Testimonial

As explained by Dictionary.com
 

1. A written declaration certifying to a person's character, conduct, or qualifications, or to the value, excellence, etc., of a thing; aletter or written statement of recommendation.

2. Something given or done as an expression of esteem, admiration, or gratitude.

 

1 John 5:11-12: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

 

I often talk about what God has done for me.  I am not the slightest shy to share my fervent faith specifically about how many ways God has blessed me.  Which is to say, I am always ready speak or in this case write a testimonial about what my God does for me. 

 

I have so many experiences as I look back in life.  If you take a few minutes to bring up past experiences, memories, can you see God's blessing upon you?  Are you able to recognize situations where God speaks to you?  Do you see Him speaking to you through people or perhaps through life events, in church or during prayer?   I bet you too have some great life events or when we use them to glorify God, testimonials.  Share them with everyone who'll listen and bring glory to His name. 

 

If there was one life event that I can look back upon and see God's Love and intervention it was when I flipped and rolled my car, and walked away.

 

I was 16 years old and I worked summer and weekends to save for a car.   I bought a '65 GTO, four door, cherry red, black interior, 389 with a trip-power manifold all for $3,200.  I loved this car about as much as anyone can love an inanimate object.

 

So I had taken my car to get new brakes to my local mechanic.  I brought the car home and all was well.  The next morning I was driving to school and when I tried to depress the brake I noticed nothing was happening.  I pegged it to the floor and still no slowing down.  So I decided to try the emergency brake.  No luck.  I am quickly approaching a red light and a big rig is crossing my path from the left.  I had to do something, so I turned the wheel with my left hand to the right and with my right I went to throw my stick shift into a lower gear to slow my vehicle.  

As I turned and grabbed the hurst shifter, I felt the left front tire hit the curb and up I went.  The car flipped back end up and over, landing on the roof and then proceeded to roll three times. I was traveling about 40 miles per hour prior to trying to stop and it wasn't that fast as the streets's maximum MPH was 45, so I was surprised that I took to the air and didn't just roll over the curb breaking my front axle.  This humongous piece of metal, after flipping, and rolling three consecutive times, by my count, and the testimony provided by witnesses, finally comes to a crashing hault resting upon its roof.

 

Obviously I survived.  But what were my injuries from a car that sustained such an experiece, with me inside not wearing a seat belt?  So here is where the Great I AM saved my life.  As I sit on the roof of the car I go to use the door handle and realize it was not where it normally would be located.  That's when I began to comprehend what occurred.  I exited the vehicle with no injuries.  What do I remember about the actual crash?   I remember looking out the windshield as it was being crushed inward, glass exploding from impact.  

I recall the entire actual crash in slow motion and one thing that ALWAYS stands out is the feeling of being suspended, being still, while everything around me crashes and tumbles around.  It was like I was in a protective bubble, held safely while everything in my environment around me violently continued on its path until completion.  If you simply think of what should of happened to me, from the physics alone, in this kind of accident, there is literally no way I should of walked away with zero injuries.  However some would argue head trauma definitely occurred.

 

That is the power of the one and true God!  He makes the impossible possible!

 

God bless you!

Ben Linares