Hebraic Musing – How Powerful is your Testimony?
Here
is my testimony in three parts – before, what happened, and since.
I am Joe
Brusherd, a retired CPA, Int’l consultant and CFO for a variety of companies. Some
80+ years ago I grew up in Cicero, Illinois, as the oldest of eight
children. After college, my career
started as a CPA. My wife and I raised
six children which has multiplied into a family of 38 so far, and still
growing.
I had
limited understanding of God during the first 37 years of my life; did not know
God’s purpose for my life despite these Three Questions and Answers from
my first grade catechism class that stuck with me all my life:
Q. – Who made me? A.
– God made me.
Q. – Who is God? A.
– God is the Supreme Being who created all things.
Q. – Why did God make me? A. – God made me to worship Him;
and to praise Him forever.
During
those years my selfish ways, my anger, my unclean thoughts plagued me; and in
desperation I agreed to go on a Catholic Marriage Encounter weekend to enrich
our marriage, which desperately needed enrichment. After that experience in 1976, I became a
curious seeker of the God I had known as a child. I enjoyed the fellowship with other married couples,
but one couple I especially admired and respected. Bill and Mary Blessing had something I
wanted; and they frequently referenced their “Cursillo” experience.
On a
Thursday in August 1977 friends of Bill Blessing drove me the 80 miles for a
three day “Cursillo” retreat. As I got
out of the car, I asked them “Aren’t you coming in?” They answered, “No, we were just giving you a
ride” and they drove off. That act of
sacrificial love was just the beginning.
On the second day a priest, Father Tony Tascheta, spoke and his message,
presentation and style was awesome. I
kept thinking that he missed his calling; he should have been a VP of
Sales! I was in a daze, so we went to the Chapel.
As we
walked into the Chapel, I saw Father Tony Tascheta on his knees praying and
thanking Jesus for all the words Jesus had given to him for “the men out there”,
like me.
My
knees gave out and I found myself kneeling, crying crocodile tears and saying
almost out loud “Jesus Christ, you are
real. I need to learn more about you.” At that moment I knew I would never be the
same. The peace in my inner being was
unimaginable. I no longer had the feelings
of desperation that resulted from knowing I was a sinner and, most of all, that
I had been trying to hide them from God, my Creator.
At the
closing ceremony we entered a big hall and I saw Bill and Mary Blessing there;
they had cut their vacation short in order to be there for me. I fell
apart. As part of the closing ceremony,
we each were to stand up as the Spirit led and tell what the week-end meant to
us. Eventually I went to the podium,
froze, fell apart and finally blurted out “I
talked to Jesus!” That’s all I could
say! That’s not much of a speech but it
meant volumes. I was never so choked up
in my life.
Very
late Sunday night the Blessings gave me a ride home. I immediately woke up Peggy, my wife, and
said, “Peggy, guess what happened to me on the week-end?” She said, “What?” I told her, “I talked to Jesus”. She asked, “Does that mean you’re ‘born
again’?” I answered “I don’t know what
you call it, but all I know is that I talked to Jesus. … And I want you and all
our kids to experience what I experienced.”
She replied, “Too late Joe, we already
have. We’ve all been praying for you.” (She
could have added “…for 10 years.”)
That
was in August 1977. I was 39 years old. So I know how blind a man, a husband and a
sinner can be.
I found out why Jesus told Nicodemus “Very
truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” And
since by family was already “saved”, it is now my job to witness to the rest of
the world!
That
is how Jesus came into my life. What is YOUR testimony? Please share it with me.
Points
to Ponder
What life was like before?
What happened at that revelational moment?
What has life been like ever since?
People may argue with your teachings & preachings,
but they cannot argue with your testimony!
“And with
great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus,” Acts 4:33
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”
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