Some might say:

"Where is God's Love in all this?"

"If your God loves you, why did he allow this illness?"

"If He is all-powerful, He could have healed you!"

I saw His Love everywhere - and I can't describe it all, because that would take too long.

My God allowed me to walk on high, to enter into a dimension of faith, into His dimension. I have experienced that when we abandon ourselves into His hands, we can go through anything, because He takes over within us. He made me experience His presence at every moment (2 Corinthians 4:8), He gave me joy and peace in spite of everything. I was able to live through this illness without suffering from it. If He had healed me without treatment - because, in the end, it's always God who heals (Psalm 103:3) - that would have been wonderful. But I wouldn't have experienced this victory over myself, or met all the people to whom I was able to testify about the real solution to evil: Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).

This ordeal has brought me closer to God.

You could still argue by saying:

"The treatments destroyed parts of you." 

Imagine if God had allowed me to experience what most men fear most - and to do it without being destroyed. My God is sovereign and infinitely wise (1 Corinthians 1:25). I have certainly suffered losses in my flesh, proof that man, within his limits, cannot produce anything perfect. Only the Creator embodies perfection. But in exchange, I have gained precious spiritual treasures. Our bodies, doomed to corruption, fade with time... but our spirits are destined for eternity (Matthew 6:19-20).

God loves us and He has opened His arms of love for you too, who are reading these lines, through Jesus Christ. Don't miss out on such a great salvation.

Mireille

DELIVERED FROM SLAVERY: This book didn't leave me alone!

This book didn't leave me alone!    

"When I read these words, I wept, for all my life I had struggled.

From my earliest childhood, my life was marked by disappointment. Unloved by my parents, I wanted to find love in the world. I sought happiness in music and drugs. I was employed in a local authority office, and outwardly everything was in order. But inside me was the hell of heroin addiction.

One day, I was arrested and imprisoned in Munich. The doctors thought I wouldn't survive. I was full of drugs and had bad jaundice. But God saved me from death. After a dreadful week, I survived the physical detox, but went on with my life as before. Until I found a Bible. I put it in the back of my cell, determined not to read it.

Strangely enough, that book in my cupboard wouldn't leave me alone. Finally, I picked it up, opened it, and what I read shocked me. It says that God is the Lord, the King. He is the Lord, strong and mighty, mighty in battle. And it says that this Lord is my helper; I shall not be afraid psalm 25, psalm 118.

When I read these words, I cried, because all my life I had struggled to find attention and love.Then I prayed: “God, if you really want to fight for me, then I want to come to you”; That was in August 1986. Since then, I've come to know God better, and He has delivered me. I'm grateful to Him from the bottom of my heart.

Sylvia (from Bonne semence 2025)

FREED FROM SLAVERY

 "It's never too late"   

I took 'Tramadol' for the first time when I was 11,  what I felt that day went far beyond simple relief. My body seemed to go numb, and I was overcome by a deep, almost unreal feeling of well-being. For the first time in my life, I felt at peace... almost happy. I've never forgotten that moment of euphoria. It became an illusory refuge, an escape from an inner emptiness I couldn't name.

From then on, I started taking 'Tramadol' regularly. Firstly to ease the pain, but also and above all to rediscover that fleeting feeling of happiness. Very quickly, my body developed a tolerance. One tablet was no longer enough. Then two, then three... up to eight a day. I juggled with the doses, looking for a balance that I could never find. The drug had become a prison. I was addicted, lost and tired.

The day I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I was gripped by an immense fear. I feared the consequences of my consumption on her health, and I felt terribly guilty. But beyond this fear for my child, I couldn't take it any more myself. I was broken inside, unable to free myself. 

So I did something I'd never done before with so much strength: I cried out to God every day, I prayed to Him sincerely, sometimes silently, sometimes in tears, but always deeply. I asked Him to protect my child... and to deliver me too. 

And the Lord answered.

What my countless attempts, marked by suffering, violence and powerlessness, were incapable of producing, God accomplished with a single act of grace. Every time I went through withdrawal, I experienced excruciating pain in my back, muscles and joints, and this time even in my teeth. 

No pain at all. No withdrawal. 

I was delivered overnight. 

Today, I'm completely free. My daughter is in good health, and I live in God's peace, without dependency, without fear. What men couldn't do for me, Jesus did with a single gesture of love.

I bear witness to this deliverance to give glory to God, and to say to the person reading these lines: 

- It's never too late. 

- You are never too far away. 

- What God has done for me, He can also do for you. 

"The Lord is near to those who are brokenhearted, and He saves those who are discouraged. Psalm34:18

Yacine